Checkerboard Vegetable Squares

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 cup cottage cheese (can also use ricotta cheese)
• 1 1/2 cups saltine crackers, coarsely crushed (approximately 25 crackers)
• 1 teaspoon dried fine herb (herbs of provence or italian herbs)
• 2 -4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 3 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced
• 1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach
• 3 medium tomatoes, sliced
• 4 slices mozzarella cheese, cut into strips

Recipe

• 1 combine first 3 ingredients (cottage cheese, saltines and fine herbs) in mixing bowl and set aside.
• 2 melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. add squash slices, and saute 5 minutes. spoon into a lightly greased 8 inch square baking dish.
• 3 spread half of cheese mixture evenly over squash slices.
• 4 place spinach in skillet and saute 3 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon butter if necessary to prevent sticking. spoon spinach evenly over cheese mixture.
• 5 spread the remaining cheese mixture evenly over spinach layer.
• 6 slice tomatoes into 9 equal pieces. saute, just enough to soften slightly. layer them on top of the second cheese mixture.
• 7 bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
• 8 arrange mozzarella cheese strips on top to resemble checkerboard, and bake 10 more minutes.
• 9 remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes: cut into squares. serve immediatly.