Bacon Squash Sauté

August. The heat. The slow turn toward fall. Megan and I are in our rhythm — summer rhythm, the one where she reads in the hammock and I brew beer and we cook together on weekends and the days are long and the evenings are warm and the world feels like it's holding its breath before exhaling into September.

We're trying. Month two of the second attempt. The apps and the tracking and the cautious optimism. This time feels different — not because anything medical has changed but because we have changed. The miscarriage changed us. We're less naïve. More patient. More aware that the universe doesn't owe us anything and that every positive test is a gift, not a guarantee.

At the brewery, the Oktoberfest is in the fermenter. The fall lineup is planned. I'm developing something new: a smoked amber lager with cherrywood, a callback to the collaboration I did in Madison years ago. The smoke gives it depth without heaviness. The cherry wood gives it sweetness without sugar. It's a beer that tastes like Wisconsin fall: campfires and changing leaves and the first cold morning that makes you reach for a flannel.

Tom called to talk about insulation. Not metaphorical insulation — actual insulation. He's redoing the attic at the Cape Cod and wants to discuss R-values. We talked about R-values for twenty-five minutes. This is how Tom and I connect now — through house projects and Packers analysis and the comfortable territory of manhood where vulnerability is expressed through discussions of fiberglass versus blown-in. I love these calls. I love every boring, wonderful, R-value-filled minute.

Made a corn chowder — the recipe I've been making every August since I discovered it. Fresh corn, potatoes, cream, smoked paprika. Thick, golden, the soup that says summer is ending and fall is coming and everything is going to be okay. I believe the soup. The soup has never lied to me.

The corn chowder had barely cooled before I was already thinking about what else the end of August calls for — something with that same smoky warmth, something that uses what’s heavy on the vine and ready to come in. This bacon squash sauté is that dish for me: fast enough for a weeknight, honest enough to feel like the season. When you’re in a patient rhythm with someone you love, waiting on good news and tending the small daily things — a hot pan, bacon fat, summer squash — that’s exactly the kind of cooking that keeps you grounded.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Render the bacon. In a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until crisp and the fat has rendered, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the drippings in the pan.
Sauté the onion. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the sliced onion to the bacon drippings and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden at the edges, about 4 minutes.
Add the squash. Add the yellow squash and zucchini to the pan in a single layer as best you can. Let them sit undisturbed for 2 minutes to develop a little color, then stir and cook another 3–4 minutes until just tender — you want a little bite remaining.
Build the flavor. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
Finish the dish. Remove the pan from heat. Drizzle the apple cider vinegar over the squash and toss to combine. Fold in the reserved bacon and scatter the fresh parsley over the top.
Serve. Transfer to a warm bowl or platter and serve immediately alongside crusty bread, grilled chicken, or as a hearty side to whatever else is on the stove.

Nutrition (per serving)

Bacon Squash Sauté — The Dish That Tastes Like August Turning Into Fall