Chicken Fried Friday

Okay, there is something I do really, really well, and I will gladly take all the praise I can get for it! I can fry! Be it, shrimp, crab, steak, deer, eggs, bacon, potatoes, artichoke hearts, pickles or chicken I can fry it the best! I never, ever, ever toot my own horn, but I can fry! The joke in our family has been for the past twenty years that this is my job security, keeping in mind, my job is HOMEMAKER! My three kiddos' friends all come for dinner when they hear I'm frying, and that is often! Usually at least once a week. When Mr. Wells is traveling a lot, you are guaranteed a great fry when he returns (especially from the West Coast-apparently ya'll are way too healthy out there)! Tonight we had fried drumsticks, my personal favorite, but this story is not about the chicken. This story is about the side dish... Growing up, my mother had her favorite dishes she cooked together, and her mother had the same menu, as did her mother. One of these dishes was Summer Squash (yellow squash) with fried chicken. I HATED it! I thought I still hated it, but sometime in the last couple years I started to CRAVE it. Funny how this happens, but now it is my FAVORITE! It tastes like family, home, love. You lucky friends are going to get a family heirloom recipe. I swear this is good, if, of course, you like summer squash, but keep in mind, I hated it until I was 40! So, it is worth trying.

2 pounds summer squash, cut into 1/2" chunks
1 med. onion, diced
1/2 cup water
2 TBL butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Optional: (these are good, but I rarely do them. The above is good enough!)
1 egg, hard cooked and chopped
2-4 TBL sour cream

In a frying pan (I always use cast iron!) bring the squash and onion to a simmer in the water and butter. cook the mixture, covered, until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the cover, boil off the remaining water and mash the mixture well with a wooden spoon or potato masher (I am convinced the mashing is what makes this so good). Drain off any liquid. Add the salt and pepper.
If desired, garnish with the egg, or stir in the sour cream.
Serve hot.
Now, If ya'll join me as friends and followers, maybe I'll share my frying secrets!!!
I do hope you enjoy this. It is one of my COMFORT foods. I only make it in the summer when the squash is in season. Enjoy!