Using Winter Squash

Have you ever wondered what to do with all those colorful, weirdly shaped squash you see in the fall?   They are rich in vitamins and quite healthy, so you just might want to give them a chance!  Most of them are easy to prepare for mealtime.

Toasted Squash Seeds (any winter squash) - Rinse seeds thoroughly in a strainer.  Place on paper towels and dry.  Remove fibers from seeds.  Rinse seeds again and spread evenly (without drying) on a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with salt or garlic salt.  Bake in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes.

Squash can be baked, boiled or sliced and fried; mashed and buttered or mixed with other 

ingredients to create breads, cakes, pies, desserts, casseroles, soups and salads.  

Acorn Squash can be green, orange or buff in color.  They are shaped somewhat like a huge acorn with ribs or ridges.  The orange flesh is sweet and  is excellent for baking.  It is an early producer and can be stored well.

Banana Squash are long and pointed and grayish or creamy in color.  Some grow to over 2 feet long!  This squash has excellent flavor and keeping quality.

Buttercup Squash usually have flat green tops and a dark green body with stripes.  They are drum or turban shaped  The flesh is thick and orange and has a rich aromatic flavor.  Excellent for pies.

Butternut Squash have an elongated bell-shape and are buff-colored with smooth skin.  They are sweet and tender and excellent for baking.

Cushaw is a pear shaped squash that ranges from a striped green to orange color.  The flesh is golden and a good quality for baking.  It is used commercially for canned pumpkin and makes 

excellent pies.

Hubbard Squash grows quite large and thick and is cylindrical in shape.  Its color ranges from bluish to gray to orange.  The flesh is pale yellow and of good quality for baking.

Spaghetti Squash has smooth skin and is orange to pale yellow in color.  It has yellowish strands inside and a good crunchy texture.  This squash can be prepared and eaten like spaghetti noodles, with sauce and all.  Bake or boil to fork out the center like strands of pasta.

Sweet Dumpling as round as dumplings and as sweet as honey!   The golden flesh bakes up tender.  Hard ivory and green striped skin - an ideal keeper.

Turban - The most popular variety of this squash is called the ‘Turk’s Turban’.  It grows to about a foot in diameter and is crown-like.  It is not the best eating quality, fine-grained and somewhat like a sweet potato.