Squash: Varieties and Tasty Ideas
When the weather cools down enough that turning the oven on is a pleasure, you know it is squash season! Winter squash is one of those foods that defines a season. Like watermelon and corn on the cob mean summer, squash means fall. There are numerous types of winter squash. These are the ones we have at Pleasant Prairie Greenhouse this year.
- Acorn – This squash looks like an acorn, hence the name. It has light orange flesh and green, ribbed skin. Acorn is a smaller squash variety, and when cut in half, makes a nice bowl shape perfect for stuffing.
- White Acorn – This looks like a regular acorn squash except it has a creamy white skin and yellow flesh.
- Butternut – Butternuts are shaped like an elongated pear and have creamy yellow skin and orange flesh. They contain more flesh than an acorn squash since the neck area has no seeds. Tasting similar to sweet potatoes, it has smooth, not stringy texture that makes it great to puree for soup. Tip: Cut the ends off first. Then place the squash on the cutting board with the neck facing up and cut it in half lengthwise from top to bottom. Cutting the bottom makes it flat, the exposed flesh at the top makes it easier to cut.
- Buttercup – Buttercups have a rounded, squat shape with green skin and orange flesh. This squash is sweeter than other varieties and the flesh is slightly drier. The skin can be quite hard and difficult to cut. Tip: When using in recipes, bake it whole, then cut it open, scoop out the seeds, and peel off the skin after it cools.
- Spaghetti — This is oval shaped has a yellow skin. When cooked and scraped, the orange flesh separates into long strands the look like spaghetti noodles.
Squash is easy to roast. Simply cut the squash in half, or quarters if it is a big one, scoop out the guts, brush it with oil or melted butter, sprinkle on any spices you desire, and roast it cut side down on a pan at 400°until the center is cooked through (40-60ish minutes depending on the squash). If you want to avoid the oil and butter, add about ¼ inch of water to the bottom of a baking dish, and set the squash cut side down in the water, then bake. You can also slice it into wedges or cut it into cubes, toss the pieces with oil, and bake. Or sauté the cubes in a pan for a quick and easy option.
What spices go well with squash? If you like it sweet, try cinnamon and brown sugar, or of you prefer a savory flavor, salt, and pepper, or sage and thyme. If you want to kick it up a notch, try curry.
Tired of plain squash or looking for something that will impress a crowd? Stuff the halves of roasted squash with … well, just about anything. Get creative (or clean out the leftovers from your fridge). Fully cooked meats like sausage, turkey, and bacon add a lot of flavor. Mix in a grain like breadcrumbs, rice (wild, white, or brown), or quinoa – and fruits and vegetables. Fall fruits like apples or cranberries go well with squash, as do sauteed vegetables like kale, onions, celery, spinach, or broccoli. Mushrooms blend well with the nutty flavor of squash. Top the stuffed squash with breadcrumbs, or cheese (cheddar, parmesan, or gruyere) and pop it back in the oven until the cheese melts and the breadcrumbs are toasty.
Stuffed squash is a great vegetarian Thanksgiving meal. You can prepare it ahead and reheat it while carving the turkey, so it is an effortless way to address the needs of a vegetarian guest. Squash is also great in casseroles and soups and can be a great substitute for pasta (think lasagna with planks of cooked squash instead of noodles) and of course, spaghetti squash. It is also perfect in risottos and curries. If you are looking for more ideas of what to do with squash, just do a quick google search or check out the following websites.
“100 Things to Do with Winter Squash” from Taste of Home
https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/winter-squash-recipes/
“89 Best Winter Squash Recipes” from Epicurious
“40 Health Winter Squash Recipes” from Liz’s Healthy Table
https://www.lizshealthytable.com/2015/11/23/40-healthy-winter-squash-recipes/
Now that you are excited to try a few new squash recipes, come on out to one of our Pleasant Prairie Greenhouse Locations and pick some up! We are open Fri & Sat 10-5 and Sun 10-4 through October. During the week or in the evenings, self-service shopping is available at two of our three greenhouses — Albany Main St. and our Evansville location (not available at Hwy 104).