We grow the Pam, Baby Pam, and Winter Luxury varieties of Pie Pumpkin.

We grow the Table Ace and Tay Belle varieties of Acorn Squash.

We grow Sweet Dumpling Squash.

We grow the Pilgrim, Avalon, Early Hybrid, and Metro PMR varieties of Butternut squash.

We grow the Hokkori variety of Green Kabocha squash.

 

We grow Confection Gray Kabocha.

We grow the Uchiki variety of Red Kuri squash.

We grow Carnival Squash.

We grow the Small Wonder variety of Spaghetti Squash.

 

We grow Sugar Loaf Squash.

We also grow Bon Bon (Green Buttercup) and Sunshine (Red Kabocha) squash, but do not yet have photos of them.

The sections below were copied with permission from Mi Ae Lipe’s Tastes from the Valley to Bluff: The Featherstone Farm Cookbook (2008).

Storage

Winter squashes are hardy and sturdy by nature, so choosing a good specimen would not appear to be difficult. However, if you are seeking a squash with maximum flavor and storage potential, look for a specimen that is rock-hard, with absolutely no soft or moldy spots. Its stems should be intact, and its skins relatively dull (shiny skins may mean that the squash is immature or that it has been waxed to mask its true condition).

Winter quashes are at their best in the fall. Although they are often available year-round in the supermarket, they are likely to be tasteless at other times.

Complementary Herbs, Seasonings, & Foods

Ancho chiles, apples, bacon, brown sugar, butter, celery root, Cheddar cheese, cinnamon, cloves, curry powder, garlic, ginger, honey, maple syrup, marjoram, nutmeg, nuts, onion, oranges, Parmesan cheese, pears, pecans, pepper, rosemary, sage, sherry.

Serving Suggestions

• Boil or mash winter squash just as you would potatoes.

• Add peeled squash cubes to your favorite soups, stews, beans, gratins, and vegetable ragouts.

• Steam cubes of winter squash and dress with olive oil, garlic, tamari, and ginger for a savory dish, or with apples and ginger for a sweeter dish.

• Bake squash, cut into halves, and stuff with seasoned meat, rice, breadcrumbs, or a favorite stir-fry recipe. Season and reheat as necessary.

• Make shredded strands of spaghetti squash into an au gratin, with butter and cheese.

• Very tender, sweet winter squashes can be finely shredded to make an unusual slaw, along with raisins, mayonnaise, vinegar, cream, and sugar.

• Prepare mashed or finely shredded squash into pancakes, much like potato pancakes, or deep-fry like hash browns.

• Purée cooked squash and blend with sugar, cinnamon, honey, nutmeg, maples syrup, and cream for a luscious dessert.

• Substitute sweet-flavored winter squash in any recipe calling for pumpkin.

• Dress cooked winter squash with butter and herbs, a cream sauce, cheese sauce, maple syrup and nuts, marinara sauce, or stewed fruit.

• Use cooked, mashed squash in breads (especially cornbread), muffins, custards, and pies. Be sure to compensate in the recipe for the squash's extra moisture.

Links

Cook out of the Box - Focus: Winter Squash

Cook out of the Box - Hands On: Tackling Winter Squash

Recipes

Stuffed  Squash (serves 2)

2 acorn squash, halved and seeded

4 tablespoons butter olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

2 cups coarsely crumbled whole wheat bread

Juice of 1 lemon or orange

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup raisins or cranberries

1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Oil a baking dish that can snugly fit the halved squash. Place the squash, flesh side down, on the dish and pour in 2 cups of water. Bake until it is fork-tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat the butter or oil in a frying pan sauté the onions until they turn translucent. Add the celery, walnuts, seeds, and garlic. Cook over low heat until the nuts are browned. Add the sage, thyme, and marjoram. Stir in the breadcrumbs, juice, salt, pepper, and raisins or cranberries; then cook over low heat for 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the pan and stir in the cheese.

4. Set the oven to 350°F. Pack the stuffing into the squash cavities and cover with aluminum foil. Bake, flesh side up, for 25 minutes. Then uncover and cook 5 to 8 minutes longer to brown.

Credit: Featherstone Farm

Squash-Apple Casserole (serves 4)

Besides being cholesterol-free and almost sodium-free, this dish is high in vitamin A and a good source of vitamin C.

2&1/2 cups fresh winter squash, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1&1/2 cups cooking apples, pared and cut into 1/2-inch slices

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Alternate layers of sqush and apples in an 8 x 8-inch pan., ending with apples on the top layer. Sprinkle spices over the top layer. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 45 to 60 minutes, or until the squash is tender.

3. Remove the foil and bake another 10 to 15 minuts to remove any excess liquid that might have accumulated. Cool slightly before serving.

Credit: Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources

Butternut Squash Gratin

Based on a recipe in Brenda Langton's Cafe Brenda Cookbook.

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 medium butternut squash

1 large or 2 medium onions

1 red bell pepper

6 cloves garlic

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (shitake are very nice if you can get them)

1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (combination of parsley, sage and thyme would be nice.)

3/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Sliced fresh tomatoes - about 1 1/2 pounds

2 cups grated monterey jack cheese

Preparation

Peel and seed butternut squash and cut into 1/2 inch slices.  Roast slices on an oiled baking sheet at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until tender.

Thinly slice pepper, onion, garlic and saute until soft in olive oil. Set aside.

Saute mushrooms until lightly browned.

Layer in baking pan:  squash, mushrooms, sauteed vegetables, fresh herbs, pumpkin seeds, sliced tomatoes and cheese.

Bake covered at 350 degrees about 1/2 hour.  Bake uncovered about 10 minutes.

Credit: Cook out the Box 2010 - Week 17 

Stuffed Baked Delicata Squash

Cut squash in half vertically.  Scoop out seeds.  Make a stuffing: saute 1/4 cup onion and 1/4 cup red bell pepper or celery in butter or olive oil.  Add 1 cup coarse dry bread crumbs, 1/2 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper and 2 T. chopped fresh parsley.  Moisten with a little water or broth.  Add 2 T. sunflower or pumpkin seeds if desired.  A few raisins or a little chopped apple are nice too.  Divide stuffing between two squash halves - pressing lightly.  Bake, covered for about 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Test with sharp knife to make sure squash is tender.  If baking dish seems too dry, add a little water during baking.

Credit: Cook out the Box 2010 - Week 17

Baked Acorn Squash

This is a classic.  Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds and stringy flesh.  Turn upside down on a baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees about 25 minutes.  Remove from oven,  and place in the cavity - for each half - 1 t. butter, 1 T. brown sugar or honey or maple syrup, a pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg and a teaspoon or so of rum, apple or orange juice.  Bake another 20 minutes or so until done. 

Other possible stuffings:  apple or cranberry sauce, bread crumbs mixed with sauteed onion, celery, fresh herbs and a little butter and broth.  Optional additions:  cooked sausage, walnuts, raisins, mushrooms.

Credit: Cook out the Box - Focus: Winter Squash

Cream of Winter Squash Soup 

This makes a big batch. Freeze some for later if you wish.

Ingredients

2 T. butter

1 c. chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger

6 cloves garlic (fresh or roasted)

1/2 t. pepper, 1 t. salt

5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 cup real maple syrup (or honey)

Juice and finely grated peel of one orange

2 cups low fat milk

3 pounds of squash (peeled and cooked)

Preparation

Saute onions, garlic and ginger in butter about 10 minutes or until soft. Add broth, salt and pepper and squash. Cover and simmer about one hour. Add syrup, orange juice and grated peel. Cool slightly (you don't' want hot soup in a blender). Puree, in batches, with milk in a blender or food processor. Smooth texture is important in this dish. Thin soup if desired with additional broth, orange juice or milk. Gently reheat before serving. Possible garnishes: toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds. creme fraiche, chopped apple, crumbled gingersnaps (just a little bit).

 Credit: Cook out the Box - Focus: Winter Squash

Richard Olney's Provencal Squash Gratin

Dice 2 pounds of peeled raw squash (such as butternut, kuri or hubbard)  into small pieces - no bigger than 1/4 inch.  Mix in a bowl until all pieces are well coated with 6 cloves of minced fresh garlic, 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley and  4 T. flour.  Spread squash into a well oiled 11 x 14 gratin (flat) baking dish.  Drizzle in a crisscross fashion with 1/3 cup good olive oil.    Bake at 350 degrees for about 2 hours.  A deep, rich brown crust should form.

Credit: Cook out the Box - Focus: Winter Squash

Squash Biscuits 

Adapted from Jane Brody's Good Food Gourmet.

2 cups cooked, mashed winter squash

4 T. (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1/3 cup buttermilk or yogurt

2 T. sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (you could substitute 1/4 cup of corn meal for 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour)

4 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

Mix together wet ingredients  (including squash) and dry ingredients separately.  Then stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.  Stir until just combined into a dough.  Knead a few times on a well floured surface - dough will be soft.  Pat dough into one piece about 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into 12-15 squares with a knife and place on greased baking sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees until lightly browned - about 20 minutes.  (Note - you can also cut dough with a round biscuit cutter and re-roll scraps.  Squares are faster.)

Credit: Cook out the Box - Focus: Winter Squash

Curried Potatoes, Carrots, and Squash

Peel and cut carrots, potatoes and squash into medium chunks - about 8 cups vegetables in total.  Also chop about 1 cup onion and mince 3-4 cloves garlic.    Saute vegetables, including onions and garlic, in 2-4 T. oil along with our favorite curry seasoning (curry powder, canned curry paste or mixture of spices such as mustard seed, cumin, fresh ginger and turmeric.) and about 1 t. salt for about 5 minutes.  Add water, coconut milk or a mixture.  Add more or less depending on how much sauce you want.  Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender.  Sometimes I add about a cup of red lentils along with the vegetables for extra protein.  They cook fast - right along with the vegetables.

Credit: Cook out the Box 2010 - Week 19 

Pumpkin Pie

Make your favorite pie crust and partially bake.  (This makes for a less soggy result.)  To partially bake, prick the bottom all over with a fork.  I like to put another light weight pie pan on top of the crust with a few dried beans on top to keep the crust from puffing up too much when it bakes.   You  can buy special pie weights made just for this purpose - they look like a long necklace of stainless steel beads.  I am going to have to get some of those one of these days.  

Filling

I'll tell you a secret.  You can make pumpkin pie without a crust.  Just call it pumpkin pudding.  Top with a little whipped cream and you can have the pumpkin pie experience with less effort and less calories.  Don't try this at Thanksgiving or you might have a rebellion on your hands.  (I know my family would protest.)

This is enough filling for a 9 inch pie.

2 cups pureed or mashed cooked pumpkin (or one 16 oz. can)

1 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. ground ginger

1/2 t. ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat until smooth.  Best to use an egg beater or mixer for this job.  Pour into prepared crust (or greased custard cups if making pudding).

For pie, place into pre-heated 425 degree oven and bake for 15 minutes. Then turn down heat to 350 degrees and bake about another 45 minutes, or until a sharp knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean.  Cool at room temperature.  If desired,  chill before serving - about 4 hours.

If you are baking filling in custard cups, bake at 350 degrees until pumpkin mixture barely jiggles - custard will firm up as it cools.

Credit: Cook out the Box 2010 - Week 22

Squash and Lentil Dal (serves 4-6)

1 1/2 cups red split lentils

3 1/4 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 t. ground turmeric

2 t. cumin seeds, crushed

1 1/4 pounds firm and fairly dry winter squash such as kuri or kabocha or buttercup cut into 1/2 inch cubes

(You could also substitute carrots for some or all of the squash.)

Wash lentils and place in a pot.  Add stock, onions and seasonings and simmer, covered, about 10 minutes or until lentils begin to soften.   Add squash and cook another 5-8 minutes, or until squash is tender and lentils are thickened.  Serve with rice and desired condiments such as cilantro chutney.  (search this blog for Oct 11 post - cilantro sauce and cilantro mint chutney - for recipes using fresh cilantro)

Credit: Cook out the Box 2010 - Winter Box #1 

Squash Risotto (Made with Rice or Barley)

Peel, seed and cut squash into 1/2 inch pieces.  Steam or boil until just barely tender.  Save the boiling water for the risotto.  Saute some rice or barley or other whole grain with a little butter and oil and chopped onion or leek.  Add about 1/2 cup white wine and then one cup of broth at a time, simmering and stirring, until the grain is al dente.  Stir in a few cups of chopped squash and maybe some spinach leaves and you are done.  Serve with grated parmesan and a few toasted walnuts or pine nuts.  A few golden raisins or sun dried tomatoes stirred in would be nice too.  Thyme would be a good herb to use with this dish.

Credit: Cook out the Box 2010 - Winter Box #4

Prosciutto Wrapped Squash

Cut about 2 pounds of butternut squash into wedges (peeled).  Blanch in boiling, lightly salted water about 5 minutes until just tender.  Drain and cool.  Wrap a wafer thin slice of prosciutto around each squash wedge and place on a rimmed baking sheet. 

Mix together 1/3 cup walnut or olive oil, 1/3 cup fresh orange juice 1/2 t. salt, 1/2 t. pepper and 1 t. dried thyme. 

Pour dressing over squash and bake about 8 minutes at 425 degrees.  Serve warm.

Credit: Cook out the Box 2010 - Winter Box #4

Potato-Onion-Squash Bake

You will need about 1 cup sliced potatoes, 1 cup sliced winter squash, 1/2 cup chopped or sliced onions, 1/2 cup milk and a teaspoon or so of minced garlic per serving.  Multiply quantities as needed.  The potatoes and squash should be cut in similarly sized slices. 

Alternate two layers of potatoes, squash and onions.  Mix garlic with milk and pour over all.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and a little nutmeg.  Bake, covered, at 350 degrees until vegetables are soft.  If you want, uncover the last 10 minutes or so,  add some buttered bread crumbs and parmesan and broil a few minutes for a crispy browned topping. 

A simple supper dish.  Bake an apple right alongside for dessert.  Cole slaw would be a good salad for this meal.  A feast.

Credit: Cook out the Box 2010 - Winter Box #4

Squash Salad

Peel, seed and dice (1/2 to 1 inch pieces) butternut squash and steam or boil until just barely tender - you don't want the squash to fall apart.  

Ingredients (about six servings)

(Note  - you can vary amounts according to your own taste.  If you want to add a cup or two of cooked beans - garbanzos or cannelini or even black beans would be nice - this would be a full meal.)

3 cups cooked, diced squash

2 cups cooked barley

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

1/2 cup chopped onion (red?) or shallots

1 cup raw winter radishes or carrots - cut into matchsticks - for crunch

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Your favorite vinaigrette - I think making it with some fresh orange juice would be nice.  A little honey or maple syrup would complement the sweetness in the squash.

Credit: Cook out the Box 2011 - Winter Box #5

Last updated on March 16, 2012 by Featherstone Farm