Winter Squash                  Cucurbita maxima

Storage Tips Winter squash has excellent storability and is a necessary winter staple food. Winter squash can be stored at room temperature for up to a month. Place winter squash in a cool location for long-term storage.   Cooking Tips Wash squash before using. If the recipe calls for peeled chunks of squash, cut the squash first then remove the peel as some varieties of winter squash can have very tough skin.   Uses ▸Boil or steam then mash and serve with butter. ▸Halve lengthwise and bake. ▸Serve spaghetti squash with butter and a tomato sauce. ▸Bake acorn squash and serve with brown sugar or maple syrup. ▸Stuff manicotti with pureed squash and ricotta cheese. ▸Add chunks of peeled winter squash to soups & stews.

Winter squash are members of the cucurbit family along with cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, and summer squash. They are hard-skinned and come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and textures. Squash comprises one of the Native Americans’ “three sisters” along with corn and beans.  It is native to South America and originated in Argentina. It became popular in the United States because it provides an excellent winter food source. The most common winter squashes in the market include acorn, banana, buttercup, butternut, delicate, hubbard, kabocha, spaghetti, and turban. Despite their differences in appearance, many of the above varieties can be substituted for one another in cooking because of their similar flavors.   What to Look for When Purchasing Select winter squash that are firm, heavy, and have a hard skin that is free from cracks, soft spots or other blemishes. The skin should be dull if the fruit is mature. Try to select squash with their stems still attached. Acorn squash should not have more than ½ orange coloring and butternut squash should be a uniform tan color. A 1-pound winter squash yields 2 cups of cooked squash.

 

Provided to you by Wisconsin Fresh Market Vegetable Growers Association

Nutrition Facts: Serving Size = 1 c cooked ·  Calories  – 80 ·  Proteins (g) – 1.8 ·  Carbohydrates (g) – 18 ·  Fiber (g) – 5.7 ·  Fat (g) – 1.3 ·  Vitamin A (I.U) – 7293 ·  Vitamin C (mg) – 19.7 ·  Folate (mcg) – 57 ·  Potassium (mg) – 895           Winter squash is a good source of carbohydrates, fiber and carotene.