It's a great time to cook, eat winter squash

What comes in many colors and sizes, is easy to prepare, tasty, healthy and plentiful now?

If you said winter squash, you are correct. Winter squash comes in many colors -- orange, yellow, green and red -- and varies in size from a few ounces to 15 pounds or more.

Squash is an American food. It sustained native Americans for more than five thousand years and then helped nourish the early European settlers, who quickly made the vegetable an important part of their diet.

The many varieties of winter squash are harvested at a mature stage, when their shells have grown hard and inedible. Because of these protective shells, winter squash can be harvested in the fall and stored several months, throughout the winter, in a cool, dry place.

The yellow or orange flesh of winter squashes is rich in complex carbohydrates and Vitamin A. Some types, such as Hubbard and butternut, contain more than 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin A and have only 40 calories in a one-cup serving.

Some winter squashes, particularly acorn, are in good supply year-round. But most are at their peak beginning in late summer and continuing throughout the fall and winter. They become scarce in spring.

How to select: Look for a squash with a smooth, dull, dry rind, free of cracks or soft spots. A winter squash should feel heavy for its size. If possible, choose squash with the stem attached. The stem should be rounded and dry, not collapsed, blackened or moist.

There are many varieties of squash. Most varieties can be substituted for one another in recipes. The three most popular varieties are acorn, butternut, and Hubbard.

Baking is easy: Rinse off any dirt before using.

To bake, halve small squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and strings. Cut large squash into serving-sized pieces.

Place squash cut-side down in a foil-lined pan. Pour 1/4-inch of water into the pan, cover with foil, and bake in a 350- to 400-degree oven until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife. Halfway through baking, the squash halves may be turned, cut side up, brushed with melted butter or oil, and sprinkled with brown sugar and spices.

Bake squash halves or whole small pumpkins 40 to 45 minutes; bake cut-up squash 15 to 25 minutes.

Microwaving: Arrange squash halves, cut-side up, in a shallow microwaveable dish. Cover and cook until tender, rotating dish halfway through the cooking time. Let stand 5 minutes after cooking. Cooking times: for squash halves, 7 to 10 minutes; for chunks, 8 minutes.

Serving suggestions: Baked or steamed winter squash is delicious mashed or pureed, like sweet potatoes. To enhance its natural sweetness, combine squash with any of the following: baked or steamed pears or apples, bananas, chopped cranberries; lemon, lime, or orange juice; almond or vanilla extract; fresh or powered ginger, curry powder; cinnamon; nutmeg; mace; cardamom; cloves; allspice or pumpkin pie spice; brown sugar; maple syrup; or honey.

For a savory dish, mash the cooked squash with sauteed onions or garlic and herbs, or combine chunks of squash with cooked corn, tomatoes, and bell peppers

• Written by Barbara Farner, a nutrition and wellness educator for University of Illinois Extension Kane County.