"squash" news and stories

Stuffed anything is good this time of year -- and stuffing the cooked vegetable back in its original shell makes for an especially festive treat. The blogger behind Kitchen Illiterate put it simply: "Stuffed squash is stuffed goodness."

We second that -- especially in such a vibrant, flavorful concoction. First, the squash is roasted on its own. In the meantime, you cook the stuffing on the stove, a spicy cumin-cayenne scented rice with black beans, peppers and queso fresco. Once the squash is softened, you toss in the stuffing and throw it all back into the oven for ten minutes to allow the flavors to meld together, a roasted richness permeating the entire dish.

And to prove you can never get enough of a good thing, Kitchen Illiterate has also bestowed upon us a Spaghetti Squash with Swiss and Pancetta Bechamel, a White Bean and Sausage Stuffed Delicata Squash and a Southwestern Style Stuffed Acorn Squash. So get creative this Thanksgiving -- and don't worry about washing those fussy serving bowls!


Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool to get a shot at having your photos featured in Feast Your Eyes.

We all know and love pumpkin, but here are a few familiar and unfamiliar wonderful winter squash cousins -- and ways to prepare them.

Photo: Erica George Dines Photography.

This time of year, one of the most delicious seasonal foods to grill is winter squash. Butternut, acorn and sugar pumpkin all benefit from the smokiness and caramelized flavors that the grill imparts.

And there are so many ingredients that complement winter squash -- from sage and thyme to sweeter flavors like orange, maple and bourbon. Even sausage and bacon are perfect matches for this fall favorite.

Grilled winter squash make a nice addition to everything from risotto to salads and can be a great side to serve with roasted meats or as a main vegetarian dish. Some of my favorite cheeses -- like goat, blue cheese and feta -- round out the smoky sweetness for melt-in-your-mouth flavor.

Savory grilled summer squash. Photo: Brent Ridge, Beekman 1802.

Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell are the farmers and innovators behind Beekman 1802, a 200-year-old estate and farm in upstate New York. We'll be running recipes, gorgeous photos and tales from the farm as their crops come into season.

Why is it that everyone plants zucchini, even though it is blatantly obvious that one plant is enough to feed an entire village? (At Beekman 1802, we count ourselves among the guilty.)

Anyone who has ever grown one knows that this prolific plant produces far more zucchini than one could ever want. You never know what to do with it all, which is probably why zucchini bread was invented, and our neighbors pass it around like Secret Santa gifts: Someone is bound to come to your doorstep with zucchini right as you're ready to give some away.

Rumor has it that folks keep planting it because of our fabulous recipe for grilled summer squash. We dare you to find a recipe that beats this melange of fresh herbs and creamy squash for embodying pure summer.

The term squash covers a whole host of scrumptious fruits - yes, they are fruits.

They are grouped basically into summer squash and winter squash. Summer squash is harvested as an immature fruit, and winter squash is harvested in the fall or winter when it has ripened. Zucchini is probably the most commonly used summer squash, and winter squashes include everyone's favorites: butternut, buttercup, acorn, pumpkin, and spaghetti squash. The skin of a winter squash is hard, and requires cooking.

Squash can be a great, healthier alternative to potato or pasta in many recipes. Here are eight great ways to serve up squash, starting with one you don't have to cook:

1. Carpaccio of Raw Zucchini
2. Smoked Sausage, Butternut Squash, and Wild Rice Soup
3. Winter Squash Mash (with kabocha squash)
4. Best Ever Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (works with other winter squash seeds, too)
5. Baked Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar and Butter
6. Yellow Squash Casserole
7. Herbed Spaghetti Squash (if you fail, just dump tomato sauce on it and lie)
8. Pumpkin Pie Straight from the Pumpkin

These recipes are varied enough that you could make them all for one giant meal and have a squash feast! If there's someone in your life you have to lie to about there being squash in what they're eating, spaghetti squash with pasta sauce is usually a safe bet. Or, you can totally get away with soup - picky eaters often don't pay attention to the broth, just the stuff floating in there. Good luck and happy squashing!