Photo by Nathan Morgan

Autumn is the perfect time to cook winter squash. Try Spiced Butternut Squash Soup with a dollop of sour cream.

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Colorful piles of winter squash are making their appearance at local farmers markets and grocery stores. Available in a number of varieties and different sizes, winter squash can be found through early spring.

Margaret Jensen of Good Work Organic Farm in Round Mountain is not at a loss of what to do with winter squash. Now that the weather is cooling down slightly, it's once again OK to turn on the oven.

"Apples and citrus are complimentary flavors with winter squash. I love to fill an acorn squash with applesauce and bake it. They are also very good cut up and roasted along with other fall crops such as onions, beets, turnips, potatoes and carrots. Just roast them in the oven with olive oil and a few seasonings," Jensen said.

Lee Davis of Redding has her own recipe.

"I mix chopped green apples, pecans and cranberries with butter and brown sugar. I bake the mixture in an acorn squash. It goes well with pork and turkey," Davis said.

Select squash that are hard without soft spots. They should feel heavy for their size. With winter squash, a larger size indicates a sweeter squash, as opposed to summer squash, which taste best when eaten small.

Winter squash can be stored for several weeks. They are prepared in a variety of ways, but most recipes will call for removing the stringy fibers and seeds before cooking.

Cut long squash like butternut in half lengthwise. Cut round squash in half crosswise, through the equator. They are difficult to cut, so plan on using a heavy knife and putting some muscle into it. Butternut and other smooth-skinned squash can be peeled. Other varieties must be cooked with the skin on before you can use the flesh.

Turning winter squash into creamy soups and savory or sweet stuffed side dishes are two ways to use these healthy vegetables. The soup recipe is from Allrecipes.com and freezes well. The stuffed acorn squash is a simple combination of complimentary flavors. It is a variation on several recipes.

SPICED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

3 pounds butternut squash, halved and seeded

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, sliced

1 leek, sliced

2 cloves garlic, sliced

5 to 6 cups chicken broth

2 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup sherry wine

1 cup half-and-half cream

1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour a thin layer of water in a baking dish. Place the squash halves cut side down in the dish. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a fork can easily pierce the flesh. Cool slightly, then remove the peel. Set aside. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, leek and garlic and saute for a few minutes until tender. Pour the chicken broth into the pot. Add the potatoes and bring to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes or until soft. Add the squash and mash with the potatoes until chunks are small. Transfer to a blender or food processor in batches and puree until smooth. Return to the pot. Season the soup with cayenne pepper, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, salt and pepper, then stir in the sherry and half-and-half cream. Heat through, but do not boil. Ladle into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream.

Makes 8 servings.

BAKED STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

3 acorn squash, halved and seeded

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 pound sweet Italian sausage

1 box Stove Top Stuffing (for pork)

3/4 cup apples, chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash halves cut side down in baking pans. Fill pans with about 1/2 inch water. Bake squash 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tender. While squash bakes, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place onions and celery in the skillet and cook until tender. Stir in the sausage. Cook and stir until evenly brown. Prepare the Stove Top Stuffing according to directions. Remove squash from the oven and set aside. Combine the sausage mixture, stuffing, apples, cranberries and pecans. Scoop into the acorn squash. Set stuffed squash in the baking pans. Bake until heated through.

Makes 6 servings.

Julie Marsh is a freelance writer from Redding.