by Erin Marissa Russell
get a mint ofwinter squelch , and postulate to find oneself new ways to use it ? If you put in stacks of time and vigour in your flower bed and garden plots , you ’re plausibly conversant with the blessing that is detect ways to expend all the garden truck your pursuit — well , grow . Using your vegetable before they go bad is a challenge so common it ’s become a gardening stereotype . We ’ve all realise the cartoon and heard the jokes about those of us with green thumbs leave box of zucchini on neighbors ’ porch or sneaking white pepper into a friend ’s handbag or coworker ’s briefcase .
Although all nurseryman work toward a plentiful crop , sometimes it can be a conflict to eat up everything we arise without get blase . No one wants to choke down their tenth arena of the same dishful just to verify those veggies get used before they rot . But never fear — Gardening Channel is here to help you find Modern and exciting ways to make the most of your late bumper crop . In this article , we ’ll rivet on all the things you’re able to do with yourhomegrown winter squash . ( Hey , what ’s the difference between summer squash racquets and wintertime squash , anyway ? ) Whether you grow acorn , butternut , delicata , kabocha , pumpkin vine , or another mixture , look no further than these handy ideas for dishes that will elicit moans of gastronomical joy instead of groans of boredom .

Make Winter Squash Ravioli Easy with Wonton Wrappers
You may have had butternut squelch cappelletti with a brown - butter sage sauce in a restaurant or purchased a portion or two from your grocer ’s prepared foods section . Unless you ’re one of those culinary artist who ’s know enough to thinkmaking fresh pastais a air , though , you ’ve belike categorized ravioli as fancy fare — not a cup of tea you may make at home in your kitchen . However , simply switching out the fresh alimentary paste dough for wonton wrappers ( which you’re able to find ready - made at most foodstuff stores in the refrigerate surgical incision ) turns wintertime squash cappelletti into a dinner quick enough for a weeknight .
Best of all , you may concentrate over all those fancy cappelletti recipes to come up the woof that vocalise most tempting to you with the knowledge that your wonton - neglige version will be much easier than follow the book of instructions the recipe send for for . Simply nab the woof steering from your favorite formula , and then follow the simple stride in this how - to from allrecipes.com to make your ownwonton wrapper winter squash ravioli .
Oh , and do n’t palpate restricted to only those fill recipe that expend the mixture of wintertime squelch you ’ve got on your paw . You ’ll notice that butternut squash ( the current culinary pet ) is overrepresented in these recipes . All winter squash are interchangeable in recipes ( with the exception of spaghetti squash , of course ) , although each variety of winter squash out there has subtle difference of opinion in the nuances of its smack . try out one of these mythical filling for an elegant repast that makes it seem like you slaved over the cooking stove for hours . ( For even more tractableness , consider using the filling recipe to stuff manicotti , stratum between lasagna noodles , or slim the filling with emollient or broth until it ’s the right creamy consistence to cake linguini or spaghetti . )

Keep Things Traditional with Winter Squash Casserole
Squash casserole is an old standby , whether you ’re cooking with winter or summer squash , and for honorable reason . The delicate texture of wintertime squash along with its complex , sweet - yet - nutty savor make it a raw to layer or stir into your favourite casserole . groom this way , winter squash will cue your guest of the comforts of domicile and the smack of their favorite vacation saucer .
Winter Squash Soup Makes Whipping Up Dinner a Snap
If you ’ve ever enjoyed a velvety bowl of butternut squash soup flecked with Italian sausage balloon and ribboned with jet , you make love just how delicious a pot of soup made from these garden slightness can be . All you need is a blender . ( An immersion blender is handiest , but any style of blender will work to mix up a smooth soup . )
Most recipe lean on lusciously deep dairy farm ( intemperate cream or half - and - half ) for some of the liquid . If you ’re jonesing for lighter menu , feel destitute to swap out chicken broth or veg stock for the dairy .
Choose Winter Squash for an Unexpected Breakfast
wintertime squash rib in the oven is a understudy , and we ’re bet you ’ve enjoyed this garden favorite as part of ravioli , soup , or casserole too — but for breakfast ? It may not be your first instinct , but some savvy food blogger out there have discovered ways to countenance winter squash take center stage at the breakfast board .
When your family ’s had their fill of more traditional dishes , quality one of these unusual ways to make utilisation of your wintertime squash bounteousness . You just may find one of them is specify to become a family favourite .
Take Winter Squash South of the Border with Enchiladas
Speaking of unexpected elbow room to wangle up your crop of winter squash vine , we ’re betting enchiladas were n’t what first occur to psyche when you regard new recipes . Be that as it may , wintertime squash of any type is perfectly suited to be used in enchiladas . Its creamy grain helps to bind other fixings together , while the flavor functions much like corn in providing a backdrop of sweetness that savory flavor can flirt against .
For an easy take on enchiladas you may custom-make to what you have on hand , merely pick up terminate red sauce or a jar of verde salsa ( to attend to as unripe sauce ) at the grocery store , along with corn tortillas , cheese , and whatever you ’d care to include in your pick , time of year and cook any meat you ’re include , then chop and shuffle with your other filling ingredients and spices . ( proficient bets to partner with winter squash include chorizo , carnitas - dash rip up pork , spinach or other greens , black beans , caramelized onion , and tomatoes . ) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit . Spoon just enough of your sauce into a 9 - inch - by-13 - in baking dish to coat the bottom . Then assemble your enchilada , dunk each tortilla into the sauce to make it pliable , then stuffing it with filling and put it seam - side down in the baking sweetheart . wrap up the assembled enchiladas with your sauce of option and batch of cheese , then bake until the sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted , about 25 hour .
Dish Up Winter Squash for an Appetizer That’s Delicious and Nutritious
When all else fails , do n’t get too stuck on the main outcome . wintertime squelch makes an excellent appetizer to prepare the palate for the main meal ( or simply stave in off the hungry crowd until dinner party ’s ready ) , and there are a ton of ways to make this go on . allow your creativity — and what you have in the closet — guide you , or look to the formula below for aspiration .
Want to learn more about what to do with winter squash?
Bon Appétit cover How to expend All that Pumpkin , Butternut , and Delicata SquashModern Farmer covers Winter Squash Varieties Guidekitchn get across 10 Things to Do with Butternut Squashkitchn covers Butternut Squash Dinner Recipeskitchn covers The 11 Varieties of Winter Squash You Need to make out