As we enter November, everything is coming up pumpkin spice donuts, coffee, candles and more. But there is more to this fall squash than meets the eye.

Pumpkins fall into the category of fall squash like butternut, acorn and Hubbard. Unlike summer squash like zucchini and yellow squash that have a thin edible skin, fall squash have much thicker skin which help preserve them for long periods of time. Harvested in October and November, fall squash kept in a cool, dry place, around forty-five to fifty degrees can last in storage for four to six months, and sometimes longer. One storage note - don't store them near apples as apples give off ethylene gas which shortens storage life of squash.

These were plants that my grandparents had plenty of in their garden, and I can remember as a child having fresh squash all through the winter and spring. I haven't even roasted my pumpkins yet this fall, at least the ones that were left after my granddaughters got over here for Jack-o-lanterns. We had another bumper crop of pumpkins this year, they really seem to like the garden, and I was able to keep them fenced and protected from the deer, but I'm still working on all the zucchini out of the garden this summer.

The other fall squash are all very similar, it's really just the size that sets them apart. Their taste is slightly different, but the texture and preparation is pretty much the same. Butternut squash seems to be the most popular of the fall squash and I think it is because of the size. One butternut squash will make a side dish for four to five people for dinner. Prepared with some brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon even the kids will gobble it up. Normally people only seem to prepare squash for Thanksgiving, but it is really an easy dish to prepare, and I have been watching cooking videos on YouTube to learn some new recipes.

If you’re only doing dinner for two, try acorn or buttercup squash, much smaller in size but still big in flavor. Hubbard is the largest in the fall squash family and can range anywhere from ten to fifty pounds. You can easily feed your entire extended family at Thanksgiving with just one Hubbard squash. Bear in mind a squash that size will take a little extra time to prepare and a bigger oven.

Hubbard squash is nutrient-dense (good source of vitamins A and C, fiber, potassium, etc.) and low-calorie. Because one squash yields a lot of flesh, cook it once and use the puree across multiple meals (soups one day, baking the next, sides later). And like pumpkins, Hubbard seeds can be dried and roasted for an additional treat. I started roasting my pumpkin seeds a couple years ago, and I try new seasoning blends on them each time I make them (mostly because I'm terrible at writing down the recipe). It was easier than I thought it would be and they stored well so I didn't have to eat them all that day as Vicki isn't a seed eater. And if you don't have time to roast the seeds now, just wash and dry them, then put them in the freezer. You can roast them up next month.