What would autumn be without pumpkins? How we love to admire their orbicular orangeness, carve them into jack-o’-lanterns and bake them into pies. But they aren’t the only squash in the garden.

Pumpkins are one of several varieties of winter squash in season right now, including spaghetti squash, turban, acorn, buttercup, butternut, delicata, golden nugget, hubbard and kobacha. They are all edible, nutritious (loads of vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotene, fiber, riboflavin and low-calorie) and worth learning to cook — especially in light of the canned-pumpkin shortage, says Sheri Caldwell, Hy-Vee Store dietitian.

“Hy-Vee has been notified by several of their suppliers for both major brands as well as their private label brands that there will be a canned-pumpkin shortage this year due to two years of poor growing conditions,” she says. “Currently, product is being allocated as it becomes available.”

Local farmers are reporting fewer pumpkins, as well.

“Ours got a late start because of all the early spring rains. It delayed the harvest, basically,” says Monie Frakes with L&R Farms, which sells a wide variety of produce, including winter squash, at the Pony Express Farmer’s Market in St. Joseph.

Before you frantically make the rounds all over town hoarding every pumpkin and canned pumpkin you can find, why not consider trying something new? Jeff Keyasko, chef at the J.C. Wyatt House, says butternut squash is actually his favorite winter squash. And he prefers it over pumpkin in pies.

“If you roast it the way I do, it really intensifies the flavor,” he says, “and it’s much smoother with a brighter color.”

To roast a butternut squash, he says you simply cut it in half at the small “neck” area, then cut both pieces in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Brush the cut sides with vegetable oil and place on a cookie sheet covered with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1½ hours, depending on the size of the squash. When it’s done, it should be soft when you press down on the skin. Then let it cool, scrape away the flesh and you are ready to go.

“It’s like a sweet potato if you would boil it versus bake it,” Mr. Keyasko says. “Roasting caramelizes the natural sugar in it and is so delicious.”

Puree the squash in a food processor or blender and you can substitute it (or any of the winter squashes except for spaghetti squash) for pumpkin in your pie filling recipe or any recipe you use pumpkin in. Ms. Caldwell says butternut also is great roasted with peppers as a side dish and it makes a tasty ravioli filling or risotto.

Or use it in soup. For the J.C. Wyatt House three-course dinners on Halloween weekend (see jcwyatt.net for details), Mr. Keyasko will be making “skeleton bisque,” a butternut soup as the first course. He makes it with roasted butternut squash, apples, spices and cream and will serve it warm with homemade bone-shaped crackers topped with curry powder. Curry is a great compliment to squash, he says, which is why you’ll find the combination in many Indian dishes.

Mr. Keyasko says a lesser-known, but equally delicious, squash to try is delicata. It looks like a large yellow cucumber with green stripes and tastes like a cross between a sweet potato and butternut.

“You can slice it and roast it with the skin on since the skin is edible,” he says. “It’s another really tasty squash.”

Here’s a quick rundown from Ms. Caldwell of some more winter squash varieties to try:

Acorn: Oval, with deeply ribbed, dark green shells and bright orange flesh. There are also white and gold varieties. Best when cut in half and baked with butter and cinnamon or brown sugar.

Buttercup: These grow to the size of a salad plate and have a sweet, orange flesh that tastes a bit like a sweet potato. Their dark green shells are flecked with gray and there is also an orange variety. Try this instead of pumpkin in pies.

Golden Nugget: They resemble small pumpkins with a finely ridged, orange colored rind. They have a pleasantly sweet and nutty flavor when fully mature; look for those with a dull skin, which is a sign of maturity.

Hubbard: Large with bumpy shells ranging in color from dark or light green to bright orange. The yellow orange flesh is slightly dry and grainy, so it’s often mashed or pureed with butter and other seasonings.

Kabocha: Dark green with celadon streaks and pale orange flesh. They’re sweet and tender and taste like a pumpkin-sweet potato cross.

Pumpkin: If you are going to use fresh pumpkin for pie, select the smaller pie variety. Boil, roast or even microwave to make puree. (See instructions below.)

Spaghetti: Watermelon-shaped with a smooth, creamy yellow skin. After cooking, the flesh separates into spaghetti-like strands that can be served with pasta sauce or topped with butter and seasoning.

Turban: They have a hard bumpy shell that’s bright orange with touches of green. Orange flesh may taste mild to sweet.

Lifestyle reporter Sylvia Anderson may be reached at sylviaanderson@npgco.com.

Butternut squash soup

1 butternut squash (cooked with skin removed, see story for how to cook it)

1 Granny Smith apple (peeled and cut into chunks)

3 cups chicken stock (preferably low sodium)

Pinch of cinnamon, ginger, salt and pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme (or fresh)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Put all ingredients into soup pot except for cream. Cook 20 minutes until apple is soft. Cool, then put in blender or food processor about one third at a time, until smooth. Put back into pot and add 1 cup of heavy whipping cream. Heat through.

— J. C. Wyatt House

Butternut squash pie

1 unbaked and chilled 9-inch pie shell

1 large butternut squash, cooked and pureed, about 1½ cups pureed squash

1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

3 large eggs

3/4 cup evaporated milk or half-and-half

1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

In mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat the squash with the brown sugar. Add eggs, evaporated milk, spices, salt, flour, butter and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour the filling into the chilled pie shell and place on the center oven rack. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until set. Check after about 35 minutes and loosely set airing of foil or a pie crust protector over the browned crust so it won’t get too dark. When the filling is set, transfer the pie to a rack to cool. Serve just warm or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped topping or whipped cream.

— about.com

Microwave recipe for homemade pumpkin puree

About 2 cups of pulp is needed to make a 9-inch pie. Use one of the smaller “pie” pumpkins. Rinse pumpkin. Place in microwave. Microwave on high for two minutes. Remove from microwave oven. Pierce entire pumpkin skin deeply with fork or metal skewer. Microwave on high for another two to four minutes. Pumpkin is soft but not mushy. Remove from oven and wrap in foil. Let stand for about five minutes. Slice the pumpkin open. Remove the seeds. Scrape out the pulp and mash with fork, electric mixer or food processor. Higher temperatures cause pumpkin flesh to become stringy. If you end up with stringy pumpkin, you can beat the pulp with an electric mixer on high speed for 10 seconds and then switch to low speed for 60 seconds. The strings should wrap around the beaters for easy removal. Homemade pureed pumpkin for pies is usually much thinner in texture than canned. To alleviate excess moisture mash and drain through a cheesecloth before using in pies. You may also put in a small meshed strainer and let excess moisture drain from puree.

— Hy-Vee

Roasted butternut squash with onion and red pepper

2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1½-inch cubes, about 6 cups

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 red onion, cut into eight wedges

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place squash, bell pepper and onion in a roasting pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Pour over squash mixture; toss to coat. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

— Hy-Vee

Roasted butternut squash ravioli with a sage brown butter sauce

9 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons minced shallots

1 cup roasted butternut squash puree

Salt

Freshly ground white pepper

3 tablespoons heavy cream

3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus 2 ounces

Pinch nutmeg

1 recipe pasta dough, rolled out into wide ribbons, about 1/4-inch thick

12 fresh sage leaves

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallots and saute for one minute. Add the squash puree and cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about two to three minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream and continue to cook for two minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons cheese and nutmeg, to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely. Cut the pasta ribbons into 3-inch squares. Place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of each pasta square. Bring one corner of the square to the other, forming a triangle and seal the pasta completely. Add the pasta to pot of boiling salted water. Cook until al dente, about two to three minutes or until the pasta floats and is pale in color. Remove the pasta from the water and drain well. Season the pasta with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter. Add the sage to the butter and continue to cook until the butter starts to brown. Remove from the heat. Place some of the pasta in the center of each serving plate. Spoon the butter sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle the 2 ounces of cheese over each plate and garnish with parsley. Makes four appetizer servings.

— foodnetwork.com