With this guide, choosing the proper squash for your recipe will be as easy as (pumpkin) pie.

Acorn, also known as Danish, Des Moines or Table Queen. This acorn-shaped squash is dark green with some orange spots when mature. Tender orange flesh with a large seed cavity make it ideal for stuffing or it can be sliced in "rings."

Buttercup, sometimes called Turban, is fairly easy to identify with its creamy white top and dark green, striped, squat body. The orange flesh is said to be among the sweetest in the squash family.

Butternut, a large, rather pink, smooth-skinned squash shaped like a huge peanut. The flesh is yellow-orange and makes a beautiful soup. Butternut squash can sometimes be found pre-cut and wrapped in cellophane in the supermarket produce section.

Calabaza, also called Cuban squash or West Indian pumpkin, has a smooth skin that can range from green to buff to orange, and be speckled or striated. The flesh is sweet, moist and bright orange, making it perfect for nearly any recipe, although it's best when cooked or pureed with other foods and not served alone.

Delicata, sometimes known as Sweet Potato squash, is a small, oval squash with pale green and ivory striped skin. Perfect when baked and served simply with butter, or it is excellent in puddings and pies because of its sweet flesh.

Gold Nugget, resembles a small golden pumpkin and has orange flesh and a nutty flavor when fully mature. Very hard and difficult to halve, it's best baked or steamed whole.

Hubbard, available in blue (dusty green) and golden (orange) is often sold cut up, because it is so large and its shell is extremely hard. Once you get past the exterior though, it's a very versatile squash.

Spaghetti squash is a mild variety that, when cooked, can be separated into spaghetti-like strands. It is oval-shaped and pale yellow in color. Its bland flavor makes it suitable for saucing.

Sweet Dumpling is a flavorful little round squash, usually ivory in color with green stripes. Baked or steamed, they make a beautiful single-serving presentation, especially when stuffed with additional vegetables.

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