For example, Latin American cooks consider pumpkin a standard vegetable to be used as a side dish and in casseroles. In fact, pumpkins, a member of the squash family, can be substituted for winter squash or sweet potatoes in most recipes. These hearty vegetables also are excellent sources of dietary fiber and potassium. When selecting pumpkins for cooking, choose relatively small ones that feel hard, have no soft spots or cracks, and seem heavy in relation to their size. Store in a cool place until ready to use.
Winter squash is the hard-shelled cousin of the zucchini and summer squash.
The large number of varieties available often derive their names from the shape, color or structure of the squash, such as acorn, butternut, buttercup, turban and spaghetti squash. Select whole squash as you do baking pumpkins. Again, choose ones that feel hard, have no soft spots or cracks, and seem heavy for their size. A microwave oven reduces cooking time from nearly an hour to six to seven minutes per pound. Small pumpkins and acorn squash can even be microwaved whole with just a few pierced holes for steam to escape.