I always feel a bit sad for acorn squash.

In the world of winter squash, it’s always “butternut this” and “pumpkin that,” so the unassuming acorn gets left on the sidelines like an awkward student not asked to dance at Winter Squash Formal.

Yet beneath its tough exterior is a bright yellow, slightly nutty flavor, with a subtle sweetness and mild temper that makes it one of the most versatile members of the winter squash conglomerate.

Acorn’s outsider status, I think, comes from a lack of inventiveness. While others get to be mashed, pureed, and recreated into souffles, soups, and pies, acorn squash is often relegated to “if____ cannot be found” substitute status.

Until today.

Today, acorn squash makes its debut as the star of the show with six twists on the standard “roasted-with-brown-sugar” recipe, taking this under-utilized vegetable and moving it beyond the basic and boring.

1. “Stuffing-Stuffed” Acorn Squash: Whip up a batch of any sausage stuffing (or ‘dressing,’ if you are from certain parts of the South) recipe, and scoop into acorn squash that have been halved, seeded, and roasted upside down in a 1/4″ of water for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Return stuffed squash to the oven, right-side-up, and continue to roast for 30 minutes, or until fork tender and cooked through. [This recipe can easily be vegetarian or vegan; simply use a mushroom-based stuffing for equally delicious results.]

2. Squash & Sage Pizza: Halve and seed two medium-sized acorn squash. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil or coat with cooking spray. Season with salt, pepper, and rubbed sage. Roast, upside down in 1/4″ of water for about 45 minutes, or until flesh is soft and can be removed from skin. Puree the pulp with a bit of water or vegetable broth until spreadable consistency. Spread squash puree onto your favorite pizza crust in place of tomato sauce. Top with caramelized onions, fresh sage, and grated fontina or gruyere cheese. Bake and enjoy! (Perhaps with a crisp hard cider?)

3. ‘Nest’ Eggs (Eggs Baked In Acorn Squash): Use an acorn squash as a vessel for everyone’s favorite protein powerhouse. Great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, the recipe allows for some variation on seasoning and flavor to suit your palate. Simply roast squash; remove and mash pulp; then return mash to the skin, twice-baked potato-style. Crack in an egg and bake until set!

4. Curried Acorn Squash Hummus: In a food processor, combine one 15-oz. can of garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained) with 1 1/4 cup roasted acorn squash. Add 1/2 tsp. curry powder, 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, salt and pepper, and 2 tsps. almond butter or tahini. Turn on processor and drizzle in 1 Tbsp. olive oil through the chute. Process until smooth, adding up to 1/4 cup of water to obtain desired consistency. Serve inside the empty acorn squash ‘shell’ alongside chips, crackers, or raw veggies.

5. Acorn Squash & Cranberry Bulgur Riso-faux: Modify my favorite fake-out risotto by combing 1 part uncooked bulgur wheat with 1 1/2 parts vegetable broth and/or water in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until thickened, seasoning with salt, pepper, and dried thyme to taste. Stir in mashed, roasted acorn squash, finely diced kale or spinach, and fresh or dried cranberries. Simmer until squash is heated through and greens have wilted. For those not averse to dairy, stir in a tablespoon or two of greek yogurt just before serving.

6. Acorn Squash-a-mole: Guacamole, but with squash instead of avocado. To prepare, simply combine mashed, roasted acorn squash with your typical guacamole accoutrements. For some, that simply means salsa. For me, that means diced red onion, jalapeno, tomato, and cilantro, along with a squeeze of lime juice and a heavy dose of ground cumin, salt, and pepper.  Serve with tortilla chips, or alongside black beans and rice for a full meal.

 Hopefully all these twists on the standard will spark a little kitchen creativity of your own!

Sarah Pember is an elementary school teacher known in the blog world (or at least by a handful of people) as Miss Smart. She blogs at The Smart Kitchen, where she spends an absurd amount of time using her food processor, eating peanut butter from the jar and licking her plate in public.