Winter squash is beautiful, nutritious and delicious, but cooking it requires time and planning. There’s a shortcut ingredient, however — the packages of frozen pureed squash you’ll find at your supermarket.

McCormick’s new cookbook, 3-Step Cooking With Flavor (TimeInc., $25.95),  uses frozen squash as the base of this easy and adaptable soup. Make it with a quartet of sweet spices, as in the original recipe, or try one of the variations that follow.

In fact, all of the 100-plus easy recipes in this cookbook include flavor variations. Because it’s from McCormick, herbs and spices are used extensively. Enchilada Pork Chops can morph into Enchilada Chicken or Chili Pork Chops, for example; Mexican Spiced Pepita Brownies can be made as Spiced Peanut Brownies or Spiced Orange-Pepita Brownies.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Yield: 6 servings

2 (12-ounce) packages frozen squash puree, thawed

2 to 3 tablespoons honey

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 (14-ounce) can chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

Chopped fresh chives, for optional garnish

Mix squash, 2 tablespoons honey, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in a medium saucepan. Stir in broth; add salt and pepper.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes or until soup is hot and flavors have blended. Taste; if necessary, add more honey. Serve sprinkled with chives, if desired.

Per serving: 104 calories; no fat; 3g protein; 23g carbohydrate; 9g sugar; 2g fiber; 387mg sodium; 36mg calcium; 247mg potassium.

Variations:

For Autumn Squash Soup, substitute 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice for the nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and allspice.

For Squash Soup With Ravioli, cook 1 package fresh three-cheese ravioli according to package directions. Float a few cook ravioli in each bowl of soup.

For Indian-Spiced Squash Soup,  substitute 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder for the nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and allspice.

Photo from “3-Step Cooking With Flavor” by Michael Pohuski.