Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage and Honey

So believe it or not, I had never actually had butternut squash. I've had practically every other kind of squash, but never butternut. It is literally EVERYWHERE this time of year, and finally I decided to make it. Why not? I'm so glad I did! It tasted completely different than I expected. I followed no recipe, I sorta just winged it, tasted, seasoned as I went. The result was pure sweet heaven. Contrary to my namesake, I don't generally like sweet savory side dishes (I KNOW, I KNOW.). The exception to this is candied yams on Thanksgiving. Also, apparently I also love sweet butternut squash. I'd be very interested in actually making my own butternut squash soup, or to use onions or leeks with them next time.

So first things first. In the case that you're a butternut squash novice, such as myself, make sure that when you cut your squash you cut it half lengthwise. There are seeds inside the bulbous bottom (technical term!), and you need to remove them. Also prepare to hate your life while you peel and cut it into cubes. At least I did. I see so many people roasting them whole and cutting them after (I wonder why...!?). You might want to try that, or just buy them pre-cut if you don't feel like messing with them. I never buy produce this way, though. I don't even buy pre-sliced mushrooms. I like to do the work myself, so I understand if you decide to tackle it on your own, without roasting it first! High five, we are in the same annoyed boat! But once that baby is peeled and the seeds are removed, and you've cut it in 1 inch cubes...the fun begins! Like I said, I didn't look at any recipes. I sort of picked through my pantry and went with what I assumed would work. The only thing I knew in advance was that people love brown sugar on the squash. And go figure, I didn't even add that until it was halfway done cooking and I tasted it to see what it needed. Low and behold, I didn't find the honey to be sweet enough, so I added the sugar. But the one thing I do know is that this was one tasty side dish! I served it alongside pork tenderloin. Enjoy!

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Time from start to finish: About 1 hour

Ingredients:
1 Butternut Squash, peeled, de-seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes
1-2 Tbsp Honey
1-2 Tbsp Sage (I only had dried. I imagine fresh would be fantastic!)
2-3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lay squash on a cookie sheet and coat with rest of ingredients. Make sure the squash is laying flat, and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, until fork tender.

Eat Well!
Melissa