Easy Roasted Winter Squash and Sausage with Herbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F/200C and spray a flat glass or crockery baking dish with olive oil or non-stick spray. I used a dish that was 9″ X 12″ because I was baking it in my toaster oven, but I recommend using a sheet pan for this dinner. Cut squash in half if needed, and use a sharp spoon to scrape seeds and stringy insides from the squash. If it’s a smooth skinned squash like butternut, you can peel off the skin with a vegetable peeler. For rough skinned squash or squash with ridges, cut into slices about 2 inches wide, then use a sharp knife to cut the skin away from each slice. Cut squash into uniformly-sized pieces. Put squash in a bowl, then toss with olive oil, dried thyme, salt and fresh ground black pepper and chopped fresh herbs, if using. Arrange squash cubes in an even layer in the baking dish and start to roast. While you’re cutting up squash, put turkey Italian sausage on a plate, poke holes on each side of the sausages, and microwave on high for about 4-5 minutes Remove sausage from microwave and let cool. When it’s cool enough to handle, cut the sausage into slices about 3/4 inch wide. After squash has cooked for 20 minutes, stir squash, spread back out into the dish in an even layer, then arrange sausage slices on top of squash and roast 20 minutes more, or until sausage pieces are starting to brown. Then use a fork to carefully turn each piece of sausage so the other side is facing up and roast 10-20 minutes more, until sausage is browned and squash is slightly browned on top and caramelized on the bottom. Serve hot. In many dishes pork or turkey Italian sausage can be used interchangeably, but in this case I think the fat that would drip down from the pork sausage would make the squash much too greasy. Look for turkey Italian sausage near the ground turkey in your supermarket.