Thanksgiving ideas: butternut squash with Italian sausage

This one is easy. And once you start eating it, you won't be able to stop. Baking this squash brings out all the sweet flavors and intensifies the color, making it a very palatable and aesthetic ordeal. It's the perfect side dish that uses the hues, flavors, and ingredients of Autumn. The Italian sausage adds spice and flavoring to the squash, but to my vegetarian friends: please try this recipe without the sausage! 

And since this is a non-conventional Thanksgiving suggestion, I would of course recommend that you try this recipe whenever you get your hands on a butternut squash! 

Roasted Butternut Squash with Italian Sausage

2-3lb butternut squash, cubed (I bought it already halved, skinned, and gutted)

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp thyme 

1/2 tsp salt 

4-5 cloves garlic 

1 lb Italian sausage, uncased and minced (I used hot, but sweet should work as well) 

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. 

2. Toss the butternut squash in a tablespoon of olive oil or until all the squash is lightly and evenly coated. 

3. Then season the squash with thyme and salt. 

4. Place in a baking dish (I used an 8x8in) and bake for 20-25 minutes or until tender. 

5. In a non-stick pan, heat about half a tablespoon of olive oil with the garlic cloves. 

6. Insert Italian sausage into the heated plan and cook until browned. 

7. Scoop sausage (leaving excess oil behind) into the baking dish with the squash. Bake together for 5 minutes.