Planning our menu for a mid-week dinner, I had decided on a pork tenderloin and broccoli, but I needed one more dish to complete our meal.  Although some sort of potato or rice dish would work, I was looking for something lighter.  I also wanted to make a dish that would add some color to our plates.

Lacking inspiration, I decided to peruse the produce department of our grocery store.  Spying the squash section, I chose a butternut squash for our dinner.  I love butternut squash but tend to use it most in fall and winter.  As we hadn’t eaten it in a few months, I was eager for this dinner.

Typically, my husband and I make butternut squash with a hint of sweetness.  My husband adds a little honey to sweeten his squash, while I use some brown sugar and cinnamon for extra flavor.  For this dinner, I wanted to try something new.  Rather than adding sweetness to the squash while it was cooking, I would try adding some savory flavor.

This recipe was really simple and had a wonderful bite from the garlic.  Topped with a drizzle of honey, there was a delicious balance of tastes.  For an alternate topping, shaved parmesan also makes an excellent finish to this dish.

Roasted Butternut Squash

2-1/2 lb. butternut squash

1 Tb. olive oil

2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced

honey or Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400.  Peel butternut squash, and remove seeds.  Cut squash into bite-sized cubes, and place in a large bowl.  Add olive oil and garlic, and toss.  Pour squash into a baking dish that has a cover.  Bake for 30 minutes, uncovered.  Remove dish from oven, and toss squash.  Cover dish, and bake for an additional 30 minutes.  Serve, topped with a drizzle of honey or a few shavings of Parmesan, if desired.