I have to tell you about this recipe that I like to think I invented (but I’m sure I didn’t, but maybe I did?) but either way, you must go make it right now. It is extraordinarily delicious.

I wish I had some pictures to share with you, but truth be told, it’s not exactly a pretty dish, and anyway, I ate it all too fast to photograph it.

Took some pictures! See below.

I call it

Butternut Squash Crack

or maybe I should call it something more descriptive like

Butternut Squash with Italian Sausage and Sage (and Goat Cheese If You’re Not Going Dairy-Free For a Little While Like Pam Is)

Take your pick.

Ingredients:
A butternut squash (are you surprised?)
1 package of turkey sweet Italian sausage (the kind I buy has 5 links in the package)
1 bunch of fresh sage (or dried, but fresh smells so nice), chopped
1 chunk of goat cheese (2-3 oz)
2 tbsp Olive oil (I cannot type the word “Olive” without typing “Oliver” and then going back and deleting the r)
Salt and pepper

Here’s a picture of the actual ingredients, right before I turn them into the yummiest dish you’ll eat maybe ever.

Directions:
1. Peel and chop butternut squash into smallish chunks. 1.5″ or so? I feel like this part should take up more than one line, because it takes forever, and for some reason the outside of a peeled butternut squash makes my skin feel very dry and cracked. Very odd. Here’s an interesting explanation.)
2. Toss butternut squash with some oliver oil (see?) and salt and pepper and the sage.
3. Cut Italian sausage into chunks. It’s easier if it’s still a bit frozen.
4. Arrange all willy-nilly into a casserole dish. Mix everything up.
5. Dot with some of the goat cheese, crumbled.
6. Cover with foil and cook at 375 for a while. 45 minutes or so? Until the squash is all squishy. Take the foil off and cook for about 20 more minutes until the squash on top gets all brown and caramelized.

Eat, and contemplate when you can eat it again.

It’s so good because the juices and seasonings from the sausage get all up in the squash, which are like little flavor sponges. And it’s kind of mushy and caramelized and the goat cheese adds a nice um other flavor, as does the sage.

Enjoy!