There are just so many lovely Thanksgiving-time recipes that you cannot possibly make them all on the Big Day. Therefore, I try to make some throughout the fall season and enjoy the bounty of autumn vegetables even before my favorite holiday comes around. On that note, tonight I made this sweet and savory butternut squash dish.

©EverydayCookingAdventures 2013

I divided this recipe down to serve just the two of us by dividing it all in half. I also subbed prosciutto for the pancetta because it’s what I had in the fridge. I can see how this would be a beautiful Thanksgiving side dish as the green sage leaves, orange squash, and crispy pink prosciutto/pancetta all look lovely together. It also tastes really good! The maple syrup glazed the squash to make it soft and sweet and the prosciutto was crispy and salty. Yum! Here’s my maple-roasted butternut squash:

Ina Garten Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash ©EverydayCookingAdventures 2013

Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 head garlic, separated but not peeled
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 2 ½ tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
• 16 whole fresh sage leaves
• French Bread, for serving

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Peel and seed the butternut squash and then cut it into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes.
2. Place the squash and the whole unpeeled garlic cloves on a sheet pan in one layer.  Toss with the olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the squash begins to brown, turning once during baking.
3. Sprinkle the pancetta and the sage leaves evenly over the butternut squash and continue to bake for another 20 minutes, until the squash and garlic are tender and caramelized.  Season to taste and serve hot with French bread for guests to spread with the roasted garlic.