Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes

On the not-wasting-produce tip, I smile smugly to myself when I buy things like potatoes and squash, knowing that I can let them languish in the produce bowl twice as long without consequence. I am the queen of big plans with little follow-through, so basically, these items give me ample time to convince/guilt myself into cooking instead of eating toast with marmalade or baby carrots for dinner (these work in a pinch, but ultimately give me a sense of wasted potential).

I work from home during the evenings, and when I'm not too busy I like to put something together that is short on prep work and long on oven-cooking so I can ignore it. This side (or main, if you're a big fan of the veg in question) takes about 10 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to roast. It is absolutely delicious.

There are some variations which I will explain below, but here's the general idea:

Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes

1 medium-large size butternut squash, peeled and cut into large cubes (~1.5 inch a side)
1 large or 2 smaller sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into medium cubes (~1 inch a side)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 shallots, halved lengthwise with layers separated
Olive oil (2-3 T does the trick)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 375F.

In a 9x13 baking dish, toss all ingredients until well mingled. Shake dish to distribute in an even layer. Place in oven, tossing with a spatula every 15 minutes to discourage sticking and burning. Check for doneness after 45 minutes; cook an additional 10-15 minutes if necessary.

Variations: When I started making this, I would cut 2 T of butter into strips and distribute it throughout the dish before baking. This is both rich and delicious, but omitting the butter still yields successful results. The butternut squash itself is quite creamy and rich-tasting, so only use butter if you're feeling particularly decadent.

The shallot: this was the first time I'd used a shallot, and it was a welcome addition. Roughly chopped red onion would probably be good too.

I ate a small serving of this the night of, and the next day ate the leftovers for dinner with a big glass of white wine. I didn't heat them up, which I think makes them "chilled hors d'oeuvres."