Cheesy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Ok so i'm going to be completely honest... i didn't exactly love this. Don't get me wrong though, i didn't think it was bad though either. So why am i putting this up here if it was just ok? Because my family and my boyfriend's family devoured this. I can't put my finger on what i thought was wrong with it, but i'm a VERY picky eater so i'm just gonna assume that's why. In any case, many people have confirmed this is delicious. So i hope you enjoy!

Cheesy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

(Makes 4 cups)

2 ½ cups roasted butternut squash

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1/3 cup onion, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

½ apple, peeled and chopped

1 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup Italian cheese blend (parmesan, asiago, romano, mozzarella)

2 tbsp brown sugar

Salt and pepper

½ tsp nutmeg

A few dashes seasoned salt

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To roast squash in oven, cut the squash in half and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 2 cloves of garlic over the squash. Fill pan with 1 inch of water.  Cover and roast in oven for about 1 hour. It should be easy to poke with fork when done.

• Heat olive oil and butter in skillet over medium-low heat, and cook the onion, garlic, and apple, stirring frequently, until softened and brown, about 15 minutes. Add butternut squash and chicken broth, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat just to a simmer, and stir in the milk and cheese blend. Stir until cheese has melted and sauce has reached desired thickness, 5 – 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
•  Place entire contents into food processor and puree to desired thickness.
•  Sauté mushrooms in pan, about 5 minutes, then add to sauce.
• Enjoy over pasta or ravioli. Adding sausage or ground meat is recommended. Serve with Parmesan cheese on top.