Roasted Squash w/ Sage Butter

sounds tasty, right?
We've enjoyed this dish twice in the past week.
AND found a good way to cook those unwieldy, but flavorful crookneck squashes.


ingredients
* winter squash, any big fleshy variety
* butter (quantity depends on how much squash you're preparing)
* sage (around a dozen leaves per 3 lbs squash)
* salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350.
Prepare the squash for the oven. Cut open and remove the seeds. Peeling is not necessary.

crookneck squash reduced to 1 baking sheet

Dab the squash flesh that will be in contact with the baking pan with oil or butter.
Pop in the oven, bake 'til soft.
Pull out and let cool slightly until you're able to handle it. 
While the squash is cooling, heat a small skillet on the stove.  Melt the butter.
While it's melting roll the sage leaves in your palms to break into tiny pieces.
Once the butter has heated, but not yet browned, add the sage.
Turn the heat down a bit, letting the butter take on the sage flavor without  burning. Around 3 minutes.
Now remove the squash flesh from the skin, and mash in a bowl.
Blend in the sage butter and serve warm.

- - - - -
sage leaves fried whole and eaten straight out of the pan is also AWESOME.