Baked Sausage with Butternut, Red Peppers and Onion (grain free, dairy free)

After recent musings of favorite recipes from my childhood, I began getting a craving (hankerin') for Italian sausage baked with potatoes and red peppers, which is a dish my mom used to make.  I can smell it baking now... 

I decided to try the recipe tonight using butternut squash in place of the white potato and Italian chicken sausage in place of pork sausage.  

I was pleased with the result (though truthfully, I miss white potatoes) and thought I'd share it with you.  Another plus? This dish is an easy meal with little prep time.

What are some of your favorite childhood meals?

Ingredients:
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 medium onions or one large, chopped
3-4 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 red peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped (I used a few handfuls of the mini sweet peppers)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed (guess how many I used?)

extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper, to taste
4-6 links of mild Italian sausage (I used chicken, not pork - turkey sausage tends to be too dry) 
fresh chopped basil, optional 
Parmesan, grated (optional - or use Pecorino Romano)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375F.  Toss the first five ingredients into 9x13 baking pan (ceramic or glass).  Drizzle with olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste then toss.  Add 1/4 cup water to pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Place sausage links on top.  Then bake another 20-30 minutes or until sausage is fully cooked.  

Top with chopped basil and grated cheese (if tolerated).  

Mangia!