Holiday Side Dish made w/roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels sprouts, pecans and cranberries

To be creative for holiday meals when by heart you are a traditionalist can be challenging.

I love Turkey dinners that are served with traditional stuffings, mashed potatoes, green beans and luscious gravy. I love to serve butternut squash as well and some type of cranberry, but this year I was inspired to try something new.

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This particular recipe worked extremely well as I was able to prepare it while the turkey was resting. It came out wonderful.

This will be a new holiday side dish that I will serve again and again. I hope it becomes a favorite of yours too.

Ingredients:

1-3 whole Butternut Squash - peeled, seeds removed and cut into large cubes

1 1/2 lb. sliced and trimmed Brussels Sprouts

1-2 cups cranberries

1-2 lb of pecans, walnuts or pine nuts - toasted

Olive Oil

Salt & Black Pepper

Optional - 2-3 Tbsp. Maple Syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Spread onto 2-3 sheet pans the Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash. Drizzle a good amount of olive oil all over and finish by sprinkling salt and pepper.

Place the sheet pans into the oven and roast for at least 30-40 minutes. You want the vegetables to be crispy yet still soft.

Combine the roasted vegetables together into a large serving bowl and add the cranberries and pecans - tossing to mix. If you wish to use maple syrup - finish by brushing the maple syrup over the top of the vegetables then toss with tongs. If you wish you can brush a bit more all over. The goal is to have a hint of sweetness but not to overpower the dish with the flavor of maple syrup.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!