Meat Sauce with Buternut Squash

I really love simple. I also really love comfort food. This recipe qualifies for both and I honestly don't think I could love it anymore! I usually make meat sauce and serve it over spaghetti squash (or just eat it out of the pan - who am I kidding?) and that is always delicious but last week I was making a chili recipe that called for butternut squash and I had a little leftover, I decided to throw it in with my leftover meat sauce. MAGIC! The added sweetness of the butternut squash makes the flavor so different. Rich, but not heavy, just purely delicious...I'm going to stop now before I start drooling.

Meat Sauce with Butternut Squash

Makes dinner for 2 and leftovers for the next days lunch

1 butternut squash
2 pounds of ground meat
1 jar of sugar free pasta sauce*

First things first - Get your oven nice and hot - 450.
Cut the squash in half and scoop out seeds.
Place both halves of the squash cut side down on a cookie sheet covered in foil with the edges folded up as sides OR put it in a baking dish with sides. The squash will leak some water and make a mess if you don't so make sure you do something to hold the water in!
Place in the oven for 30 - 45 minutes. It is done when you can easily squish the squash (that's fun to say! squish the squash...) or poke it with a fork.
While the squash is baking heat a frying pan over medium low heat and brown the meat (feel free to add onions and garlic if you like but remember this is my lazy meal so I'm not getting fancy).
Once meat is cooked, add pasta sauce and simmer over low to heat up the sauce.
When squash is done (you have squished it), with an oven mitt covered hand hold 1 half and with a spoon in the other hand, spoon out the squash into bowls.
Add meat and sauce and stir it up, to break up the chunks of squash.
Garnish with some grated, unpasteurized cheese and some basil (IF you're feeling fancy)
Enjoy!

 *Hard to find unless you want to drop serious cash, like $8 a jar! I was able to find a jar of sugar free sauce at BJ's that I really like and isn't expensive! I tried to make my own - haven't been happy with that just yet. but I make so many things from scratch I would like to just be able to open a can every once in a while!