Pasta with Creamy Sage Sauce and Vegetables

I haven't been able to post as many entries lately as I would have liked. I cut my hand pretty badly, had to have stitches, and haven't been able to type. (It was a home improvement accident, not cooking related). But, here is a recipe I promised my parents I would post. I had the pleasure of having them over to dinner last week, and I served them this dish as a part of the meal. I forgot to take a photo of the actual food I prepared for them, but I found these two photos in my album that are essentially the same dish. The presentation in the above photo has penne pasta and some wilted spinach in addition to the usual ingredients of the recipe. Below I used tri-colored multi-grain elbow macaroni. So, as you can see, it is a versatile recipe.

Pasta with Butternut Squash and Mushrooms in a Creamy Sage Sauce

Your favorite pasta cooked al dente (I recommend multi-grain)
1 small butternut squash
1 small package fresh mushrooms, sliced (Porcini or Shitake or your favorite)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
fresh sage, chopped (approximately 10 leaves)
1/2 cup cream (or mixture of milk and cream for less fat) or amount needed for saucy consistency
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese to top

1. Peel the butternut squash, cut it in half, discard the seeds, and chop it into cubes. Coat the cubes lightly with olive oil. Place in baking pan and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until tender. Set aside.
2. Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
3. In a saute pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and saute until caramelized.
4. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender. Add a bit of salt, if needed, to draw out the juices of the mushrooms.
5. Add the sage and the cream and butter and bring to a simmer. On low heat, add the butternut squash and continue simmering until the sauce has a nice consistency and the flavors have developed. Salt and pepper to taste.
6. Toss the pasta with the creamy vegetables and serve with freshly grated cheese.

Note: if you want to add some fresh spinach, add it right after the mushrooms are tender. Saute it until wilted. Then add the cream, etc.