CINNAMON ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously coat two baking sheets with nonstick spray.
• Place the squash cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and maple syrup, then sprinkle the salt, cinnamon, and pepper over the top. Toss to coat, then divide between the two baking sheets, discarding any excess liquid with that collects at the bottom of the bowl. Spread the cubes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets, taking care that they do not overlap.
• Place the pans in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven, turn the cubes with a spatula, then return to the oven, switching the pans' positions on the upper and lower racks. Continue baking until the squash is tender, about 10 to 15 additional minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the rosemary over the top. Serve warm.
• Pick your squash. I find ones that have a longer "neck" are easier to peel. That said, no matter what shape your butternut squash is, this method works. Use a sharp chef's knife to cut off both the top and bottom of the butternut squash, about 1/4 of an inch from the end (this helps stabilize the squash while you peel and cut). I also like to use a nonslip cutting board like this, which is very sturdy. With a vegetable peeler (either a basic one like this or a Y-peeler like this), peel off the outer layer of the butternut squash. This is the squash's skin. Depending upon your squash and how much pressure you apply, you may notice a thin, lighter layer of flesh immediately underneath the peel that surrounds the darker yellow flesh below. I always leave this lighter portion if it happens to stick. Once the squash is roasted, you can't taste it.With the same sharp chef's knife, cut the squash crosswise where the neck of the squash meets the rounder, base end so that you have two round pieces, once that's a cylinder (the neck) and one that's more of a ball (the base). Stand each of the pieces upright on your cutting board and make a cut down the middle from top to bottom. You'll now have 4 pieces. Once cut, use a spoon or ice cream scoop to remove the seeds and stringy parts from the inside the base of the squash. Lay your halves cut side down, and cut each half into 1-inch wide slices. Then, cut your slices crosswise in 1-inch wide cuts. (You should end up 1-inch cubes.) You can adjust the width of the cuts as needed to suit your recipe. For example, if your recipe calls for 1/2-inch cubes, cut the pieces 1/2 inch-wide instead. Not all of the pieces will be a perfect square (the base end ones are especially odd). This is just fine. They will all taste delicious.