Fall is in the air, folks! This past weekend Philip and I made a long over-due road trip to Iowa — my home state and where I still call “home” out of habit — and there was a crisp, briskness in the air. It was actually the perfect weather for tailgating and football.

Being that my entire family are Iowa State graduates and that my parents are die-hard fans, it was almost a sin that Philip has been in our family for two years and didn’t have any Iowa State apparel yet. This weekend, Philip got a full dose of Iowa State starting with getting mandatory new Iowa State gear, tailgating with the “regulars,” and witnessing his first Iowa State football game. While the game didn’t end quite how we would have preferred (re: we lost), it was a great time being back and showing Philip around my alma mater. So many memories from the six years I was there!

The weather was great during the day, but boy, did it get cold once the sun went down. Breaking out the winter coat, hat, and gloves just seemed a little too premature and almost saddening.

You know what isn’t saddening, wrong, or premature, though? This Rosemary & Sage Roasted Vegetables with Apple Chicken Sausage is comforting, perfectly right, and is just in time for this fall weather. While it may be a mouthful to say, it is so easy to whip together on any weeknight. I don’t even know if I should really call it a recipe.

Before I get into the seasonings and add-ins to this dish, let’s just start with the fact that it’s roasted, shall we? If I could, I think I would roast everything I make. If Philip and I aren’t having our veggies raw with hummus, I most likely roasted them. It’s easy, fast, hands-off, and the natural sugars in the vegetables caramelize and become a little bit sweeter. I don’t do it on purpose, but I think I’m constantly promoting roasted vegetables to clients at work. Think you don’t like Brussels sprouts? Try them roasted and you may just change your mind. Think you don’t like (insert any vegetable here)? Try ‘em roasted!

So, now that you know this recipe is delicious just by the fact alone that it’s been roasted, you can only imagine how much more mouthwatering it is with the addition of fall-favorite flavors like sage, rosemary, and garlic. I didn’t add any maple syrup to this recipe, but if you want it slightly sweeter, that would be absolutely incredible!

Because no fall recipe is truly complete with apples (just take a look at my last two posts here and here), the apple chicken sausage roasted right along with the autumn vegetables adds a tad bit of sweetness to the meal. I love the Aidell’s sausage more than any other flavored sausages because there’s no added sweetener or fillers to it — just apples. #win!

Whether you need to serve a large crowd or just have a family of one or two, this one-pan recipe that’s ready in 30 minutes is the perfect go-to fall meal.

Rosemary & Sage Roasted Vegetables with Apple Chicken Sausage

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 20-ounce package cubed peeled butternut squash (or one small butternut squash peeled and cubed)
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (or quartered if large)
• 1 large red onion, halved and thickly sliced (1/2-inch)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
• 4 links cooked apple chicken sausage (12 ounces) (I used Aidell’s Chicken & Apple Smoke Chicken Sausage)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Combine squash, Brussels sprouts, onion, garlic, oil, rosemary, sage, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet, covered in aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Roast for 10 minutes.
3. Stir the vegetables and place sausages on the pan. Continue roasting, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes more.

Adapted from: Eating Well