Butternut Squash Pasta with Homemade Sausage

Initially had recipe from skinnytaste.com, but I joujed a recipe from NYT better. Eric liked and said he would have again!
Homemade sausage recipe joujed from thebigmansworld.com (added fennel)

Ingredients:

-2.5 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4 inch pieces (weighed 3 lbs)

-2 garlic cloves (used whole head)

-olive oil

-salt and pepper

-3/4 packed cup fresh sage leaves (used 1 bag from store which was more like 1/4 cup)

-3/4 cup chopped walnuts (used an old bag, but could use more at least 1 cup)

-1 lemon zested (about 1 Tbsp) (+ half a lemon juice)

-1 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable stock

-1 pound short pasta

-1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

-VEGGIES: 1 yellow onion, 1 red bell pepper, 1 bunch of asparagus

Homemade sausage:

-2 lbs ground turkey 

-2 tsp salt - used big 1 tsp salt

-1 tsp pepper - use more

-1 tsp dried sage - use more

-1 tsp garlic powder - use more

-1 tsp brown sugar

-1 tsp fennel - use more

Directions:

1. Peel and dice squash. Bake for 400 degrees with olive oil, salt, pepper for 35 min. Turn halfway.

2. Place squash + garlic + 1 cup of stock in blender until smooth and thick (stored in fridge)

3. Boil pasta al dente.  Reserve 1 cup pasta water aside. (stored in fridge)

4. Zest lemon onto plate + juice half of a lemon (set aside)

5. Grate parmesan cheese onto plate

6. Cook veggies in oven

7. Used large saucepan - heated avocado oil - added sage for about a minute. Then added walnuts + salt.  Cook until sage leaves are lightly browned and crisp.  Transfer to paper towel on plate.  Add zested lemon and mix

8. Cook ground turkey + spices.

9. Add pureed squash + lemon juice + pasta water + parmesan cheese. Can add more salt/pepper.

10. Sprinkle with sage/walnut/zest mixture. Didn't add extra parmesan.

Notes:

-Had about 3/4 cup walnuts in a bag, but could do more - try a full cup

-Only used juice from half a lemon, but try the whole lemon. Good lemon flavor from the nuts/zest.

-Use more spices for the sausage - I had sprinkled more on top of the ground turkey, but not sure how much

-try mixing spices in with turkey to marinate and store in fridge in bowl