Winter Squash and Sausage Penne

• 12 lb uncooked penne pasta
• 2 Italian sausages, casings removed
• 1 cup chopped sweet onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 23 cup white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 12 cups chicken broth
• 1 -1 12 cup pureed cooked winter squash (equal to one small or one half large acorn or butternut squash, you can also use canned pumpkin)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage, divided
• 14 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 dash ground nutmeg
• 14 cup half-and-half cream
• 14 teaspoon salt
• 14 teaspoon pepper
• 14 cup shredded romano cheese

1. Cook pasta according to the package directions.
2. In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium-high heat.
3. Drain, reserving 2 teaspoons of the drippings, and set aside.
4. Reduce heat to medium.
5. In the same skillet, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil and the reserved drippings until the onions just begin to brown.
6. Add the wine and bay leaves, bringing the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then turning the heat to medium-low and simmering until reduced by half.
7. Stir in the chicken broth, the winter squash, half of the sage, and the cinnamon and nutmeg.
8. Continue to simmer over low heat for 2 or 3 minutes.
9. Add the half and half, salt and pepper, and transfer the sauce to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
10. Return sauce to the skillet and stir in the sausage and pasta.
11. Cook and stir over low heat until heated through.
12. Before serving, sprinkle with Romano cheese and the remaining sage.

penne pasta, italian sausages, sweet onion, garlic, olive oil, white wine, bay leaves, chicken broth, winter, fresh sage, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, cream, salt, pepper, romano cheese

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/winter-squash-and-sausage-penne-350189 (may not work)