Butternut Squash and White Bean Stew

For tasty way to serve butternut squash!

2 Tab olive oil (or water)
1 cup slivered onion
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
3 cups mushrooms, cut into halves (I used a jar of mushrooms)
4 cups cubed, peeled butternut squash (about 1 large one)
1 (14 ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes (the fire-roasted ones really give abundant sweet flavor)
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 cups water
2 tab tomato paste (or ketchup)
3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 (15 oz) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

1. Heat oil (or a bit of water) in Dutch oven over med-high heat. Add onion, celery and mushrooms [note if using mushrooms from a jar add at the very end in step 2].  Cook until veggies start to brown about 8 minutes--if you use water they don't really brown). Stir in squash, tomatoes, garlic water tomato paste, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender (this depends on the size of your squash--30 minutes to 60 minutes !)

2. Uncover and stir in beans and if you are using the mushrooms from the jar add now.

Serves 6 (the recipe says serves 8 but I am not sure it did).