Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 12 ounces bulk italian sausage
• 1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced (red or green)
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (4 1/2 ounce) can chopped black olives
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (23 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 1/2 cups pre-shredded mozzarella cheese

Recipe

• 1 with a 2 pronged fork, pierce squash all the way through to the center cavity to provide steam vent holes.
• 2 place squash in microwave, vent holes on the top, and bake at full power until squash is tender crisp (not squishy soft) when tested with a 2 pronged fork.
• 3 note: the time for me is usually 10-15 minutes, but it will vary with the size of your squash and the power/ size of your microwave.
• 4 remove from microwave and let squash cooll until comfortable to handle.
• 5 cut squash in half lengthways and gently scoop out and discard the seeds and the little strings that attach them, using a large spoon.
• 6 now, using a dinner fork, flake out the "spaghetti strands" of squash into a bowl.
• 7 in a large skillet, sautee sausage, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and garlic until the sausage is no longer pink, stirring to break up sausage.
• 8 note: if your sausage is in links, slit the casing and squeeze out the sausage so you can chunk it.
• 9 drain off any fat.
• 10 in an appropriately sized greased baking dish, layer half the squash, sausage mixture, black olives, seasonings, spaghetti sauce, and cheese.
• 11 continue layering with the second half of ingredients, withholding the final cheese until the last 5 minutes of baking so it only melts, not bakes crispy brown.
• 12 note: at this point, the casserole can be covered in foil (with final cheese in a zipper bag) and frozen for future use.
• 13 bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until completely hot throughout.
• 14 remember to add the final cheese in the last 5 minutes and to allow extra thaw/ bake time if frozen.