Italian Spaghetti Squash Casserole

You can have your spaghetti, and eat it too. This is a perfect use of the winter squashes that are available right now. You can eat more garlic bread and not feel guilty when your spaghetti is made out of squash. I have had some very tough critics enjoy this one.

• 1 large spaghetti squash, about 3lbs.
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium sweet onion diced
• 2 cups white mushrooms sliced thin, or 2 cans sliced mushrooms dr. wt. 4oz., drained
• Pam olive oil spray
• 1 package 1.25 lbs. Shady Brook Farms Italian turkey sausage, hot or sweet
• 1 jar Muir Glen Organic sauce, Garlic Roasted Garlic flavor 25.5 oz.
• 1 can Furmano's pizza sauce, 15 oz. (optional)
• 2 cups grated 4 Italian cheese, reduced fat
• Parmesan, for garnish

To pick a nice spaghetti squash, the yellowest is the best, make sure it does not have any moldy or soft spots.
On a cutting board, with a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise, you will need strong arms for this part. I use a big stainless steel cooking spoon to scoop out the seeds, then discard. It is a slippery mess! Place squash into a large pyrex dish cut side down and fill with hot water until about 1 ½ inches deep (about 2 cups water). Cover with plastic wrap. Total microwave cooking time is on high for 15-20 minutes. If you can not get both halves to lay completely flat, microwave for 10 minutes until it is soft enough to force down. It is done when a fork inserted into it is tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Scoop out squash strands and place into a colander to drain.

Meanwhile you may grill the sausage links or sear them in a skillet, they do not need to be cooked all the way through. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute green pepper, onion and mushrooms in a large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray for about 5 minutes, add Muir Glenn sauce to skillet mixture and mix well. Then add spaghetti squash to this mixture and stir until well blended.
















In a 9 x 13 inck pyrex dish sprayed with olive oil add squash mixture. Add sausage links on outer edges, two on each side and one link at each end on the outer edges. If mixture seems dry, add optional pizza sauce at this time over the top. Cover with grated cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Let sit for 5 minutes and cut into like lasagna and serve placing a sausage link on the plate as well. Garnish with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!