Baked Spaghetti Squash

1 medium spagetti squash (2 1/4 lbs)
12 oz bulk Italian sausage
1.5 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium green or red sweet pepper, chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 4 1/4 can chopped pitted ripe olives (optional)
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasonings, crushed
1.5 cups purchased red pasta sauce (I used homemade marinara)
1.5 cups shredded Monterey Jack, mozzarella or Italian blend cheese
1/4 cup snipped fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley


1 Halve squash crosswise, remove seeds. Place cut sides down in 2 qt rectangular baking dish. (Use one bigger than 9x9 as this was not big enough). Add 1/4 cup water. Cover with vented plastic wrap, Microwave on high power for 13-15 min or until squash is tender when pierced with a fork; rearrange once for even baking. In large skillet, cook mushrooms, sausage, sweet pepper, onion and garlic over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink. Stir to break up sausage. Drain off fat (I did not do this as there was very little fat to drain off).
2. Preheat oven to 350. Scrape pulp from squash (about 3 cups). Wipe out baking dish and coat with non stick spray. Spread half the squash in the dish. Add half the sausage mixture and half the olives. Sprinkle with seasoning and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Top with half the sauce and half the cheese. Top with remaining squash, sausage, olives and sauce. Bake for 30 min. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5 min or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 min. Sprinkle with parsley. Serves 6.