Easy-to-make meals will please the entire family
With birthdays, anniversaries, sporting events and securing new jobs, there are always reasons to celebrate with family and friends. While preparing meals for a crowd often means spending a lot of time in the kitchen, the latest skip-a-step recipes take only 10 minutes to prepare and require no more than six ingredients – giving home cooks more freedom to celebrate with guests.
According to the Food Institute, an estimated 56 percent of evening meals were prepared in more than 30 minutes in 2001.
Using popular kitchen staples, flavorful recipes such as No-Frying Chicken Parmesan significantly decrease the average meal preparation time and arm home cooks with quick meals that can satisfy appetites in any situation – from fun family dinners to spirited gatherings with friends.
“These timesaving recipes help people celebrate meaningful moments with each other, instead of with their pots and pans,” said Suzanne Gruber, senior home economist, The Ragu Kitchens. “No-Boiling Lasagna, No-Frying Chicken Parmesan and Easy Skillet Ravioli are year-round crowd-pleasers.”
To make the celebration complete, Gruber suggests serving a warm loaf of bread and a fresh garden salad with the meal, adding fun touches to the table such as flowers or candles and decorating the room with balloons.
With simple meal preparation, you too can enjoy the party.
And when it’s over, cleanup won’t take long.
Most skip-a-step recipes require only one cooking pan, eliminating a sink full of dirty dishes.
Try the following recipes at your next gathering so you can spend time with the guests instead of in the kitchen.
For more timesaving recipes and tips, visit Ragu’s Web site: www.eat.com.
EASY SKILLET RAVIOLI
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves 4
1 package (about 1 pound 10 ounces) frozen cheese ravioli
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 jar (1 pound 10 ounces) pasta sauce
1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half, evaporated milk, milk or non-dairy creamer
In 12-inch nonstick skillet or 4-quart nonstick saucepot, bring ravioli, water and salt to a boil over high heat.
Continue boiling, stirring gently to separate ravioli, 5 minutes.
Do not drain water.
Stir in pasta sauce.
Cover and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until ravioli is tender. Stir in cream and heat through.
NO-BOILING LASAGNA
Prep Time: 10 minutes.; Cook Time: 70 minutes
Serves 12
2 containers (15 ounces each) ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces), divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
2 jars (1 pound 10 ounces each) Ragu Robusto! Pasta Sauce
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
Preheat oven to 375øF. In bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan and eggs.
In 13 x 9-inch baking dish, spread 1 cup pasta sauce.
Layer 4 uncooked noodles, then 1 cup sauce and 1/2 of the ricotta mixture; repeat.
Top with remaining 4 uncooked noodles and 2 cups sauce.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour.
Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake uncovered 10 minutes.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with remaining sauce, heated.
NO-FRYING CHICKEN PARMESAN
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
1 jar (1 pound 10 ounces) Ragu Robusto! Pasta Sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)
Preheat oven to 400øF. Dip chicken in egg, then bread crumbs.
In a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, arrange chicken.
Bake uncovered 20 minutes.
Pour pasta sauce over chicken; top with cheese.
Bake an additional 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Serve with hot cooked pasta