Quick Meal Ideas

Lowfat and Fast! — Kelly, Christiansburg, VA

Toss your favorite mixture of frozen veggies with Buitoni marinara for a yummy vegetarian dinner or tasty side.

Pasta Bake — Lindsay, Goldsboro, NC

Mix a package of cooked pasta with a package of sauce, pour into a baking dish and top with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Bake until hot and bubbly.

Choices for Everyone — Valerie, Binghamton, NY

I freeze small containers of each meal from dinner so at the end of the week and on weekends my family can eat what they feel like and its not junk food.

Cooking with Pesto

Yummy Sandwiches — Martha, OAKLAND PARK, FL

Mix pesto with mayo spread on bread, top with italian cold cuts and cheese, wrap up in foil and bake @ 300 for about 15-20 minutes. Quick and easy.

Pesto Pasta Salad — Lisa, Emeryville, CA

Mix Pesto with penne pasta, feta cheese, pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes for a cool summer salad.

Easy appetizer — Maureen, Chicago, IL

Place a 4 oz "log" of goat cheese or montrachet in a small baking dish and surround with pesto. Bake at 350 degrees until the pesto is bubbly and the cheese is soft. Serve with sliced, toasted baguette. This is my favorite easy, delicious last minute appetizer for guests.

Mac and Cheese Substitute — Senya, Port Orchard, WA

Making a simple pesto and pasta dish makes a great substitute to macaroni and cheese. And it's super easy!

Freezing Pesto — Anonymous, Wakefield, RI

Pesto often makes a large quantity... so if you want to save some for later, putting it in ice cube trays always works for me. Once they've solidified, I pop them out and put them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. They last forever!

Pesto Appetizer — Jana, Southside, AL

For a yummy appetizer pour pesto on top of a block of cream cheese and serve with your favorite chip. You can also add your favorite toppings like black olives!

Pesto — Michele, Clifton, NJ

Marinate chicken breasts in pesto for 1 hour and bake in oven. Excellent taste!

Cooking with Bruschetta

Tangy Bruschetta — Deborah, San Antonio, TX

Add chopped red onion and prosciutto to Bruschetta to give it extra flavor.

So many ways to use it — Brian, Hoboken, NJ

I use the Bruschetta so many different ways - on bread, on crackers, adding it to other tomato sauces for more flavor. My wife even puts some in chili for extra zing.

Zippy Bean Salad — Clara, ,

Drain a can of corn and green beans. Chop 1 or 2 hard boiled eggs. Mix in a container of bruschetta. Chill a few hours before serving.

Souping Up Soup — Irach, White Plains, NY

I add the Bruschetta to canned or homemade tomato or minestrone soup, to give it a chunky tomato-ey character and a splendid, distinct Italian seasoning taste.

Quick Party Food — Anonymous, Arlington, TX

Have your bakery cut french bread into 1/4 inch pieces. Top with Bruschetta. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with mozerella, and bake until cheese melts.

Cooking with Pasta

Salt Your Water — Lindsay, Goldsboro, NC

Don't forget to add salt to your boiling water before you drop in the pasta.

Forget cheese and crackers! — Anonymous, West Salem, WI

Instead of the same old cheese and crackers when having a friends over. I make a package of spinach & cheese or three cheese tortellini drain, toss with a tsp of olive oil, put on a platter with tooth picks & serve it at room temp with your favorite Buitoni sauce warm or cold.

Easy & Delicious — Anonymous, Moore, OK

Sauté garlic, feta and crushed red pepper until smooth pour over favorite pasta!! Enjoy!!

Cooking with Sauce

No-stain cooking — Anonymous, Dix Hills, NY

Make sure to mix in a pyrex or other ceramic bowl-- all kinds of tomato-based sauces stain plastic!!

Alfredo Sauce — Kathy, Camillus, NY

Try using Alfredo sauce as the sauce on pizza; add artichokes and mushrooms for a different variety.

Sweeten Sauce — F.B, Gaithersburg, MD

When cooking tomato sauce, add a carrot it will sweeten the sauce.

General Cooking

Bread Removes Excess Fat — Carol, Elkhorn, WI

If you make soups or stews and you have excess fat floating on the top, drop in a piece or two of bread. The bread will soak up the fat!

Store Chicken For Later Use — Sophia, Houston, TX

Cut up chicken breast into one portion size and store in plastic freezer bag. To defrost run warm water over the bags for about 10 minutes. Remove chicken and continue with recipe direction.

Fresh Herbs — Diane, KATY, TX

I love adding fresh herbs to my meals. They really bring out a wonderful flavor and build the aroma of your dish. Most grocery stores carry fresh herbs now. Choose Basil and oregano for basic staples. I use them when boiling chicken for soup and they give a wonderful added bonus to the broth and chicken.

Ingredient Substitutions

Put some zing in sandwiches — Shirley, North Hollywood, CA

Instead of using mayo, try spreading on some pesto. Then, pop in the microwave for 30 seconds to melt the cheese and to heighten the pesto flavor!

If you Don't Have Mayo — Alexis, ,

If you don't have mayo or any other condiment for a veggie burger, you can use a vegetable dip instead, delicious!

Out of Eggs? — Anonymous, Chicopee, MA

Don't panic if you are following a recipe and discover that you are out of eggs. Applesauce is a healthier substitute for eggs, and good for your vegan dinner guests!

Minced Garlic — Linda, Troutman, NC

Instead of chopping fresh garlic, I use garlic in a jar that is already chopped; it saves a lot of time and keeps your hands from smelling like garlic.

Time Saving Tips

Pasta/Veggie Cook Time Saver — Yvonne, Akron, OH

When cooking pasta for pasta salad or for Alfredo with broccoli, I cook the vegetables in the same pot as the pasta.

Always Remember... — Lynn, Tarzana, CA

There's time to sit down, relax and enjoy your meal when you clean-up as you go.

No Nonsense — Lily, Artesia, New Mexico

Pre-cooked chicken strips save a cooking step and lots of time!

Less Prep Time — Ann, Granville, New York

Buy pre-chopped vegetables in the fresh produce or freezer section of your grocery store to cut down on prep time.

Make it Quick and Easy — Leigh, Salt Lake City, Utah

I use frozen herbs to save time on washing and trimming.