Untrained Housewife

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Mom’s Night Out with Ragu – Plus $150 Giveaway!

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Large Ragu gift basket I gave away to one of the moms.

This week I had the opportunity to host a party for our homeschool group’s Mom’s Night Out event, sponsored by Ragu as part of my Mom’s The Word on Dinner relationship with them. It was a blessing to be able to put together a really fun evening out for the half-dozen moms who made it to our Mom’s Night Out dinner.

The Menu I made:

  • No-Fry Chicken Parmesan (recipe below)
  • Vegetarian Pizza Cupcakes (recipe below)
  • Mixed Green Salad
  • Garlic Bread Knots
  • Iced Tea
  • Chocolate Eclairs
  • Cold Coffee Punch w/Ice Cream (linked to recipe on Home-Ec101 – Thanks Heather!)

Some of the items I got pre-made (the chocolate eclairs and the iced-tea powder mix for example) but the main courses I made from scratch and the coffee punch I made as well (linked above in the menu list). Because my kitchen is too small for a large party, and most of the homeschoolers meet in Durant, the next big town down the highway, I cooked everything at the church kitchen in Durant and then we had our meal at one of the homeschool mom’s house.

 No-Fry Chicken Parmesan Recipe for Healthy Alternatives

I served mine with green salad and veggie pizza cupcakes!

This is a healthier alternative to the traditionally fried Chicken Parmesan dishes. It turned out really amazing.

  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (I made 12 chicken tender strips)
  • 1 egg, beaten (I used 2)
  • 3/4 plain dry bread crumbs
  • 1 jar (1 lb 8 oz) Ragu Old World Style Pasta Sauce (I used the Garden Combination because that’s my favorite)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (We won’t discuss how much cheese I actually used)
  • 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Angela’s Note: To save time I chose to use seasoned bread crumbs already instead of plain bread crumbs and adding my own seasoning. This is a very versitile recipe that I think I can switch up depending on what I’ve got on hand.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Combine bread crumbs, seasoning and garlic powder in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg, then crumb mixture until well-coated.

2. Place chicken in 13×9 baking dish. Bake 20 minutes.

3. Pour pasta sauce over chicken and top with cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

This recipe took less than 20 minutes to prepare and only 30 minutes to cook – brilliant! See details on the Ragu Facebook Page, on the Recipes tab.

Vegetarian Pizza Cupcakes for Flexible Seasonal Vegetable Dishes

  • 1 Pack (12 oz) refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits)
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 and 1/2 Cups Mixed veggies, diced. (We used zuchinni and red bell peppers)
  • 1 and 1/2 Cups Ragu Old World Style or Ragu Organic Pasta Sauce
  • 1/2 Cup Shredded Mozzarella cheese (about 2 oz)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Unroll biscuits and press each into a 3-inch round ball. Press each biscuit in bottom and up the sides of each cup in a 12-cup muffin pan; keep chilled until ready to fill.

2. Heat olive oil on medium heat in skillet and cook vegetables, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in sauce and bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes or until slightly reduced.

3. Spoon vegetable and sauce mixture into muffin cups. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle tops with cheese and bake another 5 minutes until cheese is melty. Stand 5 minutes and then serve.

See details about this recipe on Ragu.com

The goody baskets and large prize for the Mom’s Night Out!

I hope you enjoy these two recipes! I think the Vegetable Pizza Muffins will be hugely flexible for me and my family. If I have ground venison on hand, it would be easy to add meat to the sauce/veggie mixture and make a full entree out of these. The vegetable choices are easy to swap out according to whatever you have on hand from your farmer’s market or garden: eggplant, peppers, squash, etc.

My Mom’s Night Out guests all got a gift basket to take home (the smaller ones pictured here) and one mom won the larger doorprize gift basket. Since you guys weren’t able to attend, I want to invite you to enter for a prize of your own! 

$150 GiftCard Giveaway!

To enter:

1. Leave a comment telling us your grocery-store survival tips and tricks. (Your comments may be quoted in a future post.)

2. Leave a comment telling us your favorite way to use pasta sauce besides the traditional spaghetti dish. (Again, may be quoted in future blog post.)

3. Tweet about the giveaway (sample tweet) “Have a Mom’s Night Out of your own with @UntrainedHW & @RaguSauce $150 Giftcard Giveaway http://bit.ly/MNORagu” (Leave a comment with the status message – one per day)

4. Be following @UntrainedHW and @RaguSauce on Twitter (Leave one comment for each account followed)

5. Subscribe to Untrained Housewife’s newsletters. (Leave a comment)

Follow Untrained Housewife on Facebook to stay informed of future giveaways! Don’t forget to check out Ragu’s facebook page for more recipes and meal ideas.

This sweepstakes is for US citizens, 18 and over only. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Ends November 7, 2011 at 11:59pm CST. 

About Angela England

Angela England has written 562 posts in this blog.

Founder of Untrained Housewife, Editor-in-Chief of Blissfully Domestic (http://blissfullydomestic.com), mother of five, wife of one, and God-seeker always.

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,

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Comments

  1. ultimate survival tip? go after the kids are in bed 🙂

    if you can’t manage that, then definitely keep an organized list and give the kids grocery store missions to keep them occupied.

    but seriously. don’t bring the kids.

  2. I’m sure this is not a surprise… but I do better at teh store when I go with a list and have at least looked at the sales sheet before hand. I also try really hard to stay out of the center of the store where the things I tend to buy on impulse are. 🙂

  3. I like to make garlic bread sandwiches… which frilled chicken, spaghetti sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Broil for a bit to melt the cheese! Yum!

  9. Know the store layout and the least busy times to go and always have a plan/list to go off of!

    demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com

  10. Survival tips? Make sure you don’t bring ANYONE (hubby included) with me to the store when I have coupons. They don’t have the patience and the sighs they all give me work my nerves.

    Next tip: Make sure you have a snack/meal before you go, and have a drink while you shop.

    Next tip: If you are on a budget, make sure to carry a calculator or use the one built into your cell phone.

  11. We make:

    Taco Chicken

    1lb skinned boneless chicken breasts cut into strips
    2 tablespoons oil
    1 can (13 3/4 fl. oz.) chicken broth (or 1 2/3 cup)
    1 can (8oz) tomato sauce (1 cup)
    1 package taco seasoning mix
    1 can (12oz) corn, drained
    1 1/2 cups dry Minute Rice
    1/2 cups (2oz) shredded cheddar cheese
    tortilla chips

    1) Saute chicken in oil until opaque (about 2 minutes)
    2) Add chicken broth, tomato sauce (or spaghetti sauce if leftover from another meal) and taco seasoning mix
    bring to a boil
    simmer, covered, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
    add corn
    bring to a full boil
    3) Stir in rice
    cover, remove from heat
    let stand 5 minutes
    serve with cheese and tortilla chips

  14. I make a detailed list before I go, and I even have a map of the store so I know what order to write the items on the list. It makes things go a lot smoother.

  21. i like pasta sauce on almost anything but mostly over shrimp.. i know.. its a pregnant thing:) lol

  25. My grocery store survival tip is to try and get in and out as quickly as possible. I have a plan of what I want and I stick to it. This way I do not take extra time and I do not spend extra money.

  39. 1. Leave a comment telling us your grocery-store survival tips and tricks. (Your comments may be quoted in a future post.)

    My trick is to always choose recipes with the ingredients that are on sale that week at your store!

  40. 2. Leave a comment telling us your favorite way to use pasta sauce besides the traditional spaghetti dish. (Again, may be quoted in future blog post.)

    I like putting spaghetti sauce into my chili!

  42. My tip for grocery shopping is to know your store’s coupon policy so that you can be prepared to defend yourself if ever you are challenged 🙂

  45. Shop during non-bust times and try not to bring the offspring, makes things difficult!

  50. My tip for the grocery store is never go shopping when your stomach is growling, and also, look for the “clearanced prices” on meat, the usually are marked half off just becuase they need to be out of the store by a certain date. But once frozen, will last.
    xxkimhcxx at gmail dot com

  51. I love to use pasta sauce when making Lasanga, Ragu is actually the one I use…it makes that great dish quick and easy!
    xxkimhcxx at gmail dot com

  56. Stick to your list; don’t go hungry; leave the kids home; and use coupons
    Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

  57. I use spaghetti sauce for many dishes that call for plain tomato sauce — like stuffed green peppers
    Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

  61. My grocery store trips are the most effective & best survived when:
    1. I have a list (even better if I’m able to take the time to write my list in the general layout of the store – the order of the departments & aisles where the items are in the store)
    2. I’ve pulled out the coupons I want to use ahead of time.
    3. I bring only the cash I can spend for that trip. (cuts down on impulse buying)
    4. I go during a non-busy time.
    5. I’m alone (no kids or husband).

    This does NOT happen every time I go grocery shopping. There’s usually some combination of those five things happening, but ALL five happening at the same time probably only happens about once every 3-4 months!

  62. When we make spaghetti, I usually always make french bread to go with it. So my favorite thing to do with leftover sauce (and bread) is to make myself a french pizza for lunch the next day!

  65. I am like most people – I do best shopping with a list and with meals already planned out. I try to stick with my list but I also leave some room in my budget for unexpected things that I find on sale. It saves me in the long run.

  71. To survive the grocery store I first plan my menu for the week. Then I make a list of all ingredients and everything I need from the store. I typically make my list by aisle so everything goes as quickly as possible.

  75. my grocery store survival tip is to go at a weird time. either an odd day, or an actual weird time like late at night or something. less people there, your trip goes faster.

  76. My grocery store survival tip is to have a shopping list, it makes shopping so much easier and quicker and not to forget what to get. If shopping with kids, feed them before heading out so they won’t grab everything in the store.

  81. my survival tips would be to go alone! Also to have a list and a strategy on how you are going to go through the store

  95. my grocery tip: dont shop on an empty stomach or you will go overbudget!
    Thanks for this splendid giveaway

  104. The only way I survive the grocery store, especially if I have my son with me, is to have a grocery list and have my coupons in order by aisle.

  111. My best survival tip is to never, ever buy the children anything when they ask for it. If you do, they’ll never stop bothering you again. If you make them get used to be deprived, they’re content to just watch the wheels on the cart roll by.

  116. Don’t go to the store hungry and I always make a menu plan for the week so I buy only what is only on my list.

    bamagv at aol dot com

  119. It can be used to make cream of tomato soup!

    Sauté chopped fresh herbs in butter; add 1 jar pasta sauce, 2 cups water, 1/2 cup heavy cream and a pinch of nutmeg; simmer for 5 minutes.

    bamagv at aol dot com

  133. My tips? go when kids or in bed. Also, be really organized to save time when you get there.

  136. Grocery Store “survival” has changed through the years (depending on age of kids). Currently, with teen and pre-teen boys, I actually LOVE taking them to the store with me (in contrast to the toddler years where taking the kids slowed me down). The boys are super helpful. They bag veggies in the produce aisle, they push the buggy, load the car, etc. Even when I don’t take them with me and shop solo, when I arrive home, I can call the boys to the garage and they unload the car and take it into the house.

    Another tip: no one can eat anything purchased, until everything purchased is put away in the proper places: pantry, fridge, spice containers, freezer, etc.

  138. I make a list according to aisle and stick to it. It helps me stay on budget and get out quickly. I also put my items on the belt in groups of what goes where. While not 100 % perfect it makes it much easier when I go to put them away.

  139. My favorite way to use pasta sauce is on a Mozzarella stuffed meatball sub. I get asked often to make my meatballs, last week I made 12 lbs for a work event for my MIL. Ragu is the only pasta sauce that I use.

  146. To survive at the grocery store, I prep my list and coupons and try not to go at peak hours. If I go on a Monday or Tuesday around 11, there are very few other shoppers to contend with and the shelves are stocked.

  147. I like to use pasta sauce on sandwiches. It makes them feel more hearty and takes the place of more fattening mayo.

  151. Since my kids are older, it’s easy to get to the store by myself. Sometimes I’ll take one of them with me and they actually help. For me surviving the grocery store means saving money. My biggest tool is my coupon caddie. It makes finding the write coupon easy, which helps me save a bunch of money every week.

  152. Besides spaghetti, I use Ragu to make lasagna and pizza. I have a great recipe for lasagna where I don’t cook the noodles before hand. This saves me a lot of time!

  158. I survive the grocery store by not falling for the “eye catching” displays.

  179. I don’t take my granddaughter or husband with me! They don’t like to comparison shop like I do, and I end up spending a lot more money!

  185. My ultimate grocery survival tip is to take my husband with me. The cart gets super heavy with gallons of water and milk in it, and he is a lot stronger than I am!

  201. My grocery store survival tip is to plan before you go! Have you list ready so you know what you’re getting and you get it and get out!

  202. I use pasta sauce on top of backed chicken with cheese. I also use pasta sauce to make bagel pizzas in the toaster oven…makes a great quick snack!

  217. My tip is to bring a list and stick to it. Also don’t go to the grocery store hungry. That gets me every time.

  228. We check ads, use coupons and shop more than one store. But we go in a circle, start in one place, go to the one a little further away, then circle back to another one on the way home.

  234. One of my grocery store survival tips is to go with a list and write the prices next to everything, and know exactly how much you plan to spend. I make it a game to make sure I stay very close to that final number!

  237. tweet for 11/7–http://twitter.com/#!/mami2jcn/status/133525798253633536

    Thanks for the chance!

  240. survival tip: make sure your list is made beforehand and you check the ads to know what is on sale in which store. Also, snacks are a great idea for the kiddos who get bored easy.

    jenniekcoupons at gmail dot com

  244. check out the flyers,see if I have coupons for what’s on sale,plan menus according to what’s on sale
    buy only what meat I need for the week ,and don’t go grocery shopping hungry 🙂
    thansk

  262. Go on the weekends so you can avoid all the school dropoffs which means extra time on the city bus as he drops off college kids. (bus rider, have no young kids)

  267. I shop at Wegmans and I buy mostly store brand products. I save a ton of money and the Wegman’s brands are delicious! I also always use the Wegman’s shoppers card.

  269. I look at the sale ads and base my shopping around what is on sale and search for coupons if I have any at the moment.

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