Thursday, May 19, 2016

Italian Chicken and Gnocchi with Ragu Homestyle Pasta Sauce (and a giveaway!!)



Growing up, it was our family tradition that every Sunday we would go to my grandmom's house for the afternoon and dinner. Walking in I knew that either Lawrence Welk, Hee Haw, The Three Stooges, or the Phillies would be on TV and my grandmom would either be in the kitchen cooking, baking or relaxing on her rocking chair after spending some time in the kitchen.



My favorite days were gnocchi days because I always got to help. We would work in her blue kitchen at her white, pink and gray formica table, and everything was done by hand, right down to hand press ricer for the potatoes. I would watch her mix everything up, roll out the dough, and then I got to cut the gnocchi and roll it down the grater. I still remember her telling me to get my thumb in there to shape them. And of course the gnocchi was served with her homemade tomato sauce.

These days it can be hard to spend hours and hours in the kitchen, but so many shortcuts are full of things we don't want to feed our family. That's why I was so happy to learn about Ragu's new Homestyle Sauces.



The sauces are Simmered in Tradition, a recipe based on Aussanta, the founder of Ragu, who sold the pasta sauce from her porch in NY.  She reminds me a lot of my grandmom! These new sauces have no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, no high fructose corn syrup, and they are made using farm grown ingredients. They don't take any shortcuts, peeling, chopping and simmering all of their ingredients and a special blend of herbs - basil, fennel, oregano and black pepper - to layer and build the flavor. I am happy to serve Ragu Homestyle Sauces to my family!



Reading the story of Aussanta and Ragu Homestyle Sauces, I immediately thought of my grandmom and knew I'd make something that reminded me of her. My grandmom always cooked chicken in her tomato sauce, so I put on my grandmom's green checked apron and made chicken simmered in the Ragu Homestyle Sauce and served it with gnocchi.



There are several flavors of Ragu Homestyle Sauces to choose from, and the options for recipe creations are endless. I went with the Thick Hearty Traditional with vine ripened tomatoes, garlic, and fragrant herbs - there is no need to doctor it up, just heat and serve! The thick sauce coats everything perfectly, and as soon as I poured it out of the jar I could see how thick it was. It definitely reminded me of eating at my grandmom's house!



My daughter was "mmmm-ing" her way through dinner. And the best test - my husband. He could not believe that I didn't doctor up the sauce! It was perfect right out of the jar.


Visit Ragu to learn more about the new line of Ragu Homestyle Sauces and find a taste of home. Check out my recipe below, and don't forget to enter my giveaway at the end of this post!!

Italian Chicken and Gnocchi with Ragu Homestyle Pasta Sauce
#MyHomestyleRecipe

Ingredients

  • 1 jar of Ragu Homestyle Thick & Hearty Traditional Pasta Sauce
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 package frozen or fresh gnocchi
  • Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
Directions

  • Heat olive oil in a saute pan
  • Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add to the pan and cook 4 minutes per side. 
  • Pour in the Ragu Homestyle Sauce over the chicken and let simmer 20 minutes
  • Serve with gnocchi


The Giveaway is closed... congrats to Mami2jcn!!!! 

Earn entries -

 - Visit the Ragu Home Page and tell me in the comments below your favorite Homestyle Sauce
 - Visit the Ragu Homestyle Sauce page and comment below how many sauces are in the collection

BE SURE to leave your email address in the comments as well so I can contact the WINNER!

Once you earn those entries, earn additional entries by:
 - Like Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations on Facebook and comment below
 - Follow Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations on Instagram and comment below with your user name
 - Follow Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations on Pinterest and comment below with your user name

Open to US residents only, must be 18 to enter. This giveaway is hosted by www.MaryEllensCookingCreations.com and has no affiliation with Amazon or Ragu. Entries accepted through June 6, 2016. Void where prohibited.






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61 comments:

  1. I just checked out the ragu page. I love their onion and garlic sauce, so much good flavor!

    Love the memories with your grandmother. Food and family are among my favorite things to look back on.

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  2. 5 sauces in the collection. Changed my mind on the sauce I will try next though. The roasted garlic sounds amazing!!

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  3. I like you on Instagram as kyleecooks.

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  4. I like you on pinterest as kyleecooks!

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  5. I have heard a lot about Ragu pasta sauce. Got to try it out soon..

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  6. I love gnocchi! I tend to eat it with cream sauces, but ragu is also delish.

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  7. How can this be only six ingredients?!? It looks like a delicious restaurant meal. My son loves Ragu so we'll definitely try this soon.

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  8. such a perfectly easy and wonderful dinner. We love Ragu.

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  9. What a nice story. Cooking with family makes lasting memories! I haven't seen these Homestyle Sauces yet. I usually doctor up jarred sauces! Great to know you don't have to doctor this one. I'm going to look for it! Thanks!

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  10. There are 5 sauces! My favorite is the thick and hearty meat sauce!!

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  11. Forgot to put my name....... 5 sauces....thick and hearty meat sauce...... Lauren!

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  12. I like thick & hearty flavored with meat.

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  13. There are 5 sauces in the collection.

    mami2jcn at gmail dot com

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  14. I like you on Facebook (Mary Carmen)

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  15. I follow you on instagram (Mami2jcn)

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  16. I follow you on pinterest (mami2jcn)

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  17. Yum!! We must make this together. It looks so good. Of the five flavors my favorite is roasted garlic.

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  18. I'd love the thick and hearty and classic alfredo sauce!

    whittikere at yahoo dot com

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  19. Liked on Facebook - Ann R. Whit.

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  20. following on instagram @whittikere

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  21. following on pinterest @whittikere

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  22. My favorite is RAGÚ Homestyle Thick & Hearty Roasted Garlic Sauce. cheryl at fahling dot net

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  23. There are five sauces in the collection. cheryl at fahling dot net

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  24. I Like Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations on Facebook {Cheryl Free}. cheryl at fahling dot net

    ReplyDelete
  25. Following mecookingcreations on Instagram {cherylfahling}. cheryl at fahling dot net

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  26. Following Mary Ellen Smith on Pinterest {cherylfahling}. cheryl at fahling dot net

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  27. I want to try the home style meat sauce

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  28. I like the Roasted Garlic sauce.

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  29. There are five sauces in the collection.

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  30. I follow you on Instagram. @limbylim

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  31. I would love to try the homestyle four cheese variety!

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

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  32. there are 5 sauces in the collection.

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  33. I follow you on instagram @wildorchid985
    https://instagram.com/wildorchid985/
    wildorchid985 AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  34. I follow you on pinterest
    https://www.pinterest.com/wildorchid985/
    wildorchid985 AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  35. I like you on FB - gina marie wildorchid

    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

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  36. I do not know why but I have never tried gnochi before! I will have to change that! I would try the Roasted Garlic out of the 5 new sauces!

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  37. I want to try the thick and hearty four cheese sauce

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

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  38. There are five ragu homestyle sauces

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  39. There are 5 sauces in the collection

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  40. I love thick & hearty flavored with meat and there are 5 sauces!

    lindilala at aol dot com

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  41. Five sauces are in the collection.

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  42. I like Homestyle Thick & Hearty Traditional Sauce.

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  43. Like Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations on Facebook- kraftmaking at gmail dot com

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  44. There are 5 sauces in the Homestyle collection. I like a plain base that I can doctor on my own, so I usually buy the plain old original Traditional Ragu. Then I add my own minced garlic, red wine, herbs and spices (a little red pepper flake if I'm feeling spicy) and finish it off with a couple of splashes of the pasta water.

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  45. I'd like to try the Four Cheese.

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  46. Following on pinterest - BrunerAmanda

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  47. the thick and hearty meat looks great

    mijulin at cox dot net

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  48. I would love to try the Thick and Hearty Traditional Sauce. laborders2000@yahoo.com

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  49. There are five great sauces in this collection. laborders2000@yahoo.com

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  50. I am following you on Pinterest @laborders2000 laborders2000@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  51. I am following you on Instagram @laborders2000 laborders2000@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  52. I am following you on Facebook @Leigh Anne Miller Borders laborders2000@yahoo.com

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