I love simple and easy dinner recipes for the nights I can’t predict when my husband will be home. I learned long ago that making dinner and trying to hold it until he arrives isn’t a good option. Food is not at its best when it’s held over for long periods. Instead I opt for meals that are ready in 15-30 minutes I can start it when he drives into the driveway and it’s ready by the time he’s had a chance to get settled.

Kraft Recipe Makers – Quick & Easy Meals

Kraft Recipe Makers - Add your own fresh meat and veggies #RecipeMakers AdKraft Recipe Makers are an easy way to accomplish a dinner in no time at all and with minimal fuss. You’ll find them near the meat coolers or in the bbq sauce aisle with the other meal starter products. My store keeps them with the bbq sauces and they carry a wide variety of flavors.

These recipe starters offer two savory pre-made sauces that you add your own meat and/or vegetables to, to complete a meal. The first sauce is a simmering sauce and the second a baking  or finishing sauce that’s added at the end of cooking or just before serving. The pre-made sauce give you all the spices you need to complete a dish without the measuring and mixing. That also means you can try more exotic dishes that you don’t own and would have to purchase to try.

The other fabulous feature of Kraft Recipe Makers is that each flavor can be prepared one of three ways. Directions are included for slow cookers, skillets, or the oven. I love that! No special pans or equipment required.

Kraft Recipe Makers – Taste Test

Quick and Easy Semi-Homemade Dinner Recipe -  #RecipeMakers Ad

I tried out the Three Cheese Chicken Florentine Kraft Recipe Makers while my hubby was on duty (he works a 24 hr shift) so I took the opportunity to make it vegetarian. Since I hadn’t tried it before, I mostly followed the package directions, making changes for the precooked veggie chicken, and adding a few tweaks to suit my taste. Now that I’ve had this flavor, I’ll be making it next time with veggie meatballs for me and sausage/hamburger meatballs for the hubby as well as trying other pastas and even rice. It’s so easy to change up the ingredients to make new dishes!

Kraft Recipe Maker Taste Test  - #RecipeMakers Ad

The red sauce is fabulous. Rich and hearty and it tastes like it’s been simmered for hours. The garlic sauce is thick, creamy, and cheesy. On it’s own I didn’t really like it, but topped with the veggie chicken in the red sauce it combined into a fabulous combination. With side veggies and bread, this would easily feed a family and could be stretched further by adding a tossed green salad.

I have plenty of leftovers for the hubby to try tomorrow and I’ll be having it for lunch as well. The whole process of cooking was easy and while it took two pans and a serving/baking dish, it was worth the effort. Plus I could have saved the serving dish by finishing it and serving it in the saucepan.

I’m hard to please when it comes to premade meals and I’ll admit, this one surprised me. It was delicious. I’ll be making another flavor soon.

KRAFT RECIPE MAKERS Three Cheese Veggie Chicken Florentine
Protein Substitutions - veggie meatballs, meatballs, chicken breast (1-1/2 pds, cut into bite sized piece - cook in 2 tsps olive oil until cooked through then add simmer sauce - cook for 2 minus) Pasta Substitutions - any pasta you have on hand or rice Add-ins: Sliced or cubed zucchini, black olives, frozen peas
Yield: 6
Prep Time: 
Cooking Time: 
Total Time: 
Ingredients
  • 1 pkg. (18 oz.) KRAFT RECIPE MAKERS Three Cheese Florentine
  • 3 cups veggie farfalle pasta, uncooked (about 8 oz)
  • 1 pkg frozen vegetarian chicken
  • 6 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
  • ½ cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
  • Fresh Basil, chopped
  • Several fresh cherry tomatoes for garnish if desired)
Instructions
  1. HEAT oven to 375°F. Spray 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cook 3 cups pasta in large saucepan as directed on package - under cooking by 1-2 minutes.
  2. MEANWHILE, place the Simmer Sauce in a saucepan and add the veggie chicken; cook and stir 4 to 6 min. or until heated through.
  3. DRAIN pasta; return to pan. Add spinach and Baking Sauce; mix lightly. Pour into prepared baking dish.
  4. TOP with veggie chicken mixture, mozzarella and basil. Bake 10 or until heated through.
  5. Garnish with tomatoes

Buy It

Kraft Recipe Makers Cooking Sauces -  #RecipeMakers Ad

Recipe Makers are available in seven delicious varieties at Safeway, VONS, Pavilions, Randall’s, Tom Thumb, Carrs, and Dominick’s. Flavors include: Hickory BBQ Beef, Tex-Mex Chicken Fajita, Three Cheese Chicken Florentine, Tex-Mex Chicken Fajita, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Verde Chicken Enchilada, and Chicken Cacciatore.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.