I grew up in an Italian family. As Italians, we express our love through food. You will never come to one of our houses and leave hungry. Seriously, it has never happened. Growing up, it was normal to me to have big Sunday dinners with my extended family. There was always some kind of macaroni on the menu. And meatballs. And sausage. And neckbones. And garlic bread. And I could go on and on. This was my “normal.” It was a time for our family to spend time together over a nice meal. It never occurred to me that other kids didn’t go to their grandparents for dinner every Sunday. Those Sunday dinners taught me many things. Most importantly, that family is what matters most in the world.
My Grandparents have passed on and we don’t have Sunday dinners with my extended family anymore. We still have many traditions but it’s just not possible to get together every Sunday. There are a lot of us and we are busy. Like many families, it is hard to get everyone together for dinner. No one has time to prepare a huge meal. But I think it’s important to pass on those “Sunday Dinner” values to the next generation. Even if it is a quick, but tasty, Tuesday dinner.
There are times when we all get together and spend hours making homemade ravioli and homemade red sauce. That is great, but we can’t do it everyday. We decided to team up with Kraft to bring the familiar flavors of Sunday dinner to Monday dinners. And Tuesday Dinners. You get the picture. It is ok to take short cuts sometimes if it means spending more valuable time with your family. Luckily, Kraft makes high quality products so short cuts don’t have to mean yuck.
We are posting recipes that we adapted from the Kraft website using Kraft and Hunts products. Even though we didn’t spend hours standing over the stove stirring our Sunday gravy, we still came up with some tasty dinners. You don’t have to spend hours at the stove, just add a little extra love. Cheesy? Yes. But, I really do believe it. I am very thankful for all the Sunday dinners I was able to spend with my family. Cliff and I look forward to carrying on the same traditions with our family.
You can check out our recipes, which will be featured on the Kraft Parmesan Italian Dinner site, beginning on the 25th. Check back each week as they feature a new Italian Sunday Dinner made simple!
I am working in partnership with the KRAFT brand and I am receiving compensation for my participation in this campaign. All thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.
Here’s what you’ll need
In a large pot or dutch oven, brown the meat
Drain the liquid then add the onion and pepper. Continue cooking
Dump in the cumin and chili powder
And the can of diced Hunt’s tomatoes
Don’t forget the kidney beans. My favorite part!
Top with Kraft shredded parmesan cheese and dinner’s on the table!
Excellent with crackers, crusty bread or mixed with your favorite small pasta
I love a hearty and filling meal
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
1½ pounds lean ground beef (or Italian sausage)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 can (15.5 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) HUNT’S® Diced Tomatoes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
Directions
Brown meat in large pot or dutch oven; drain. Add peppers and onions; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add beans, tomatoes, seasonings and ¼ cup cheese; stir together. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Serve topped with remaining parmesan cheese and with small pasta (such as cavatappi, elbow, ziti), if desired.
Source: Kraft Recipes
