Easy-to-assemble layers of cooked noodles, vegetables and creamy cheeses mingle with a rich, chunk-style pasta sauce make dinner extra special tonight or any night.
Italian ragus tend to be long-simmered dishes, but a French ragout is a quicker affair, a thick, cheesy stew. Tossed over pasta, this one is a true fusion, a halfway point between ragu and ragout.
If you love your veggies, try this slow cooker soup recipe for dinner tonight. Top with pesto and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese to give it that Italian edge.
Broiling the eggplant coaxes out a deeper, more complex flavor. We like to keep the antioxidant-packed skin on, but feel free to peel the eggplant before broiling. You can garnish the dish with extra basil leaves.
Laced with a splash of wine, this hearty soup is packed with garden-fresh nutrition and veggies! Leafy escarole adds color and plenty of vitamin A. You could substitute spinach or kale for the escarole if you wish. Lea Reiter — Thousand Oaks, CA
A quick sauce made with ripe summer tomatoes and fresh herbs does double duty: It's in the savory filling and spooned over the golden-brown crust once baked. If freezing some of the calzones, you can either freeze the remaining sauce in a small zip-top plastic freezer bag, thaw in the microwave, and reheat or serve with your favorite lower-sodium marinara (we recommend Dell'Amore).
