Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Servings: 3

INGREDIENTS

• 3 medium zucchini
• 3/4 pound ground chicken
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
• 1 jar of Monte Bene Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Halve zucchini lengthwise; place cut side down in a baking dish. Bake 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scoop out seeds, leaving a 1/4-in. shell.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook ground chicken, onion, green pepper, salt, pepper and garlic over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, breaking up chicken into crumbles; drain.
3. Stir in ½ the sauce, letting simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
4. Spoon mixture into zucchini shells.
5. Pour the remaining sauce on the bottom of ungreased baking dish.
6. Place stuffed zucchini shells on top of sauce, sprinkle with 3/4 cup Italian cheese blend.
7. Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
8. Bake, uncovered, until zucchini is tender and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer.

Buon Appetito!

Thank you, Sara's Organic Eats for the wonderful post featuring our Tomato Basil pasta sauce!

Roasted garlic is a staple in Italian cooking. The aroma and flavor of roasted garlic send your taste buds on a trip to Italy. This roasted garlic ricotta penne recipe is an easy dish to make for a weeknight dinner. It is filled with a magnitude of flavor from each of the ingredients. Your family will love it!

Ingredients

• 1 jar Monte Bene Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
• 16 oz (1 pound) penne, cooked
• 10 cloves (about 1 bulb) of garlic, peeled
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup ricotta cheese
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• Fresh basil leaf (optional)

Preparation

• Heat Monte Bene Tomato Basil sauce in a small saucepan on low for about 10-15 minutes.
• Boil about 4 cups of water in a pot on high heat.
• Once the water is rapidly boiling add in 16 ounces of penne.
• Cook penne according to package or until desired consistency.
• In another pan, add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on medium heat.
• Once the oil is hot, add 10 peeled garlic cloves.
• Sauté garlic for about 5 minutes. Keep stirring the garlic so that it doesn’t burn. Set aside.
• Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water and add it back to the pot.
• Add the sauce to the penne and mix until combined.
• Add in the roasted garlic and the remaining olive oil from the pan to the penne mixture.
• Mix until combined.
• Once combined, serve in a bowl.
• Top with 2 tablespoons of ricotta cheese (per each serving), 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, and a fresh basil leaf.
• Enjoy!

Serves 4 to 6 

Ingredients:

1 cup roasted red peppers, diced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup diced carrot
½ cup diced celery
Salt to taste
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 24 ounce jar Monte Bene Tomato Basil
2 sprigs fresh basil
Pinch of cinnamon
1 ½ quarts chicken stock
¼ cup rice, preferably a medium-grain rice like arborio
Freshly ground pepper
1 Artisan sourdough loaf
Freshly grated Parmesan
Fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes, and add the carrot and celery and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender and fragrant, about 5 more minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add jar of Monte Bene Tomato Basil sauce, fresh basil, cinnamon, and salt to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes.

Add the diced roasted peppers, the stock, rice, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring from time to time. Season with freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt.

Using an immersion blender, purée the soup, or use a blender and purée in batches, being careful to pull a dish towel down over the top and not to cover tightly with the blender lid, then return to the pot and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Slice the top off loaf and hollow out the bread bowl. Top with Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil. Enjoy!

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1 jar Monte Bene Tomato Basil pasta sauce
• 6 oz. bacon
• 1 lb. spaghetti 
• 1 small onion, peeled and minced
• 4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 large pinch red pepper flakes
• Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• Fresh basil to garnish

Preparation:

Chop bacon into evenly sized chunks. Add olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium heat. Add the bacon and saute about 4 minutes, until rendering fat and sizzling. Stir in the pepper flakes and black pepper. Add the onion and minced garlic and stir until the onions become soft and the bacon is golden, about 10 minutes (some of the onions should begin to caramelize). Reduce heat to low and add Monte Bene Tomato Basil pasta sauce. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente, then drain. Take about 1 cup of the bacon sauce and stir it into the pasta to prevent it from sticking. Plate the pasta and top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano cheese and garnish with basil.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1 jar Monte Bene Tomato Basil pasta sauce
• 6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 lb. linguine
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
• 12 ounces cleaned squid
• 1 ¼ cups white wine
• 2 lbs. small little-necked clams, rubbed clean
• 1 10-ounce lobster tail, shelled
• 8 ounces uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 ounces bay scallops
• 3 tbsp. parsley

Preparation:

Slice squid bodies into ½ -inch rings (leave tentacles whole). Slice lobster tail meat into 1-inch cubes. Heat 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan and add garlic and crushed red pepper.  Add squid and saute until just opaque (about 3 minutes). Add white wine and simmer until reduced by half (about 20 minutes). Stir in Monte Bene Tomato Basil pasta sauce, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes.  

In another large skillet, bring 1/4 of water to a boil. Add clams and mussels, cover, and simmer on medium heat for about 6 minutes (until shells open). Throw out any clams and mussels that don’t open. Drain shellfish into a colander set over a medium sized bowl to catch the juices from the skillet. Strain those juices into the tomato sauce, using a fine sieve. Allow tomato sauce to thicken by simmering, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.

Add squid, scallops, shrimp, and lobster and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add clams and mussels and simmer for another minute. Stir in remaining olive oil and parsley and add salt and pepper to taste.

As sauce simmers, cook linguine al dente, drain and return to pot. Add about one cup of shellfish sauce to the pasta and toss. This will prevent the pasta from sticking. Plate pasta and top with remaining sauce. Top with fresh basil or extra parsley.

Serves 4 to 6 

Ingredients:

• 1 jar Monte Bene Tomato Basil pasta sauce
• 6 large eggs
• ½ cup whole milk 
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 5 oz. honey ham, chopped
• ¼ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• Fresh basil, chopped
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease two mini muffin tins. In a large bowl, mix eggs, milk, pepper and salt until well blended. Add ham, basil, and cheese and stir until well combined. Pour egg mixture into muffin tins, filling to just below the rim. Bake frittatas for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the tops begin to puff. Heat Monte Bene Tomato Basil pasta sauce. Carefully remove frittatas, plate, and serve with a side of pasta sauce for dipping.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/4 lbs. ground beef
• 1 lb. imported spaghetti noodles
• 1 jar Monte Bene pasta sauce (any flavor)
• 1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
• 2 eggs
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• 1 tsp. salt
• Pepper to taste
• Basil leaves, sliced

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450. Cook pasta al dente, drain, and set aside. Mix 1/2 cup of heated Monte Bene pasta sauce into spaghetti to prevent the pasta from sticking. In a large bowl, mix ground beef, bread crumbs, eggs, garlic, cheese, salt, and pepper. Make meat into 1 1/2" balls and place in a baking dish. Add 1/8" film of water to baking dish to keep meatballs moist. Bake for 12-15 minutes. When meatballs are done, plate the pasta, top with meatballs, and spread remaining pasta sauce evenly. Top with extra pecorino Romano cheese and basil as desired.

 Try different Monte Bene pasta sauce flavors to mix up this classic dish!

Serves 5 to 7

Ingredients: 

For the dough:

• Two prepared pizza crusts

• 1 package instant yeast
• 3 ¼ to 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups very warm water (120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit)
• 1/3 cup shortening (gently dissolved in microwave and cooled)
• 2 tbsp. honey (dissolved in warm water)
• 1 tsp salt

For the toppings:              

• 2 cups Monte Bene Tomato Basil pasta sauce
• 2/3 lb. Mozzarella Cheese, shredded or sliced
• 1/3 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• 2 medium sized tomatoes, sliced
• 12 fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine 2 cups flour, instant yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add water and honey mixture and shortening, mixing until well blended (1 to 2 minutes). Gradually add remaining flour until a soft, round dough begins to form. Dough should be slightly sticky. Remove dough from bowl and place on floured surface. Knead dough until it is smooth and elastic (about 4 minutes). Divide dough in half and roll each half into a ball. With floured hands, spread dough onto a lightly flour-coated cooking sheet. Pinch the edges to form a crust.

Spread Monte Bene Tomato Basil pasta sauce onto uncooked dough, coating evenly. Bake for 8 minutes, remove, and add all other ingredients. Repeat with second pizza. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and bubbly and crust is golden brown. For best results, rotate pizzas between top and bottom oven racks halfway through. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Top with Pecorino Romano cheese.

Let the kids join in on this simple, fun recipe... It's okay to get your hands messy!