Meals That Are Big On Taste, Easy On The Budget

(NAPSI)-A new recipe booklet is stirring things up for family meals, showing that hearty fare doesn't have to cost a lot, nor does it have to take hours to prepare.

Gourmet Family Meals: Under 10 Dollars, Under 10 Minutes was created by Francesco Rinaldi pasta sauces and member chefs from the American Culinary Foundation (ACF). The booklet offers 20 great recipes, including appetizers and main courses, lighter pasta dishes to heartier fare, special sections on chicken and seafood Italian-style, plus a few recipes "just for kids."

This recipe for Lasagna Rolls comes from the booklet's pasta section, and is a super-easy yet novel twist on an Italian favorite.

Lasagna Rolls
12 lasagna noodles, cooked
4 oz. (1/2 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of parsley
Pinch of basil
Pinch of nutmeg
16 oz. Francesco Rinaldi Traditional pasta sauce

In a medium mixing bowl, combine cheeses, spinach and season with salt and pepper. Add basil, parsley and nutmeg, blend well. Lay lasagna noodle flat on a cutting board. Place 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture on the end closest to you. Carefully roll halfway, flatten a little with a gentle pat and then continue to roll to the end. Repeat this with the remainder of the cheese mixture and pasta.

Heat pasta sauce, either on stovetop or in microwave. Place 3 rolls at a time in a microwave-safe dish; cover and microwave on High for 11/2 minutes. Repeat with remainder of rolls. Pour hot pasta sauce over each roll. Garnish with parsley and sprinkle with cheese.

Recently, Francesco Rinaldi became the first pasta sauce to be honored with the ACF's Seal of Approval. The award is presented to products that meet the organization's standards of quality, based on extensive testing carried out by a panel of member chefs.

For information on how to order a free copy of the Gourmet Family Meals booklet, visit www.francescorinaldi.com.

Lasagna Rolls are a quick-and-easy meal idea that can be made quite inexpensively.