Tips on Creating Family Memories During Hectic Times

With school back in session, there have been some hectic moments at the House of Fauci’s. We have 2 little girls that are busy with dance and 1 preteen that is busy adjusting to middle school. In addition to my girl’s hectic schedules, their dad and I are busy with our jobs and household duties. I refuse to miss out on special moments that will create memories that last forever, so in an effort to do this, I have come up with some helpful tips on creating family memories during hectic times.

With so many people in our family, along with everyone having different schedules, it can be hard to get everyone together. In order to create a healthy and happy family, it’s important to get together as a family at least once a day. In my house, the best time to do this is at dinnertime. Here are some tips on how to create family memories while enjoying an amazing dinner with your family.

• Turn the cell phones off and move them out of eyesight and arms reach. Consider creating a family cell phone basket to store everyone’s phones while eating dinner.
• Remove any objects that may distract anyone from the table such as books and newspapers. It’s important to focus on each other and the amazing homestyle meal that was made.
• Take turns talking about each other’s days and ask questions.
• Tell stories of the past.
• Create some fun questions and have everyone take a turn answering them. For example, ‘What is your all time favorite movie?’ or ‘If you moved to a desert island, what are 3 things you’d take?’.
• Serve a family favorite homestyle meal that everyone will love. Food has a way of creating memories and bringing back memories from the past.

One of my favorite family-friendly meals to create is my Layered Vegetable Rigatoni made with Ragu Homestyle pasta sauce. It’s simple to make and uses very few ingredients. Before I make this dish for my family, I stop at my local grocer after work and pick up a few jars of the Ragu Homestyle sauces along with pasta and fresh vegetables. The sauces come in 5 flavors, Traditional, Roasted Garlic, Meat Sauce, Mushroom, and Four Cheese.

These new Ragu pasta sauces are thicker and heartier and there is no need to add any extra spices because of the bold combination of vine-ripened tomatoes, onions, and fragrant herbs.

Layered Vegetable Rigatoni is easy to make. You will need 1 bag of Rigatoni pasta, 2 cups or more of mozzarella cheese, fresh vegetables such as tomatoes, zucchini and squash and Ragu Homestyle pasta sauce.  

As you are boiling the noodles, dice the vegetables. Then pour the Ragu Homestyle pasta sauce into a pot along with the vegetables and simmer for around 20 minutes or when the vegetables have lost their crunchiness. Once the noodles have completely cooked and the vegetables are tender, you will prepare a 9×9 square baking pan and begin to layer the ingredients. I like to start with the sauce, then the noodles and last the cheese. Create as many layers as you can but make sure that cheese is the last layer. Bake at 350 degrees for around 15 minutes, let sit for 10 minutes and then serve. 

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Layered Vegetable Rigatoni

Ingredients

• 1 jar of Ragu Homestyle Pasta Sauce
• 1 box of Rigatoni pasta
• 2 cups or more of shredded mozzarella cheese
• Fresh tomatoes, squash, and zucchini

Instructions

1. Boil the noodles according to package directions & drain when done
2. Dice the vegetables
3. Simmer the sauce and vegetables in a pot until tender
4. Prepare a 9x9 square baking pan
5. Begin your layers
6. Start with the veggie sauce, noodles, and then the cheese. Make sure to end with the cheese
7. Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes
8. Let sit for 10 minutes
9. Serve

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Let Ragu Homestyle pasta sauce help create family memories during hectic times. If you need some dinner inspirations take a look at these recipes using Ragu Homestyle pasta sauce.