Ever wonder what you can make with a jar of Pasta Sauce?

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Well I do…. and so does Food Network’s Magazine.

Here are “50 Ideas” that you can do with just ONE jar of pasta sauce…. Pretty Cool!

1.  Spanish Rice  Cook 1 cup of rice according to package directions, substituting 1 cup of the pasta sauce for the water.  Stir in capers, spanish olives and chopped scallions.

2.  Baked Brie  Slice the top rind off a small wheel of brie.  Cover the brie lightly with pasta sauce and seasoned breadcrumbs and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes; sprinkle with fresh herbs.

3.  Cream of Tomato Soup  Sauté chopped fresh herbs in butter, add 1 jar of pasta sauce, 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup of heavy cream and a pinch of nutmeg.  Allow it to simmer for 5 minutes.

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4.  Potato Casserole  Mix mashed potatoes, some of the pasta sauce, and grated parmesan cheese in a casserole dish.  Top it with more sauce and grated cheese.  Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

5.  Zesty Chip Dip  Combine equal parts sour cream and pasta sauce in a bowl.  Stir in grated parmesan cheese, ground black pepper and oregano.

6.  Mussels Marinara  Sauté sliced garlic in olive oil in a deep skillet.  Add a pinch of saffron, 1/2 cup of white wine, 2 cups of tomato sauce, and  pounds of mussels.  Cover and cook until the mussels open, about 5 minutes.

7.  Tomato Butter  Blend 1 stick of butter and 1/4 cup of pasta sauce in a food processor.  Stir in chopped parsley.  Use plastic wrap to roll tomato butter in a log.  Refrigerate.

8.  Minestrone Soup  Boil 1 jar of pasta sauce and 5 cups of water.  Stir in cooked small pasta, chopped mixed vegetables, canned beans, and grated parmesan cheese.  Cook until vegetables become tender.

9.  Quick Ratatouille  Sauté chopped bell peppers, zucchini, onion, eggplant, and garlic in olive oil.  Add 2 parts pasta sauce to 1 part water, along with fresh basil.  Simmer until vegetables become tender.

10.  Stuffed Mushrooms  Mix breadcrumbs, chopped mushroom stems and grated parmesan cheese with a bit of pasta sauce.  Stuff the blend into the mushroom caps.  Drizzle olive oil ontop of the caps and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

11.  African Stew  Sauté chopped onion, garlic, and ginger with curry powder.  Add 1 jar of pasta sauce, 2 cups of water, 1 can of white beans, and a diced sweet potato.  SImmer until veggies are tender.  Sir in 1/4 cup of peanut butter.

 12.  Cocktail Sauce  Mix pasta sauce with horseradish and hot sauce to taste.  Serve with shrimp.

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 13.  Olive Tapenade  Combine 1 cup of pasta sauce with 1/2 cup of chopped kalamata olives, 1/2 cup of chopped roasted peppers, a tablespoon of capers and some chopped parsley.  Serve with crackers.

14.  Clam Chowder  Sauté diced celery and onion in butter with fresh thyme and a bay leaf.  Add 1 chopped potato, 2 cups of pasta sauce, 1 8 ounce bottle of clam juice, and 1 cup of water.  Simmer for 15 minutes.

15.  Baked Beans  Simmer 1 cup of pasta sauce with 1/2 cup of honey mustard, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and 1 large can of white beans until it is all bubbly.

16.  Buffalo Wings  Lightly coat chicken wings with equal parts of pasta sauce and hot sauce.  Roast at 425 degrees for 40 minutes.

17.  Italian Meatloaf  Add 1 cup of pasta sauce, 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese and some chopped rosemary to a basic meatloaf recipe (use 2 pounds of ground beef).  Bake at 350 degrees.  Top the meatloaf with more sauce and cheese 15 minutes before it is done.

18.  Pizza Potato  Make a deep slit in a baked potato, then stuff with some pasta sauce, chopped pepperoni, and shredded mozzarella.  Bake at 400 degrees until cheese melts.

Image/FatFree Vegan Kitchen

19.  Tomato Croutons  Toss 2 cups of cubed stale brea with 1/2 cup of pasta sauce, 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

20.  BBQ Brisket  Brown 4 pounds of brisket in olive oil with chopped onions, garlic and red pepper flakes.  Add 1 jar of pasta sauce, a jar of water, 1/4 cup of cider vinegar, and 1/4 cup of brown sugar.  Cover and simmer for 3 hours.

21.  Tomato Mac and Cheese  Mix some pasta sauce with prepared macaroni and cheese in a baking dish.  Drizzle with more pasta sauce and bake at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly.

22.  Sweet-and-Sour Franks  Bring 4 cups of thinly sliced onions, 1 cup of pasta sauce, 1/2 cup of water, and 2 tablespoons of brwon sugar to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 40 minutes.  Serve on hot dogs.

23.  Vodka Penne  Simmer 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 3 cups of pasta sauce in a skillet for 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of vodka.  Toss with cooked penne.

24.  Tuna Marinara  Simmer pasta sauce with halved olives, capers, and a drained can of Italian tuna.  Toss with pasta.

25.  Stewed BLT  Cook chopped bacon in a deep skillet.  Add pasta sauce and escarole.  Cook until greens become tender.

 26.  Eggs in Purgatory  Simmer 1 cup of pasta sauce in a small skillet.  Crack in 2 eggs.  Cover and  cook until the egg whites set.  Top with black pepper and grated parmesan cheese.

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27.  Instant Salsa  Mix 1 cup of pasta sauce with 2 tablespoons of lime juice, 1/ 2 cup of corn kernels, chopped cilantro, diced red onions and a dash of hot sauce.

28.  Poor Man’s Parmigiana  Alternate slices of garlic bread and mozzarella in a baking dish. Top with pasta sauce and bake at 375 degrees for 20  minutes or until golden brown.

29.  Tomato Biscuits  Spread refrigerated biscuits with pasta sauce.  Top with grated cheddar cheese and chopped scallions.  Bake as directed on the biscuit tin.

30.  Saucy Marinade  Combine 1 cup of pasta sauce wit 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup of olive oil.  Add smashed garlic cloves, salt and black pepper.  Use as a marinade for 1 pound of chicken or pork.

31.  Tomato Polenta  Stir a dollop of sun-dried tomato tapenade into some pasta sauce.  Warm and spoon over prepared soft polenta.

32.  Country Captain  Brown chicken parts in olive oil along with curry powder, chopped onions, and bell peppers.  Add pasta sauce and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

33.  Italian Quesadilla  Spread some pasta sauce on a tortilla.  Top with grated mozzarella cheese, sliced mushrooms, and shredded chicken.  Fold in half and pan-fry until golden brown.

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34.  Taleggio Panini  Spread pasta sauce between 2 slices of crusty bread.  Top with taleggio cheese and cook in a buttered skillet or panini press.

35.  Chilaquiles  Cook 4 cups of tortilla chips in pasta sauce until slightly softened.  Stir in chopped cilantro and top with grated cheddar cheese and sour cream.

36.  Chickpea Pasta  Simmer pasta sauce with chopped celery, anchovies, and chickpeas.  Serve over penne.

37.  Poached Cod  Simmer pasta sauce in a skillet.  Add cod fillets, cover and cook until just firm.  Top with chopped herbs.

38.  Spiced Okra  Simmer fresh or frozen okra and canned chickpeas in pasta sauce.  Season with cumin, mustard seeds, and coriander.

39.  Greek Beans  Simmer pasta sauce with a cinnamon stick, a bay leaf and a splash of red wine vinegar.  Serve over white kidney beans.  Top with crumbled feta cheese.

40.  Creole Stew  Sauté chopped onions, bell peppers, and celery.  Add creole seasoning, sliced smoked turkey sausages, pasta sauce and a splash of broth.  Serve over rice.

41.  Polenta Bites  Slice a tube of premade polenta into rounds.  Broil until heated through.  Lightly top with pasta sauce and grated fontina.  Broil until the cheese melts.

42.  Pizza Sticks  Brush refrigerated breadstick dough with pasta sauce.  Sprinkle with grated paremsan cheese and bake.  Serve with extra pasta sauce.

43.  Bloody Marys  Mix 6 ounces of vodka, 1 cup of pasta sauce, 1/2 cup of water, 6 tablespoons of lime juice, and 1 tablespoon of horseradish in a pitcher.  Season with celery salt, Worcestershire and hot sauce.

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44.  Enchilada Sauce  Toast some chili powder in a non-stick skillet.  Add pasta sauce and canned green chiles and heat.  Drizzle over enchiladas or tacos.

45.  Tomato Omelet  Whisk 3 eggs, salt, and black pepper.  Pour into a buttered skillet and top with grated fontina cheese and a few tablespoons of pasta sauce.  Cook until almost firm.  Fold in half and cook until desired.

46.  Tomato Vinaigrette  Whisk 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar with 1/2 cup of olive oil, shredded basil, salt and black pepper.  Whisk in a spoonful of pasta sauce.  Drizzle over arugula.

47.  Eggplant Rolls  Grill or broil thinly sliced eggplant until tender.  Spread with pasta sauce and ricotta cheese.  Roll up and secure with toothpicks.

48.  Tomato Fennel Soup  Thin pasta sauce with water.  Add sliced fennel, vegetable juice, and a splash of pernod and simmer.

49.  Sloppy Joes  Brown bulk Italian sausage, chopped onions, and bell peppers.  Stir in pasta sauce and heat.  Spoon onto rolls.

50.  Red Pepper Coulis  Purée jarred roasted red peppers until smooth.  Stir into pasta sauce and serve with steamed fish.

Wow…. Can you believe all of the different recipes you can make with just ONE jar of pasta sauce pretty interesting.

Which ones will you be trying???????

While I was reading The Food Network Magazine, I found a  tid-bit I wanted to share with you all.

Restaurant Menus are designed to make you eat more and spend big.

Try some of these sneaky tips next time you dine out.

Missing dollar signs

The dollar symbol is missing next to the proces for a reason: That one little character ($) reminds you that you’re spending money.  When Restaurants in one 2008 Cornell University study left dollar signs off the menu, the average check went up $5.55.

Staggered Prices

Menus typically show prices right after dish descriptions rather than in a column.  Why? So you won’t go looking for a cheaper dish.  If you see a chicken entree for $17, the restaurant doesn’t want you to notice that the chicken tenders two lines down up are $3 cheaper.  Kevin Moll, CEO of Denver’s National Restaurant Consultants, says staggering the prices on a menu leads to a 10-percent increase in sales.

High-profit zones

If you’ve ever memorized a vocabulary list, you know the first and last words are the easiest to remember.  The same goes for menus, so restaurants often put the highest- profit items at the top and bottom of each section- and those dishes sell 25 percent better than the ones in the middle.  Regardless of price, they probably aren’t the best value.

Bold Type

Bold typefaces are instant attention grabbers designed to lure you to big-ticket items, says Dave Pavesic, professor of hospitaity management at Georgia State University.  He says that this tactic increases sales up to 10 percent.

Tempting descriptions

Elaborate descriptions, particularly those that trigger nostalgia, can boost sales by 27 percent, according to Cornell University researchers.

by Beth Shapouri

Stephen Witherden/Flickr 

*Diners spend an average of 109 seconds looking at a menu*