This post has been sponsored by Mezzetta however all of the thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Kozy & Co.
With four kids under the age of seven, you can probably guess that my husband and I don’t get out for too many date nights these days. Once upon a time we loved going out and enjoying a meal in one of our favorite restaurants, but in this stage of life we’re in, we’ve had to learn to get creative with date nights in. Sometimes these date nights are the only real quality time we get alone together, which is why it’s so important to us to make the time for them, and for it to be special and enjoyable. A great meal and the perfect bottle of wine usually gets things started, and then sometimes it’s a movie we’ll both be into, and others just a time for us to catch up and enjoy some uninterrupted adult conversation.
Going out for dinner is fun, but there is also something so satisfying about enjoying a good meal from the comfort of your own home (preferably in pajamas!). Occasionally we order take out, but I have always loved to cook, so while Mike tackles bedtime with the kids, I get busy in the kitchen. When it comes to preparing meals at home on date nights, I like to step up my game and make something that looks and tastes like it was cooked and served in a restaurant. If we can’t get out, we might as well pretend, right? That’s where Mezzetta sauces come in…
With flavors inspired by Jeff Mezzetta’s own travels and experiences, these sauces are unique, bright, and popping with flavor. We recently enjoyed the Truffle, Porcini & Cream sauce over rigatoni with meatballs and garlic knots and a salad on the side. This particular sauce was inspired by Jeff’s own trip to Milan, Italy. On another date night in, we tried the Whole Garlic & Sweet Basil (inspired by a trip to Tuscany!) as a dipping sauce for mozzarella sticks, paired with our favorite wine. Both meals were great, and we were seriously blown away by the quality and taste of the Mezzetta sauces. Reading about the places that inspired the flavors in the sauces, encouraged us to start a conversation about all of the places we would love to travel someday when our kids are a little bit older. Naturally, one of the best parts of traveling is the food! Neither of us have ever been to Italy, but we both have always wanted to go. The bold flavors in these sauces made us even more excited to explore foods from other regions of the world!
For now we might have to enjoy our date nights at home, but I love that Mezzetta makes sauces that allow us to enjoy a restaurant-quality meal at home. If your family loves Italian food, or you like to have date nights at home with your spouse, I totally recommend trying Mezzetta’s Regional Recipe line of sauces. The Truffle, Porcini & Cream was our favorite!
What’s your favorite meal to prepare at home?
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