#blueapron.com

Tofu fajitas.

Pork and Long Bean Noodles- Blue Apron Meals.

Beet barley risotto with goat cheese. 

Having friends over?  The last thing you want to do is spend time in the kitchen and NOT with your friends.  

One trick is to make a dish that doesn't require close monitoring.  With any roast - roast chicken, roasted leg of lamb, roasted pork tenderloin - I find I'm checking the oven every 5 minutes for the last 20 minutes it's cooking.  

A pasta sauce, however, can simmer for hours.  Making pasta for 8 only requires a few minutes of attention when your guests are over.  

1. Make the sauce before the first guest arrives, and leave it to simmer at a very low temperature in a thick pot with a top on to stop splattering and keep in moisture.  When making the sauce, leave out half of the fresh herbs; to add back at the end. 

2. Boil a massive pot of water before the first guest arrives.  Leave the pot on the stove, with the stove of. 

3. When it's time to eat, boil the water, and cook fresh pasta which takes < 10 minutes.  With 2 minutes to go, add the herbs to your pasta sauce.   

You'll have a dinner for the friends during which you only spent a few minutes in the kitchen. 

I have to thank BlueApron.com for clueing me in to a Lamb Ragu recipe. I'll post the recipe once I have their permission.

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Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Orbit® gum via Glam Media but such compensation did not influence any opinions expressed herein.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Orbit® gum