Weeknight Meat Sauce with Rigatoni

This rich & hearty Weeknight Meat Sauce with Rigatoni simmers away all day in your slow cooker & is ready to serve when you get home...

A big thank you to America's Test Kitchen for partnering with me today to bring you all this recipe for a flavorful and hearty slow cooked Weeknight Meat Sauce with Rigatoni.

There are definitely evenings after a particularly busy or trying day that it is totally appropriate to pop open some of that jarred pasta sauce, boil some noodles, and call it a night. Trust me, you all... I have been there. 

Several times. 

But let's be real- nothing can really beat a good homemade pasta sauce. And this Weeknight Meat Sauce with Rigatoni courtesy of America's Test Kitchen's Healthy Slow Cooker Revolution cookbook is definitely no exception to that rule.

Now this one does require a little prep in the morning, but you can make quick work of this by prepping the chopped onion and minced garlic the night before.  Typically I am not a fan of slow cooker recipes that require a lot of cooking before actually slow cooking, but trust me on this- the little bit of pre-saute work this recipe requires is worth it, friends. 

It builds layers upon layers of flavor, from the golden onions and garlic to the deglazing from the wine to the browning of the meat. It gives this hearty sauce all the flavor of a traditional long-simmered meat sauce minus most of the fat and extra calories...

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

This velvety and creamy slow cooker-baked Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding is a lightened-up version of a traditionally decadent dessert...

I adore a good, creamy bread pudding. But what I don't adore is all the egg yolks and cream that is in traditional baked bread pudding. Especially when you are trying to make some healthier changes to your eating.

That is why I was thrilled to come across this recipe for Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding in my copy of American Test Kitchen's Healthy Slow Cooker Revolution that I received in the mail the other day! :)

After perusing hundreds of recipes for soups, chicken, pasta, casseroles, and more and being sure to dog-ear my faves, I finally came to the coveted Desserts section of the cookbook. There are 16 better-for-you dessert recipes there, folks. And all of them are made in your slow cooker!

This creamy Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding really caught my eye (and my sweet tooth!), and I knew I had to give it a try for myself. The results were absolutely delicious. From the perfectly cooked, creamy bread pudding itself to the ooey-gooey chocolate chips- this is bread pudding perfection, folks...