Ina Garten’s Quick Recipes Using Store-Bought Ingredients

There’s nothing better than wholesome family meals with quality ingredients made from scratch—unless those meals come with a whole whack of unnecessary blood, sweat, and tears, that is. Ina Garten really means it when she says that sometimes, store-bought ingredients are more than fine. In fact, they’re actually preferred. In that vein, here are some of Ina’s best recipes that you can totally cut corners with.

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Store Bought Puff Pastry: Lamb Sausage in Puff Pastry

There are few things better than warm and buttery puff pastry right out of the oven. But that definitely doesn’t mean you need to “whip” up your own batch anytime soon—puff pastry takes entirely too long to bother. Invest in the store-bought variety and then actually whip up these delicious lamb concoctions instead.

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Store Bought Marinara: Roasted Italian Meatballs

Most of us make pasta because it’s a quick and easy weeknight meal, so the thought of having to take a time-out to cook a batch of marinara sauce first is a little daunting. While homemade sauce is great and all, it’s definitely more of a weekend project. Besides, there are terrific brands out there that make dumping sauce into a pot super tasty. In doing so you’ll also have more time to make delicious dishes, like these saliva-inducing meatballs by Ina.

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An oval casserole dish with a raspberry French toast topped with icing sugar

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Store Bought Jam: Raspberry Baked French Toast

You mean you didn’t have time to go strawberry or raspberry picking this summer and then jar your own jam? We mean if you did that’s amazing, but life happens. Whether you make your own or buy it from the store, Ina says do whatever is your jam. In fact, if you want to whip up this fruity French toast but can’t find fresh raspberries, store-bought jam is a perfectly fine substitute in these treats. Or, top the dish with a dollop of the stuff instead for a little extra sweetness.

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Store Bought Peanut Butter: “Ice Cream” Sandwiches

Making your own nut butter sounds like a journey, especially when there are so many varieties readily available on the shelves. Ina agrees. In fact, not only does her recipe for peanut butter ice cream sandwiches call for store-bought PB, but it actually calls for store-bought cookies, too. Now that’s a delicious, double win.

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