If you read here, or my personal blog, you know that I am a full time mom, employee, wife and I go to school full time so that someday, upon graduation, I can proudly tell my teenage children that I do in fact know how they are feeling, because I have a Master's in Psychology! Hello?Until then, I have little time. I cook full blown meals on the weekends, but during the week, I need something quick, easy and tasty. Because what is the point of dinner, if it doesn't taste good?
I tried some other frozen Italian food dinner things, and let's just say, they weren't very good. In fact, I could make the same meal using chicken nuggets and tomato soup and call it dinner too. That doesn't mean my kids will eat it. Or me for that matter.
While shopping one weekend, I saw the Bertolli frozen dinners. I had already tried the Chicken alla Vodka & Farfalle at a friend's house, and it was good. I bought a bag of the Chicken Parmgiana & Penne and promptly threw it in the freezer. After working late one night and having forgot to take anything out for dinner, I figured we'd try the Chicken Parm. At first, I was surprised at how it looked coming out of the bag.
I wasn't quite sure how it would turn out, but, I'm an optimist. I followed the instructions, which said to empty the contents into a frying pan. Cook on high for five minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook covered for five to seven minutes, or until done.
I'll admit it. I was skeptical.
However, once I put the lid on, the little frozen bricks of tomato sauce had started to melt and cover the pasta and chicken. Inside the sauce is bits of mozzarella cheese that also started to melt into a delicious smelling yummy goodness.
Our consensus: Delicious according to the husband and kids, and even me (see, I don't like Italian food so much. Too much tomato sauce and pasta. But, when you marry into an Italian family, you learn to make (or buy suitable replacement) Italian food.) Now, personally, I make a mean lasagna and an even meaner Chicken Saltimbocca, but, during the week when I don't get home until close to 7 p.m., I don't have time for a big meal like that. I also don't have a freezer big enough to make the food ahead (which is why I am asking Santa for a stand alone freezer. After all, I've been
1 comment:
I used these quite often last year, and still do, on occasion. Yay for penne, shrimp, asparagus and tomatoes! I could stand for them to be a little less pricey, but since when I purchase them, I am only feeding myself (my husband won't eat seafood, and this is a convenient way for me to have some shrimp & pasta whenever he's not around for a meal) and I painstakingly divide the package into two servings, one for now and one for later, well... I guess it all works out.
I really loved the pasta + tomato sauce one I used to be able to find. It was meatless, and sort of like ravioli, but the pasta wasn't filled, and it was some odd-shaped thing I'd not heard of before. Sadly, the stores no longer carry it.
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