MASTER CHEF AT WORK

[Mark Joel Lane]

       I ate one of those microwave frozen dinner entrees the other night. My wife eats them a lot more often than I do, usually cooking them for me if I do have any. Our freezer is pretty well stocked with a variety of Hungry Man and Marie Calendar entrees but I wanted something smaller like one of those Healthy Requests or Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones or Smart Made. Geez. There are so many brands . I am really trying to eat healthier lately, cutting down on fats, carbs. sugar, but at the same time I wanted something convenient and fast without sacrificing nutrition. 

 

     So I took out one of these healthier entrees that had pasta, chicken, and broccoli. It sounded good and as I said I don't eat them too often so I wanted to follow the directions really carefully with my wife not at home that particular evening.  It said to cook on high for one minute and then to replace the film. I never took off the film. What the hell are they talking about?  Then it said to pull back the film and stir. After replacing the film?  The food was still pretty much frozen. I bent a fork trying to stir it which seemed quite impossible.  Then it said to heat for 3 minutes. Now that sounded more like it. I was reading directions for an 1100 watt microwave. I think that's what ours is. I'm not too "Sharp" in such matters. 

 

     Now after heating my dinner entree as directed, the instructions said to cut the film to vent and to pull back the corners. I had no clue what they're talking about. As I continued in this culinary dilemma, the cooking instructions said to remove the tray from the outer carton. Who knew? I'd better not attempt to surprise my wife next weekend when she'll be out for a day and cooking her favorite pineapple upside down cake. It might just end up inside out.    

[Westerly_2]

funny thing how the picture on the box, never really looks like the  entre within. And so many of the brands don't include a serving of vegetables. Notice that>

[Mark Joel Lane]

I see a lot of potato and pasta as side dishes in entrees. But if a customer wanted vegetables, there are still plenty with broccoli or carrots. etc. I'm not big on eating veggies..though I should be...latest FDA guidelines say people should have at least 5 servings of vegetables a day. There's plenty of frozen veggies in the frozen dept. too.