Quick Marie Callender's Meals . . . an Alternative to Fast Food

Whenever we are feeling especially busy or tired, which is all the time around the holidays, my husband and I are tempted to pick up the phone to order take-out or to have him make a quick trip to the closest drive-thru restaurant. Marie Callender's Meals are a perfect alternative, allowing our family to have a hot meal without the cost of take-out or the grease of some fast foods.

This time of year, you may be cooking a lot more than usual for gatherings you have been invited to or for ones taking place in your own home. During those times, you may not have the energy or time to prepare a regular meal for yourself or your family. For lunch, we tried the Marie Callender's Fresh Mixers. These are not the frozen Marie Callender's meals you are use to seeing. The Fresh Mixers are a shelf-stable line that you can keep handy in your pantry just like canned soups. They make a tasty, quick, and easy lunch for when you are not in the mood for soup.

For a fast dinner, we tried two Marie Callender's Baked Meals . . . the Creamy Chicken Alfredo with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and the Scalloped Potatoes & Ham in a Creamy Swiss Cheese Sauce. Each were prepared in the microwave in just 15 minutes. The Dutch Apple Pie took just over an hour to bake and was prepared ahead of time so it would be cool enough to eat for dessert. The 3 products cost under $20 altogether.

As someone who is lactose-intolerant, I would love to see additional varieties added to the line of Marie Callender's Baked Meals on top of the existing ones that are all very creamy and heavy with cheese. Although I enjoy them, I have to limit my portions drastically.

To view the full line of Marie Callender's products, visit MarieCallendersMeals.com . For a limited time, you can find printable coupons for $1.00 off select Marie Callender's products on the brand's website.

Thank you to ConAgra Foods for sending us complimentary sample products and coupons to base this review upon. I also received a tablecloth and a Netflix gift card to promote the theme of a nice meal with more free time.

Review: Healthy Choice Steaming Entrées

Since we have tried other frozen vegetables that are designed to be steamed right in the package in a microwave, my husband and I were very open to trying the new Healthy Choice Steaming Entrées. This was a huge step for my husband because I do not recall him ever eating anything that had the word "healthy" in the name. I do not think either of us could resists since the images on the packaging are so appetizing. My husband tried the "Sesame Glazed Chicken" and I tried the "Chicken Romano Fresca".

These frozen entrees could not be easier to prepare. You do not need to lift or puncture the film . . . only remove the cardboard sleeve and then pop the container into the microwave. I do want to point out that the cooking time varies between the different varieties.

The end result was a fresh tasty meal. Although the portion was perfect for me for lunch, I think my husband could have eaten twice as much.

(Click any image to enlarge)

To learn more about the 8 varieties of Healthy Choice Steaming Entrées, visit Healthy Choice on Facebook.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Healthy Choice and received samples of their new steaming entrées to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Photos From the MyBlogSpark Dinner at Myers + Chang in Boston

Last month, my husband and I had the pleasure of joining other local members of MyBlogSpark to dine at the exemplary Boston Asian cuisine restaurant Myers + Chang. Do not let this restaurant's diner-like setting fool you. The food is both inventive and outstanding.

We had the chance to chat with a few representatives of MyBlogSpark and General Mills. It was a very low key event . . . lots of eating with very little mingling.

Below are some photos from our dining experience . . .

Seated to the right is David Witt of General Mills

Mint Lime Rickey and Ginjo Gimlet

Mama Chang's Pork and Chive Dumplings

Crispy Spring Rolls

Dan Dan Noodles

Wok-Roasted Mussels

Orange Chicken

Coconut Cream Pie with Lime Whipped Cream

Surprise! You can tell by my photos that the Orange Chicken entree did not mesh with the rest of the food. We definitely noticed a difference, but we never would have guessed that MyBlogSpark snuck in a handful of the 8 varieties of frozen Chinese food entrees by Wanchai Ferry as one of our courses. For a frozen entree, the Orange Chicken was very good, but compared to the style of cuisine at Myers + Chang, it was very Americanized. The ingredients did not taste quite as fresh and the dish relied mostly on the sauce for flavoring.

Thank you to MyBlogSpark and General Mills for helping us discover a great local restaurant. I have to admit that I am a wimp when it comes to spicy food, so my husband had finish some of my food for me. The item I tried that was my all-time favorite was the Coconut Cream Pie. The almond cookie crust is genius!

Thank you to MyBlogSpark for providing us with a dinner, product samples, a gift card, and product information free of charge to base this article upon.

Review: Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers Frozen Entrees

For my family, the taste of food is at least equally as important as the quantity when it comes to making us feel satisfied. That is why I've always avoided purchasing any foods that may have anything to do with dieting. I am worried that I will be spending my money on food that is low in calories, but also low in taste. I have always associated the brand Healthy Choice with dieting . . . until recently.

Now I associate the brand Healthy Choice with nutritious, preservative-free, convenient, and perfectly-portioned lunches. All the credit for this can be given to Healthy Choice's new line of Cafe Steamers frozen entrees. I received two different varieties of Mediterranean-Inspired Cafe Steamers to try . . .

Healthy Choice Lemon Garlic Chicken and Shrimp

Healthy Choice Balsamic Garlic Chicken

Between the two, I much-preferred the Lemon Garlic Chicken and Shrimp. There was plenty of lemon garlic sauce, but it was not overwhelming. I liked very much that I could still actually taste the shrimp, the chicken, and the broccoli's natural flavors. I was pleasantly surprised at how fresh the ingredients tasted. The entree is steamed in a separate tray before it is mixed in with the tangy sauce. This kept the pasta from becoming too soft and overcooked. As I had mentioned before, the quantity of food is perfect for lunch. If I were to use a Cafe Steamers entree for dinner, I would need to add something else to the meal, such as bread sticks or a salad.

In addition to the basic Cafe Steamers line, Healthy Choice also offers Mediterranean Inspired and Asian Inspired Cafe Steamers. I think I will need to try one of each variety to see which ones I would like to have again in the future. Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers sell for approximately $2.88 to $3.29 each. You can always check the website for Healthy Choice coupons to use at your local supermarket.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Healthy Choice and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.