Monday, April 2, 2012

Making Easy Food More Fun

Missy, here. Because of tennis season (and being gone until 8 or 9 at night), it feels like ages since I've cooked! So I don't have any recipe to share today. In fact, I've been eating more Lean Cuisine meals lately than anything else. So I thought I'd share a new discovery with you.



You may have seen them advertised. The new frozen steam-in-the-bag meals from Lean Cuisine Market Collection. I tried a couple of them, and they were both really good! The best one I tried was the Chicken Pot Stickers. To make it feel more meal-like, I poured it into a nice bowl and added a side of fresh fruit.


And to make it more fun, I always eat Asian food with chopsticks! I love using them at restaurants, so when I happened on a nice set at Macys a few years ago, I bought them.



They're beautiful with the stoneware leaves to rest the chopsticks on.

So, what about you? How do you make your meals more fun? And what type meals do you make in a pinch if you're busier than usual?

17 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. Well, that was me that removed my comment and the other one. I realized it wasn't a person but was just someone advertising. The name linked directly to a food website.

    To the poster--If you really were a person visiting our blog for your personal use, I'm sorry! I just need to protect our visitors from links to websites we're not familiar with.

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  4. ROF, LOL!!!! Missy, we've ARRIVED... If we're getting spammed by Wholesale Food....

    Whoa. ;)

    I actually think it was my husband's Aunt Marty. She works for Wholesale Food and she's a huge veggie lover. But she'll forgive us. Some day. And she's worth a lot of money and probably just wrote poor DAVE out of the will, LOL!

    I think the only reason he's nice to cats is because Auntie just loves them!!!

    I hear you on sports night busyness. We did a lot of sandwiches burgers and dogs then. Way more than should be considered healthy, but it was quick and filling and the boys loved 'em!

    I am standing in awe of chopsticks.

    Really.

    Awed.

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  5. Oh, no, Ruthy! I'm so sorry to have lost you the family fortune!

    :)

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    1. I'm so proud of you!!! You didn't fall for it.

      Good job, nice person Missy!!!

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  6. Busy nights around here means one son working until 7, another son with school until 10, my dear husband out with the guys from church (and wanting supper at 5), and me with an evening to myself (this is when I indulge in a couple hours of cross stitch!).

    Or the above scenario, except I'm the one off to Bible Study while my dear husband is on his own.

    Those are the nights I love my crock pot. I'll make sloppy joes, or taco filling, or soup and it stays warm in the crock pot until everyone has their supper.

    I'll have to try the Lean Cuisine Chicken Pot Stickers. I like the ones they have in the box -

    Last year, while my husband was living 700 miles away from me, I never cooked. I just can't get myself to do it while he's away, and a night or two here or there isn't a problem. But while we were in the process of moving and lived apart for six months, I lived on Lean Cuisine meals, and the boys ate frozen whatever-looked-good.

    I'm so glad those days are over!

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    1. Jan, I hear ya'. It's okay for a little bit, then you miss having real food.

      Although these days by "real food" I mean real food prepared by one of my minions.

      Unfortunately we seem to be FRESH OUT OF MINIONS, DAGNABBIT.

      'Sup wi dat? I need a minion! Maybe two!!!

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    2. Oh, wow, I bet that was difficult, Jan! I would have lived off cereal and other breakfast foods. :)

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  7. Well, I'm usually always cooking for one, but it can still be fun. I rely on soups and stews mostly so I can freeze the extra portions. Then I have something nutritious on hand for those frazzled days when I just want to roll into bed as soon as I get home from work.

    To make it fun though I have a few lovely single setting of dishes. Bowls are my specialty. I buy just one, usually at Pier Imports. Love their stuff but it would be expensive to get a a 6-piece setting. So I put my humble homecooked meal on vibrant dishes that match the season and voila! Fine dining at home! I also have real napkins that I've gotten way marked down because there's only one left. I actually have a prettier table when I eat alone then when I have company!

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    1. Kav, I love this idea. I think I'll borrow it, to use in a book, okay?

      It's genteel. And so sweet.

      This does not surprise me about you, you get that, right????

      You know, it's whatever you get used to. I'm used to noise, but I tell you honestly I LOVE a quiet evening when I don't have to feel guilty about food.

      But I bet there are times when you wish there was a crowd around.

      Life's funny that way.

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  8. Kav, that sounds like such a nice idea to dress it up!! Kind of like me and my nice chopsticks. :)

    Although, I have to tell you that lacquered chopsticks are a lot slicker than the disposable wooden ones! LOL It takes me longer to eat. Which probably isn't a bad idea. :)

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  9. Genteel?! Moi? I think not. And yes it does get quiet if I don't invite a bunch of characters to dine with me (as in the latest book I'm reading.) At least I'm not to the point where I put my Simba man in a chair at the table with his kibble in a bowl! LOL.

    Missy -- I couldn't eat with chopsticks if my life depended on it. You are a true southern belle used to refined dining. I'd get so frustrated that I'd snarf it out of the bowl and use the chopsticks for a game of pick up sticks or to splint a bird's broken leg or something. :-)

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  10. LOL, Kav! :)

    Actually, in grad school, I had a Chinese roommate who told me she'd cook for me, but I'd have to learn to use chopsticks. I thought that was a fair trade off. She was a great cook! :) And now, I don't enjoy Asian food as much with a fork.

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  11. I've had those potstickers! I didn't read the package close enough and didnt' realize they were in a sauce until I opened it. wasn't too happy but tried them and they were good! they just need to put more in the bag but guess that's how they keep the calorie count down..I've been bad and done the drive thru thing the past couple of weeks - just been really tired with work..and lazy too of course!
    Susanna

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  12. Kav, I also eat alone/live alone and I like to use different bowls and plates for my meals (can't find the top of my table though so I'm not that fancy LOL!)
    last time I ate with chopsticks I stabbed the food and was told that was rude. hmpph! bet I could lose weight eating with them though. I do like the spoons my roomie in college had - big and flat.
    Susanna

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  13. Susanna, the first bag I made pretty much exploded! Sauce went all over the place. But I realized my microwave is too powerful, so it cooked too long. Next time I took a minute off and it did fine. :)

    It's good to see you at the cafe again!

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