Out of sheer laziness and a craving for Mashed Potatoes I went ahead for the first time and purchased refrigerated "prepared" Mashed Potatoes and as a side dish added Frozen Meatballs and Chicken Nuggets. Backwards thinking, NO.
I have been a progenitor of Always making Mashed Potatoes from "scratch" and for a short time in the 1980s had even purchased "powdered mashed potatoes" as a novelty to try and make it easier in preparation. Of course nothing can replace the real thing and the "powdered" type often fell way short in the outcome. These though are simply Mashed Potatoes (in this case Garlic Mashed Potatoes) vacuum packed for reheating.
Sean (who told me about them) informed me that these Mashed Potatoes were perfectly acceptable (which they were), Jamie informed me that I eat processed Food often enough (which I do) and Lori mentioned that they were fine in a pinch (which they are) and I cannot disagree on any fronts so why not try them.
My initial thoughts on the Meal which was prepared in a microwave oven are as follows concerning the three Major "Food Groups" (Potatoes, Meatballs and Nuggets).
* Chicken Is Terrible, Not the Chicken itself but the Batter Dip would suit being cooked in an Oven So much better. The Chicken is fine and Seasoned perfectly but not overpoweringly with anything, It is proper Chicken but as in a microwave the Batter Dip becomes soggy as opposed to Crunchy, Be Warned and Please Bake. Incidentally according to the packaging these are not Nuggets, They are Tenders. Oh Brother.
* Meatballs are NOT like homeade (DUH) but also these have been Nuked, Oddly enough there is no Oven Preparation instructions on the package, only Microwave and Pan Fried. These have just a slight kick to them which I Love, Dense and Tasty, A bit too much Bread Crumb but Hey, what do you expect.
* Potatoes are Delicious, I have no problem with these and this is without Gravy, Butter or any Seasonings to mask any Flavor. These are pretty much perfect and even after they have gone coldish they are still Delicious. I cannot detect Too much Garlic but am eating them with other things which is masking the nuances, This is a Great product by Crystal Farms.
Resistance Is Futile.
All that is missing is the Gravy.
* - Initial Tastings and First Impressions.
6/7/14 - 2nd Impression - So I bought another package of Crystal Farms Simply Potatoes (Garlic) and I loved them just as much and maybe even more. These are perfect for anyone not cooking for a family and will suit a family of 3 or 4 for a single meal so it is a time saving, dare I say Glorious product. I certainly approve.
6/7/14 - 2nd Impression - So I bought another package of Crystal Farms Simply Potatoes (Garlic) and I loved them just as much and maybe even more. These are perfect for anyone not cooking for a family and will suit a family of 3 or 4 for a single meal so it is a time saving, dare I say Glorious product. I certainly approve.
These two are basically the same Meals as pictured above but I "pepped" things up by adding Sofrito Tomato as a Gravy on the Meats and it worked fantastically adding a bit of Spiciness to the proceedings, more importantly however was the addition of Shredded Cheddar Cheese to the Potatoes and I left a generous pool in the middle to which I added "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" Margarine which made a world of difference.
Baked Chicken Tenders topped with Sofrito and a nice Forkful of Buttery Goodness of which the Cheese took a ride upon. This is the name of the painting.
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