The other night, I was hard at work in front of my laptop. The kids were screaming as if they were at a real LIVE boxing match. The Hubster was not due home from work for another hour and then I realized. Dang it. I forgot to thaw out something for dinner. I was so entrenched in my work and my "to-do" list of the day, that dinner just didn't cross my mind.

So, I've got an hour to make dinner before Daddy comes home. I've got children who you'd think have just gone through the worst famine possible and I'm left twiddling my thumbs thinking... fast food? I know. I think I'm a great Mom, except for these rare occasions when, well.... I think I'm not. Then I remembered, over the Holidays I found Michael Angelo's Gourmet Meals at H-E-B and they were just sitting there in my freezer, screaming for me to try 'em out. Seriously. It happened just like that (minus the actual screaming from a frozen Italian meal, because that would just be creepy).


About Michael Angelo's:

Each of Michael Angelo’s delicious appetizers, entrées and sauces is handcrafted from Sara’s authentic Italian recipes, using only the natural, wholesome ingredients found in a genuine Italian kitchen. In order to ensure that you provide your family with a delicious and nutritious meal, we use only 100% premium meats, authentic Italian cheeses, 100% durum wheat semolina pasta, fresh herbs and spices, fresh vegetables, and specially selected, vine-ripened tomatoes.

What's On The Menu?

When I first learned of Michael Angelo's gourmet meals, I figured Oh, another company making lasagna. Been there. Done that. Seriously. I thought that, however, once I looked at their story and all they had to offer, I knew they were different. There menu consists of:

• A variety of lasagnas, entrees, and stuffed pastas
• Single-serve and family-serve portions
• Vegetarian offerings
• A Natural Cuisine line

Momma Findings:


So, as luck would have it I have these microwavable meat lasagnas in my freezer. I'll tell you right now, I'm not one for making meals in the microwave. Call me weird, but I just don't like the way they taste/look after being made in the microwave.. and I have a nice microwave.

Needless to say, I was hesitant to make these single serve lasagnas in the microwave, but I couldn't find the family size frozen meals to cook in the oven, so I gave it a try. I mean, anything is better than me heading over to the closest fast food joint.

I was actually impressed with how easy they are to make. With most microwavable meals, you have to take it out of the box, make a slit on top, cook 1/2 power for 2.8 minutes, then cook full power for 1 minutes, then turn the box that way, then do the Hokey Pokey. I mean, if I'm making a microwavable meal, it means I'm limited on time. MAKE IT EASY for us, will ya?

Well, Michael Angelo's did. Take it out of the box, vent it, nuke it. The best part? It was actually really good and filling. Each single serving made for two servings with my young kids. So, for a family of 5, I threw together a quick salad, and made 4 single serve lasagnas and it was plenty.

Another thing to jump for joy about? Michael Angelo's food doesn't contain artificial colors, flavors, fillers, chemical preservatives, or additives. In other words, their ingredients are REAL and WHOLESOME.

Momma Improvements:

There wasn't anything I didn't like about the Michael Angelo's meals we tried. In fact, they are some of favorite to buy now....... if I can find them. Improvement: More Michael Angelo's!! For months, I looked for these meals at all the grocery stores in town, WalMart, Kroger, Food Town, H-E-B, even Target, but couldn't find them anywhere. One evening, I decided to scan the frozen food section while on a "Quick-In-and-Out" grocery trip at H-E-B and they had the meals, but they were still few and far between. I ended up buying all they had in stock, which were only 5. Maybe you'll have more luck than I did finding these meals. They are offered at Grocery Stores, Warehouse Clubs, and Natural Food Stores.

Final Findings:

In the end, I did enjoy trying out these gourmet meals in a pinch. It's fresh ingredients for my family, with little time and effort involved. Now if more of my local grocery stores carried them, that would make things even easier.

Buy It:

Michael Angelo's meals are sold at thousands of supermarkets and warehouse clubs. I found mine at my local H-E-B Grocery Store (you all know how much I love me some H-E-B). Prices vary.

Join the Michael Angelo's Family Table to receive updates on deals and specials along with the ability to take part in their forum to share recipes and suggestions.

For more information visit www.michaelangelos.com or follow them on Twitter.

Hey guys, what is your "go to" meal when you're in a bind like I was? Do you hit the closest fast food joint? Whip a salad? Or rely on Microwavable Meals?



This post made possible by Michael Angelo's and representing PR agency, who provided sample meals to facilitate this post. Opinions are always my own and never wavered by products received or compensated unless, otherwise, stated. In short? I'll never tell you I like it if I really don't.

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