May 11, 2005

Dinnertime

Tom mentioned that we haven't reviewed Dream Dinners yet, so I'll take the hint. I found a reference to it on A Little Pregnant, and later discovered that the company was founded right here in the Seattle area, so there are tons of branches around here.

It's held in a commercial kitchen, about ten minutes from our house. Basically, they put together the ingredients and do all the prep work (chopping, etc.) for entrees to serve 4-6 people. You assemble the dishes (making any adjustments or omissions to the ingredients that you want - for example, I can leave out the mushrooms since Tom is a fungophobe) and take them home to freeze. It took me just over an hour to make 6 entrees (total of about 30 servings) last month, and they all have been delicious. We just bought a new freezer so I can make a batch of 12 entrees this week and have room to freeze them.

Here's what I'll be making tomorrow night:

  • OVEN-BAKED ALMOND CHICKEN
    Six tender chicken breasts encrusted with a crisp almond & crumb crust. Oven-bake at home to a golden brown and serve with our sweet & sour sauce.

  • ARROZ CON POLLO
    “A Dream Dinners Signature Dinner!” This hearty all-in-one meal is made with six tender chicken breasts on a bed of savory rice, black beans and corn. Finished with a mild Mexican salsa.

  • GRILLED SIRLOIN WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS (x2)
    This generous cut of beef sirloin can be grilled on the BBQ or oven-broiled. Caramelized red onions, a hint of rosemary and melted gorgonzola cheese make this a great dinner for entertaining guests!

  • ASIAN BBQ PORK LOIN
    This 2-pound boneless pork roast is marinated in an Asian barbecue sauce and flavored with ginger, garlic and sweet hoisin sauce. Oven-roast at home and serve with steamed white rice that we provide.

  • BLACK BEAN CHILI BURRITOS
    Southwest-style chili made with shredded pork, black beans, tomatoes & spices. Serve with large flour tortillas (provided) and cheddar cheese for an easy work-night dinner.

  • GRILLED SALMON WITH LEMON-GARLIC BUTTER (x2)
    Six salmon filets that can be grilled on the BBQ or oven-baked. Serve with our delicious lemon-garlic butter with dill and capers. Great for Mother’s Day dinner!

  • DEEP DISH CHICKEN PIZZA
    This pan-style pizza is baked with a flaky biscuit crust and layered with white sauce, chicken, black olives, peppers, broccoli and cheese. A fun twist to the traditional “pie”

  • HOMEMADE MACARONI & CHEESE
    As American as apple pie! Elbow macaroni in a smooth, creamy cheese sauce with an optional crumb topping. No twist on this tradition! Add diced ham if you choose.

  • TERIYAKI MEATLOAF
    Aloha! This delicious turkey meatloaf with hints of garlic, soy and ginger bakes with a Hawaiian-style teriyaki glaze. A great alternative to beef!

  • SWISS BURGERS
    Six kid-friendly burgers that can be grilled on the BBQ or pan-seared. Serve with our “special burger sauce,” Swiss cheese, and Kaiser rolls (provided) for a fun picnic dinner.

    I will probably split most of these into two or three smaller containers so that we can cook them separately - we can eat these almost every night for a month or more! I love being able to have good food every night without having to spend much time cooking (instead of playing with Dorothy!) in the evenings. Plus it doesn't cost much more than it would to get all this stuff and cook it from scratch (maybe less) - and a lot less than the takeout we'd probably be eating if we didn't have it. I'm really glad to have found out about this place!

    Posted by Elizabeth Nugent at May 11, 2005 09:29 PM
    • Comments

    Mmmm, what night are you preparing the almond chicken? I need to book my flight now? Want me to bring a side salad? ;)

    Posted by: Keith at May 12, 2005 06:20 AM
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