New Product Time!!

I get so excited when a new product shows up on my supermarket shelves. That doesn't necessarily mean I LIKE all of the new products available, but it does show that more and more people are aware of the need for gluten free foods and are making an attempt to create some kind of variety. Now, I started this blog with the intentions of putting more effort into my food and spending more time in the kitchen making meals for myself, however, life does get in the way sometimes and its nice to have more convenient options. 

I scooped Mrs. Leeper's Creamy Tuna off the shelf because it was reminiscent of that old pantry staple, Hamburger Helper. If you would have asked me five years ago if I liked Hamburger Helper, I wouldn't exactly have been jumping for joy, but I did like the fact that in 15-20 minutes I could have a decent all-in-one-pan hot meal that didn't come from the freezer. There is ALWAYS a can of tuna in my pantry and this would be great for those nights when I wanted to put in a little more effort than bagged salad, but didn't quite feel like making something from scratch or shopping for ingredients. 

Tonight was the night to give it a try. It has been a long week of allergies, exhaustion, dragging work days and endless leftovers. This just might carry me over that Thursday slump and into the weekend. I was definitely skeptical at first. I try not to put too much faith into gluten free breads, pastas or pre-packaged foods, for they are often a disappointment. I had also never had corn noodles before and was a little wary of how they would taste.

The way this is cooked is much like a box of Hamburger Helper. Add milk, water, butter and a packet of spices, stir in noodles, boil and then simmer until done. I was pleasantly surprised that it actually looked like Hamburger Helper as well, although the noodles were a little orange at first. I let it set and scooped out a bowlful of casserole goodness (the box says five servings, but I think its more like three). 

This really surprised me in the taste department. The noodles had a great texture and I could easily imagine serving this up to any of my friends that didn't eat gluten free (if I were to ever have the type of dinner gathering that required food from a box). The sauce was creamy and rich and it didn't leave a strange after-taste in my mouth like I have experienced before. For a little over $5.00 a box, this was a pretty good deal, as leftovers will carry me another night or two. I will be adding Mrs. Leeper's to the approved brands in rotation when I just don't have the energy to play with new recipes. 

Now if only the rest of my life were this easy!!