I’ve got some more great foods to share with you. This is all courtesy of Foodbuzz. As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received samples of Birds Eye Steamfresh Chef’s Favorites to try and share my experience. My samples included creamed spinach, roasted potatoes with green beans, primavera vegetable risotto and mushroom and green bean risotto.

Getting the actual samples was a bit of a task in itself, but once I finally got my hands on them I was pretty excited to try them out. First I tried the the primavera vegetable risotto. Now, hubby was of course a part of all the tastings and his opinion will be reflected in my overall taste and tell.

Overall, I had a positive impression of the risotto. Texture wise, in my opinion, it’s what a risotto should be. Creamy, but not too creamy. However, there was a bit of a vinegary or somewhat sour taste to it. I would say a bit too much of it. This was also true of the mushroom and green bean risotto as well as the roasted potatoes and green beans. I am not sure if there is a tad too much vinegar added or maybe it had to do with the fact that by the time my package finally made it to me, the food was mostly defrosted.

The next night I paired the mushroom and green bean risotto with some baked salmon. I baked the salmon very simply, for approximately 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Seasoned it with salt, fresh ground black pepper and lemon juice of a fresh lemon. This made for a great weeknight dinner. How can you beat having a side dish in four minutes?

I paired the roasted potatoes with green beans with some breaded cod. This was a very well received dinner. Once again, weeknight dinner with a great side in less than a half an hour.

I have to say that creamed spinach was my favorite one, of all the Birds Eye samples I received. Creamed spinach could be a side all on its own. However, I decided to mix it in with some pasta. I boiled some pasta and cooked the creamed spinach according to the directions on the package (another 3 minute quicky). Once both were ready, I mixed the spinach into the pasta, added some slivered almonds and some shredded mozzarella cheese. After combining all the ingredients I popped this casserole of sorts into the oven for about 15 minutes. Once 15 minutes were up, I garnished the pasta with a sprig of cilantro (I add cilantro to almost everything), and dinner was served.

The takeaway from my experience tasting Bird’s Eye Chef’s favorites: these dishes make great sides for weeknight dinners as there is no hassle with preparation. You just take packet, as purchased. Pop it in the oven for 3-5 minutes (depending on the strength of your microwave and the food you’re cooking). Once time is up, all you have to do is empty the packet onto a serving dish or a plate. It’s that simple! Hopefully, the vinegary/sour taste of the risottos and the roasted potatoes was only due to the defrosted goods upon delivery, and therefore only specific to my samples.