Birds Eye's Simple yet Sophisticated Shrimp

A sit-down dinner sounds amazing...but just don't have the desire to whip up a complete meal. I just want to relax, at home, and have a nice dinner appear before my eyes.  Is that too much to ask?  (Could be an argument for having Mom move in?)  But before you ask your mother if she would like to come visit, or move in, there is "Volia" by Birds Eye, which I had the opportunity to test, as a writer for the Foodbuzz Tastemaker's program.

  When fresh vegetables are not available or just don't look all that fresh,  I have actually been a big fan of using Birds Eye's frozen vegetables for adding to grain or pasta dishes.  I really like how the vegetables are big and plump and really sometimes a better substitution to fresh.  However, admittedly, I was a little hesitant with the prepared meal, wondering if it was so easy to make, could it really provide a tasty dinner?
A blind taste test would be fun, I thought.  So, I called Brian at about 5pm and told him that I was making dinner tonight.  A new recipe for garlic shrimp pasta with vegetables. He was happy to hear it.

So with over an hour and a half before he would arrive I sat down to relax and catch up on a few emails.  About 30 minutes later, I cleaned up the kitchen (yes, before dinner, isn't it great?) and set the table.  Now, I can get cooking.

  I heated a large skillet to medium heat and added the bag of pasta, vegetables and shrimp all at once.

 Next, I added 1/3 cup of water and let if cook, covered, for about 10 minutes, stirring it every now and then.

  The vegetables all looked great, and were very firm in texture, as hoped.   The shrimp were a fresh bright orange by the time they were cooked, and the rich buttery garlic sauce was wafting across the apartment. 

 

 Just as I turned off the heat, I heard the key in the lock.  Brian walked in. "We'll so far so good. It smells great.", he said.

 

 After he settled in, I served us both a hot dish.  

 Even though it was a frozen, quick prep entree, it could actually hold its own.  I really liked how Birds Eye saw the importance of using good quality vegetables in an entree...the dish was studded with large broccoli pieces, carrots and sweet corn.

  

At the end of our dinner there was a little more left in the pan.  "Do you want the rest?", I asked?  "No thanks." Brian answered. 

For a moment I thought maybe he did not like it that much... He continued, "But, could you put it in a small container, so that I can eat it for breakfast tomorrow?"  That, coming from a guy who drinks a smoothie for breakfast, if anything, on most days.  

Overall, this dish is a quality easy quick prep option for those tired and busy evenings... and it appears to have survived the blind taste test too.  And that is how Birds Eye Voila became a lovely dinner for two (and breakfast for one), all in under 15 minutes.

And...if you are interested in trying it out, I have a bunch of Buy-one-Get-one coupons!