The new place I moved into doesn’t have a conventional oven. I knew it wasn’t going to have one, but I didn’t think I would mind. However, it turns out I kind of miss having one.
Because without an oven, I can’t heat frozen pizzas, make casseroles or make big batches of cookies, brownies and crystal meth.
But I also kind of don’t miss having an oven.
When I had one, I had to wait for it to preheat, clean it regularly with Easy-Off and live with the fear of big batches of crystal meth causing a huge explosion.
Thank Spencer for the microwave oven and its ability to heat the water molecules in food. And thank Marie Callender’s for their new Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna Multi-Serve Bakes because now I can serve a lasagna meal for two to four people without a conventional oven and the phosphine flavor the lasagna would have if that conventional oven was part of a meth lab.
According to the box, the Marie Callender’s lasagna contains, “freshly made noodles layered with white meat chicken, crimini mushrooms, spinach and real ricotta cheese.”
Preparing the lasagna involves sticking it in the microwave oven for 13 to 15 minutes, which is probably the longest wait I’ve ever had for a microwaveable meal.
Now some of you might be wondering about the effects of exposing the lasagna to radiation for an amount of time that equals an episode of Robot Chicken with commercials. Well don’t fret, my friend, because it comes in a magical baking tray that bakes evenly, won’t cause burnt corners and won’t cause the lasagna to explode like an overheated meth mixture in a conventional oven.
For something that was nuked for 15 minutes in a microwave, the lasagna turned out pretty good, except for one very small section that had some tough, dried out noodles. The chicken was soft, there was an ample amount of sauce, and the spinach, mushrooms and cheese were spread evenly throughout the dish.
The delicious tomato sauce that flowed in between the layers of noodles blended well with the spinach and mushrooms, allowing their flavors to come through. The cheese and chicken provided little flavor, but I’m fine with that because the sauce made up for it.
The baking tray the Marie Callender’s Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna Multi-Serve Bake came in measures 8 inches by 6.5 inches by 1.75 inches. It’s a decent sized tray and I believe it provides enough to feed two hungry people or four meth addicts who have suppressed appetites thanks to meth.
(Nutrition Facts – 1 cup/227 grams – 290 calories, 100 calories from fat, 11 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 700 milligrams of sodium, 630 milligrams of potassium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, 15 grams of protein and a bunch of vitamins and minerals.)
Item: Marie Callender’s Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna Multi-Serve Bakes
Price: $5.99 (on sale)
Size: 31 ounces
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Tasty. Serves two to four, depending on appetites. Good sauce. Can taste the spinach and mushrooms. Spinach, mushrooms and cheese were spread evenly throughout the dish. Comes in a nifty baking tray.
Cons: Meth. Chicken and cheese provided little flavor. Meth. Took a long time to cook in the microwave. Phosphine gas. Not being able to bake big batches of cookies and brownies. Meth.
You could always sprinkle some meth on top of this prior to serving, I suppose. I don’t use my oven often, but I do like baking so I think I wouldn’t want to give it up completely.
But that means I have to buy some. Just like brownies, I’d rather bake my own than buy it.
Get a toaster oven! Then there are no limits to the things you can do!
I do have a toaster oven, but I can’t fit a frozen pizza or $100,000 worth of meth in it.
I moved back home after college and the oven in my mom’s house is broken. Doesn’t phase her b/c she cooks everything the old school way on the stovetop, but I pine for the days when I could bake my own lasagnas from scratch. So *big sigh*, totally feel you.
Sadly, and I’d hate to admit it, this lasagna taste better than the lasagna I make from scratch.
I’ve always been kind of scared to use the “oven” part of my toaster oven. Probably because I bought it for $20 and only trust it to toast my bagels. And I have a real oven, so that helps.
Having a conventional oven AND a toaster oven must put me leaps and bounds above Marvo on the socioeconomic scale. He needs to find a way to microwave meth.
Microwaving meth is too unstable. It’s like microwaving aluminum foil.
I didn’t know you could even find a place without an oven. I rarely use mine and now that I’ve discovered a microwaved frozen pizza that I like, I’m sure I’ll use it even less…but hm, I like the option of having one.
I do have the world’s smallest microwave though, that box probably wouldn’t fit into it. It’s okay, mushrooms are gross and I prefer beef in my lasagna so I’ll be passing on that any, Marie C. I’ll stick with the stuffed pasta trio and pot pies.
When this USB microwave is released your microwave oven will no longer we the world’s smallest.
I want to hate that for being a such a unitasker but…it’s so cute! Maybe you could also make Easy Mac in it?
You need a combination convection oven/microwave. For you, I recommend putting it next to your bed so you don’t have to toddle (waddle?) all the way back into the kitchen to get your freshly baked pizza. If they’re too pricey for you, look into a convection oven type toaster oven. I believe certain models are big enough to roast a whole chicken and maybe a small pizza.
I saw a couple of convection oven/toaster at Bed Bath and Beyond. I think they can fit a DiGiorno frozen pizza and maybe $5,000 worth of meth.