Convenience foods get a bad rap a lot of the time, and a goodly amount of it is justified. Costs more than homemade, nutritionally dubious value, etc, etc.
But, there is also something to be said for being able to pop something out of the freezer and into the toaster oven for 10 minutes and have a quick snack. And some are just downright crack-in-a-box. I absolutely LOVE Stouffer’s French Bread pizzas, always have. I will admit an everlasting fondness for La Choy’s frozen “egg rolls” – which bear no resemblance to any egg roll I’ve ever gotten from a Chinese restaurant, but I love them anyway, and they bring back nice memories from when my Mom made them when I was a kid.
Additionally, these products can give you some more insight as to HOW to make them on your own, with better ingredients, lower cost and that satisfaction that comes with conquering a new dish.
Which all brings us to today’s convenience food that I should probably feel guilty for buying, but I don’t. El Monterey Chicken & Cheese Flour Taquitos.
I’ll admit – it was an impulse purchase – they were on sale, I made the mistake of not eating before I went to the market, and my reaction when I saw them was, “Ooooooooooo! Taquitos!!!!” And they’re not too bad – defrost a couple in the microwave and pop them in the toaster oven for 12 minutes, add some sour cream and taco sauce and you’ve got a good snack.
The only other time I get taquitos is at the local Tex-Mex place, and if you asked me to recreate them, I’d be stuck. But having these here in the house, where I can take a look at the ingredients, really look at how they’re put together, I actually have a fighting chance at recreating something along these lines.
So, when this box is done, I’ll likely be making up a big batch of homemade ones and freezing them and having my own taquitos. (I should also give homemade French Bread Pizzas a whirl sometime, too.)
The next time you feel guilty for buying a frozen quick snack food, don’t. Think of it as a starting point to making your own version that’s even better. Take the time to look at them, how they’re made, and see if you can’t make a big batch of your own to freeze for those days when you want something quick.