This meal actually looked *really* good... one of the main thing that made it stand out was those huge pieces of potato, along with the other vegetables; you almost never see such delicious-looking vegetables in a frozen entree (and they're rarely ever cut that big either). I actually have to disagree with you on wanting to see the potatoes replaced with rice in this meal; I think the potatoes are one of the key components that "make" this dish. I can't envision rice working as well with the meat and the whiskey barbecue sauce (which also sounds delicious).

I haven't tried one of these Healthy Choice "Steamers" yet, but have heard a lot of positive things about them... I will be trying one soon enough though, as I just picked up my review meal (the Chicken Red Pepper Alfredo variety) for the upcoming "Freezerburns Live" on the 23rd. After seeing this review, I wish I had picked up this variety as well; it definitely sounds promising.

I am very much in favor of cooking with alcohol... some of my favorite dishes incorporating wine, beer, or spirits (there's no way I could choose only one favorite) are:

Roasted mushrooms with marsala sauce (basic white wine sauce is good too)
Marinara sauce made with red wine, served with pasta
Beer bread
Bread pudding with rum sauce (or whiskey sauce)
Wild mushroom soup made with either white wine or sherry
Chilled fruit "soup" made with Champagne
Pasta cooked in red wine
Broccoli/Cheddar cheese and beer soup
Honey-almond cake with a rum glaze
Peaches or pears poached in wine
Butterscotch pudding made with real Scotch

I'm sure I could go on and on here... I keep thinking of more to add to the list, but I've gone on long enough here; I'm sure you can tell that I love cooking with different types of alcohol. :) Strangely enough, it never even occurred to me to try making barbecue sauce with whiskey in it... now I can't wait to try it out! Who would have thought that a frozen meal would inspire me in my cooking...

Interestingly enough, this topic reminded me that when I was a kid, one of my favorite meals was spaghetti topped with the "Red Wine and Herbs" variety of Ragu jarred pasta sauce... and it had to be that particular flavor. I doubt there was that much red wine in that sauce, but you really *could* taste it. (I don't think they even make it anymore.) Sort of embarrassing now, but at the time, I absolutely loved it.

Great review, as always... I'll be on the lookout for a sale on Healthy Choice meals in the near future, so that I can pick up this meal and give it a try.

FFM! I am a few days behind! On cooking with booze. I'm for it. The late great Miz Julia Child has an Onion Gallete (basically a fancy schmancy onion tart) that is a.ma.zing. To make the onion confit topping you have to reduce like 2 cups of red dry wine (and then drink the rest lol). Takes a long time to make, but well worth the trouble.

I throw brandy and/or medium sherry (e.g., amontillado) into TONS of my cooking. Soups, stews, sauces, big ole pot of Southern mess-o-greens goodness -- you get so much extra flavour. I also use them when baking. Yummy.

I agreed with YumYucky below re the price of this product. Hubby and I weren't rich before the economy crashed; nowadays I can't possibly justify spending so much money for one serving.

I've never gone wrong with a Cafe Steamer, but I'm too cheap to buy 'em because they never go on sale. Argh!

thanks for the great review

It's not my favorite sauce with alcohol, but I did enjoy the Budweiser barbeque sauce.

I do like a lot of Italian foods that involve wine, but I don't know what the dishes were.

I like those steamer meals, but not enough to pay $5.29 a pop for them.

I do like these steamer meals, I just feel a bit guilty buying them because you're throwing away so much plastic with these meals - 2 bowls each meal and the plastic is significantly thicker than the typical black plastic tray.

QOTD - definately the "au poivre" sauce in steak au poivre.

Those steamer meals are such a step up in cooking method. Makes my designer side tickle with satisfaction.