Something Something, Boston Accent

A mainstay in freezer aisles now are meals bearing the name or are inspired by some of America's favorite chain restaurants.  The Cheesecake Factory, PF Chang's and Marie Calendars (RIP sit down restaurants), among others all have selections in your local grocer.  While the meals aren't made in some kitchen owned by the restaurant directly, food processors (companies who make our 'prepared' foods that line our grocery shelves) enter into licenses with these restaurants to carry meals sporting their logos. 


The Review

Brand:
Boston Market Macaroni & Cheese

Price:
$3.44 at Target

Packaging Description:
(On Front)
A blend of two cheeses with spiral rotini pasta
New! Creamy macaroni & cheese recipe

(On Back)
We take pride in preparing high quality meals.

Great food is our life.  We take pride in preparing fresh-tasting homestyle meals that are wholesome, delicious and made with high quality ingredients you've come to expect from Boston Market meals.
It's simple. Our spiral rotini pasta holds the sauce better.  And when the cheese sauce is as rich as this one - an unbelievable combimation of American and Cheddar, we wouldn't have it any other way.
Be sure to try our other delicious meals.  For restaurant locations, please visit Boston Market.

Preparation:
*Open the box and remove the tray.

I see lots of noodles... but where is all the cheese?!?

*Put the tray into the microwave and cook for 2:30.  Do not poke or put any vent holes in the plastic film.
*Remove the tray from the microwave and take the plastic film off the top of the tray.

Other than the lighter color and the moisture on the inside of the tray, this looks almost exactly the same as it did out of the box.

*Break apart the frozen clumps and mix up the entire dish.

Actually had to work at breaking it up to get it mixed up because it was still so... solid.

*Place the tray back in the microwave and cook uncovered for an additional 2:30.
*Let the mac n' cheese sit in the microwave and cool for one to two minutes.

Now it looks like a mac n' cheese

*Remove from the microwave and stir it up.

Ready for review!

*Commence with the nomming!

Taste:
Pulling the tray out of the microwave you get a faint cheesy aroma.  The noodles were nice and firm and because of their shape, really seemed to hold the cheese sauce in all the spirals of the rotini pasta.  The sauce was nice and thick and clung well to the noodles.  What was surprising was it's taste.  It tasted very much like Velveeta (the stove top variety) only a bit milder and it was quite good.

Final Score:
After finishing the first half of the cooking and seeing how frozen it still was, I was a bit concerned with how it was going to come out.  My fears about it being cooked, let alone hot enough were unfounded as it was good to go after the second (required) stint in the microwave.  Of all the frozen meals I've tried so far, this one was not only had the best noodles, the cheese sauce was, cheesy, thick and had a great taste.  The one downside to this meal is that it's another one that snuck in two servings into the tray.  Eating all of it also means downing a huge portion of your recommended daily sodium intake.  I had a very hard time stopping myself at one serving (and did get a little bit farther than half way through the tray) but I didn't polish off the tray.

Nutritional Facts:

Serving Size 1/2 Cup (220g)
Servings Per Container  about 2

Calories  310  Calories From Fat 100
Total Fat 11g (17% Daily Value)
Saturated Fat 6g (30% DV)
Trans Fat 0g (0% DV)
Cholesterol 25mg (8% DV)
Sodium 850mg (35% DV)
Total Carbohydrates 41g (14% DV)
Dietary Fiber 2g (8% DV)
Sugar 2g
Protein 12g