5 Great Recipes to Whip Up on National TV Dinner Day
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meatloaf is one of the most popular mains in a TV dinner, but once you open that box, it almost never looks appetizing. Instead, try your hand at this meatloaf recipe from Nancy and James at She Cooks … He Cleans. They even threw a little bacon and barbecue sauce in there — two things that are always sorely lacking from the store-bought kind. (She Cooks … He Cleans)
If meatloaf isn't your thing, there's really only one other option: fried chicken. More often than not, though, the pre-packaged kind is too small and bony, or it's more of a huge chicken nugget instead of a recognizable cut of meat. If you'd rather try something really special, check out this easy oven-fried recipe courtesy of Ashley of the Recipe Rebel. No bones, real meat, and perfect alongside a heaping helping of mashed potatoes. (The Recipe Rebel)
Speaking of that, no frozen dinner is complete without a small square of white sludge, which we're pretty sure is supposed to be an approximation of mashed potatoes. But they never taste anything like real, homestyle mashed potatoes. For that, you need to whip up this creamy, buttery, garlicky recipe from Kristyn at Lil' Luna. (Lil Luna)
Almost every TV dinner contains a portion of flaccid, over-steamed green beans, included purely for color. But there's no reason they couldn't taste as amazing as the above beans from Lacey at A Sweet Pea Chef, made with garlic and Parmesan cheese. Learn her easy recipe here. (A Sweet Pea Chef)
When it comes to TV dinners, no dessert is more appropriate than a brownie, albeit one that's severely overcooked and smelling of salisbury steak. If you're OK with forfeiting those last two criteria, you can try this incredible brownie recipe from Erica at Canella Vita. (And if you still miss those crunchy overcooked edges, burn a corner piece under the broiler.) (Canella Vita)