On Effortless Dinners and #WokWednesday (and a Giveaway!)

This post brought to you by P.F. Chang’s Home Menu. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Sarah’s Cucina Bella.

Some nights we’re just too busy to spend much time making dinner. And on those nights, having almost effortless dinners are key to sitting down in the little pockets of time we have left.

When P.F. Chang’s Home Menu recently asked me to sample their frozen offerings, I said yes because I am always on the hunt for new effortless options for busy nights.

P.F. Chang’s Home Menu is a line of Asian entrees that promise bold flavors that can be heated up in the comfort of your own kitchen. Each package is designed to feed two people, and you can mix and match starters, sides and entrees for your meal.

According to the company, they use authentic Asian ingredients and cooking techniques developed by P.F. Chang’s founder, Philip Chang.

But really, how does it taste? And are they truly easy to make?

We tried the Vegetable Mini Egg Rolls and the Beef with Broccoli, which I served with basmati rice that I whipped up in our handy dandy rice maker.

To cook these, I baked the mini egg rolls per the package directions and heated the Beef with Broccoli in a skillet. Both involved the simplest of directions and were easy to follow and make, and they were ready in about 15 minutes.

The mini egg rolls came with a sweet and sour-ish Signature Sauce for dipping, which we enjoyed. The rolls baked up just right, with a crispy outside and a well-seasoned, vegetable-filled inside.

The Beef with Broccoli included tender pieces of beef and big spears of broccoli nestled in a rich garlic-soy sauce. Cooked on the stove, which is the suggested method for best results, the flavorful sauce thickened and coated the beef and broccoli nicely.

When you are short on time and need to get dinner on the table, this is a good option for a quick but flavorful dinner.

It’s also perfect for #WokWednesday, which is a fun social movement encouraging folks to indulge in a delicious Asian-inspired meal on Wednesdays. Don’t have a wok? A skillet works well too. If you want to join in Wok Wednesday, why not trying a mix-and-match meal like this? You can also customize everything to your liking — perhaps adding a touch of crushed red pepper to the Signature Sauce or topping the Beef with Broccoli with chopped scallions. Don’t be afraid to mix it up.
P.F. Chang’s Home Menu is available in supermarket frozen aisles nationwide.

Wok Wednesday Kit GIVEAWAY

P.F. Changs wants one lucky Sarah’s Cucina Bella to receive a Wok Wednesday Kit. Here’s the details:

Prize: One (1) lucky winner will receive a Wok Wednesday Kit to enjoy their very own P.F. Chang’s Wok Wednesday meal — this includes a branded wok, chopsticks, tableware etc.

To enter: Leave a comment on this post sharing your #WokWednesday celebration ideas. 

Details: You have between now and Jan. 20, 2015, at 11:59 p.m. to enter. One winner will be selected at random using the random number generator and the order in which comments were received. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents with a U.S. mailing address only. You must be 18 or older to enter.