It’s not often that Rural Hubby and I have alone time around dinner time and when we do, it’s not like I want to spend a lot of time preparing a special meal… yet, you certainly want to make the most of a chance for a romantic moment with some gourmet food, rather than whipping up last night’s leftovers.
Chances are, you’ve found yourself in a similar spot. What a pickle!
So, when I was given the challenge to prepare a special dinner for two in under one hour using Bertolli Meal Soup, I jumped at the opportunity to figure out a quick prep for a romantic afternoon dinner date.
At first, though, my thoughts of soup for a romantic meal didn’t conjure a picture of gourmet fabulous-ness. Many canned soup versions are good, but not what I would class as the main course of a “special” meal. Bertolli Meal Soups are found in the frozen section, though, which offered a bit more promise.
To keep my prep time under an hour, I formulated a quick plan, using tips I felt would work:
1) Keep meal preparation and cook time short and simple (Check! Had this covered with the Roasted Chicken & Rotini Pasta Bertolli Meal Soup which is prepared in minutes) and some garlic bread (10 minutes in the oven, tops.)
2) Create some easy ambiance with items I have on hand. A nice table cloth, a lighted candle and a cozy spot for dining easily help set the mood.)
3) Break open the good wine (I choose a terrific Kentucky vintage Lover’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon) and the good wine glasses (typically reserved for special occasions.)
4) Fill the house with some terrific Italian cooking aromas and a little background music… and viola!
Dinner for two is served.
Was it the gourmet special dinner moment I hoped for. You bet ‘cha!
The very first thing I noticed about Bertolli Meal Soup was how great the ingredients looked as I prepped them for cooking.
The next thing I noticed was how FABULOUS this soup smelled as I cooked it. I was instantly transported to our favorite Italian restaurant and had to fend Rural Hubby off from sampling while I cooked. Which thankfully was quick as I could barely wait to sample the soup, too. Took about nine minutes total.
Lastly, and certainly not least, the next thing I noticed was the divine taste! This is totally not your canned soup version, but more of what I would expect to find freshly prepared at a quality restaurant. Magnifico!
Did I meet the challenge? From start to finish of our special meal time, it took about 15 minutes total to prep, about 20 minutes to savor our meal time… leaving around 25 minutes to spare. And, um, well, that’s plenty of time to get to other special moments. 🙂
For more information on Bertolli Meal Soups, visit villabertolli.com
Disclosure: Product, information, and compensation have been received from Bertolli to participate in the Weeknight Meal Special Challenge. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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