Cheat Your Way To An Easy Dinner with VH

All in favour of cheating? Say “Aye”.

Often, I take pride in placing an award winning, made-from-scratch, piping hot meal on the table. Nothing gives me more pleasure than showing off my culinary prowess; especially when my efforts are so well received by my doting family.

And other times, I like to slap a frozen pizza on the table and walk away.

Somewhere in the middle of this love/hate relationship with making dinner is what I like to call “The VH Zone“.

VH Sauces offer a quick, easy and tasty solution for bringing a little culture into your cuisine. From zesty Orange Ginger to Spicy Thai Chili Sauce, you can create a healthy and delicious stir fry on the fly – perfect for those weekday nights when you’re craving take-out but want a more nutritious (and wallet-friendly) option.

And, they help me cheat.

Cheaters General Tao Chicken

6 frozen chicken fingers, baked and chopped into bite-size pieces
2 green onions, sliced thinly
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 egg, beaten, scrambled until just cooked and set aside
1 bottle VH General Tao Stir Fry Sauce
one large bunch cappellini pasta

So, you know how most General Tao meals include crispy, deep fried chicken? I figured out I could replicate the taste with frozen, breaded chicken fingers that have been baked in my toaster oven. They offer the same crispy, seasoned coating with none of the deep fried mess. Plus, I can bake the chicken fingers while I’m prepping my ingredients, so the entire meal is ready in less than 30 minutes.

Prepare chicken fingers to manufacturer’s directions (usually 20 minutes in a 425 degree oven). In the meantime, slice onions and green pepper. Then, scramble egg in a large wok sprayed with a bit of PAM, removing to a plate once done.

Heat a separate pot of boiling water, dropping the cappellini in after you’ve started to stir fry your meal (it’ll only take 5 minutes at most).

Add a little oil to your wok. Stir fry the onions and pepper until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add the cut-up chicken fingers and egg. Drench with a bottle of VH General Tao Sauce, and heat through.

Drain pasta and toss together with sauce. Enjoy! Serves 2-4.

The crispiness and seasoned breading on the chicken really helps absorb the flavour of the sauce. And there you have it! You’ve just cheated your way to an easy dinner.

Want an even easier dinner? Try try VH Steamers. They’re Asian-inspired meals ready in less than 5 minutes and steamed to perfection! Available in Kung Pao Chicken, Shanghai Ginger Beef (my fave!), Honey Sesame Chicken, Chicken Teriyaki, Thai Chicken and Shrimp and Zesty Orange Chicken, they’re quick and tasty, perfect for lunch at the office or busy school nights.

What makes them unique? VH Steamers feature a DuoTray SteamCooker – a fancy title which essentially translates to the meal cooking naturally in it’s own juices, which helps lock in flavour and preserve the texture of the food. I cannot lie: my husband is addicted to these convenient little wonders, and I must admit that they are leaps and bounds better than your average frozen entrée. They’re a staple in our home!

So there you go: two ways to cheat your way to an easy dinner with VH!