Burnsey's TV Dinners et al.

Yesterday (ie last Wednesday) on Larvatus Prodeo on the condemn thread, there was a discussion on food, partly prompted by me admitting I cook up shop bought chili con carne. Whereupon I was asked to expatiate here on my experiences with TV Dinners. Obviously, as some-one who lives half or all of the fortnight on pre-prepared meals I ain't no food critic. Nevertheless, here goes.
Best to start with the real TV dinners; the stuff in cardboard boxes you put in the microwave oven and cook for 30 seconds to one minute more than they say on the packet.
McCain's Roast Turkey Dinner. Slices of turkey covered with a combination of gravy and cranberry sauce. With vegetables, namely, thinly sliced carrots, peas, and roast potato. Eaten with bread thickly margarined on a plate beside the black plastic plate ready to mop up what's left of the gravy after I've eaten everything else. Appeals to my sweet tooth (sweet teeth why I haven't got any teeth; tho genetics played a part as well - an inherited calcium deficiency - though it might have something to do with the fact I don't drink milk, except for the powdered stuff you get in instant Mocha coffee.) much recommended because of it varying taste sensations.
McCain's Veal Cordon Bleu. I kid you not. Veal wrapped in ham and crumbed. Carrots as above. Beans - I think they're string beans. Some sort of cheese sauce, I think. Sometimes the ham the veal is wrapped in comes away from the ham. Crunchy. I'm not big on cheese sauce, but it does for variety.
McCain's Roast Chicken. Vegetables as above. Roast potato pieces and beans, I think. Don't have a packet in the fridge to check at the moment. Lots of gravy. Size of the chicken breast varies. Sometimes its big, sometimes, well, not so big. On those latter days I get annoyed. Gravy mopped up with bread and margarine. Usually recommended but if you don't put it in the microwave long enough the chicken isn't heated through.
Mccain's Steak Diane. This one's a bit more expensive so I don't get it very often. I don't like beef much so anything I say about this particular dinner can't be trusted.
McCain's Roast Lamb. Peas, carrots, chunks of roast potatoes. Gravy and mint sauce. Up there with the turkey and roast chicken, for the same reasons.
Mccain's Chicken Parmagiana. A TV Dinner gourmet's delight. Peas, carrots, pieces of baked potato. And that sauce! What can I say? Don't have to go out to Italian restaurants. Besides, I don't know where the one in Armidale is.
McCain's Lamb Cutlet With Gravy. Peas, carrots, instant mashed potato. Have to keep it in the microwave a minute longer to cook through the cutlets.
McCain's black plastic plates Sometimes they crack round the edges when they're stacked on the supermarket shelves. Its a bugger getting the plastic cover of the plate then and you have to pick out little bits of sharp black plastic from the meal before you eat. I could return them, I suppose but I live two miles from Bi-Lo and I don't have a car. Can't drive in fact. So, I pick out the sharp bits of black plastic.

Bird's Eye Create-a-Meals. All you can get at the moment at Bi-Lo's in Armidale are Honey Soy, Black Bean, Teryaki and some Green Ginger gunk. They're named after the rather large sauce packets in them which you melt over the cooked chicken with a tablespoon of water. Sometimes I sprinkle a very little bit of sugar on them.They used to have Chili Con Carne and Sweet'n'Sour. But they don't any more. Capsicum, water, chestnuts, beans, carrots etc, etc. all very good for you. Cook up with fried stir fry chicken in a frying pan - my wok is rusty - and serve on steamed long grained white rice. Lasts two days. Good stuff. Except you have to cook it on the stove. I suppose I could microwave it but sometimes I get a bit traditional, if you know what I mean.

Lean Cuisine Meals. Like Meatball Arrabiatta, Satay Beef, beef and Mushroom. I'm sure you know them. Heat and shake the sauce packets, add vegetable packets, mostly rice or pasta and some few vegetables. Cook in four minutes. All wonderful, but very spicy. Go for it.

Tuscan Style Baby Potatoes. I have them in the microwave right now. Potatoes in some kind of Italian herbs. Cooking for 9 minutes, it says 7, but what the hell. And I did sort of bust the plastic on top when I tried to pierce them with a fork. Never tried it before. Was looking for strawberries and chocolate dip, and there they were. We'll see.

Post-script. Reporting on Tuscan Style Baby Potatoes. A bit bland. I ended up eating most of them cold. Tasted better that way and I could use my fingers instead of struggling with a fork. I mean ... well ... nobody was watching.