Most of my childhood, my parents were self-employed small business owners.  I have such a profound respect for that having spent my entire life working for others.  My parents ran their business, kept a roof over our heads with plenty of food and all the childhood luxuries we asked for.  On top of that, my mom who is an amazing cook, served us a home-cooked dinner almost every night. I remember sometimes begging for a TV dinner, and my mom usually saying no.  TV dinners and peanut butter sandwiches for lunch didn't fit into her definition of appropriate food choices.

Ironically, she did serve us two things from the freezer on rushed days, and both were from Stouffer's: lasagna and macaroni and cheese.  I loved and still love their macaroni and cheese.  It's creamy and has a good cheddar flavor.  The lasagna, though, I could have lived without.  I'm very picky about lasagna; my overarching complaint is that most have too much ricotta for my likes and heaven forbid someone uses cottage cheese instead.  To me, the Stouffer's always had these weird curds of cheese, and the sauce was way too sweet.

Since I'm so picky about it, I very rarely order it in a restaurant choosing to make my own instead.  I don't follow a recipe, and I tend to throw in something different every time.  The last time I made it, I really changed it up using a mixture of ricotta and goat cheese, Alfredo and pesto sauces and mushrooms in the filling.

The final irony is that youngest child is a lasagna addict.  She will choose lasagna or ravioli over most other things.  Last week wen we were in the grocery store, she said, "Mom, I love going to Grandma's.  She'll make me Stouffer's lasagna whenever I want.  It's the best."  No words.