Entrees offer tender meat and recipe ideas

Item: Hormel Always Tender entrees

What you get: Six 3-ounce servings

Cost: About $6

Nutritional content: (Beef Roast Au Jus only) 120 calories; 6 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 300 milligrams sodium

Preparation time: 7 to 9 minutes in microwave, 12 to 14 minutes boiled in bag on stove top

Review: There are days when even a heat-and-serve entree feels like work. After all, the cook has to dream up appealing side dishes. Hormel's Always Tender line comes to the rescue with recipes inside the package. We used the Beef Roast Au Jus in the featured Country Pot Roast With Vegetables. Ready in 14 minutes (and that included microwaving potatoes and carrots I had on hand), the meat was fork-tender. My only quibble: The juices from the roast were a bit bland. The Meatloaf With Tomato Sauce suffered from a similar problem of taste.