Traditional Green Bean Casserole Made Easier with Bob Evans
Contact:
Tammy Roberts Myers
(614) 492-4954
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- March 19, 2007 -- The term "casserole" has had a long and interesting history. First printed in English in 1708, the word came from the French as the name of the dish used for baking. The idea of casserole cooking became popular in America during the depression as an economical way to feed a large family, and then saw a resurgence in the 1950s when "the virtues of easy-to-prepare meals were increasingly promoted in the women's magazines of the era, thereby supposedly freeing the housewife from the lengthy drudgery of the kitchen."*
Fast forward to 2007 and Bob Evans Farms is looking to add a footnote to this history with its introduction of the Bob Evans Green Bean Casserole. Promising to taste "like mom used to make," Bob Evans' Green Bean Casserole features fresh cut green beans with mushroom sauce and crunchy onion topping in a convenient microwaveable container. However, the Bob Evans version of the dish reduces the preparation and cooking time from the traditional 40 minutes to less than five minutes.
Scheduled to be introduced into the refrigerated section of Ohio grocery stores in March, the 14.5-ounce microwaveable container holds three servings and has a suggested retail price of $3.89 to $3.99.
"Green bean casserole is a favorite dish, but many people only have the time to prepare it for holidays and special occasions," said Bob Evans Farms Executive Vice President of Food Products Mike Townsley. "With the Bob Evans Green Bean Casserole ready to take from your refrigerator to your dinner table in less than five minutes, we're helping families make every day a special occasion."
The casserole is the latest in Bob Evans' line of refrigerated meal solutions. Other side dishes in the line includes macaroni & cheese and mashed potatoes in original, garlic, sour cream & chives, Texas and cheddar varieties. Bob Evans' refrigerated Slow Roasted entrees include meatloaf, beef stew, pot roast with gravy, turkey breast with gravy and pork roast with gravy. Also featured in the Bob Evans refrigerated line are chicken & noodles and sausage chili.
Bob Evans Farms Inc. (Nasdaq: BOBE) is a leading producer and distributor of pork sausage and a variety of complementary homestyle convenience food items under the Bob Evans and Owens brand names, which are available in 30 states. Bob Evans also owns and operates 591 full-service, family restaurants in 18 states primarily located in the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States. In addition, the company operates 109 Mimi's Café casual restaurants located in 19 states, primarily in California and other western states. For more information about Bob Evans Farms Inc., visit the company's Web site at www.bobevans.com.
*The Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman: New York] 1999 (p. 59)
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