Weeknight meals made easy

(BPT) - For most busy Americans, cooking weeknight dinners can be challenging. Hectic schedules and weariness from the day's activities often prompt many to reach for the takeout menu instead of opting for quick and convenient meal solutions prepared right in their own kitchen.

Celebrity Chef Tyler Florence knows firsthand how hectic weeknight meal prep can be. In addition to managing three busy restaurants and writing several new cookbooks, he also is the father of three growing kids. To help make weeknight meals extraordinary, Florence, who recently teamed up with Alexia Foods, suggests focusing on the main dish and getting a little help on the sides.

"Planning and preparing meals on a weeknight can be daunting, especially when you're feeding a family," says Florence. "Rather than making everything from scratch, I concentrate on the main entree and let gourmet-inspired products like Alexia Sweet Potato Puffs or Alexia Oven Reds help with the rest. These delicious side dishes are the perfect complement to any meal and go from freezer to table in around 20 minutes."

In addition to helping save time in the kitchen, consumers are invited to help decide the next great french fry flavor by visiting Facebook.com/AlexiaFoods and clicking on the "Reinvent a Classic" tab. Florence has created a simple, yet tasty meal featuring last year's "Reinvent a Classic" fan favorite - Parmesan Lemon Waffle Fries - for an easy weeknight meal.

Tuna Melt Fries
Makes 12 to 15 servings

Ingredients:
2 6-ounce cans of tuna fish (packed in oil)
1/2 red onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 celery branches
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1 20-ounce bag Alexia Parmesan Lemon Waffle Fries
12 small slices of cheddar cheese
3 Roma tomatoes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain oil from tuna and add to a large mixing bowl. Finely dice the half of red onion and celery branches and add to the bowl with the tuna. Add the mayonnaise, salt and pepper to the bowl and combine ingredients.

Bake the Parmesan Lemon Waffle Fries according to the package instructions. When finished, remove the fries from the oven and top each fry with a spoonful of the tuna mixture. Place a slice of cheddar cheese on top of each and return to the oven until the cheese melts. Remove from the oven and top each fry with a slice of Roma tomato. Serve immediately.