.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} Whether it is a busy night, dinner guests or even a holiday meal, Entrees Made Easy, located in Clive, has a varied and fresh menu to facilitate the occasion.

“You can assemble meals on your own, take out or pick up meals from the freezer, leaving things out according to your taste,” said Anne Case, co-owner with her husband, Ryan Case, of Clive’s Entrees Made Easy location.

Entrees Made Easy features 15 meals a month, with recipes and ingredients set up at different stations for assembly. The customer determines the portions and what goes in. Side dishes are included with the meals; all are made with fresh ingredients and herbs. Anne said they cook their own sauces and process meats in the store.

The meal service supplies anyone from stay-at-home moms to working women, other professionals and private parties, Anne said.

“We seem to get more females that assemble their meals,” she said. “The men generally get their meals out of the freezer.”

The Cases looked into opening a business after Ryan expressed interest. Anne said Ryan, who has his own computer consulting business, has “always been an entrepreneur.”

After researching their options, the Cases chose Entrees Made Easy for their business venture because of the quality of the product and the age of the franchise.

“Because it is a newer franchise, they basically let us run things the way we want,” she said.

Anne added; “My husband does more of the operations, bookkeeping and finances. He also takes care of any problems with the building. I divide my time between marketing and helping in the store.”

Working in the marketing field for around 13 years and being a working mother, Anne could connect with the idea of Entrees Made Easy.

“As a person who worked 40-plus hours a week, I fell in love with the concept,” she said. “As a working mom you can only eat out so much.”

The proximity to their home and the development in Clive helped the Cases decide on the location.

“We have lived in Clive for the past 10 years,” Ann said. “The growth is obvious, and it is not stopping. The concept fits the people that live out here.”

Entrees Made Easy is located on busy Hickman Road in Clive, but near Waukee, Urbandale and West Des Moines. The business’ setting is beneficial because it can serve residents from all the cities. However, Anne said being at the crossroads of four cities can make marketing more complicated.