Cheating
Fine, we are snobs. We don’t condone cheating. Cheating is basically cooking like Sandra Lee, using mostly store bought ingredients, like seasoning packets, bottled marinades and chemical “lime juice.” Not that we preach organics (although local is key) nor do we expect that the mayo in your dip is made from scratch. We do appreciate, if not demand, however, an attempt to create as much as possible in a dish.
Feel free to share your readymade hatreds or embarrasing short-cuts
Major Offenders:
Instant Rice
French Onion Dip Mix
Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
Pre-made Marinades
Spice blend packets
Sandra Lee
Pie Crust, but only if you boast – this pie is homemade
Kraft Singles
You won’t be kicked off the Blog:
Marinara Sauce
Chicken Stock/Broth
Mayonnaise
on June 28th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Wait. I love Sandra Lee. She makes me feel like I can actually cook without getting overwhelmed. That, and I’m obsessed with how skinny she is and yet has enormous breasts.
Rachael rae sucks.
on December 19th, 2007 at 8:30 am
ok, obviously you all don’t have kids. Sandra Lee is a recent discovery of mine and I love her show! Working full time and then coming home to have to fix dinner for 2 kids and spouse means taking short cuts. Period. Otherwise it would be take out everynight. And by take out, I mean Taco Bell, McDonalds or KFC. Choose your poison and your battles wisely!
on January 23rd, 2008 at 10:38 am
Every casserole my mother has ever made has started with a can of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup. That isn’t the sort of ish you can just whip up. If cream of mushroom is cheating, then why is chicken broth - which is much easier to make - excused?
on January 25th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
The world works in mysterious ways young Timothy. Perhaps you are looking too hard at what is cheating and too little at what is not.
on January 25th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Yeah, whatever Mr. Miyagi.
on January 25th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup is basically a bunch of chemicals thrown together. Why can’t the cook just chop up mushrooms, fry up an onion with spices, throw in heavy cream and broth and call it a day. Total cooking time - under 45 minutes.
Stock on the other hand takes hours.
on January 25th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I think my answer provided more insight.
on March 7th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Hmm… stock doesn’t have to take hours! I’m not a fan of Sandra Lee, but I think shortcuts- not quite like hers- are okay every once in a while..
Also, to the VA hostage (?) - you’ve got to be kidding me. Half of her shortcuts actually take longer than doing the damn thing from scratch, and most of them contain excessive sodium or fat or hydrogenated badness and all that other bad crap. You’d almost be better off eating KFC since they don’t use trans-fats anymore. Hah. Rachael Ray may be annoying to listen to, but at least her 30 minute meals are actually quick and don’t force you to use all this pre-made crap (most of the time).
on March 7th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Oh right the link: http://groceryguy.blogspot.com/2006/12/making-stock-for-lazy-people.html