Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I think this represents the fall of Western culture as we once knew it.

"Semi-Homemade Magazine" makes me think of a glue stick, scissors, construction paper, and a lot of pages ripped out from other, legit publications.

Oh, dear. How many children will grow up thinking that the only way to make a cake is to buy a box (or already made!) and add your own sprinkles (or, in the case of the Kwanzaa cake, destroy culture and your taste buds in one fell swoop?)? You know there will be a whole section dedicated to "tablescapes"? I might just buy the magazine to line my kitty litter box, but I think even my cat has better taste. =)

I almost feel bad about being mean--but then, it's Sandra Lee!

AAARGH SO ANGRY.

I hope it folds. I'm bitchy like that. Why does she even have a show?

I don't mind fudging an occasional recipe with a bottle of pre-made Korma sauce or packet of gravy mix if i don't feel like working too much. Or speeding up a marinade by building it on half a bottle of some kind of vinaigrette. But I don't need a magazine to tell me how to do it.

Personality wise Sandra Lee is the older, slightly alcoholic (tablescapes and drinks every show), less marsha bradyesq sister of Rachel Ray. The few times I've watched her show (cleaning/laudry days don't shoot me) I don't find myself wanting to jump through the tv and throttle her. I can't even be mad she ventures into magazine land. Truth be told her "meals" are not hard to make. If processed foods needed a queen she would be it.

Lord, does anyone remember the episode that had her make a 'special' dessert for some niece or kid, vanilla wafers with boxed vanilla pudding and a banana slice squished on top.

shudder...

I'm sure the kid felt very special....and shaky from the sugar overload.

It's the circle of life, isn't it? Our mothers (well, mine) grew up on Julia Child making everything from scratch, then my generation comes along, eschewing the whole thing in favor of 30 minute meals and semi-homemade crap-on-a-stick.

The kids being born today will grow up eventually, and want stuff that tastes better. Rachael and Sandra will be considered dinosaurs to them. And someday, they will get their own Julia Child. Someday.

Do you remember MTV's claymation Celebrity Death Match? Man alive, I'd love to see Alice Waters and Sandra Lee duke it out.

I'm no Sandra fan, but on the other hand, not everyone is an accomplished cook. My mother sure never watched Julia Child or made anything from scratch. I never saw her use any seasoning other than salt and pepper, and a side dish of iceberg lettuce with a sliced tomato (no dressing) was as close as we came to "salad". So let's not assume that we're all whipping up homemade ravioli, using wonton wrappers "intuitively."

Yes, Ms. Lee carries things way too far, but I'd much rather watch Rachael Ray show me how to chop an onion, explain what to stock in the pantry, or endlessly repeat a simple tip like "nutmeg goes good with spinach", than see some intimidating, upscale restaurant chef show off how fast he can crack eggs with one hand or flambe something, or rattle off a list of ingredients I never heard of. Maybe someone who ONLY uses processed food (horrors!) can benefit from a little Aunt Sandy.

"Lord, does anyone remember the episode that had her make a 'special' dessert for some niece or kid, vanilla wafers with boxed vanilla pudding and a banana slice squished on top.

shudder...

I'm sure the kid felt very special....and shaky from the sugar overload."

That is actually not that different form how Magnolia makes their famed banana pudding.

Also, while I do not agree with her cooking techniques, you have to remember, that most of America does cook from a lot of processed stuff.... no need to be super snobby about it.

Is she even really, like, worth a comment? Come on.

I'm pretty sure that most people who watch her show are doing it for the comedy. I know I do. Her Christmas shows are a holiday tradition in my house. Bjorn, the cocktail tree, the Kakes of Kultural Insensitivity. It's not Christmas without those things.

So, the Food Networkand publishers should only cater to self important Food snobs rather than teach people to overcome their fear of cooking in Baby steps? Granted this was the cooking I did as a latch key kid at 6 years old, but it was a first step to learning real skills.

Maybe this is just all jealousy as she will make tall dollars off her sponsors while the rest of you can only complain how she is dumbing down your 24/ 7 viewing of the Food Channel. Or even worse,maybe this is actually better tasting than some of the swill that passes for High cuisine on some of the other shows. The really sad thing is that so many are whining about specific content of the show, turn the friggin tube off and really do something constuctive, don't sit there and watch it.

justpassingthrough:

It has excellent recipes and decorating ideas. There is a middle ground between Julia Child and McDonald's.

I cannot believe how many negative comments were entered. What a bunch of snobs.

What's wrong with stretching your brain a little bit and learning things you didn't know before that will make you LESS reliant on the packaged food industry and save you money?

Meat guy:

So, the Food Networkand publishers should only cater to self important Food snobs rather than teach people to overcome their fear of cooking in Baby steps?