Sandra Lee - Real Foodies, please read...

[Kerryclan]

...is it me, or did you guys also hear her call the beef "plank" steak?

And I still would like to know how you are supposed to eat the coconut shrimp. It looked like soup but it isn't, and she never suggested putting it on rice or anything. Maybe if she hadn't used tiny pre-cooked shrimp and lots of liquid, I dunno. Where are the technical advisers on this show???

[chiffonade]

Originally Posted by Kerryclan

...is it me, or did you guys also hear her call the beef "plank" steak?

You may very well be right. She has a tough time pronouncing things. "Roasted pepper" comes out "Rose pepper" and she had a bear of a time with remoulade.

And I still would like to know how you are supposed to eat the coconut shrimp. It looked like soup but it isn't, and she never suggested putting it on rice or anything. Maybe if she hadn't used tiny pre-cooked shrimp and lots of liquid, I dunno. Where are the technical advisers on this show???

I believe the shrimp goo was supposed to be "sauce" although she didn't whip up a boil in bag Success rice to go with it. Technical advisers are trying to get in the witness protection program so they're too busy to actually do anything for her.

[Kerryclan]

Yesterday was "Garden Italian" at Semi-Homemade. She mixed mascarpone with cool whip and tarragon and put it in a parfait with frozen peaches. Yes, frozen peaches in August. She also added plastic squeeze lemon to veal piccata. The mind boggles.

Okay, I'll go back to lurking now. Thank you.

[chiffonade]

Originally Posted by Kerryclan

Yesterday was "Garden Italian" at Semi-Homemade. She mixed mascarpone with cool whip and tarragon and put it in a parfait with frozen peaches. Yes, frozen peaches in August. She also added a whole cup of bottled lime juice and plastic squeeze lemon to veal piccata. The mind boggles.

Okay, I'll go back to lurking now. Thank you.

I have a review in the works about this ep. She used plastic fake lemon juice to make the sauce of the piccata - then used fresh lemon to garnish.

Is it any wonder I keep my sanity after viewing this torturous show?

[Kerryclan]

Can't wait for your review, Chiffonade! I don't watch this nonsense too much anymore, just occassionally to see if there's any improvement or for a laugh. And, I didn't get to see this entire episode, so I'm sure I missed some crazy stuff.

You know, I think I've finally figured out why this show is on the air and on Food Network. As I've been unable to figure out who the target audience is (not younger inexperienced cooks, they already cook this way, not the average home cook, they know better, and certainly not foodies or experienced cooks, they'd rather starve) after some research, I've concluded that there is no target audience!

It is simply an ongoing commercial to promote certain sponsor's products. This explains the exclusive use of cool whip (Kraft), the misuse of almonds (CA Almond Board), and a few others whose products are constantly and often unnecessarily/incorrectly used.

I still think the concept of a Semi-Homemade show is good. Just wish it showed things like: using a chocolate cake mix, adding some jarred and fresh cherries, and liquere for filling, fresh whipped cream and lo and behold - a semi-homemade Black Forest Cake. But, that is not what's happening here. Unfortunate. Perhaps if a good cook/chef was involved and it wasn't as sponsor driven, it would be helpful and not a joke. Just my opinion.

[Mezzaluna]

Wait... it's not really "marscapone" cheese?

I saw the Italian show too. She didn't pound the veal either, although her recipe on FoodTV.com says to do that. That was at least $20 of meat she fried in that pan; the heat was too high. The peaches on the mascarpone cheese actually looked good, but the amount of the cheese mixture seemed like way too much- just a big lump of very rich cheese.

I agree about the processed food marketing ploy. She does use a ton of Kraft foods. Take a look at their U.S. product list, and see for yourself here . I know Kraft products are pretty pervasive since they've bought up a lot of other companies, but she makes pretty prominent use of some things. I'll be curious to keep an eye on how she handles them and uses them. I already noted that in one episode, the Kitchen Aid name on the mixer had been pixillated to make it unreadable. Lately I've seen her using a mixer that's not a KA- maybe a Sunbeam or something. Certainly, she's doing a lot to promote ZipLock bags!

[amcardon]

I just spent the last hour or so reading all the posts in this thread. I seriously think I've lost 5 lbs in the workout my lungs and abs just received! I had a roommate who actually watched both LBH and the Semi-Ho on MUTE! Eye candy (and, in my opinion, not all that great eye candy...). I am a very amateur cook and thoroughly enjoy it. When I first saw that there was a show called Semi-Homemade I was actually excited, maybe there really is a way to cut huge corners and make good food... I was dead wrong! The first time I watched the show I laughed my butt off! I couldn't believe the crap she was throwing together! I don't want to sound too repetitious but her show should be shown on Comedy Central... As for the posts about Rachel Ray, since the last person commented on her the infestation has grown much, much worse I believe... She has like 5 shows on FN now, it's ridiculous! I too cannot stand her annoying laugh and the exact same response she gives to every single thing she eats. I don't understand what the execs are thinking. I hate the fact that the world has become so accepting and craving for reality tv shows. FN seems to be following suit and it truly is a sad decline. I don't care for Emeril and especially his band. They play the same songs every episode and it just about puts me in a seizure. Anyway, there's my rambling 2 cents.

Thanks for the good laugh!

[Shaolin Bushido]

Man, I bet I'm not the only one who's been nearly frightened to death of posting in this thread especially with a dissenting opinon. Interrupting the orgy of criticism that she's inspired here with her show is a tad daunting.

I can almost hear the blood curdling yowls of the pack as she's held down by her golden curls and has her eyes e-scratched out and hurled to the appreciative pack!

Is it possible her looks has anything to do with the near unanimous and enthusiastic lambasting of her show and abilities?

No doubt there's politics and commercial considerations that influence who and what is aired on the Food Network like all the rest of them and those of you who are involved in the industry probably can attest to many instances of this on virtually every show on tv.

Of course, I'm no authority on cooking ... but I have witnessed a few episodes of envy and "hater-ism" in my time. This looks like one of those times. I don't make it a point to be there for each episode of her show either and like several other shows much more(actually Fine Living channel is catching my eye more these days) but this lady is being CRUCIFIED ... perhaps with some reason. meh, a different perspective and YES, I'm a guy. There are other channels I can tune to though if I just want to see a bit of fluff.

Just an observation and a bit of humor ... no offense intended. I'd hate to incur the ire or lasting enmity of any of you.

Anywho ... I just change the channel when I view something as offensive as she seems to be to some of y'all. It works. cheers.

[chiffonade]

After three days of thinking about it, I finally figured out what I find so offensive about this ep. Sandra has reduced the cuisine of my heritage to envelope salad dressing and tarragon, neither of which any self-respecting Italian would use. The last Italian ep was merely a comedy. This is an insult. And a disgrace.

Sandra’s choice of kitchen attire is more than a little offputting. Does she think that we, the people who actually cook, don’t own any good clothes? We just don’t cook in them! As many parties, formal dinners, impromptu get-togethers, shindigs and soirees as I have thrown, I have never cooked in my party clothes. The other thing I found disturbing was her wispy blonde hair flopping about. I have hair nearly down to my waist and it’s always restrained when I’m cooking.

Herb Almond Tapenade

This technique is how Sandra Lee made her reputation (as bad as it is). She takes a complete food product, mixes in a few other things and calls it “her creation.” What’s so hilarious is what she adds to these foods. For instance, when she’s in the kitchen, slinging her semi-homemade crap, there’s nary a fresh herb in sight. However, she whips out bunches of fresh herbs, pinches off a few leaves of each, adds it to the tapenade and proclaims it “herb tapenade.” Sandy – here’s a hint: If you can score that many fresh herbs, use them in your cooking in more than token amounts and step away from the dried stuff.

Veal Piccata

I was intrigued when Shamdra opened the show by saying, “I’ve perfected the recipe for veal piccata.” Having not seen the recipe, I guessed she either used powdered sauce mix or plastic bubble lemon juice. The lemon juice won. She explained not pounding the veal by explaining that she “had the butcher do it.” Any treatment done to meat increases the price per pound. Veal is expensive enough without being further processed by the butcher. Despite beautiful meat, the plastic bubble lemon juice killed this recipe. Don’t worry, I blew taps for the veal.

Shamdra mounts the sauce with butter but uses a wooden spoon. She rarely uses the right tool for the job – which would have been a whisk.

Also, remember to garnish with fresh lemon so your friends’ taste buds might be tricked into thinking you used fresh lemon juice for the recipe. Everyone knows fresh lemon is for GARNISH only. (Success rate for this bit of skullduggery escalates after the cocktail is served.)

We are also treated to a “whoot” and a “pop” in the same sentence; with a N-I-C-E not far behind. Also the dreaded “I want you to come in here…” Ugh.

Tomatoes & Arties Oreganata

The name of this recipe should be Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts A La Salad Dressing. Anything “oreganata” is simply dressed with a combination of (any and all of the following): Olive oil, parsley, oregano, basil, mint, garlic, bread crumbs, maybe a squeeze of fresh lemon. Why gak it up with Salad Dressing Powder? This could be a superior dish if the salad dressing were omitted. With the other herbs, it’s completely unnecessary and if need be, one could use the dreaded chopped garlic in the jar. I’d prefer to see that happen then to ruin perfectly good tomatoes and artie hearts with salad dressing powder.

[nails on blackboard]Peaches and Tarragon with “MAR”scapone Cream[/nails on blackboard]

This recipe offended on so many fronts, I almost don’t know where to begin.

OFFENSE #1. Every time she says MARSCAPONE, it’s like a jolt from a taser. Sandra’s mispronunciation of mascarpone was perfectly predictable, if not uncommon. John Q. Public might go into a store and inquire as to where he might find the MARSCAPONE but he is not getting paid as a “cooking instructor”. For the record, it’s pronounced mah-scarrrrrrrrr-PO-nay. (Being Italian, I chop off the final “a” .) Feel free to roll the “r” as long as you like.

OFFENSE #2. WTF. Frozen peaches in August? Everyone else has pointed this out and I won’t beat the poor dead horse but come on – what the **** is wrong with this woman?

OFFENSE #3. She takes an expensive item like mascarpone and mixes it with (gag) Cool Whip® then refers to the whole mess as a “mousse.” Next, she’ll be taking truffles (the mushroom kind) and slicing them onto Kraft Mac & Cheese. Why waste beautiful mascarpone by diluting its luxurious creaminess with fake whipped cream? DH gasped when she did this, then swore.

OFFENSE #4. The traditional cheese for cannoli cream is ricotta NOT mascarpone as Sandy Loo suggests.

OFFENSE #5. Tarragon? If she had beautiful ripe fresh peaches and if she made a whip of mascarpone with folded in whipped heavy cream and a drop of sugar and if she was in the mood to try something unconventional that didn’t require her to be horizontal, she could have used basil. Basil is a sweet tender herb and it sometimes finds its way into desserts or sweets. Let's face it - basil is less of a stretch here than tarragon.

OFFENSE #6 A rubber spatula to assemble? Were there no spoons on the set that day? She winds up slopping peaches onto the counter top. Right tool for right job, Sandy – learn it – live it.

The Tablescrape

The biggest offense here was the voluminous bunch of fresh herbs she used to decorate the table. Do I think that’s unattractive? Absolutely not – I do it myself. However, decorating is not my primary use for fresh herbs! It’s the same as using canned peaches in baking but fresh peaches in a bowl on the table. A big sham.

Italian food is so much more than what was presented here. It’s the freshness of the bounty, simply prepared so the integrity of the ingredients shines through. Italian food restores, nourishes, soothes, comforts and transforms empty grumbling grouches into smiling satiated happy souls. Italian food is comprised of hundreds of years of lessons from grandma and tried and true recipes from who-knows-where? They’ve been around so long that point of origin is no longer pertinent. Italian food is magic. Sandra Lee is a cheap trick – and a bad one at that.

[Someday]

Originally Posted by chiffonade

After three days of thinking about it, I finally figured out what I find so offensive about this ep. Sandra has reduced the cuisine of my heritage to envelope salad dressing and tarragon, neither of which any self-respecting Italian would use. The last Italian ep was merely a comedy. This is an insult. And a disgrace.

Sandra’s choice of kitchen attire is more than a little offputting. Does she think that we, the people who actually cook, don’t own any good clothes? We just don’t cook in them! As many parties, formal dinners, impromptu get-togethers, shindigs and soirees as I have thrown, I have never cooked in my party clothes. The other thing I found disturbing was her wispy blonde hair flopping about. I have hair nearly down to my waist and it’s always restrained when I’m cooking.

Herb Almond Tapenade

This technique is how Sandra Lee made her reputation (as bad as it is). She takes a complete food product, mixes in a few other things and calls it “her creation.” What’s so hilarious is what she adds to these foods. For instance, when she’s in the kitchen, slinging her semi-homemade crap, there’s nary a fresh herb in sight. However, she whips out bunches of fresh herbs, pinches off a few leaves of each, adds it to the tapenade and proclaims it “herb tapenade.” Sandy – here’s a hint: If you can score that many fresh herbs, use them in your cooking in more than token amounts and step away from the dried stuff.

Veal Piccata

I was intrigued when Shamdra opened the show by saying, “I’ve perfected the recipe for veal piccata.” Having not seen the recipe, I guessed she either used powdered sauce mix or plastic bubble lemon juice. The lemon juice won. She explained not pounding the veal by explaining that she “had the butcher do it.” Any treatment done to meat increases the price per pound. Veal is expensive enough without being further processed by the butcher. Despite beautiful meat, the plastic bubble lemon juice killed this recipe. Don’t worry, I blew taps for the veal.

Shamdra mounts the sauce with butter but uses a wooden spoon. She rarely uses the right tool for the job – which would have been a whisk.

Also, remember to garnish with fresh lemon so your friends’ taste buds might be tricked into thinking you used fresh lemon juice for the recipe. Everyone knows fresh lemon is for GARNISH only. (Success rate for this bit of skullduggery escalates after the cocktail is served.)

We are also treated to a “whoot” and a “pop” in the same sentence; with a N-I-C-E not far behind. Also the dreaded “I want you to come in here…” Ugh.

Tomatoes & Arties Oreganata

The name of this recipe should be Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts A La Salad Dressing. Anything “oreganata” is simply dressed with a combination of (any and all of the following): Olive oil, parsley, oregano, basil, mint, garlic, bread crumbs, maybe a squeeze of fresh lemon. Why gak it up with Salad Dressing Powder? This could be a superior dish if the salad dressing were omitted. With the other herbs, it’s completely unnecessary and if need be, one could use the dreaded chopped garlic in the jar. I’d prefer to see that happen then to ruin perfectly good tomatoes and artie hearts with salad dressing powder.

[nails on blackboard]Peaches and Tarragon with “MAR”scapone Cream[/nails on blackboard]

This recipe offended on so many fronts, I almost don’t know where to begin.

OFFENSE #1. Every time she says MARSCAPONE, it’s like a jolt from a taser. Sandra’s mispronunciation of mascarpone was perfectly predictable, if not uncommon. John Q. Public might go into a store and inquire as to where he might find the MARSCAPONE but he is not getting paid as a “cooking instructor”. For the record, it’s pronounced mah-scarrrrrrrrr-PO-nay. (Being Italian, I chop off the final “a” .) Feel free to roll the “r” as long as you like.

OFFENSE #2. WTF. Frozen peaches in August? Everyone else has pointed this out and I won’t beat the poor dead horse but come on – what the **** is wrong with this woman?

OFFENSE #3. She takes an expensive item like mascarpone and mixes it with (gag) Cool Whip® then refers to the whole mess as a “mousse.” Next, she’ll be taking truffles (the mushroom kind) and slicing them onto Kraft Mac & Cheese. Why waste beautiful mascarpone by diluting its luxurious creaminess with fake whipped cream? DH gasped when she did this, then swore.

OFFENSE #4. The traditional cheese for cannoli cream is ricotta NOT mascarpone as Sandy Loo suggests.

OFFENSE #5. Tarragon? If she had beautiful ripe fresh peaches and if she made a whip of mascarpone with folded in whipped heavy cream and a drop of sugar and if she was in the mood to try something unconventional that didn’t require her to be horizontal, she could have used basil. Basil is a sweet tender herb and it sometimes finds its way into desserts or sweets. Let's face it - basil is less of a stretch here than tarragon.

OFFENSE #6 A rubber spatula to assemble? Were there no spoons on the set that day? She winds up slopping peaches onto the counter top. Right tool for right job, Sandy – learn it – live it.

The Tablescrape

The biggest offense here was the voluminous bunch of fresh herbs she used to decorate the table. Do I think that’s unattractive? Absolutely not – I do it myself. However, decorating is not my primary use for fresh herbs! It’s the same as using canned peaches in baking but fresh peaches in a bowl on the table. A big sham.

Italian food is so much more than what was presented here. It’s the freshness of the bounty, simply prepared so the integrity of the ingredients shines through. Italian food restores, nourishes, soothes, comforts and transforms empty grumbling grouches into smiling satiated happy souls. Italian food is comprised of hundreds of years of lessons from grandma and tried and true recipes from who-knows-where? They’ve been around so long that point of origin is no longer pertinent. Italian food is magic. Sandra Lee is a cheap trick – and a bad one at that.

Now, is it really that bad? I understand to us that are culianarily apt this seems like an abomination and completely useless and crappy. I mean, you and me could probably whip up a very good olive tapanade in less than 10 mins, but you have to remember that a lot of people couldn't do that. Can you really expect the soccer mom with 3 screaming kids and a hungry cranky husband to go to the farmer's market every day and walk around until she becomes inspired and buys seasonal and fresh products to prepare each day?

I want to disclaim and say I've only seeen her show 1 time, and I didn't like it. Didn't teach me anything at all. Couldn't care less, and will never watch it again. But if I was a housemom, it might be helpful to add a few herbs to a prepared sauce to make it taste better. I mean, I add herbs and flavoring all the time to mayonaise to make it better. If I use prepared mayonaise to make nice and fresh tasting tartar sauce, or parsley/lemon juice mayo for sandwiches, does that make it BAD? I mean, I could easily make a cup of mayo in 10 mins in the blender or by hand, but I don't...

All I'm saying is that, yeah, for us, her show sucks, and I deride the TVFN for showing a constant stream of crap like this, but for some people it could be helpful.

It just seems really personal for some of you guys...just don't watch it. Just know that you hold yourself to a higher standard, be happy about that, and don't expect everyone to hold themselves to that same standard. Simple.

~Someday

PS--It's still better than driving your kids through McDonalds or taco bell 3 times a week...

[Kerryclan]

Shaolin Bushido, you said no offense intended, but I find a number of things in your post quite offensive. You liken critique of this show to an e- "cat fight." I guess you assume only women are critical of Semi-Homemade. You are wrong. This show and the kind of fare promoted have been harshly critiqued by men and women from the NY Times, Slate, food publications, and websites and forums all over the net.

To suggest that there is envy because of the host's looks is just as ridiculous and sexist. Would you being saying that if a much less physically attractive host were the subject of the criticism? I doubt it. Or, if male foodies were critical of an attractive male host who was incompetent and had a show promoting awful recipes and methods? Do you honestly think people wouldn't be just as critical if that were the case? I would be, I assure you. Give us some intellectual credit, please.

As far as the lambasting goes - hey, when you put yourself out there, you take what you get. Ms. Lee is certainly not the only public figure/celeb that's been lambasted. They laugh all the way to the bank.

Finally, when I watch this show, I do it for the humor. It's a guaranteed source of amusment. Even so, I wish it lived up to it's name in a good way and offered something of value to people. And that would be great even if the host was a gorgeous woman.

Cheers.

[Shaolin Bushido]

Oh well, the things you have a problem with were obviously unintentional and I told you I wasn't trying to upset anyone. Everything you claim to have seen in my post that offended you seems to be attributed to misinterpetation and/or misrepresentation and faulty logic ... so much so that it's impossible to even address each claim. Ironically your assumptions stereotype me as some chauvinist ogre and the evidence just isn't there to support you. I don't know why you choose to have a problem but that appears to be the case.

If you can read the posts without an objective of seeing what you'd like to see I think you'd easily see why I used that imagery. I didn't consciously think that all her critics were women either ... I didn't think that at all. As a matter of fact someone alluded to her dress on her shows and her looks in one of the other posts and that's why I mentioned it.

I took the time and reviewed most of the posts again and if you do the same you might not be as offended by my frank impressions. It's difficult to speak your mind, yet offend no one no matter how hard you try. As you've said, YOU found offense though I didn't address you specifically. I have noticed that there are a few others who agree with me regarding the way the posts were going so that's a bit encouraging. Then again, I'm not familiar with you and maybe no amount of apologies in advance and pointed conciliation would have appeased you.

To paraphrase Rudyard Kipling, ... "all men(and women) count with me, but none too much." I'll leave those comments as my final words on this subject.

[amcardon]

I haven't seen this much open controversy about a show that outraged some, provided comic relief for others, thoroughly offended many and still has high ratings since the first season of South Park...



...of which I am a HUGE fan

[chiffonade]

Originally Posted by Someday

Now, is it really that bad? I understand to us that are culianarily apt this seems like an abomination and completely useless and crappy. I mean, you and me could probably whip up a very good olive tapanade in less than 10 mins, but you have to remember that a lot of people couldn't do that. Can you really expect the soccer mom with 3 screaming kids and a hungry cranky husband to go to the farmer's market every day and walk around until she becomes inspired and buys seasonal and fresh products to prepare each day?

There is nothing wrong with purchasing tapenade from a salumeria - fresh made by someone who knows how. I frequently augment menus to include a few purchased items from favorite places and I never misrepresent that food as having been prepared by me. To present mass-marketed tapenade that's been transmogrified with a few added things, then tell people you made it is the sin. And if the soccer mom with three screaming kids and cranky husband doesn't take some time to do SOMETHING away from that mob, she's going to go all Andrea Yates on them. She needs to tell her husband, "By the way, don't make any plans for Saturday the 4th..." on which day she can cook her ***** off, go to a spa, hang with some friends - and remember she's human.

I want to disclaim and say I've only seeen her show 1 time, and I didn't like it. Didn't teach me anything at all. Couldn't care less, and will never watch it again. But if I was a housemom, it might be helpful to add a few herbs to a prepared sauce to make it taste better. I mean, I add herbs and flavoring all the time to mayonaise to make it better. If I use prepared mayonaise to make nice and fresh tasting tartar sauce, or parsley/lemon juice mayo for sandwiches, does that make it BAD? I mean, I could easily make a cup of mayo in 10 mins in the blender or by hand, but I don't...

Shortcuts are (unfortunately) a must in today's society where every minute is hyper budgeted. Adding herbs to mayo is hardly a sin but you've only seen the show once so you probably have missed a lifetime of abominations! Some leave you looking like this . The bagged angel food cake (that's already too sweet) decorated with canned icing to which she adds a spoon of extract to mask its origin but the fact that it's junk comes shining through anyway. One recent example of her cooking dementia was when she sprinkled powdered cheese sauce from a box of Mac & Cheese onto an ear of corn that was cooked 35 minutes in water, and was then to be reheated on the grill. (Who does she get to test this stuff and how much does she pay?)

Purchasing a bag of frozen broccoli or corn, canned low sodium stock in the pantry, keeping an array of canned beans, canned tomatoes etc. can get you from kitchen to table in short order - but people don't need to feed their families Sandra Lee's kind of garbage with the excuse that it takes less time.

All I'm saying is that, yeah, for us, her show sucks, and I deride the TVFN for showing a constant stream of crap like this, but for some people it could be helpful.

That thought is exactly why I tuned in the first time! I thought, "Great, I can glove bone a turkey with a paring knife but what I really need to know is how to get dinner on the table on a Wednesday night at warp speed." I knew I was watching the wrong show when she dumped a can of chicken with rice soup into poultry stuffing. Eventually I came to see how many instant and packaged "food" items she was using in the interest of time and with a total disregard for taste.

Also - I'm not above purchasing some good quality deli meats and great bread, a couple of tomatoes and lettuce on my way home from work. I'd rather have a well-made sandwich toasted in the oven a few minutes than eat Sandra Lee's contrived and revived canned and boxed parade of chemicals.

It just seems really personal for some of you guys...just don't watch it. Just know that you hold yourself to a higher standard, be happy about that, and don't expect everyone to hold themselves to that same standard. Simple.

It's INCREDIBLY personal to me that this individual who obviously has no place in the kitchen in front of a camera has arrived there most likely through no talent of her own. She's married to Bruce Karatz of KB "just add water" Homes who must shovel bazillions into her "career." What's even worse is that someone might start to think using all those chemical laced foods is a good idea. Sandra Lee is going to be responsible for more high blood pressure than Lays Potato Chips.

PS--It's still better than driving your kids through McDonalds or taco bell 3 times a week...

It's about even.

PS - You need to watch this show more frequently if you possibly can. The "holiday" shows are a real kick.