Semi-Ho Sandra Lee

Can I be allowed one more rant? Promise I'll get back to the food in the next post. Let's discuss the train wreck that is Sandra Lee and her "semi-homemade" philosophy. How does this woman have a cooking show? For those who have not yet experienced the wonders of Sandra Lee, check out her Kwanzaa Cake, because nothing spells "delicious" like cold apple pie filling and Corn Nuts on a store-bought cake.

Yes, Corn Nuts. Seriously.

See, Sandra has a method behind her madness. She calls it the 70/30 philosophy. According to the Ore-Ida pre-packaged potato website, which includes her bio as their official spokesperson, her concoctions combine "70% ready-made products with 30% fresh and creative touches". So the core of your meals come out of a package, while fresh produce, meat, and dairy is considered a garnish. No wonder Ore-Ida loves her.

Hey, I agree that convenience items have their place, and I have the Annie's boxed mac-and-cheese in my cupboard to prove it. However, Ms. Lee takes this to dangerous level. Any nutritionist will tell you that a majority of what you eat should come from the periphery of the grocery store - that's where you'll find the fresh, healthy food. By advising people to flip this around and focus on the center aisles is irresponsible at best.

And don't get me started on her holiday Christmas wreath thingy.

Ok, I'm done. Details from Sunday's baking marathon to come.