And I don't. But I have been thinking about this and I think I want clarify.
It's not the idea of "semi-homemade" that i don't like. I've been cooking that way for years. It's Sandra Lee's execution of Semi-Homemade that I don't like.
Look, we are all busy, whether we have families or not. Work, recreation, friends, etc all take up lots of our time and sometimes, the time we spend in the kitchen suffers. Who hasn't been known to nuke a Lean Cuisine and call it dinner on a busy Tuesday night?
Semi-Homemade, according to Sandra Lee, is using 70% packaged and store bought with 30% fresh ingredients to make delicious meals. (or words to that effect). And again, I have no problem with that, conceptually. Where her recipes falter is in their use of over-processed packaged goods.
For example:
- Prep Time:
- 10 min
- Inactive Prep Time:
- 1 hr 30 min
- Cook Time:
- 10 min
- Level:
- Easy
- Serves:
- 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in chicken breast halves
- 1 can (10 ounces) frozen margarita mix (recommended: Bacardi), thawed
- 2/3 cup tequila
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chicken seasoning (recommended: McCormick's Grill Mates)
Directions
Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry; set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Place the chicken and marinade in large resealable plastic bag. Squeeze out the air and seal. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
Set up the grill for direct cooking over medium heat and oil grate when ready to start cooking. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Place chicken on hot oiled grill and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until done.
INDOOR: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare chicken breasts as directed. Roast chicken breasts in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes.
I don't have any problem with using "Grill Mates" seasoning for chicken (I prefer Penzeys seasonings but I have used Grill Mates in the past, nothing wrong with it). The problem I have is in the Bacardi frozen Margarita mix. Why does this marinade need so much sugar/corn syrup?
In fact, why does one need margarita mix at all? A Margarita is lime juice, Triple Sec and tequila. Shaken over crushed ice or whirred in a blender with ice for a frozen marg. What could be simpler? And wouldn't this marinade be MUCH brighter with 3/4 cup of lime juice, plus 1/4 cup of orange juice (for the orange component in the marg) instead of that diluted Marg mix? It would be less expensive and taste better to use fruit juices. And if you wanted to stick with the "semi-homemade" concept, use bottled fruit juices.
I can see building an arroz con pollo or similar dish out of a package of Carolina "yellow" rice. That's semi-homemade. I can see marinating chicken in salad dressing, rather than mixing up a homemade marinade. I can see using canned beans in chili rather than starting from dry. I understand taking a roasted chicken from the supermarket (ready cooked) and using it to make other things. I can even see using a can of cream of mushroom soup as a starter for a "white sauce" for something if you're in a real time-bind. There are convenience items out there and frankly, some of them aren't terrible. But some of them are. The idea of Semi-Homemade is a good one. It's just knowing what's good and what's not and what's worth "skimping" on, and what's not.
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