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Are you the leap-before-you-look type? Do you run headlong into barriers again and again without even seeing them first? Do you constantly stick your foot in your mouth and then think about it later and realize just what it was that you did or said wrong...? I don't know if I'm quite that bad, but I do think I am headstrong and sometimes just a little too fearless for most people around me. When I was younger I was much worse, and rarely cared about how what I said or did affected people around me. Lately I care and I take the necessary steps to tone down my negative commentary and my strong opinions. Though, even with that filter in place, I fear I may have hit a nerve in a few people with my last post/rant.

So allow me to explain myself just slightly. There is nothing wrong with "help" in the kitchen. There is nothing erroneous about left-overs. There absolutely nothing wicked with buying (if you eat it) ketchup, or (if you like it) Cheese Whiz. If you prefer canned soup, then you are not going to die a slow and painful death. If you love your microwave and use it on a daily basis, you can still continue to call yourself a cook, if what you make with it pleases you and/or your family. If you take a few shortcuts to make a delicious meal it doesn't mean that you can't cook or that you care about cooking less than someone who makes their own pasta, pastry or soup stock.

I understand that time is precious - I am learning that on a daily basis with my son. Every hour is filled with something that needs to be done and cooking is generally the first thing to take a back seat to more important things. Why cook when you can order in or empty a box into a pan? Why spend hours making soup when you can grab a can and heat it on the stove in under five minutes? I think this way a lot of the time and I don't hold it against myself or kick myself for wanting to spend less time doing anything that doesn't involve snuggling my son.

My issue with Rachael Ray and Sandra Lee (and I'm sorry for singling them out again) is that they are teaching their audience that good food doesn't require effort. That you can have instant gratification if you are willing to sacrifice rich flavour and slow cooking in favor of boxed mixes or under cooked vegetables. Any of RR's recipes that I have tried I have had to cook longer in order for them to taste good and have the proper texture - an effort I am willing to put up for food that I know I will enjoy, even if it takes me a few more minutes or a little extra elbow grease.

But there are times when even The Domestic Goddess in me need a vacation. There are times when I want something but just can't find the time to make it entirely from scratch and I will, I admit, take a shortcut that I think is forgivable. I have in the past made my own puff pastry and will only do so again if l lose a bet or have a few days without my son and husband and need to kill some time. I have never made my own phyllo dough, and don't actually know anyone who has to be honest. To me, buying phyllo is a shortcut worth taking, especially when what you put into it is the real act of cooking.

So forgive my harsh words and keep cooking - in whatever capacity pleases you. As long as the results are what you want to eat then you are your very own genious in the kitchen!

Filed under:   Musings

Related Recipes   Simple Samosas

Comments:
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Jan 15, 2008:	Daniela I just came here to thank you for a wonderful recipe. My elder son (5) and I made the smaosas this morning, and we had to have lunch at 11:00, he refused to wait for lunchtime to eat them, and they were great.
Apr 8, 2007:	Karen Rachael bugs me but I agree with others that some of her recipes are things I would actually want to make. Sandra is another story. Scary. I don't know if I'm ever likely to make my own phyllo dough, but when I was in high school my German teacher invited us to his house to watch his wife make her own strudel dough, which is pretty similar, I believe. It was impressive to behold!
Apr 2, 2007:	Jennifer Chandler (www.myspace.com/jenlivleo) Words alone cannot express how much I loathe Sandra Lee and her show. My husband and I watch it for laughs, I kid you not. We especially love her "cocktail time" and all its ridiculousness. As for Rachael Ray, if she makes one more salad, I'm going to scream.
Mar 22, 2007:	barbie2be (http://barbie2be.blogspot.com) i vow right here and now to stop beating myself up over using things like canned tomato sauce. i always seem to feel like i am somehow cheating if i open a can of something. :(
Mar 22, 2007:	Christina An Indian lady I know uses flour tortillas as a samosa shortcut. You just cut the tortilla in half. Then dip your finger in water and wet all the edges of the half tortilla. Imagine the semi-circle divided into three triangular pie slices. Put the filling in the middle pie slice and fold the outer slices in one at a time so that each one completely covers the center pie slice. Press the edges firmly together and fry as usual. Although the finished product is not as light as "made from scratch," it really does work!
Mar 21, 2007:	ashleystravel (http://blog.ashleystravel.com) Yes, my husband always jokes that when I make a RR dish, it NEVER ends up taking just 30 minutes. But I do like some of her ideas. She is partly what started my joy of experimenting in the kitchen, I could never just leave her recipes 'as-is.' So thank you RR for helping me grow as a cook, even if it was unintentional. And thank you Domestic Goddess for you wonderful posts (although I do disagree - there IS something wrong with buying Cheese Whiz, hehehe).
Mar 21, 2007:	Sucar (http://sucar.blogspot.com/) I think one of the traits that foodies have in common is the one you label as 'headstrong'. Last week my coworker was talking about making pancakes for breakfast. I was so excited that I blurted out "What's your recipe?" (My son loves pancakes and I'm always up for a new recipe). My coworker looked very confused and said she used a box mix. Before I could stop myself, I blurted out a big "What?". Sigh. Many apologies later, my coworker is still my friend but I doubt she will proudly tell me of any weekend cooking expeditions. Really, I am happy when people cook what they like, when they like it and I have to remind myself that my definition of a satisfying meal is not the same as another's-including other foodies. As always, I enjoy your blog-keep it up!
Mar 21, 2007:	stéphane (http://monkavenue.blogspot.com/) As long as there is som fun in the cooking, and some pleasure in the eating... Nice blog.
Mar 21, 2007:	chef kc (http://www.chefkc.blogspot.com/) great insights!
Mar 19, 2007:	Monika Korngut (http://www.monikakorngut.com/main.htm) I know what you mean, your words were not too harsh. Its just how you feel and its admirable that you can do all that on daily basis, or on almost daily basis. I do strive for the same with the occasional bottle of ketchup or a quick steaming of vegetables in the microwave. :-) I have never seen Sandra Lee's show but RR has a lot of short cuts. I watch her show occasionally but I don't cook from her recipes. The few times I did, I also found it took me more time than 30 min to finish making the meal. I do think that she might inspire a few people to start cooking at home as opposed to going to yet another fast food place to pick up dinner. I hope in the future those people will take on greater culinary challenges.
Mar 19, 2007:	Abby (shallwecook.blogspot.com) RR irks me - too perky - but I get her schtick. Decent food, little time. Sandra Lee is different. None of her food is cooked! At least RR turns on the stove. And who cooks in cocktail dresses and heels? Too Junior League for my taste. (No offense to all the JL-ers.) And take-out? A freaking God-send. I love to cook, but the people who have time to do it every. single. day. irk me, too!
Mar 18, 2007:	Mary (www.ceresandbacchus.com) I try to make lots of chicken stock at once, plan ahead for leftovers (have you ever done the make lots of meatballs and use the rest of the mix for a meatloaf trick? You just freeze the meatloaf and however many of the meatballs you don't need for that night's dinner and use them when you're crunched for time). I haven't given in to the pre-roasted grocery store chickens yet, but some days are so hectic that I'd be happy to be able to pick one up on my way home. And I don't even have a kid. Homemade anything is usually better, but the reality is that we don't always have time or money. The solution? Compromise. Use the best you can afford to feed your family the best food possible. Recognize that other's taste is not always yours. I think that this post and others that have recently popped up elsewhere have raised some interesting questions related to issues of the domestic sphere that go beyond the search for the best recipe. I am happy to hear your opinions and don't believe that any apologies are necessary on your part. Keep up the good work. And if you want a killer recipe for samosa dough, I'll be happy to share it (offered with humour, I hope it's taken that way).
Mar 18, 2007:	Deborah Dowd (http://play-with-food.blogspot.com) This is a continuing discussion around the blogosphere. I am with you in that anything that encourages someone to make a real meal instead of serving something already prepared is great by me. I don't even mind either Sandra or RR. Sandra tries to work within the constraints many young families have and still make a meal an occasion. And RR is a great source of ideas. Just like you progress from a tricycle to training wheels to a bike and then a car, You should expect that people who love cooking and food will want to mature as well!
Mar 18, 2007:	marjorie Your words weren't harsh at all, just true. I agree, Rachel Ray and Sandra Lee (why does this woman have a television show?) feed into the "fast food" mentality of peoples' relationship with food today. This is how I, at least, took your words. I don't think it has to do with whether you make your own ketchup, but rather the state of mind one has toward cooking.