Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I agree with the OP in that it is the superior attitude some people have regarding cooking that is irritating.
In the summer, I grow heirloom tomatoes and cilantro (super easy to do here) and I make tons of salsa. Yes, I buy the white onion (must be white – family tradition), jalapeno peppers, limes, and salt from the store. But, it’s the tomatoes that make it delicious.
Anyway, I used to work with one of these self-proclaimed foodies. I mentioned making salsa as a wonderful summer ritual and she said, “Oh yes, I make it from scratch too.” When I asked her about her recipe, she said that she starts with a JAR OF SALSA FROM THE STORE. Then she doctors it up with other stuff.
I use ranch dressing mix on a few things because I like the flavor it it, and I would still consider them homemade items since I'm starting with raw meat and all the other ingredients are fresh. It's not like I grow the rest of my spices and herbs after all. And I happen to like the flavor of beef stew with Lipton Onion Soup mix.
So I guess I'm not really in a position to criticize someone for the Mississippi Roast but yeah, somehow "a packet of this and a packet of that and a stick of butter" just doesn't make it sound all that appealing.
But I found a non-packet recipe and really, is it that different? Processed food mayonnaise mixed with processed apple cider vinegar and a few dried spices. Doesn't seem like using a premade packet of ranch dressing is such a huge leap from that, really. I would use this cooking method and skip the au jus packet but I doubt I'd bother with making my own ranch dressing.
I use ranch dressing mix on a few things because I like the flavor it it, and I would still consider them homemade items since I'm starting with raw meat and all the other ingredients are fresh. It's not like I grow the rest of my spices and herbs after all. And I happen to like the flavor of beef stew with Lipton Onion Soup mix.
This. I'm currently visiting my sister, and the other night she made a really good dinner. She's a working single mom, so she gravitates to easy recipes, but this one impressed. It was turkey (could be done with chicken breasts, I suppose), quartered red skinned potatoes, and halved brussel sprouts, all cooked in the oven in the same dish. I asked for the recipe, and she told me that it was basically the three main ingredients with ranch dressing mix sprinkled on top and put in the oven for an hour. It actually surprised me. Perhaps it was the co-mingling of the flavors of the foods, but I didn't get that overwhelming ranch flavor that you sometimes get using the packet. I don't typically use ranch dressing mix, but this is one recipe I'll be adding to my repertoire.
You can make your own ranch seasoning mix from powdered buttermilk and about a dozen different spices. You're still using powdered milk and a bunch of spices that you didn't grow and dry yourself, so maybe that wouldn't be considered homemade.
When I make bread, I use flour, milk, butter, sugar and eggs that I didn't produce myself, so does that mean my bread isn't homemade?
When I make tortillas, I'm using flour and lard that I didn't make, so are they still homemade?
Considering that people seem to be cooking and eating at home less often than ever before, why do we want to judge them and insist that our own stuff is "more homemade" than theirs?
I almost never use canned goods. It took me 10 minutes to find the opener when I made something recently that used several canned tomato products.
I ALWAYS use canned tomatoes if it's not summer, when we grow them in our garden. Vastly preferable to mealy, out of season, bland store tomatoes. If homegrown isn't available, canned all the way.
I also almost exclusively use canned beans (red beans, white beans, navy beans, black beans, etc.), mainly because I rarely plan enough ahead to soak dried beans.
You can make your own ranch seasoning mix from powdered buttermilk and about a dozen different spices. You're still using powdered milk and a bunch of spices that you didn't grow and dry yourself, so maybe that wouldn't be considered homemade.
When I make bread, I use flour, milk, butter, sugar and eggs that I didn't produce myself, so does that mean my bread isn't homemade?
When I make tortillas, I'm using flour and lard that I didn't make, so are they still homemade?
Considering that people seem to be cooking and eating at home less often than ever before, why do we want to judge them and insist that our own stuff is "more homemade" than theirs?
Because it's clearly all a giant competition.
I remember when I was in hs band, and we did an annual spaghetti dinner fundraiser. Booster parents supplied brownies and cookies and such for dessert. I remember some parents would bring store-purchased baked goods, others would bake themselves. I remember one mom inquiring if the brownies were purchased, or homemade in a particular instance. The kid dropping them off said, "My mom baked them. " The lady literally turned up her nose and said, "Be honest, though...from a mix, right?" Give me an effin' break.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
