Semi-Homemade The Complete Cookbook [Hardcover-spiral]

Sandra Lee (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Fall into Cooking Featured Recipe: Herbed Pork Roast and Cranberry-Pine Nut Chutney from Semi-Homemade: The Complete Cookbook by Sandra Lee

Serves 4

Ingredients

PORK ROAST
2 1⁄2 pounds boneless pork loin roast, rinsed and patted dry
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons herbes de Provence, McCormick®
1 teaspoon onion powder, McCormick®
1 tablespoon crushed garlic, Christopher Ranch®
1 tablespoon lemon juice, ReaLemon®

CHUTNEY
1 can (16-ounce) whole cranberry sauce, Ocean Spray®
1⁄3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 teaspoon lemon juice, ReaLemon®
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence, McCormick®
1⁄4 teaspoon crushed garlic, Christopher Ranch®

Preheat oven to 450°F.

For the roast, season pork roast with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together herbes de Provence, onion powder, garlic, and lemon juice. Rub over pork roast and place roast in shallow roasting pan. Place roast in oven and reduce heat to 325°F. Roast for 30 minutes per pound or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. (Roast will continue to cook up to 170°F out of the oven.) Let pork roast rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

For the chutney, combine all chutney ingredients and stir thoroughly. Serve chutney at room temperature over pork roast.

Tip: Herbes de Provence is a blend of dry herbs most commonly used in southern France. It usually contains basil, fennel seeds, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, summer savory, and thyme.

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This new compilation is filled to the brim with 1,001 of Sandra Lee's most popular recipes including 200 brand new recipes from Sandra's personal recipe box and never-before-seen full-color photos taken at Sandra's new home, Lilly Pond, in Bedford Falls, NY.

Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade The Complete Cookbook serves up delicious recipes from 20 in depth, unique chapters like Sandra's Cooking Basics, Poultry & Beef, 20 Minute Meals, International Fare, Slow Cooker & One Pot Wonders and provides an insiders' view of Sandra's new kitchen, pantry and three at home eating areas-formal, family and kitchen dining. Sandra, who can often be seen on the Today show and Good Morning America, is thrilled to share with her readers, an exclusive chapter featuring cherished recipes from her sister, muse and frequent guest on Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee, Kimber Lee.

These quick and easy recipes, straight from Sandra Lee's dining room table to yours, are based on Sandra's Semi-Homemade philosophy and use roughly 70 percent ready-made products and 30 percent fresh ingredients, so you can take 100% of the credit.

• Includes 1,001 semi-homemade recipes-800 fan favorites from the show and 200 brand-new for this collection-the biggest Sandra Lee collection ever
• These family-friendly recipes featuring food for every dining occasion are quick to make and easy to put together
• An insider's look into the personal home of Sandra Lee and the re-launch of a brand-new, modernized Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee show on Food Network
• The first book Sandra has published in partnership with Food Network with extensive on-air promotion

For Sandra Lee fans, this is the ultimate Semi-Homemade collection, packed with all-time favorites, fresh fares and fun new recipes. Between the stresses and duties of family and work, it's tough to put a delicious meal that saves time and money on the table every night of the week. Thankfully, there's Sandra Lee!

Recipe Excerpts from Semi-Homemade The Complete Cookbook

Italian Baked Pork Chops

Mushroom Risotto

Blue Cheese-Crusted Filet Mignon

Product Details

• Hardcover-spiral: 576 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (October 12, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470874058
• ISBN-13: 978-0470874059
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 1.5 x 9.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sandra Lee has a passion for simple solutions that create dramatic results in all areas of home life. She is editor-in-chief of Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade magazine, the host of two highly rated television shows (the multi-Emmy-nominated Semi-Homemade Cooking and Sandra's Money Saving Meals), as well as a New York Times bestselling author of seventeen books. An internationally-acclaimed home and food expert, Sandra has revolutionized the way people think about traditional, time-consuming, "from-scratch" methods. With her trademark 70/30 philosophy, which combines 70% ready-made products with 30% fresh touches, Sandra creates aspirational meals and breathtaking living environments that are affordable and attainable, making her the foremost recognized advocate to every over-extended person.
Sandra's philosophy was born out of necessity and the challenges she faced throughout her childhood. The oldest of five children, Sandra was responsible for caring for her four younger siblings and managing the household. Forced to live on welfare and food stamps, Sandra quickly learned how to turn budget-friendly foods into delicious and special meals for her family while stretching every dollar and every minute.
In 1989, after attending the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Sandra was faced with her own home decorating dilemma: How to decorate her home with style and flair on a limited budget. She invented a quick, easy way to re-create her home and realized that others could use the same solutions. She invented her own line of patented home, garden and craft products and launched her company in 1993. Sandra quickly became the retailers "go-to-girl" for innovative, smart consumer products, working with Walmart, Target and QVC-USA. The product lines were so successful that she was asked to anchor the on-air launch of the home, garden and craft categories for QVC-United Kingdom and QVC-Germany. This success motivated Sandra to produce one of the first Do-It-Yourself home improvement video series, which sold over a million copies. Her product lines garnered numerous industry awards, including Wallcoverings, Windows & Interior Fashion's "Achiever of the Year" and Profitable Craft Merchandising's "Home Decorating Product of the Year."

Sandra then attended the world's leading culinary art institute, Le Cordon Bleu. She learned how to apply her Semi-Homemade(R) philosophy and savvy shortcuts towards gourmet recipes so that anyone could create and savor delicious dishes at home in less time and at a fraction of the cost. Since then, Sandra has become a New York Times bestselling author and has written sixteen cooking and entertaining books. She has sold more than 3 million books since the fall of 2005 and has been awarded the prestigious, International French Gourmand Award for "Best Easy Cookbook". In fall 2009, Sandra will release three new books: Easy Weeknight Wonders, Money Saving Slow Cooking and Cocktail Time.

Semi-Homemade(R) moved seamlessly from books to television, radio and the Internet. In 2003, her Food Network TV series, Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee, debuted as one of the highest-rated show launches in the network's history and celebrated its 200th episode in 2008. Nominated for numerous Daytime Emmy's, Semi-Homemade Cooking remains a top performing program. Sandra has also hosted ten one-hour primetime specials. Her personal story was documented by Food Network's Chefography to rave reviews and high ratings, and her memoir, Made From Scratch, was a Barnes & Noble bestseller. In May 2009, Sandra launched a second Food Network series, Sandra's Money Saving Meals, which will save viewers an average of 39% - 50% on every grocery store bill. In fall 2009, Sandra will become the first cross-over talent on the Scripps Network, with HGTV's Sandra Lee Celebrates.

Sandra was awarded the President's Volunteer Service Award for her involvement with many charitable and philanthropic organizations, as well as the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2009 by the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate for contributions made to society. Sandra is the national spokesperson for Share our Strength's Great American Bake Sale and Operation Frontline, two groundbreaking programs focused on ending childhood hunger in America. She is a founding member of the Los Angeles chapter of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and has served on the board of directors of Children's Hospital. Sandra is a generous supporter of God's Love We Deliver, Project Angel Food and the Central Park Conservancy. She was the celebrity chef for DineOut LA in 2008 and GoEat LA in 2009, raising funds for Aid for Aids International (AFAI). She participates in Harvard Business School's annual Woman's Entrepreneurial Conference and is a lecturer at Yale University's School of Management.

Sandra's passion and enthusiasm is contagious. Her attainable, couture-styled, approach allows her the privilege of being a frequent guest expert for many national TV shows including Good Morning America, Today, Weekend Today, Fox News Channel, Ellen, and Tyra, among others. She is a bankable personality having appeared as the cover celebrity on many national magazines including Ladies Home Journal, Redbook and TV Guide.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Complete Sandra Lee Cookbook - a MUST in any kitchen November 18, 2010

By The Not So Perfect Housewife

Format:Hardcover-spiral

Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Food Network show is one of my all time FAVORITES shows! I love to watch her pull together simple ingredients to make delicious meals for the family.

Sandra's trademark 70/30 Semi-Homemade philosophy, alongside her beautiful tablescapes and creative cocktails suck me into every episode and get my cooking senses going.

And thanks to wonderful people at Wiley Publishing, I was able to get a copy of Sandra's brand new Semi-Homemade Complete Cookbook to review.

I dug right into this cookbook, flipping the pages back and forth, soaking in all the great photos, helpful hints, and great chapters like:

* Cooking Basics
* Breakfast & Brunch
* Light & Healthful
* International Flare
* Slow Cooker & One Pot Meals
* Cocktails & Appetizers
* Tablescapes & Entertaining

It's Sandra Lee at her best!

And I don't know about you, but one of my BIGGEST pet peeves when it comes to cookbooks, is being able to have the opened with ease as I cook.

A lot of cookbooks have funky binding or awkward 3 rings, but Sandra Lee's Complete Cookbook has this great spiral binding that allows the pages to sit flat while open and closes easily when done. I LOVED that!

Of course I couldn't review a cookbook without trying out a recipe...

Since pork loins were on sale at our local store, I decided to try out her Pork Chips Stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta.

With a little adjustment for our `gluten free' diet - this recipe was simple and easy to put together.

I really wish this picture had turned out a little better,
because it's really not doesn't do the dish justice....

The pork chops were moist and my whole family loved the spinach & cheese filling. This recipe is definitely going to be created again in our house. Read more ›

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything Sandra at your fingertips! November 11, 2010

By Joan Katsounakis

Format:Hardcover-spiral|Amazon Verified Purchase

I found this to be the best of Sandra Lee's cookbooks. It's a much larger book with many more receipes than the earlier ones. The receipes I've tried are excellent. I love the way her receipes cut the time involved down by using prepared items. It makes an everyday meal special with the extra touches.

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome, Awesome, Awesome! December 14, 2010

By Robyn Cole

Format:Hardcover-spiral|Amazon Verified Purchase

Buy this cookbook now! You will not be disappointed! I love, love, love this book!

The first section is titled "Basics." Here you will find tips on how to organize your kitchen, what timesaving gadgets to buy, tips for a quicker/easier cleanup, and she even includes a checklist of things you should stock your shelves with (dry, frozen, refrigerated, spices, meats, and produce). For beginning cooks and for those of us that need to clean and organize our kitchens once in awhile, this is very helpful.

The rest of the book includes the following sections:
-dairy, eggs, and cheese
-breakfast and brunch
-salads, soups, and sides
-light and healthful
-pasta and pizza
-poultry
-beef and veal
-pork and lamb
-fish and shellfish
-family favorites
-weeknight meals
-international cusine
-slow cooker and one-pot meals
-grilling
-cakes, cobblers, puddings, and pies
-cookies, candies, bars, and breads
-cooktails and appetizers
-tablescapes and entertaining

I also love the fact that this book is spiral bound.

Trust me - you won't regret buying this book! The recipes are so easy to follow and Sandra includes specific directions on how long prep should be, how long you need to marinate, how long you should grill/roast, etc. I also love that the recipes use some pre-packaged items to save you time! This is a must have cookbook.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of helpful tips! January 8, 2011

By Jolie57

Format:Hardcover-spiral|Amazon Verified Purchase

I watch Sandra on Food Network and like the way she prepares her dishes. I love the cookbook because it is not just great recipes, it is also lots of helpful information and tips from pantry essentials to cuts of meat to entertaining including cocktails. I find it to be a very comprehensive cookbook with recipes that are simple and easy to modify if need be. I also respect Sandra for rising above an underpriveleged past to be who she is today.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Just like watching her show December 8, 2010

By Mama King

Format:Hardcover-spiral|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a great cook book. It is full of recipes that follow the way we cook in our busy world. My Mom used to make spaghetti sauce from scratch. It would cook all day long. She finally said, "Use the good products God gave you from the market. Why make extra work for yourself?"

Sandra Lee has found ways to combine time saving and flavorful products into dishes that the entire family enjoys as 'something different for a change.' And it's all good.

Of all the cookbooks I have, this is the most used one. Bravo Sandra Lee Bravo

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Clear Directions, Great Variety, Beautiful Photos to Inspire You March 20, 2012

By ChefKat64

Format:Hardcover-spiral

Even though I am avid cook and have more cookbooks than any sane person should have, I was intrigued by this one when I saw it at my library. I am familiar with Sandra's style of cooking and her "70% prepared/30% fresh ingredients" formula. Like many of the more experienced cooks who have posted a review, I prefer to use fresh ingredients and a minimal amount of processed or pre-packaged ingredients; since I've been cooking for a while, it is easy for me to swap out fresh items and decide which brand of seasoning I want to use. But come on, some days if it weren't for bagged salad or jarred pasta sauce, we'd be eating out or not at all!! And, for the novice cook or someone who just doesn't feel confident about "cooking on the fly", Sandra is providing a way to serve meals at home that look and taste great, which will hopefully inspire people to cook at home more often. This book provides a wide variety of recipes and serving ideas that will please the whole family without the cook having to always spend so much time in the kitchen. As other positive reviewers have noted, the book is very sturdy, the directions are easy to understand, and the chapter layout makes it easy to find the type of recipe you are looking for. Sandra has found her niche, for sure, good for her!!