Conversations with the Stars

She’s been dubbed the newest- and hottest- domestic goddess. And no wonder. With her blonde blue-eyed runway model good looks and her Martha Stewart made easy message, Sandra Lee puts glamour into day-to-day cooking and home decorating on a shoestring. Her rags to riches life story has wide appeal and her hardscrabble upbringing provided great training for a career as the doyen of do-able who’s spreading the homemaking gospel that it’s okay to take shortcuts. Whether the task is crafting a centerpiece for the table, mixing up cocktails for a party or prepping a holiday meal that will wow family and friends, Lee can help. She shares strategies, solutions and recipes on TV and a website, in 17 books (so far), and in the pages of her own magazine. She talks with us about herself, her achievements, and her 70/30 philosophy

Fabulous Food Show: What are some things about you that your fans would be surprised to know?

Sandra Lee:  I really don't get a chance to showcase these skills on Food Network, but I love to dance!

 
FFS: How did you end up in front of the Food Network’s cameras?

SL: I had experience on camera from when I had invented Kurtain Kraft, a home decorating kit that allowed you to make beautiful window treatments at a fraction of the cost and with no sewing. After attending Le Cordon Bleu, I published my first Semi-Homemade Cooking cookbooks and was featured on the Today show. Food Network began calling me after they saw how Semi-Homemade was accessible and relatable for at-home cooks. Six years later, I have celebrated over 200 Semi-Homemade Cooking shows on Food Network and this year launched a second program on Food Network, Sandra's Money Saving Meals.

FFS: Can you share a couple of memorable experiences from your time as a student Le Cordon Bleu?

SL: The classical training at Le Cordon Bleu was not really for me. I was scraping beef tendons and I thought, I’m out of here! While learning to cook the old fashioned and longhand way, I began to devise some shortcuts and Semi-Homemade was born. I quickly learned how to make substitutions to gourmet recipes and knew I was on to something special. When you look at a recipe, you want to know that at least four of the ingredients are available at your grocery store. It’s more cost effective and less time-consuming.

FFS: Tell us about a typical day in your life now?

SL: Everyday brings something new and challenging, so it is difficult to describe a typical day. At the moment, I am working on finishing my three new fall cookbook releases, Semi-Homemade Easy Weeknight Wonders and Semi-Homemade Money Saving Slow Cooking and the long awaited It's Cocktail Time. My days are filled with writing, selecting and developing recipes and making these books come to life. My mind is always on the consumer: What does he or she need everyday? What’s their life like? I always think, would this work for my sister Kimber or my best friend Colleen – they’re both terrific mothers who balance work and family. If the idea would not work for them, I don’t do it. As a consumer advocate, I do all my own research to find what is going on in the marketplace and apply my 70/30 philosophy, 70 percent convenience products combined with 30 percent fresh ingredients, to create meal that save you both money and time but never compromise taste or the integrity of the finished meal or product.

FFS: What do you do when you’ve got a day off?

SL: A day off, what's that?! I do work a lot but when you love you do, it is not work. I must allow myself down-time too and I really relish time spent with my family. 

FFS: Of your many accomplishments what do you take most pride in?

SL: With the launch of Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade magazine in February of this year, I have been able to realize another personal dream. The magazine is designed to give ideas that are aspirational, attainable and affordable. I know my Semi-Homemakers and understand their struggles. Every minute is precious, as we are all overbudgeted and overcommitted. When you want to manage it all, be it all and have it all, living your entire life the Semi-Homemade way can help you relax and focus on what’s really important – family, friends and personal health. My magazine has allowed me to show and share my ideas and I am so proud that I accomplished my goal of bringing it to life. 

FFS: Most of us are watching our pennies nowadays .Give us a few tips on being savvy supermarket shoppers.

SL: When it comes to saving money at the grocery store, go in with a list. Plan your meals out for the week and make a list that you stick to. It prevents impulse purchases. Then, keep track of sales at your grocery store and buy food in season when you can. When foods are out of season, price more than double because of the shipping and handling costs. If an items is out of season, shop for it in the frozen-foods section and you will have the perfect solution.

Also, shop for inexpensive cuts of meat that fit your budget. The leaner the beef, the more expensive it is. 80 percent lean is only $2.19 a pound, versus $2.99 a pound. I use this for my money-saving Ale House Burgers on my show Sandra's Money Saving Meals. Another supermarket tips is to know when to substitute expensive ingredients for less expensive ones. For example, for my Slow Cooke Cheese Cake, I use ricotta cheese, costing me $1.67 versus cream cheese at $3.75, I saved $2.08, or 55 percent. A little savings goes a long way.

FFS: People are so busy these days and one victim of hectic schedules is a shared dinner hour. Do you think family meals are important? Why?

SL: At Semi-Homemade, we always try to focus on being ahead of trends and identifying the needs of overextended, budget-conscious homemakers--I call them "home heroes" because of the heroic job that they do every day. A family of four can have an affordable meal at a chain restaurant without the shopping or the cleanup time of eating at a home. But that doesn't really create the kind of environment you want your family to have every night. The question isn't what's for dinner, the question is, “hat did you do today? Tell me about your day.'” The point is to have more time to spend with family and what I offer is a way for people to do that without having to feed their kids fast food. You can create a healthy, family environment by putting delicious meals on the table in minutes.

FFS: What do you want to do next?

SL: In the fall, I am proud to say that I will also be on HGTV. HGTV’s Sandra Lee Celebrates will be four, one-hour primetime specials. I look forward to teaming up with HGTV and homeowners to plan beautiful, heartfelt celebrations that will create memories for years to come.

CLICK HERE: Sandra Lee Full Biography