ISO Simmer Sauces

[GotGarlic]

Where was I when these sauces were popular? I was never one for making casseroles. Maybe I was too busy cooking from scratch to see them on the shelves. Although my kids managed to survive Hamburger Helper. What era were these popular?

I remember them from the late '80s and early '90s, when I was married and going to college - too busy too cook from scratch, and it was before I discovered fresh herbs

They're not for making casseroles, though - at least, I didn't use them for that. You'd brown a protein, pour the sauce over it, heat through, and serve over rice, noodles or mashed potatoes. Quick, easy and pretty tasty, considering.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Where was I when these sauces were popular? I was never one for making casseroles. Maybe I was too busy cooking from scratch to see them on the shelves. Although my kids managed to survive Hamburger Helper. What era were these popular?

Chicken Tonight - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Addie]

I remember them from the late '80s and early '90s, when I was married and going to college - too busy too cook from scratch, and it was before I discovered fresh herbs

They're not for making casseroles, though - at least, I didn't use them for that. You'd brown a protein, pour the sauce over it, heat through, and serve over rice, noodles or mashed potatoes. Quick, easy and pretty tasty, considering.

Thanks. Okay. My kids were pretty much grown and on their own by then. So I was cooking for only Poo and myself. He was mostly eating at a friend's house and I was making a quick egg sandwich for my supper. I was only doing any real cooking on weekends.

 

[CWS4322]

Thanks. Okay. My kids were pretty much grown and on their own by then. So I was cooking for only Poo and myself. He was mostly eating at a friend's house and I was making a quick egg sandwich for my supper. I was only doing any real cooking on weekends.

I totally missed them, too. But then, I was either a poor student living on Rama noodles or a poor newlywed learning how to garden and "put up" food for the winter.

 

[Kayelle]

This is what I posted at the dinner thread last night..

There's been so much talk lately about Country French cooking sauce for chicken I had to try my hand with what I had available. The browned skinless bone in chicky thighs are simmering away in their butter/mushroom/wine/milk gravy seasoned with dill, garlic, and herbs de Provence. It's sure smelling wonderful.

The update, is it was really delicious, served over mashed potatoes and the sauce was very close to how I remember it.

 

[Addie]

I totally missed them, too. But then, I was either a poor student living on Rama noodles or a poor newlywed learning how to garden and "put up" food for the winter.

Those fun days of your youth?

 

[Cooking Goddess]

...I think it's almost as easy to whip something up from scratch.

Come on, Steve - it's not almost as easy to pull out, cut up, measure and cook a dozen ingredients than it is to open a jar and pour it into a pan ...

I almost always have a jar of Alfredo sauce on my basement pantry shelves. Although it could make a quick meal anytime, it sits there for the nights that I realize we should already be eating dinner and I haven't even though of something, no less started. In lieu of calling out for pizza or Asian, I can defrost and cut up a chicken breast, or clean a bunch of always-on-hand fresh mushrooms, and combine them with the sauce and mix with some sort of pasta. Easy peasy and quick. Cheaper than one container of pad thai and quicker than Himself can drive over to get it and back.

 

[Addie]

I too keep a jar of pasta sauce on hand. Living alone, it is just too expensive to make the sauce from scratch myself. Sometimes if I have a pound of hamburger on hand, I will mix up some meatballs and toss them in the oven for a few minutes. Then I will toss them into the sauce that I poured into a saucepan and let them finish cooking. On occasion I will have purchased a single pork chop and will toss that into it also after starting it in the oven with the meatballs or on top of the stove. I can get at least six meals just from that one jar. A couple of the meatballs go into a sub with some of the sauce, and the rest served with pasta and a little sauce. I usually buy chunky garden. I used to buy Prego. But I decided to try the house brand. Much to my surprise, I liked it better than the Prego plus it is less expensive. And I had been buying Prego for eons.

When you live alone, it is not always wiser financially so, to cook from scratch. And this is one of the meals where this rule applies. By purchasing the plain chunky jar, I can doctor it to my liking. I add a can of mushrooms to it only because I love mushrooms. And quite often an extra clove or two of garlic. And definitely a light sprinkling of mixed Italian seasonings. Meatballs, garlic, seasonings, I have just made my own pasta sauce.

 

[Kayelle]

Addie, check the price of your store house brand of spaghetti sauce compared to Hunt's brand of spag. sauce in the can. I can vouch for it being much better than the pricy big name ones in the jar, at a fraction of the price.

 

[Addie]

Addie, check the price of your store house brand of spaghetti sauce compared to Hunt's brand of spag. sauce in the can. I can vouch for it being much better than the pricy big name ones in the jar, at a fraction of the price.

Thank. Will do. If my crazy striking store every opens up again.

 

[Mad Cook]

I too keep a jar of pasta sauce on hand. Living alone, it is just too expensive to make the sauce from scratch myself. Sometimes if I have a pound of hamburger on hand, I will mix up some meatballs and toss them in the oven for a few minutes. Then I will toss them into the sauce that I poured into a saucepan and let them finish cooking. On occasion I will have purchased a single pork chop and will toss that into it also after starting it in the oven with the meatballs or on top of the stove. I can get at least six meals just from that one jar. A couple of the meatballs go into a sub with some of the sauce, and the rest served with pasta and a little sauce. I usually buy chunky garden. I used to buy Prego. But I decided to try the house brand. Much to my surprise, I liked it better than the Prego plus it is less expensive. And I had been buying Prego for eons.

When you live alone, it is not always wiser financially so, to cook from scratch. And this is one of the meals where this rule applies. By purchasing the plain chunky jar, I can doctor it to my liking. I add a can of mushrooms to it only because I love mushrooms. And quite often an extra clove or two of garlic. And definitely a light sprinkling of mixed Italian seasonings. Meatballs, garlic, seasonings, I have just made my own pasta sauce.

I must admit that I keep pasta sauces in store - mainly "Seeds of Change" organic stir-in sauces and the Aldi copies (which are very good). Usefull when I get home at 10pm and need feeding. However, I don't live on these. I only use them when I need a quick dinner or lunch. However, I do make sauces and freeze them for future use.