Ok then, following devastating revelations regarding purchase of ready made pesto,what other heinous crimes and guilty pleasures will you foodies admit to?

[moondog]

Let she who is without blame cast the first stone (or something) so here goes.

Bottled mint sauce is essential. Who on God's earth would make it themselves??????

yes, chris, don;t bother worrying if the tiny amount of water will dry up. Loads of water and then sieve. It doesn't go mushy unless you overcook it. Like pasta.

Back to original question, I sometimes buy a jar of m&s jalfrezi curry sauce for dh and I.

tortellini- 4 minute dinner for children when really stuck

I always make my own ketchup, corn flakes and Nigella home made digestives are to die for!!

You make your own Cornflakes? Having said that I make my own muesli.

I was joking! But it makes me laugh that this thread is like some great food confessional, like we are all being filmed/judged eating these ready made things!!!

It reminds me of the Catherine tate sketch where she screams and stops the childrens egg and spoon race because SHOCK ...the eggs aren't organic!!

This cooking from scratch? Does it literally mean grinding your own herbs, mincing the meat, making fresh pasta and the sauce?

Or is cooking from scratch using say75% homemade stuff and 25% shop brough stuff already to go i.e. ready minced meat or dryed pasta?

Once a week (the night before I shop) we have frozen fish, oven chips and peas, yum.

jennster, you dry your own sultanas? You flake your own oats? You shell your own nuts?

If not, light weight!

Thai red curry paste (but I do buy the ponciest one I can find)

Veg stock powder

Bisto roast vegetable gravy (I don't actually like it much. Does anyone have a v quick and easy vegetarian gravy recipe?)

Sacla sun-dried tomato and garlic stir in sauce (in a jar....it's really really tasty)

Ambrosia creamed rice

Houmous (I would love to make this myself, but my houmous just tastes mingola).

But of course Martianbishop Ok ok so I assemble my own muesli, and I have been known (once) to bake my own granola

Message withdrawn

my mum makes mint jelly

may I just say that I use Seeds of Change organic pasta sauces, not some gunk full of additives, and as such feel that they are not a "top of the list" heinous crime.

Home made mint jelly v impressive.

FGS what is al lthat pissing about draining rice in sieves??
Chris,try my method.It's the easiest and it works. (Taught to my mother in early 70s by Chinese woman. My Korean bil uses a rice cooker thoguh.)

Lazy garlic (although it is preserved in vinegar so everything does taste a little bit vinegary)
Ready made fresh pasta

Ready made sauces are diabolical you slatterns

Aunt Bessies yorkshire puds.

DH doesnt understand the concept of YPs but they are important to the children and me but I do buy them.

I have never made them in my life.

I was addcited to sainsbury's organic hummous in the UK. which I can't find here in Italy . anyone has a reliable recipe?

You will have to make it franca!

what is wrong with having a jar of pesto in the house pray tell? eh? eh?

Nowt.
That is the whole point.

Frozen pastry. I admit defeat. I am rubbish at pastry.

I even prefer to not bother with the frozen stuff where possible and just buy a pastry case ready made.

ahhhhh....sorry i see.....

erm. sweet chill dipping sauce.

kallo stock cubes.

ds eats a lot of pesto, and yesterday i tried making some 'pest' with wilted spinach, creme fraiche, pinenuts, parmesan and olive oil.

it was yum but he didn't eat it

I have frozen puff pastry.

I know how to make puff pastry, but have never bothered since I did it last at school.

Does anyone admit to making puff pastry.

Knock out shortcrust and pate sucre no probs, but puff, life is too short mate!