Mrs. Dash and other convenience products

[mizducky]

I've been to Shop Rite and FoodTown here in the Marlboro/Freehold area now and can't seem to find this stuff! I can't stand it! What, exactly, is Hamburger Helper? Where is it located in the food stores? I've just got to get some and try it! I feel like an idiot, today I asked the nice man who was stocking the canned fruit, he looked with me, but neither of us could find the stuff. WAH!

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Heh. What Hamburger Helper is, is basically a cardboard box about the size of a box of cake mix, usually containing about 12 oz. of some kind of pasta plus a foil-and-paper packet of powdered (and highly over-salted and over-chemicalized) sauce mix, the flavor of which (vaguely) corresponds to the flavor announced on the side of the box. One needs to add about a pound of hamburger and a smallish amount of liquid, and IIRC sometimes also a bit of fat, these additions to be purchased separately, in order to actually turn the box's contents into a meal. Said box usually bears a price about three times as high as the cost of its contents if purchased separately. (This is why my mother invented her own version of what we kids wound up calling "Hamburger Thing"--she just couldn't bear the thought of being ripped off that way.)

If you still want to try this taste sensation after that admittedly highly biased description ... at least around here, all supermarkets seem to have one entire aisle given over to pre-packaged dinner mixes of various sorts--not only Hamburger Helper, but a whole host of clones with names like Chicken Now and Dinner-in-a-Jiffy and whatever (okay, I sorta made those up, but the names do all sound like that). A lot of supermarkets put their Rice-a-Roni and Kraft mac-n-cheese and packeted sauce and sloppy-joe mixes, and even the more organo-groovy Near East mixes for tabouleh and felafel and etc., all in the same section. Look for some verbiage on the end-of-aisle sign saying something like "pre-packaged dinner mixes" or "skillet dinners" or something similar, and you should come right up on it. Or make the store manager look up where in the store they keep the stuff. I'm having a hard time imagining that any Shoprite anywhere in the Northeast Corridor would be bereft of Hamburger Helper; it's like an American icon of supermarket convenience foods at this point.

[Syrah]

I've been to Shop Rite and FoodTown here in the Marlboro/Freehold area now and can't seem to find this stuff! I can't stand it! What, exactly, is Hamburger Helper? Where is it located in the food stores? I've just got to get some and try it! I feel like an idiot, today I asked the nice man who was stocking the canned fruit, he looked with me, but neither of us could find the stuff. WAH!

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I always wondered the same thing, and finally came to the conclusion that it was just one of those things we don't get in Australia. Then I discovered to my horror that we simply call it something else and I had never noticed it because it's not really big here. At my supermatket it takes up a small space on the top shelf and is called One Pot Meal. I guess Hamburger Helper makes little sense here, to us a Hamburger is a beef patty in a bun with all the salad and etc. Beef Mince Helper doesn't quite roll off the tongue does it??

[GordonCooks]

A hearty tin of Old Bay seasoning

[Marlene]

Someone else mentioned Old Bay to me recently. I don't know if it's available here, so i'll have to check. It's been years since I used Mrs. Dash consistently. As I recall, several years ago, there was only one kind. I'm pretty sure there are several combinations out there now. as in fact there are. Mrs. Dash has come a long way since I was a kid!

[Steven Blaski]

Thai curry pastes, coconut milk, panko, Penzy's Foxpoint seasoning, Hellman's mayo, evaporated milk (for baking recipes that call for whole milk), Saco cultured buttermilk powder, Keebler graham cracker crust mix, Knorr chicken bouillon powder (from the Mexican market). Achiote paste. Goya canned beans. Goya frozen tamales. Herdez salsas.

I like to keep a bag of packaged croutons on hand too for various uses (I get mine at Costco). They're great for when you just need a bit of toasted breadcrumbs - like for adding to pasta. Just crush some in a baggie and sprinkle. I also like to keep a bottle of Noilly Pratt Vermouth around as a sub for white wine for deglazing, etc.

[robb]

I don't like ketchup much. The major reason is that I am not much of a fan of things which are sweet (with exceptions). Ketchup seems overly sweet to my taste. I prefer mayonaise or mustard.

I do use Mrs. Dash and Lawry's Seasoning Salt now and again.

I like horseradish and hot sauces and have many that I keep around. I also keep many asian condiments around like sambal, ume boshi, furikake, etc.

[robb]

Forgot one - I really like Old Bay Seasoning too.

[canucklehead]

I don't think anyone's mentioned Bisquit - come on! The stuff rules.

One of the first things I made when I was in college - Cheddar Cheese Bisquit Biscuits - they were good. Have you ever made their magic quiche. You mix everything together - pour it into a baking dish - pop into the oven - and voila - a quiche. Genius (and creepy).

[KatieLoeb]

I don't think anyone's mentioned Bisquit - come on! The stuff rules.

One of the first things I made when I was in college - Cheddar Cheese Bisquit Biscuits - they were good.  Have you ever made their magic quiche.  You mix everything together - pour it into a baking dish - pop into the oven - and voila - a quiche.  Genius (and creepy).

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I think you mean Bisquick, and yes, I love this stuff too. Flour already mixed with baking powder. Great for pancakes, biscuits, cobbler batter, etc. I recently found out it's in the supermarket aisle with the pancake mixes, NOT with the "Baking Supplies" like flour and sugar. At least at my local Smack-me.

[mizducky]

I don't think anyone's mentioned Bisquit - come on! The stuff rules.

One of the first things I made when I was in college - Cheddar Cheese Bisquit Biscuits - they were good.  Have you ever made their magic quiche.  You mix everything together - pour it into a baking dish - pop into the oven - and voila - a quiche.  Genius (and creepy).

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I think you mean Bisquick, and yes, I love this stuff too. Flour already mixed with baking powder. Great for pancakes, biscuits, cobbler batter, etc. I recently found out it's in the supermarket aisle with the pancake mixes, NOT with the "Baking Supplies" like flour and sugar. At least at my local Smack-me.

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Smack-me!!! Glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read that!

Bisquick has been one of my culinary secret weapons on car-camping trips--the variety of baked goods you can persuade that stuff to make is mind-boggling. It's also pretty darned useful when you're making strawberry shortcake in quantity for fundraiser dinners.

[ned]

In our house it's Krazy Salt.

Oh and also, not sure if this counts, two things actually: Maggi and Wundra.

Edited September 13, 2005 by ned (log)

[easternsun]

My list includes:

Bragg

Vegemite

Mae Ploy yellow and green

Sweet chili sauce

Tinned cubed tomatoes

Coconut Milk (I WOULD make my own if I had a coconut tree )

Nutella

Frozen edamame

Nayonnaise (not a typo!)

I do have a bottle of Heinz Ketchup but I dont recall using it this year...it is specifically purchased for fried egg sandwiches. (my hang-over cure )

[Rehovot]

--Bunch of these pyramid-shaped containers of seasonings for fish, chicken, kabobs

--OXO beef cubes (try finding canned beef broth here)

--powdered chicken broth and vegetable broth (I make stock on rare occasions, but have no strength to do it in the summer)

--Sweet chili sauce

--Teriyaki sauce

--Ketchup (slowly petrifying in the back of the fridge, fortunately; banned the Eastern European husband from putting it on pasta in my presence)

--Mayo for sandwiches

--lots of herbes de Provence

--All right, one jar of Sherwood's mild curry seasoning and

--one package of WackyMac, for nostalgic purposes only

[zeffer81]

Three cheers for canned beans! It's great to have them around for burritos. Admittedly, I also stock cans of petite diced tomatoes and corn. Nothing beats fresh summer corn, but I have been known to break out the can opener and eat the corn right out of the can!

A non-bread eater, I also keep a container of bread crumbs handy.

Pre-shredded mozzarella cheese! I buy it in bulk and keep it in the freezer for a quick lasagna or eggplant parm.

To complete the list, my S.O. has turned me onto lemon pepper. When we started dating, I was offended that he added it to everything I made (my labors of new love!) I am now a huge fan as well. It adds just the right tang to our world famous shrimp scampi.

[MarketStEl]

In our house it's Krazy Salt. 

Oh and also, not sure if this counts, two things actually: Maggi and Wundra.

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What is Wundra?

[Taboni]

Wondra is quick mixing AP flour in a granular form, making it ideal for making lump free sauces

Edited September 14, 2005 by Taboni (log)

[KatieLoeb]

I don't think anyone's mentioned Bisquit - come on! The stuff rules.

One of the first things I made when I was in college - Cheddar Cheese Bisquit Biscuits - they were good.  Have you ever made their magic quiche.  You mix everything together - pour it into a baking dish - pop into the oven - and voila - a quiche.  Genius (and creepy).

←

I think you mean Bisquick, and yes, I love this stuff too. Flour already mixed with baking powder. Great for pancakes, biscuits, cobbler batter, etc. I recently found out it's in the supermarket aisle with the pancake mixes, NOT with the "Baking Supplies" like flour and sugar. At least at my local Smack-me.

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Smack-me!!! Glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read that!

Bisquick has been one of my culinary secret weapons on car-camping trips--the variety of baked goods you can persuade that stuff to make is mind-boggling. It's also pretty darned useful when you're making strawberry shortcake in quantity for fundraiser dinners.

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I call it the Smack-me (rather than Acme) because the help is usually so rude.

[lamb]

I love Colemans Powdered Mustard!

Lots of uses, and when I make a fresh ham, it's a killer sauce. I like to mix it with beer to give it a fizzy finish. Yum.

[annanstee]

Oooh Spike!

Shrimp Sandwiches are just not the same without it!

My mum used to always make these for us; the spike was always sprinkled onto the cucumber-like Mr. Mooshmouse, my mum had the Law of Sandwich, from which she never deviated

Hellmans Mayo- it just had a better texture

Curry Paste- I used to make my own, but don't have the time, and I don't think mine is as good

Sambal Olek

Franks Red Hot- actually any hot sauce I can get my hands on

Mustard Powder, for mac and cheese.

Evaporated Milk

Bay Seasoning

Fish Sauce

[Marlene]

After my recent disaster with pie crusts, I'm adding pre -made crusts to my cheat list.

[judiu]

Anymore, I'm just a bundle of convenience food lust! Jimmy Dean frozen omlettes, Coleman's powdered mustard for Mac & Cheese and deviled eggs, an ancient bottle of ketchup, Hellman's mayonaise (the only kind!) canned tuna in oil, little canned hams bought on sale, Nancy's Quiche Lorraine (little individual ones that can be rendered "lower" carb by scraping the crust off...) McCormick Lemon & Herb seasoning for my veggies and on my shrimp, to name only a few. Guess you can tell I live alone, huh? Oh, ready made pie crusts and sausage ball hor d'ourves.

Edited to add stuff I forgot...

Edited September 15, 2005 by judiu (log)

[MarketStEl]

Smack-me!!!      Glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read that!

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I call it the Smack-me (rather than Acme) because the help is usually so rude.

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I've seen an even ruder alteration graffitied on the sign at the entrance to the Haddonfield store. It consisted of one additional letter up front--the 23rd one in the alphabet.

[MarketStEl]

Frank's Red Hot sauce is great splashed on cottage cheese. (That's one of my weird comfort-food combos.)

Texas Pete also works. Trappey's Red Devil isn't quite the same. Tabasco is all wrong here.

[elfin]

Simply Potatos Hash Browns. They are in bright green bags that hang above the eggs at your grocer. OMG! They are merely shredded potatos that are the perfect consistency and hydration to make foolproof hashbrowns -every time. And (ahem-embarrassed to admit) the ready made pie crusts.

[Marlene]

We get similar hash browns here. They really aren't that bad at all! And when I'm time challenged, like I seem to be today, we lean heavily on President's Choice frozen Sirloin Burgers, and because I have no fries, tater tots.