Trend spotting is not my forte. Yet there is one trend peaking now that I called a number of years ago. I distinctly remember speaking the following words to a colleague:

"Something big is coming. I'm not sure what it's going to be called, or who's going to own it, but it's all about shortcuts for mothers. Combining pre-made things with homemade things."

What it turns out to be called is Semi-Homemade and the person who coined it -- and owns it -- is Sandra Lee.

Just a few weeks ago, Sandra Lee launched her Semi-Homemade Magazine, the final jewel in the crown of her media empire which now includes a Food Network TV show, website, and a fleet of cookbooks.

Her value proposition to moms is spot-on and well-scripted:
"Everything follows my 70/30 rule. 70% store-bought, ready-made ingredients and 30% fresh ingredients which allow you to take 100% of the credit."

What mother wouldn't warm up to this promise? Remember the famous opening to the book I Don't Know How She Does It where the overwrought mom is molesting her perfect store-bought cake to make it appear fresh from her own kitchen for the school bake sale?

Everything Sandra Lee does lives up to her Three-A Test: it has to be Attainable, Approachable, and Affordable. She wisely side-stepped the Fourth A which makes Martha Stewart so polarizing: Arrogant. I'll never forget watching Martha sign-off her TV program, proudly holding up her spray-painted holiday pine cones, while cluelessly insulting 99% of her viewers with these words: "Put a basket of these pine cones next to ALL the fireplaces in your home."

So finally, between being a Slacker Mom and a Martha Mom, there's a middle ground we all can wrap our arms around.

Labels: Martha Stewart, Mom Cooking, Sandra Lee, Semi-Homemade

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