Appetizer Recipes: How to Feed Your Guests on a Budget

[pamperedchefqueen]

Lately ALL my hosts have been wanting appetizer recipes. I understand this, as they are having a party and want to be serving such things, but how is that helping them with $2 serving meals, and how do you steer them away from the appetizer to the sampling of a meal idea? Thanks!:chef:

 

[DebbieJ]

"I have been featuring our Dinnertime in No Time recipes lately--all recipes are $2 or less per serving and everyone has been loving them. I can do Grilled Chicken Penne al Fresco or Creamy One Pot Pasta--which one sounds better to you?"Basically, they don't get a choice!

 

[Jewel]

I had a host just do this only with dessert. I just told her that the dessert idea was really great but with the way people are watching their money I think they would find better value and have more fun learning something like the Mexican Lasagne. We could do a very simple dessert if her heart was dead set on it. We ended up doing both, mexican lasagne and summer berry shortcakes. it worked out ok and there was enough people to split into 2 groups. still done in 30 min.

 

[chefann]

I don't give my hosts a choice, basically. If they put up a stink, then I will demo a dessert. But I use wording very similar to Deb's.

 

[babywings76]

I keep thinking actually of doing appetizer shows. I think maybe it gives people the impression of it being fast. You could do the dipping oils w/ bread, the cream cheese w/ SPR sauce and crackers. Then you could demo the pineapple salsa. You could maybe then talk them into the fajitas because they are fast (then you get to show the DCB) and they please a crowd.

 

[wadesgirl]

I have 6 recipes I'm offering this season. They pick from what I offer!

 

[cmdtrgd]

I have one recipe a month that usually spotlights the following month's host special. I explain to the host that it helps with bookings which keeps her 60% off sale coming.

 

[DessertDivaFL]

Do the appetizer if the host insists but you can always talk about the $2 per serving recipes. I have done that and it has been very successful. Just be excited about it and tell everyone why you and your past guests love it too. Mention to the guests that you would love to showcase one of the recipes at their home. Lay the groundwork for future bookings.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I sneak it in anyway.

With the new sauces and seasonings - I have them buy a tube of Pillsbury French Bread, and a box of crackers & a block of cream cheese. Then I tell them to buy a whole chicken, and a pineapple.

I bring the olive oil and the seasonings - and we have French bread w/ dipping oils, cream cheese w/ sauces over the top and crackers, I demo the 30 Minute Chicken, and talk about the DCB, and all of the $2 meals that can be made in less than 30 minutes - and then I demo the pineapple wedger, and make a bowl of pineapple chunks. Then, they snack on all of that. It's been working out really well!

 

[ChefPaulaB]

I sneak it in anyway.

With the new sauces and seasonings - I have them buy a tube of Pillsbury French Bread, and a box of crackers & a block of cream cheese. Then I tell them to buy a whole chicken, and a pineapple.

I bring the olive oil and the seasonings - and we have French bread w/ dipping oils, cream cheese w/ sauces over the top and crackers, I demo the 30 Minute Chicken, and talk about the DCB, and all of the $2 meals that can be made in less than 30 minutes - and then I demo the pineapple wedger, and make a bowl of pineapple chunks. Then, they snack on all of that. It's been working out really well!

So, Becky, are you going to stick with that for HWC month or do you throw in a pink dessert or what?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

So, Becky, are you going to stick with that for HWC month or do you throw in a pink dessert or what?

I don't usually do desserts for shows. (For me, I have found that I get less bookings when I do) So far for May, I have 3 brunch shows, a fundraiser, and a show that was specifically booked as an Appetizer Show.

I'll probably do appetizers for the Fundraiser show too.

I don't think I'll need a pink food to sell the pink products - people are excited about them!

 

[etteluap70PC]

I sneak it in anyway.

With the new sauces and seasonings - I have them buy a tube of Pillsbury French Bread, and a box of crackers & a block of cream cheese. Then I tell them to buy a whole chicken, and a pineapple.

I bring the olive oil and the seasonings - and we have French bread w/ dipping oils, cream cheese w/ sauces over the top and crackers, I demo the 30 Minute Chicken, and talk about the DCB, and all of the $2 meals that can be made in less than 30 minutes - and then I demo the pineapple wedger, and make a bowl of pineapple chunks. Then, they snack on all of that. It's been working out really well!

Do they sample the chicken too? How do you serve it?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Do they sample the chicken too? How do you serve it?

I just cut it up in chunks, and serve it on the dots oval platter w/ the small bamboo tongs...alongside the pineapple, and the other appetizers. It's been a simple demo to do - and I show the DCB, the Bamboo, all of the new Pantry items, Bar Pan (bake the bread), Pineapple Wedger, mini ERMC (talk about them all) knives (for the bread, and to cut up the pineapple) and it's all so quick - I did this last night, and I was completely done with the demo in 40 minutes!

 

[pamperedlinda]

Thanks Becky - I love this idea.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Thanks Becky - I love this idea.

YW!

What I like about it is that I am talking about the ease and budget consciousness of the DCB meals, but at the same time appealing to the people who don't cook much anymore (I've had a lot of retirees buy the sauces and seasonings & Bamboo) or who already have the DCB. Plus, I like variety, and this changes up my demo enough that it makes me happy too, because I'm doing something different!:chef:

 

[pamperedlinda]

YW!

What I like about it is that I am talking about the ease and budget consciousness of the DCB meals, but at the same time appealing to the people who don't cook much anymore (I've had a lot of retirees buy the sauces and seasonings & Bamboo) or who already have the DCB. Plus, I like variety, and this changes up my demo enough that it makes me happy too, because I'm doing something different!:chef:

I'm assuming that you start the show by putting the chicken in the microwave (do you have it already seasoned and ready to go ahead of time?) Then put together the rest of the items during the 30 mins that the chicken is cooking?? What do you do to the chicken when it's done? How do you serve it? Or do you just put it out there and let the guests hack away at it? I'm a terrible carver and would prefer to not do that in front of everyone.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I'm assuming that you start the show by putting the chicken in the microwave (do you have it already seasoned and ready to go ahead of time?) Then put together the rest of the items during the 30 mins that the chicken is cooking?? What do you do to the chicken when it's done? How do you serve it? Or do you just put it out there and let the guests hack away at it? I'm a terrible carver and would prefer to not do that in front of everyone.

I have the chicken oiled and in the DCB before the show, and then I put the seasoning mix on it as I'm talking about doing the chicken in the micro. I do this as the first thing in my demo - and then, yep, the rest of it gets done while the chicken is cooking. After I take the chicken out, I walk it around the room so everyone can see it and smell it, and then I pop the lid on it while I do a quick review, and go over checkout, and do the final drawing.

I'm a terrible carver too - so I tell them that's why I show it to them before I start hacking away at it. Actually, I mostly cut it up into chunks w/ the scissors. I also cut the legs off with the scissors, and that usually really impresses people.:thumbup:

 

[pamperedlinda]

I am going to do this at one of my upcoming shows!

 

[etteluap70PC]

I love this too... I Must try it!

 

[babywings76]

I just cut it up in chunks, and serve it on the dots oval platter w/ the small bamboo tongs...alongside the pineapple, and the other appetizers. It's been a simple demo to do - and I show the DCB, the Bamboo, all of the new Pantry items, Bar Pan (bake the bread), Pineapple Wedger, mini ERMC (talk about them all) knives (for the bread, and to cut up the pineapple) and it's all so quick - I did this last night, and I was completely done with the demo in 40 minutes!

You bake the bread on the bar pan? What temp./time? And do you brush the pan with oil or do anything to the dough before you bake it? Also, the mini ERMC, what do you use it for in your demo? I don't own that item yet, so just wondering...

 

[ChefBeckyD]

You bake the bread on the bar pan? What temp./time? And do you brush the pan with oil or do anything to the dough before you bake it? Also, the mini ERMC, what do you use it for in your demo? I don't own that item yet, so just wondering...

The bread on the bar pan - I use the time and temp on the blue tube. (I have my host get a tube of the Pillsbury French or Italian bread.)

ERMC - I use it to measure the oil for the dipping oils. Except I use more than 2 Tbls. I like to use it so then I can talk about the big set of ERMC, and pass those around.