December Show, Holiday Baking Theme

[babywings76]

A while ago I opened my big mouth to my November host, who needed to reschedule to December, about doing a theme show around the holidays. I mentioned doing a cupcake bar or different types of cookies or things made using the cookie press, etc. Why did I do that?!

She just called me tonight to see if I have an ingredient list for her, but I hadn't figured out yet what I'm doing and felt really dumb on the phone. Her party isn't until Dec. 10th, so I guess I thought I'd have time to play around with recipes and what not.

I'm going to recommend we set out appetizer things like different dips w/ veggies and sauces w/ cream cheese & crackers. Maybe the sprinkles with marshmallow fluff & cream cheese. But I'm just not sure on what the demo should be.

At our last cluster meeting, we tried doing a spritz cookie in the cookie press and the chocolate peppermint bark. Both were okay, but not super impressive to me.

I've heard some people mention something about using the EAD or the cookie press to make a 2-step fudge or something? Anyone have more information on that?

Do you have any ideas and tips on what I could do. What has worked for you, what are you planning to do, etc.

 

[cmcchef]

Have you looked on CC under Recipes. There's a Theme Show Archives and I found a few recipes under there that I have tried. The Festive Cranberry Crunch Bark (or something like that) went over well at my book club recently.

 

[wadesgirl]

Do a search in the files and you can find tips on the 2 step fudge.

There are some simple recipes in the Simply Sweet Cookbook that might be good for the holiday time. I know there are some peanut butter balls and some kind of short bread recipe. Not sure on the times for cooking and such but that cookbook might give you more ideas. Cannot remember what is all in the Holiday Cookbook - most of those required longer baking/over-night setting times.

 

[babywings76]

I've been looking through the archives on CC and such. I've made lots of those recipes before, but it's been a while. I'm just not sure if any of them are fantastic for a show demo. KWIM? Since I'm on Weight Watchers and really trying to be good, I am trying to avoid experimenting with a bunch of recipes right now. So much time and expense to just give away or have lying around tempting me. Anyone care to share success stories or your plans for your upcoming holiday themed shows?

 

[lindseystar]

I was just going to use refrigerated cookie dough in the press at a cookie show and bring sprinkles to put on the cookies before we bake them. Fast, easy, fun!

 

[sherri lynn]

Lindsey, if you are talking about buying (and I'm not sure this is what you meant) and using store bought refrigerated cookie dough, be sure and read on the package how to make it work for spritz cookies! Just an FYI I learned at my last cluster meeting.

 

[ShelbyMichalek]

I was just going to use refrigerated cookie dough in the press at a cookie show and bring sprinkles to put on the cookies before we bake them. Fast, easy, fun!

Be careful with this!! That dough is the kind that's meant to spread, and spread, and spread. LOL. It won't work very well for spritz cookies. If you want fast easy and fun try the Peanut Butter Spritz Cookies.
It's posted all over this board but here it is just in case.
1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 large egg. Takes about 2 minutes to mix it up (use the mix n' scraper ) and bake at 350* for 14-16 minutes.
Now that is fast easy and fun!! (And gluten free)

 

[lindseystar]

Thnaks Shelby! I like your idea too! Shows off more product as well!

 

[pattybrady]

I just did a cookies and candy show where we make the easy peanut butter presses as mentioned above, and the two step fudge. The two step fudge is super easy and impressive--nobody could believe that it would actually taste like fudge, but everyone loved it! You can express it onto waxed paper with the open tip of the EAD for little star shaped candies.

 

[lesliec]

Haven't read through all of the responses, but I uploaded a file called "Holiday Cookie and Candy Show" or something similar.... can't remember exactly now.
I've done it a couple of times, both times doing the dipping station (choc dipped pot chips are really impressive), 2 ingredient fudge (white choc with crushed candy canes is super yummy), and PB cookies in the cookie press.
Neither of the shows have been extremely high $575 and $300, but they were fun and got bookings and they were shows that may not have held the traditional way.

 

[sharpechef]

the butter cookie recipe that comes with the cookie press is fantastic. I just changed the vanilla to a different flavoring, i.e., vanilla butter nut, peppermint, almond. You can make the basic dough, split it into thirds adding a different flavor and food coloring to each, a cookie sheet for each one. Fun and festive!

 

[gussey30]

A while ago I opened my big mouth to my November host, who needed to reschedule to December, about doing a theme show around the holidays. I mentioned doing a cupcake bar or different types of cookies or things made using the cookie press, etc. Why did I do that?! ....Do you have any ideas and tips on what I could do. What has worked for you, what are you planning to do, etc.

I did the same thing!!
I'm a new consultant and this will be my 2nd show. most of the holiday recipes i've found.. I don't have all the tools/products. I'm going to ask my recruiter or director if there's anything I can borrow.. but it feels kinda weird to borrow stuff.
Any other ideas? I'm really stressin over what to make. My host wants it to be a holiday/ baking /cooking/ pc/ 'party' to coincide with her birthday.also.. I saw a post somewhere about making a snowman cake ahead of time that you keep in the freezer between shows, and now I can't find it. anyone know that post?

 

[babywings76]

So today I played around with making the 2-step Fudge and the EAD and the Peanut Butter cookies with the cookie press. I think the 2-Step Fudge was really easy. These recipes actually use more tools than I thought. I'm not sure about the cookies w/ the cookie press though. Sometimes I got them to come out perfectly w/ the press, but other times, the dough wouldn't detach from the disk when I lifted up. I'd have to over-express the dough to get it to stay down.I've read through some old threads about it, but I'm still not sure what more I can do to get them to be consistently good.

 

[punkie1019]

I had the same thing happen to me where a host called all excited about doing a fun holiday theme. I felt the same way you did. I ended bringing some cookies already made up to shorten the demo time so I wasn't making dozens of cookies in front of everyone. Then I did that easy pb cookie recipe. The one egg, one cup peanut butter, and one cup sugar. It worked out perfect. It is the perfect amount for the cookie press and went really quick. We just decorated them and baked. I did my booking slide and games while it was baking. I also brought some choclate coverd marshmellows and pretzels. They were a big hit and cheap to make too. It was all covered by the $15 I charge the host for the ingrediants. Have Fun. Let us know how it goes.