Delicious Recipe Ideas for Your First 30 Days as a Pampered Chef Consultant

[jst4467]

Hey all~

Doing my first show the 30th--just joined! YAY! Then grand opening is Feb. 7th and I sent out about 40 invites, had to invite all the people I know from church and then neighbors, friends, etc. LOL But I'm thinking less than half will show. Anyway, need some advice on what recipe to use for these shows. I want to stick with the same recipe during my 1st 30 days, 'til I get better at the demo. I like the warm nutty caramel brownies but the thing is, I'm already gonna have a dessert at my grand opening (a friend is baking a cake--she's a professional cake maker). So what appetizer/main dish would you all suggest? I was thinking the Jerk Chicken Nachos or Three Cheese Veggie (is the name right) pizza! Any suggestions? Are there any recipes you would avoid during your first few months? Thanks for the input! BTW, the Mandolin scares me and I'm super scared to use it but I was watching the training video for the pizza and that recipe calls for it A LOT.

 

[jodie]

i've had 2 shows and doing my 3rd this sat. practice with your mandoline. if you don't align it right on the track it will not cut properly. it takes a bit to make it look flawless but once you get it, it's great.

my director told me don't get over ambitious with demos. go with what you know and get good at it. tomato basil squares are a hit every time. oil the bottom of the pan to get a nice brown crust (optional). food chopper, turn the peppers skin side up otherwise they don't cut all the way through. food chopper is great for herbs, ham, onions, chocolate, etc. try the 3cheese garden pizza too. add chopped marinated artichokes for more flavor. try the artichoke and spinach dip too. the raspberry napoleon cookie for easy and pretty cookies.

trifle bowl trick: cake or brownie layer --> vertically stand a single straight layer on the perimeter of the bowl so that the filling doesn't create a blob look from the outside looking in. tiramisu brownie trifle looks great doing this.

best of luck! you can do it.

 

[ChefPaulaB]

The Clubhouse Chicken Squares are pretty easy and very good. I've demo'ed them a lot and they are always very well received. And fairly easy. My first solo demo was the Warm Nutty Caramel Brownies, and the are fairly easy. The main thing to remember is don't take yourself too seriously, and practice the recipe at home before you go to the show. I forgot one of the steps in the brownies at my first show, :blushing:and I admitted it, we all laughed and everybody loved them anyway, and I told them to imagine how good they are when you do all of the steps. They laughed, if I had gotten all upset and freaked out, it might have been more of an issue. I pretty much screw up at all of my shows, one way or another, the key is to laugh it off and remind them that you are a "Pampered" Chef not a "Professional" Chef. I have forgotten the dill for the Clubhouse Chicken Squares before, I've forgotten products for the recipe, one time I even forgot the recipe ! I just winged it and everything went fine. People like to see that you are human because that means that they can do it too! Good luck, and pick something fairly easy that you can do without thinking too much. And remember it's not really about the recipe but about the products!

 

[hollye44]

The Three Cheese Garden Veggie Pizza is awesome (even guys like it ~ LOL) and so are the Warm Nutty Caramel Brownies. You might want to make half with the nuts and half without or with crushed pretzels for those who might be allergic to nuts. As for the mandoline, start practicing and you'll love it. I use mine all the time, and the best thing is all of it goes right into the dishwasher. Wishing you the best of luck!!

 

[kcmckay]

The Three Cheese Garden Veggie Pizza is awesome (even guys like it ~ LOL) and so are the Warm Nutty Caramel Brownies. You might want to make half with the nuts and half without or with crushed pretzels for those who might be allergic to nuts. As for the mandoline, start practicing and you'll love it. I use mine all the time, and the best thing is all of it goes right into the dishwasher. Wishing you the best of luck!!

I love these brownies and when I make them at home I leave nuts out (personal preference) I love the idea of crushed pretzels though that sounds super yummy. I'll have to try that sometime!! Thanks for the idea!!:0

 

[DebbieJ]

I would choose one new consultant recipe that you like and stick with it for your first 4-6 shows. You have three recipes in your kit and then there are six recipes in the Season's Best that are designed for the kit (the last two in every section). Sticking with the same recipe allows you to take the focus off the recipe and instead focus on our tools, booking shows, and our opportunity.

 

[jst4467]

Thanks for all the help! I think I'm just gonna tell my host for the small show on Jan. 30 that it either has to be the pizza or the brownies (brownies are easy). Then for my show I'll prob do the pizza even though the nachos look pretty good. But reading the nacho recipe more, it looks like I'm gonna have to use kitchen shears which I don't have! So yeah, think I'll stick with the first 2. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Jennie4PC]

for the nacho recipe instead of the kitchen shears you could use the pizze cutter to cut the herbs. Works like a charm and you get tons of wows!

 

[pcchefjane]

As everyone else says, remember that you are a "Pampered Chef" not a "Perfect Chef". Saying that always gets laughs. Tell something on yourself that you did "wrong" on a recipe or if you don't have a story, tell someone else's! Most important, relax and have fun!

 

[candiejayne]

I did the brownies at my first show and completely goofed them up, but I'll tell you what, they were the BEST brownies I have ever made, now IF i could only remember how I goofed so they taste that good again! LOL

 

[jst4467]

for the nacho recipe instead of the kitchen shears you could use the pizze cutter to cut the herbs. Works like a charm and you get tons of wows!

Yeah, never thought of that! Thanks! But I did just purchase an herb keeper and shears (NIP) from some guy on ebay. He wanted a ridiculous price for them so I e-mailed him and got him to lower the price. So I will have them....I usually don't go to ebay since we get our own discount but I was able to get a really good deal on them. He says he bought the stuff from his sister......yeah, right, I bet he may really be a consultant but no way to proove.

 

[Crystal Patton]

Don't be shy about the Jerk Chicken Nachoes, they are awesome!! I had a Host request them, a friend so I indulged her, and they dissapeared in nothing flat. I whipped up a second run while everyone shopped and it took me like, 10 mins. Everyone was soo impressed. :thumbup:

 

[kcjodih]

LOVE the Jerk Chicken Nachos and so do all my customers!