Need Easy Valentine's Day Recipe!!

[stephanieboyd]

Okay ladies--HELP!!!! My husband, being the usual man , just volunteered me to bring a baked good for a bake sale at his office. He is in the military, so this is a Booster Sale for the unit's Key Spouses. I am not sure what a 'Key' spouse is, but I don't think I am one!!
I am hoping to show off some great Pampered Chef stuff!! (And of course, my business cards and catalogs!! )
I am not a baker!! I can cook, but baking is challenging for me!!! I have almost all of the products in the catalog, except most of the baking ones!! I have just not bought those over the years, as I don't use them and don't feel comfortable demonstrating something that I don't feel at ease with it in my hand.

I know this is challenging!! I know you guys will have some great recipes to share!! Does anyone have 'the idiot's guide to something fancy for a bake sale' ??? I am thinking I am going to need it!!!!!

 

[mrssyvo]

Why not bake a giant cookie in a heart shaped on the pizza stone, and then decorate it,. or just frost with red frosting,

 

[stephanieboyd]

that's great!!! Do you have a recipe?? How would I make the heart shape even or straight.....I am afraid it would be lopsided

Keep the ideas coming ladies!!! I'm in need of serious help!!!!

 

[mrssyvo]

Cut a stencil out of cardboard, and make your own chocolate chip cookie dough, and spread it out as best as you can. Make sure you put down parchment paper on your stone, before you put down the cookie dough. It turns out like what you owuld buy at a cookie shop at the mall.

 

[stephanieboyd]

Can I just buy the Pillsbury cookie dough??? Would I spread out the dough over the whole stencil or make little 'plops' all over the stencil?? Don't you just plop cookie dough in random sizes when you are baking cookies?? I know this sounds stupid, but I just don't do desserts!!!

 

[pamperedbecky]

You could make the easy two step fudge (melt a bag of chocolate chips and add a can of frosting...I think that's it) and cut out little hearts with the heart shape from the Creative Cutters. That can be a little side item. Or wrap a bunch of these up and tie with cute ribbons. Although I've only done them in the mini cupcake wrappers so I'm not sure how well it would work without those.

I think the big heart cookie is a great idea too. Maybe practice it and see how good of a heart shape you can get. That is kind of big to sell as a bake sale item. Do you have any of the Stoneware Heart Molds? You could bake cookies in those, although it would take awhile to do lots of them since they'd have to be done one at a time. The current one with the Stars and Stripes would be especially significant given it's the military!

 

[luvs2sellit]

The 2 step fudge would be your best bet. You could go get valentine mini muffin cups and put each fudge into that. Then bag them maybe 4 to a bag.

 

[stephanieboyd]

2 step fudge sounds pretty easy!! Right up my alley!! Does anyone have the exact recipe??
I like the idea of the stars and stripes mold, but of course, I don't have it! I actually don't have any of them. Again, it was not useful to me and I wasn't comfortable showing it at Kitchen Shows. I have almost all of the stones, except ones like the muffin pans, bread pans, and fluted pans..etc.


You guys are great!! I really appreciate all the ideas I can get!! If I get enough ideas, I may make more than one!! Wouldn't that be great???!!!

 

[fleurchef]

Cut and Seal- Mini Cherry PiesPut down a slice of white sandwich bread and spoon on a dollop of cherry pie filling. Cover with another slice of bread. Take cut and seal and put finished product in a little sandwich baggie. You could write a little Valentine...maybe something like "From my Heart to Yours". These little pies can be brushed with butter (using our pastry brush, of course) and baked on our Large Round Stone at 350 for 10 minutes. You may even drizzle with a mixture of powdered sugar and milk if you really want to live it up

Easy Fudge- melt one bag of chips (any flavor-maybe white) and then add one can of frosting (maybe strawberry-but any kind will do). Mix together and use easy accent decorator to make little fudge kisses or spread fudge and when it is set, use creative cutters to make shapes. *DO NOT melt the fudge with the chips. Also, remember to work fast once the frosting and chips have been mixed together. Fudge will thicken quickly.

 

[stephanieboyd]

How do I melt the fudge? In like a saucepan?? Then spread it into what kind of a pan?? A bar pan?? Or the rectangular baker? Square baker? How many chocolate chips? How much does this make?? Do I cool it after baking or something? Or does it bake at all?? I guess I didn't realize that fudge really just consisted of chocolate chips and frosting. I am sorry to be so ignorant, but I really need all of the specific directions. I am just at a loss!!!

 

[Grandmarita]

Valentine Bake SaleTwo suggestions that are really fast and easy. Do you have the Rice Cooker?
If you do, then a chocolate cake mix prepared as the package directions tell
you, can be baked in the Rice Cooker, on High in 8 to 10 minutes. It is a high
cake that looks elegant. You can use store bought frosting from a can and
frost it while the cake it warm, with about three tablespoons of the canned
frosting. I recommend chocolate. It will ooze down the side of the cake
and you are done. If you let it cool, you could add a few of the red cinnamon
hearts. If your microwave does not bake it completely the first 8 minutes,
return it to the Cooker, and try another two minutes.

Second idea. Our Cookie booklet has a really simple Basic cookie basic recipe. You only need three ingredients, and mix it in our Classic Batter Bowl with a whisk. You could bake the Thumbprint cookies and fill with red jam and sprinkle on confectioners sugar. Or, do the roll out cookies and cut in heart shapes. I made them like the Linzer Tortes in heart shape, as a two layer cookie and used Easy Accent decorater to fill centers with raspberry jam and sprinkled with confectioners sugar. You use the jam to hold it all together or a white canned frosting works too. I flavored the cookies with 1 tablespoon of our Cinnamon Plus.
Recipe is 1 pound butter; 1- 18.25 oz. white cake mix, Yellow will do; 11 oz. all-purpose flour (that is 2 3/4 cup ). If you need the recipe, it is referred to
as the All Occasion Cookies - Basic butter Recipe. I decided to put it as an
attachment. Hope this helps. You can see my grandson helping with the
thumbprint cookies, on my website.
Grandma Rita, Palmyra, NY
www.pamperedchef.biz/grandmarita

The document is now attached with a copy of the cookie recipe.

 

[fleurchef]

1 bag of chips melted in microwave usually 1-2 min or until melted. i melt mine in the pc micro cooker.

 

[beepampered]

cookiesAt my Mommy and Me show on Valentine's Day I'm taking cookies that I pre-baked in heart shape. I'm having white frosting in the Easy Accent Decorator that the kids can put on the cookie themselves. I think this is an easy way to demonstrate a great product...BEE

 

[kitchencop]

<Okay ladies--HELP!!!!>

I just got an email (from Kraft Kitchens)....you have to see all of the VDay stuff they have, I hope this helps...I know it helped me!

C~

http://kraftfoods.com/kf/ff/ValentinesDay/Valentines+Day+Recipes.htm?e=email

 

[pchefinski]

How about Chocolate Cherry Mousse Pie?This might not be too hard.. it uses refrigerated pie crust, so you won't have to make it on your own (pie crust can be tricky!).. From looking at the recipe, I'd say you'd definately be able to get all the ingredients for less than $10. If you were daring, you could try doing tartlets instead of a big pie (they have the foil mini pie plates.. like ones that frozen pot pies come in)..

Or, if you have the mini muffin pan, you can always make up the profiteroles from the Spring/Summer Season's Best.. Drizzle them with 2 tones of chocolate (red-tinted white chocolate, and regular chocolate).. yummy.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

 

[stephanieboyd]

I think I have decided.......First of all, I want to thank everyone for all of the suggestions, and for putting up with my lack of baking knowledge!!!

I think I am going to try the Chocolate Caramel Oatmeal Chews from the Celebrate! PC cookbook. I know it really isn't Valentine's Day related, but it's the only thing I think I am qualified to make without it becoming a complete disaster! (And it's the only Dessert that I can find that I have all the tools for!!) I really would like to make something that can be cut up into smaller servings to target maximum customers!!!

Has anyone made these before?? I am wondering how they turn out but if they are in a PC cookbook, I know it's probably good!!! I would love to hear some personal testimonials!!

I am just afraid to get too fancy! Someday, I will step outside the box and try my hand at baking something very elaborate. But, definately not now, for my husband's work, or when I am trying to represent my business!! Do ya think I really will??

Thanks again everyone, you have all been a great help!!

 

[kitchencop]

My apology....Hi all,

I just received a nasty email from a consultant that took offense that I posted recipes (actually a link to..) from Kraft for Valentines Day.

I originally put the link up in response to stephanieboyd's request for VDay ideas...at the time I was reading her request, I got an email with the Kraft ideas...thought they looked cute, and I posted...

You see, there is a cheesecake (for our cheesecake pan) and cookies (cookie press/cutters), mini cheescakes (mini muffin pan), etc........

I did not realize that we are only allowed to make Pampered Chef recipes on our Pampered Chef cookware/stoneware/bakeware...and, I must say, (before I go to Pampered Chef Purgatory) that I did not promote Kraft to anyone....just the cute VDay ideas!

I am deeply sorry if I offended anyone.

C~

 

[dianevill]

???I love the Kraft website, and wow, sometimes, I do make recipes that aren't Pampered Chef. Imagine that! Isn't that why we sell kitchen tools? To make our job easier in the kitchen for ALL of our recipes?

Diane

P.S. Sometimes I even tell my customers at shows to sign up for the free Kraft Food and Family magazine that comes every quarter, so I'll go to PC Purgatory with you, Christina

 

[scottcooks]

really easy kinda fancyHere's an idea...

take any stoneware mold - they are heart-shaped already! Your director or someone in your cluster has one, if you don't.

['Season' it by either...

spraying it with your spritzer or Pam or paint it with oil and pop it in the microwave for 2 minutes to 'season' the inside.

Rinse it in HOT HOT water and scrub at all the indentations a little - no soap, just a brush & your water.

Blot-dry with towel.]

Then - re-oil the inside again, just a thin coat, pop 20 Jolly Rancher's candies in a micro-cooker, melt them in the microwave (check after 1 minute, then every 20 seconds) and pour right into the oiled heart mold. Let it cool about 2 minutes, then turn it over onto a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper, pry the edge up with a citrus peeler or quickut knife (careful!) and then flatten it out again. Let it harden.

You can wrap it in clear plastic wrap, or put it in an old-style non-ziploc baggie for a showy treat. When you get good at it, do it right at work in your microcooker. Very showy!!

You can add curling ribbon, whatever you want. You could possibly do this with chocolate or melty candy from the craft store if you get excited about it.

I've done the Jolly Ranchers thing as a 'birthday party' show for a few people; it's great.

Another thing to try is the microwave cake - get a stoneware fluted pan from someone, oil the heck out of it and follow the recipes attached. There's a cherry one with cherry pie filling that is flashy. and - a cake in 10 minutes?!! impressive, and not hard at all. Try it at home a couple times before you do it live. It does really depend on the microwave. the most I have ever cooked one is 13 minutes.

PS - the microwave cakes came to me from a Top Seller of stoneware in our overall cluster - Sondra Verva.

 

[rwesterpchef]

What? You mean I can only use my tools for Pampered Chef recipes?
What? You mean I should only make Pampered Chef recipes at shows?
What? You mean I can't run my business my way?
Okay, perhaps I'm being a little grumpy. I too, receive the Kraft catalog and email. I have made some of their recipes for shows.
Granted, using one of our recipes may entice guests to order a cookbook. But I am here to show our products first and foremost and how they can use them to make their cooking easier. I'd lay odds that they use their tools they buy on non-PC recipes too!

 

[kitchencop]

My hero....ssssssOh my gosh!!! Thanks so much for all the support! I was really feeling (well, thats a bad word....hee hee) like I did something wrong, I love you guys for all that you do!!!!!

 

[PampMomof3]

I'm with you guys!! I also get e-mails from Kraft and get their quarterly magazine and also got their 2006 calendar hanging on my wall in my kitchen! WHich, by the way, they have a really yummy looking recipe for February in there!! I don't know who would send you a nasty e-mail but I know for a fact that Kraft foods website has been posted before. Don't sweat it, I'm sure most of us get the magazine!

 

[kitchencop]

I thank you for your words....I feel much better now!

 

[stephanieboyd]

Kraft!Kitchencop--

I didn't mean to get you into 'trouble' with the other users!! I appreciate all the help I can get!! I looked through all of those for ideas, they just weren't going to work for me this time.


Thank you all again for all of your help, including the Kraft link!! Those recipes looked a little above my scope of baking!! I don't own an electric mixer, so I won't be using them! I am living in Europe, so plugging anything in is a chore!!
I don't get the Kraft emails or catalogs, so it was a welcomed suggestion!! I do make Kraft recipes in my Pampered Chef stones. I even have a Campbell's Soup Cookbook that has all of their awesome recipes in it, and I make those too!! I looked through that cookbook as well as the PC ones before I made a decision!! I am more than willing to look at any suggestions, given my situation!

Again, thank you all so much for you help!! This site is a great substitute for a director and a cluster!! I don't have either right now, and this site gives me all the support I need! I am extremely grateful for all of your help.

If anyone has tried the recipe I decided on, Chocolate Caramel Oatmeal Chews from the PC Celebrate Cookbook, I would love to hear the results. Especially, since I know you guys would have made it come out right!!!! I am afraid my end result will not be what it's supposed to be!!

 

[kitchencop]

Hey, thanks again...it acutally isn't a "user" per se...just an unhappy consultant....oh well. I do appreciate everyone being so supportive! ...and, I love my "job"...it is so awsome. I have to say that I do consider everyone on this board my "upline" so to speak!

So thanks!

Also, sorry I have not made the recipe you have decided on...if I run across anyone that has, I will be sure to pick their brain and let you know.

 

[janel kelly]

I love the kraft magazine also. I get them at home every couple of months. I have even posted a couple things from kraft before on this website and never got any e-mails from other consultants. So don't worry about it. Maybe they just haven't been a member of this website long. Anyway, I know it is late and you have already decided what you're going to make but another very easy recipe and its pink is the strawberry cheesecake microwave cake. You make it in the fluted stone and it comes out very pretty and very pink- perfect for Valentines.

 

[fruit76loop]

Ha ha

What? You mean I can only use my tools for Pampered Chef recipes?
What? You mean I should only make Pampered Chef recipes at shows?
What? You mean I can't run my business my way?
Okay, perhaps I'm being a little grumpy. I too, receive the Kraft catalog and email. I have made some of their recipes for shows.
Granted, using one of our recipes may entice guests to order a cookbook. But I am here to show our products first and foremost and how they can use them to make their cooking easier. I'd lay odds that they use their tools they buy on non-PC recipes too!

Rita,

Just had to tell you that as I read your post I laughed out loud to myself! Very funny!