Newbie Struggling to Master Pampered Chef Recipes

[shuttermonster]

I'm almost scared to post this... but I'm pretty frustrated. I'm a newbie and I've been trying new recipes and have been getting pretty frustrated b/c I have yet to find ones that I'm confident to do at my shows. I have to admit that I am a bit of a perfectionist I do love all the bite varieties(love all sweet seasonings) ... but do not have a pan large enough for larger shows... plan on ordering on open stock. I also need to say first.... I LOVE PAMPERED CHEF!!! However, I'm having a hard time with some of the seasonings. I did not care for the Jerk Chicken Nachos and I just made the Quick Turkey Chili tonight in my DCB and was in tears. :cry: I know many of you have raved over these two dishes. But it's the seasonings... I don't even like the smell when it's cooking. I know it may be a personal thing... and I haven't tried them all. I guess I just wondered if it was just me.

 

[pcmissyfee]

Don't feel bad. I have been doing this over 6 months and still don't really feel like I know what I am doing, but I know it takes practice. I didn't care for the Jerk Chicken Nachos either. I prefer to make them with the Southwest Seasoning. I really like the 3 cheese pizza and it has always gone over well at shows. It is ok to pick one recipe and do it until you feel completely comfortable with it. Hang in there!

 

[janetupnorth]

Are you pregnant?

Sorry, had to ask...since the smells and stuff bother you.


Anyway...pick recipes that YOU are comfortable with and offer them to the host. They don't have to be the current Season's Best, they can be any PC recipe or others that shows the tools.

I personally really didn't like any of the S/S '07 recipes until later and did other ones instead.

Do what you feel most comfortable with. If a host REALLY is insisting on something, make it and don't eat it.

Each season is different...sometimes I like many, sometimes I barely find anything I like...

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I'm almost scared to post this... but I'm pretty frustrated. I'm a newbie and I've been trying new recipes and have been getting pretty frustrated b/c I have yet to find ones that I'm confident to do at my shows. I have to admit that I am a bit of a perfectionist I do love all the bite varieties(love all sweet seasonings) ... but do not have a pan large enough for larger shows... plan on ordering on open stock. I also need to say first.... I LOVE PAMPERED CHEF!!! However, I'm having a hard time with some of the seasonings. I did not care for the Jerk Chicken Nachos and I just made the Quick Turkey Chili tonight in my DCB and was in tears. :cry: I know many of you have raved over these two dishes. But it's the seasonings... I don't even like the smell when it's cooking. I know it may be a personal thing... and I haven't tried them all. I guess I just wondered if it was just me.

I posted on another thread that the smell of the jerk seasoning makes me want to gag!:yuck: I don't use it for anything!:yuck: :yuck: :yuck:

And I can say that I rarely make anything without tweaking it....it's my inner chef coming out I guess. Work with the recipes until YOU like them, and then do them that way. (oh - and I think ground turkey cooked in the microwave has a funky smell.....)

 

[shuttermonster]

Are you pregnant?

Sorry, had to ask...since the smells and stuff bother you.

NO!!! But very funny!

No I think most of the anxiety is due to my show on Monday. First show "outside my circle" and with a former consultant! She has been great... but still very nervous... and she has three guys attending. So MANY first for me!

Thank you all for responding! I have stated this before on another thread. But I would have already given up if it weren't for ALL of you!!! :love:

 

[janetupnorth]

Shows with "outside" circles and men - how cool!!!! That will help open up more business...and keep the possibilties open for recruit leads there too...there are many men in this business...

 

[scottcooks]

Guys love to try out the products. Definitely do as much interactive with them as you can. Power Cooking - with Power Tools from the Pampered Chef. Once you get them to show up, tell them -Hey guys, real men know that the best presents don't come with electrical cords. While she will always love little fuzzy boxes, you can't go wrong with the amazing tools you will see today. Put some power in the hour before dinner, and make your meal cleanup a snap too with microfiber dishtowels and our awesome Cadillac of kitchen brushes. Cleaning up our stoneware and our cookware are so easy, you'll want to hear about the opportunity to share them with everyone you know, so you can "cleanup" financially, too!Then start the power cooking demo. What guy doesn't want beef stroganoff and sloppy joe's? God Bless!-praying for Paige and her family-

 

[shuttermonster]

Shows with "outside" circles and men - how cool!!!! That will help open up more business...and keep the possibilties open for recruit leads there too...there are many men in this business...

I know, I know. I'm just a naturally shy person and this whole PC thing is WAY outside my comfort zone. But I'm doing it. I am having fun, but at the same time I see how I could have done/said more at my shows. And like I said I'm also a perfectionist. It just hard for me. And I get myself way worked up the day of the show and so far it's been with friends.

I'm also trying the new interactive demo for my shows. First one was last night. I thought what the heck... everything else is new so why not change it up now and TRY to get use to it. :yuck:

Thanks for the replies!

 

[pampchefrhondab]

There are so many old PC recipes you could try if you don't like the new ones. Check out joycesfinecooking.com and look under Pampered Chef.

You can also look under the old Season's Best on Consultants Corner.

I agree w/others. Get one or two recipes you are comfortable with and just offer them at your shows.

After you've done shows for a while and get comfortable with the format, you will find that most of the recipes are so easy you can do them at a show without even practicing them. I had one last fall. The host had a salad at a show before and didn't want anything else. I never had a chance to practice it before the show. I told everyone there, "Our recipes are so easy." "I'm making this recipe for the first time because Mary asked for it." I then said, "I let my hosts pick the recipe they want for their show."

I personally love the seasonings. The Jerk is one of my favorites on grilled chicken. I believe I read on one of our weekly newsletters that the PC has sold more of it then any other seasoning.

Good luck,

 

[jrstephens]

It took me a few times to get used to the Asian Pork SKillet smell. It tasted good and my family loved it but it does smell weird.

Then the first time I got a host to let me do it at the show I AM pregnant and about threw up from the smell. It was all people I know very well, so, they got a laugh out of it!

 

[wadesgirl]

Try the Italian Seasoning, one of my favorite, goes good with everything.

 

[chefsuzn]

I have not had many shows with men present but the ones that I had were terriffic. The guys like to try out the products as well as the food and usually purchase more than the women. I have also found that I am less nervous at a show where there are less people that I know. I tend to think of myself as shy but believe I tend to come out of that at the show. You will have a great time. Just relax and have fun and so will the guests!:chef:

 

[lockhartkitchen]

There are many recipes that don't use any of our seasonings. I love the jerk seasoning!

 

[pamperedbecky]

Are you pregnant?

Sorry, had to ask...since the smells and stuff bother you.


.

HA HA HA!! That's hilarious because that's the first thing that popped into my mind. I swear my sense of smell was WAY more sensitive when I was pregnant. Things would bother me that otherwise never would have.

I've had no issues with the smell of any seasonings, so I'm not much help there. It did bring back a memory though.... I was pregnant with my daughter when the Lemon and Rosemary scented stuff came out. It grossed me out! But now I LOVE it. It was just a pregnancy thing.

---sorry to hijack!!:blushing:

 

[chefshawna]

There is a GREAT recipe for Pepperoni Pizza Twist. It is from F/W 02 SB, which I have, but is also in the files on here. It uses the Italian Seasoning (my absolute favorite!!!). My family LOVES it and it has been a great big HIT at my shows. Try this and see if you like it. It fits on the Large Bar Pan and looks great when it is done! It is like a braid.
I also say get a couple recipes you're comfortable with and stick with those for a while or try some of the sweet stuff, that is great too.
I have found that with the interactive shows, I am more relaxed because I don't feel like I'm on display for everyone to see and critique.

 

[pamperedbecky]

There is a GREAT recipe for Pepperoni Pizza Twist. It is from F/W 02 SB, which I have, but is also in the files on here. It uses the Italian Seasoning (my absolute favorite!!!). .

Oooh, that's a good one! I was at a show during that season and the consultant made that recipe. (I won the Season's Best at the show...still have it!) It kind of started me down the path that led up to me becoming a consultant. It was about 4 months before I signed, but had NO inkling of an idea that I'd go to another show 3 months later, which led to my show and led to me signing.

I made that twist ALL the time after I learned it. I bet that would be a huge hit at shows.

 

[JAE]

The brie recipes are my favorite to do at shows, but I do many different recipes since I started in May. I've done the chicken broccoli braid twice this season, the Warm Nutty Caramel Brownies twice, the Jerk Chicken Nachos twice, Ham and Cheese Omelet Roll twice, Pork Tenderloin in the microwave three times, 30 minute Chicken and Garlic Bites once (such an easy show), trifle four times (different kind each time). I have trouble sticking to the same recipes, obviously. I like the Quick Turkey Chili, but I won't do it at any more shows. Today I did the Ham and Chesse Brunch Squares. Last Saturday I did the Baked French Toast. Once I also did the Mini Pesto Pizza's, but the host didn't want the pesto. I used olive oil and garlic. Not as good, IMO. Planning to do the Power Cooking show for my next three shows in February. In the spring I did the Aloha Chicken pizza three times, and I did the Cool Lime Napoleans twice.

I pretty much use the Jamaican Jerk Rub (love, love, love it!), Smoky BBQ Rub, Italian Seasoning and Southwestern Seasoning. I have many of the other ones, but I haven't used them. I don't care for the dill very much, but I use it if it's needed in a recipe or a host requests it.

It probably is a good idea to pick one recipe you're comfortable with or at least almost comfortable doing. I'm going to work on that, maybe.

 

[mpkegley]

Don't feel bad, I cannot stand the Jerk Seasoning either. We were just talking about that on another thread. I made the Jerk Chicken Nachos one night and we threw them out! My husband (who will eat anything) did not like them either. Someone else mentioned the 3 cheese garden pizza - that is a great show recipe. I made that for several shows last summer.

 

[shuttermonster]

Thank you everyone for postings and all the ideas and reassurance!!!

 

[Debala715]

I've done the Three Cheese Garden Pizza, and thought it was good, but I can't stand mushrooms, so when I made it here at home to try, I left the mushrooms off on my side. I did the Jerk Chicken Nachos for a show, and thought the seasoning was okay. My absolute favorite seasoning is the Crushed Peppercorn and Garlic rub. I use that all the time here at home. If I'm making the tenderloin, most times (even at shows) I'll use this seasoning instead of the BBQ one. My other favorite is of course the Italian Seasoning. And when I'm doing a stir-fry here at home, I use a small dab of the Garlic Infused Canola Oil. I love the smell of that one.

 

[kspry]

I've found people eaither really like the Jerk seasoning, or not. I don't like it much, myself - I prefer the Sweet & Smoky BBQ. I use that on my 30-minute chicken. Also I just made the power cooking sloppy joes with it - delicious!

At last night's show, my host sold Southwest seasoning for me. She just happened to mention it was better than Emeril's and didn't cost as much - 4 people added it to their orders from her comment!

 

[janetupnorth]

OK, I do like the Jerk Seasoning. If I "sniff" it, I can't stand the smell, but I LOVE the taste!

Yesterday I make dip with sour cream, chopped cilantro and the jerk seasoning. I ate it with Doritos...good snack.

 

[JAE]

OK, I do like the Jerk Seasoning. If I "sniff" it, I can't stand the smell, but I LOVE the taste!

Yesterday I make dip with sour cream, chopped cilantro and the jerk seasoning. I ate it with Doritos...good snack.

Maybe there is something wrong with me but I like the smell!
Janet, your snack sounds good minus the Doritos. I love the Jerk seasoning with sour cream as dip.

 

[janetupnorth]

Maybe there is something wrong with me but I like the smell!
Janet, your snack sounds good minus the Doritos. I love the Jerk seasoning with sour cream as dip.

I usually use Tostitos Gold chips but was out...