Not "Feeling" Celebration Recipes

[ladybug]

I don't know if it just me, but I am a little disappointed with the Celebration Recipes.... I loved the Potstickers the most, but I found most of the recipes are gearing towards showing our cooking/creative skills and not enough products!

They take so long to prepare and are so intricate (and I love to cook!). The products are not that easy to find.. and the doughs are so delicate and not that easy to work with... I was shocked that the Chocolate Banana Bundles (if that's what its called) is a SS Recipe!! I would be sooooo nervous to do that at my first show... or my 50th for that matter... the phyllo IS NOT easy to work with!! You have to re-wrap them every time you take one sheet out...

Even though they use stoneware, I personally don't feel like it shows up stones as a better alternative to other bakeware (and they are by far superior)... Bread/cookie based recipes show the stones up the best!!

Had to vent... I feel like the balance of great quick, easy, tasty, creative & fun recipes and great cookware that helps the preparation go easier and with perfect results is beginning to lean more towards the recipes and not the tools!

Still loving PC... but thought about it all night and had to vent!!!

 

[Happy Mom]

Ladybug, I agree with you. I am an accomplished cook, and I thought the recipes were too complicated for a show.

I love my stoneware for everything but brownies. I made them last week and decreased the time by 10 minutes, and the brownies were very dry.

 

[Cookie]

Oooo, brownies!Happy Mom try the brownies in the rice cooker in the microwave. Just made some last night. Moist and chewy. The best I've ever made.

 

[janel kelly]

ladybug, I agree. I'm not too excited about the celebration shows either and felt the exact same way as you. Most of the celebrations recipes I don't have all the products for since I've only been doing this 6 months so I was kind of dissappointed about that. I may use some of the themes but I will probably use different recipes for them.

 

[Cookie]

Oops, I was so excited...about the brownies. I forgot to say that I agree about the celebrations recipes. Way to hard. What people love about Pampered Chef recipes is that they are quick and easy. Where these require to much detailed work. I like the potstickers also but no way would i sit around making all these little things. Who has time for that?

 

[Sk8Mom209]

Interactive ShowI made the fritatta tonight. It is yummy an relatively easy to prepare. I have not made any of the other recipes, but have heard the banana bundles were VERY difficult to make.

Regarding the potstickers, I have heard several consultants say they like the potstickers for show because they only fold 4, the every guest gets to fold their own in any design they desire. Makes the show hands on.

 

[ShanaSmith]

I love the potstickers... they are tastey and not too hard. I have my guests fold them also. As far as the Chocolate one, I do not like the crepes I would recomend doing them in pie crust cups. Cut the pie crust using eigther the scalloped bread tube or the cut and seal, then bake them in the regular muffin pan.

 

[gbirkes]

I think the recipes are not really fitting in with what most people think of with PC. I can't even find several of the ingredients at my grocery (rice paper wrappers, crepes, and the other dim sum wrap item) If I have to drive to a larger town 45 minutes away just to get the ingredients I am sure that my hosts will not want to do those recipes because they won't be willing to do the same. I am pretty sure that a lot of PC consultants do not have Asian specialty stores right down the street. (as the celebrations sheet tells us to get our wrappers) I like to cook and the recipies seem fun (I can't wait to try the banana phyllo bundles, at least my grocery has phyllo dough) but I agree that many of these recipes are to "fussy" and will not appeal to my core customers.

 

[pamperedbecky]

Maybe it's just my grocery store, but they wonton wrappers are always available. They're in the produce section by the asian-type vegetables and ginger. They do freeze pretty well (still in an unopened package), so if you do happen to find them, you can stock up and freeze some.

I agree, some of the ingredients are a little obscure and my guess is they won't do something like this again as a Celebrations show. I'm sure a lot of consultants have forwarded feedback to the HO. If anyone feels that strongly about it, feel free to pass it along.

 

[D_Patel]

We did all 3 recipes atour cluster meeting the other night. I didnt try the Fritta , or the dim sum potstickers , I dont eat meat, but the chocolate silk mousse was great , except the crispy shells were not to crispy , acually kinda chewy! I am thinking we didnt cook them long enough ! The recipes seemed do able to me , as long as you do a little prep work before hand ! Just my two cents worth !

 

[Sk8Mom209]

FritattaI made the fritatta for dinner last night. It's yummy. I would be just as good without the chicken. As a matter of fact, I used fajita chicken from Schwans (because that is what I had in the freezer) and it would have been much better without it!

 

[rhonda4554]

I am so glad to find out that I am not the only one who is not excited about the new celebrations shows. They are actually one of the reasons that I am thinking about hanging up my apron. I guess that I am frustrated because right now I am reading Doris's book and isn't the reason she saw a need to start PC was to help people find easier ways to do everyday cooking easier? It seems that the recipes are starting to go more in the direction of entertaining. I guess that I would like to see more recipes that have more ingredients that we already have in our kitchens. My director said that when she started 8 or so years ago, they would make chicken and potatoes in the baker/lid set...a good (easy) family dinner, in my opinion. When I think of "typical" families, I think of families like mine...ones with small children. I'm sorry, but we don't eat appetizers for dinner. I think that some more balanced meal ideas would be something that would get me excited to "teach" people at my shows. I just don't think that the guests at my shows would go home with the recipe cards from these shows and make them for their families...but, this is just my opinion.

 

[dianevill]

Don't hang up your apron because of the recipes!Rhonda,

Don't let the recipes hang you up. You don't have to do Celebrations shows, they're just another option for us! My director does not do any Celebrations, and she's very successful. She sticks with the "old fashioned" type of recipes. I don't do that many either, unless someone requests them, and to be honest, I don't call them Celebration shows.

Stick with what you and your hosts like and with what you're comfortable. You mentioned that it is one of the reasons why you're thinking about hanging up your apron. Please share with us your other reasons and we'll see if we can help you out!

Hang in there!
Diane

 

[chefbilyeu]

Rhonda--
I haven't done a single recipe from the Spring Celebration shows. They weren't recipes I was interested in, so I didn't do them. I have just chosen recipes that I like to do, that my guests will like too. This fall, I may try some new shows, but again, I don't think I'll get many takers. I do like the chocolate recipes, but I think they show limited products. The chocolate-banana bundles are very easy to make...I will make this at my shows as a follow up recipe, but not as a main recipe as they are made very quickly with little tools.

But I know how you feel...I think I'll stick to my own "theme" shows!

 

[ChefNic]

Has anyone done the Family-size baked burrito? What did you think? Do you think it is a good one for shows?
I'm not feeling the Celebrations shows either. I was so excited about the potstickers at conference, but when I look at the loooong list of ingredients,it turns me off.
I don't like having my hosts have to spend a lot on ingredients! The Banana Bundles - looks yummy,but I'm not sure if I want to deal with the phyllo at a show, I know how hectic it can get...
I agree with others...let's go back to the basics... At conference they even talked about (or maybe it is in Doris' book) "Keep it Simple Sweetie"...

 

[ncapps32]

I have made the Family Sized Baked Burrito several times at home. It was soooo good. Was very very easy to do. I think will be what I make at my shows in September. It is quick, easy and yummy........a great combination

 

[pamperedmom2owen]

I did the Chicken Mole Pizza the other day, and it was fast easy and good. Went smoothly too! I think the potstickers will be good for shows that lots of people already know all about PC. They can help! As for the chocolate shows, I'm a little nervouse about making that for a show. I haven't tried them yet though. (But my director made the molten skillet cake for our meeting this month ...swooning... YUM!) But if I get tired of making the same old thing I just do what I want! That's what's great about PC, it's MY business and I can do what I want!

 

[pampchefrhondab]

I just thought I would put my two-cents worth in. I like theI just thought I would put my two-cents worth in. I like the Celebrations Shows. If anyone has spent any time watching the Food Network, many of the recipes are going with trends. I think it is our duty to help people make trendy recipes at home more easily.

Many people these days are paying for cooking classes. We offer them for free and have all the tools for them to buy. I like to call are shows "free cooking classes" rather than shows.

I also like the way the HO is helping us move into other markets (Hispanic). I really think they are thinking about the business and us. Like others have said, we have the choice of what we want to fix.

I did make the crab dip out of the new cookbook and took it to the party for the end of season for my son's baseball team. It was a HUGE hit. Everyone wanted to know who made it and I have received many calls asking for the recipe. I'm going to make it at my next party. I found all the ingredients at Wal Mart.

Thanks for listening.

Rhonda B.

 

[fatchef]

celebrate!Okay everybody. I agree that the recipes tend to be a little more complicated than they used to, but keep in mind that those recipes are CELEBRATION ones. I think they were "designed" to be a little more complicated because they look great, taste great. I, personally think that the recipes in the new celebration cookbook are mainly meant for any celebrating events. Does that make sense?!

 

[dietrichmel]

I am having a problem with the chocolate mousse. My chocolate turns hard to fast and clogs up my decorating tool. I've tried it twice and both times my chocolate gets hard as soon as I add the other ingredients. I scooped it out and used it anyway. It was delicious and my husband loved it BUT it was UGLY!!! Any ideas?

 

[Chef Kearns]

Melinda,

make sure that all of your tools that will get in contact with the chocolate are completely dry. If even a little bit of water comes in contact with the melted chocolate before you add the other ingredients it will harden on you. Hope that helps.

 

[scottcooks]

The fall recipes show a LOT of products. Dim Sum basic potstickers show 27 tools including stoneware, and the dipping sauce another 5. Chocolate Mousse shows 15 not including stoneware or cookware. I just don't care for this particular recipe - it was much better in 2 years ago's Spring/Summer "Easy as Pie" Cherry Chocolate Mousse Pie recipe. If a hosts spots it in the catalog and asks, I'll make it for them. Otherwise, I won't.

I agree with you on the availability of the items, but as a consultant, you should be able to go to your grocery store manager and ask them to stock red pepper jelly (awesome as an appetizer - just empty half a jar on room temp. cream cheese and spread on crackers!) or won ton wrappers or Spring Roll wrappers, or whatever.

It's what we were talking about at our cluster meeting - one of the reasons Pampered Chef (opportunity!) is so good for us, is it gives us new recipes to try, expanding our repertoire of family meal possibilities.

Finally, you can gather your cluster together and one person go buy a month's worth of ingredients for everyone, everyone chip in. One person driving 45 minutes to find stuff doesn't "pay", but one person doing it for a cluster of 5-10 folks makes LOTS of sense/cents!

Of course, you can use the celebrations recipes from another season. Many consultants have invitations/recipe cards available if you need them.

Hang in there!

 

[Chef Kearns]

Try them allI think that is why we get our supplies so far in advance. I've tried the Spring Rolls with the Rice paper and I will NEVER do them at a show. I made them for a Taste Tester open house. Everyone said they looked weird and were hard to eat.

However, the Family Burrito was delicious. I loved it and I don't even like beans.

Yes, for some of the recipes the ingredients are hard to find but like Scott said we can ask our local grocery stores to stock them. It would be a great way to make a new customer as well.

The Potstickers were a hit and people were really excited about the fact that they are baked not fried. The Molten Skillet Brownie tested THROUGH THE ROOF!! That is waaaayy good! I got a lukewarm reception on the Coconut Shrimp Cakes.

Just know that this season is only 6 months long and you can promote whichever recipes you are comfortable with.