What are your favorite recipes from Season's Best S/S 2006?

[adventurechef]

I thought I'd start this thread to rate the recipes in the Season's Best S/S 2006.

I just made the Quick Chicken Primavera Risotto for dinner tonight and it was delicious! My kids (1 & 4) ate it, so it had to have been good. It made quite a lot and I have enough for another dinner.

I did vary the recipe slightly. I made rice in the Rice Cooker Plus (1 cup uncooked rice, 2 cups water, a little butter - 5 minutes on high, then 15 minutes on 50% power) and I used cream cheese instead of mascarpone cheese. Next time I'll break the cream cheese into smaller lumps so it will melt easier. I paired this with my homemade version of focaccia.

I'm going to try the Gnocchi and the Warm Chocolate Hazelnut Cake later this week. I've been making cream puffs for family dinners lately so I'm excited to see the Profiterole Puffs recipe and I will try this soon. I bake mine on the bar pan (they are super-sized!) and use whip cream. I will have to try them in the mini muffin pan next time, more to snack on.

Looking at the rest of the cookbook, I've made the Mango Salsa Sundaes and they were yummy. I just made cinnamon tortilla chips as dippers.

I'd like to hear what others have to say.

 

[jenniferlynne]

What a great idea! I will go to the store tonight and get the stuff to make the Berries & Cream Brownie Squares. I'll report back tomorrow. I'm sure I will be able to give it 5 stars.

 

[nicolespcshows]

Seasons BestI did notice there were a lot of duplicate recipes from the last Season's Best. Did anyone else notice this? I am sure the customers will. I look at it this way...if I get one AWESOME recipe for $1 I am ahead of the ballgame but I think the duplicate recipes might cause some attention!

 

[monica_sweetconsultant]

I was pretty disappointed with all the duplicate recipes. each change over i look forward to the new SB because that is where i get most of my recipes. I dont have any cookbooks except for the new stomeware book. I was looking forward to a new book with new recipes.

 

[jenniferlynne]

You really should invest in a couple of the cookbooks. They are so nice. I have them all and always take them to my shows. Some shows I only sell a couple, and some I sell 6 or 8!! I pass them around during the demo and let everyone look at them or leave them on my table and tell people they are free to look at them. My favorite one would have to be the All The Best. Not sure what I would choose for second place. I used to really like Delightful Desserts, but the It's Good For You is quickly taking over second. I've made several things out of Celebrate! too. I've had some people buy 3 or 4 of them at a time after seeing mine. What I started doing was making recipes out of them instead of the Season's Best. I would much rather sell a $14.75 cookbook than a $1 cookbook. But, that is just my opinion. I didn't always use them in the beginning, but do sell a lot more of them since I started taking them to my shows.

 

[cookingtbenee]

I was pretty bummed until I listened to the Show and Sell. It states the Seasons Best consists of 16 new and 8 favorite. I noticed that a couple were from the Celebration Show line up.

 

[onepamperedmom68]

You really should invest in a couple of the cookbooks. They are so nice. I have them all and always take them to my shows. Some shows I only sell a couple, and some I sell 6 or 8!! I pass them around during the demo and let everyone look at them or leave them on my table and tell people they are free to look at them. My favorite one would have to be the All The Best. Not sure what I would choose for second place. I used to really like Delightful Desserts, but the It's Good For You is quickly taking over second. I've made several things out of Celebrate! too. I've had some people buy 3 or 4 of them at a time after seeing mine. What I started doing was making recipes out of them instead of the Season's Best. I would much rather sell a $14.75 cookbook than a $1 cookbook. But, that is just my opinion. I didn't always use them in the beginning, but do sell a lot more of them since I started taking them to my shows.

I am with ya! I have all the cookbooks! I love EVERY one of them. I can't decide which is my favorite. I think All The Best. I always take all the cookbooks with me to my shows. I have sold a ton that way. It is hard to sell them when people want to see the recipes first so I always make sure that I point them out. I have sold a lot to family and friends who have come over and loved one of my recipes. I always go to my pampered chef cookbooks before any others. Especially if I am taking a dish somewhere.
Have a good day!
Lisa
Independent Kitchen Consultant

 

[jenniferlynne]

What a great idea! I will go to the store tonight and get the stuff to make the Berries & Cream Brownie Squares. I'll report back tomorrow. I'm sure I will be able to give it 5 stars.

Ok. I may have to change my mind on the Berries & Cream Brownie Squares. I am on Weight Watchers and just figured the points on this. For a 20th of the pan, it is 9 points!!! I'm afraid I will eat the whole thing!! I will have to find something else.

 

[Shawnna]

The Season's Best always has some recipes that were in previous SB. The Touchdown Taco Dip is in almost all of them. I tell my customers that the Season's Best is new each season and each one will contain many new recipes, but also classics from past Season's Best.

 

[smarteez2]

I made the....Lemon Chicken Pasta toss last night and let me tell you.......YUMMY!!!! My 13 year old son liked it as well. (he's adverse to trying new things) I had to try it since the hubby is gone. LOL He's VERY adverse to new things!! LOL But I highly recommend that one. I also made the Profiteroles today, for practice. I don't know about those. I don't know if I didn't let them cool competely or what but once I shot the cream into them, decorated them (they looked AWESOME), and tried one, the cream mix wasn't what I was expecting. They tasted good though. And at lease I know I can definately make them for parties. I think I will wait longer on the cooling time though at a party. Also there was a lot of the whip cream mixture left over. I didn't even use a full EAD of it to fill the puffs. I would say you could easly double or even triple the puff part of the the recipe and have enough whip cream mixture for all of them. I think I am going to try the Warm Chocolate Hazelnut Cake next.....practice makes perfect!! LOL

 

[adventurechef]

Homemade GnocchiWell, I made this recipe tonight. It was a little tricky because I don't think I put in enough flour, the dough was really sticky. A little word of wisdom - make sure the dough is not too sticky when you turn it onto the large cutting board for kneading. I just kept adding flour and adding flour and trying to get the dough off my hands. I will admit it was fun, and in retrospect pretty easy.

After cooking I added a bit of olive oil and the Italian Seasoning, yummy! and not as heavy as gnocchi usually is. I also added a jar of pasta sauce and made a large asiago crisp.

I would make this again, even for company - just to wow them with "I made these myself". I would make the gnocchi ahead of time so my guests wouldn't see all the flour on my hands, kitchen table and floor.

 

[smarteez2]

Ok I tried the Warm Chocolate Hazelnut Cake......YUMMMMMMMMMMMMY...I've said enough!!

 

[rwesterpchef]

I was pretty disappointed with all the duplicate recipes. each change over i look forward to the new SB because that is where i get most of my recipes. I dont have any cookbooks except for the new stomeware book. I was looking forward to a new book with new recipes.

Each season, they always have some of the "classics". Remember that it's the customers that may not have the prior cookbooks. I also agree with the prior posts, you really should get the cookbooks and bring them to the shows. That would be a better investment for you than some of the new products even! Cookbooks SELL when people can SEE what's in them. The catalogs show a good picture of many of the products, but cannot show the recipes in the books.

 

[Sk8Mom209]

Help

YUMMMMMMMMMMMMY...I've said enough!!

Where did you find chocolate hazelnut spread? Is it frosting? I am having difficultly finding this product.

 

[DZmom]

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread is normally near the PB and Marshmellow cream. I believe the brand name is NUTELLA!!

I made the Caprese Mini Sandwiches and the Strawberry Amaretto Pastries. OH MY GOODNESS! They are so good it's not funny! The mini sandwiches can be doubled by just not adding the tops. The Pastries are just so easy it's not funny!

 

[Sk8Mom209]

Thanks!I will look there and hopefully my grocery store will carry it.

 

[smarteez2]

I found it.....at Bi-Lo in the... darn I can't remember the name of the section so I will say the forgien (OMG check spelling!! LOL) food section. (German, British etc) Anyways I am used to seeing Nutella everywhere and this brand wasn't that but just as good. Did you try the Peanut Butter and Jelly section of your market? They usually have it there as well. Good luck and let me know if you find it. The cake is definately worth it. I keep it in the fridge and when I have a slice I heat it in the micro for about 40 sec. and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream!! YuMMMMMM!!

 

[sheilanyc]

Caprese SandwichesI made these for our cluster meeting and it was a success! Every last piece eaten and pretty easy to make. I also made Roasted Garlic Spread. Easy to make and taste good too.

 

[chefchelsea]

Questions for ya?

I made these for our cluster meeting and it was a success! Every last piece eaten and pretty easy to make. I also made Roasted Garlic Spread. Easy to make and taste good too.

Was the roasted garlic spread good with the mini sandwiches? I am making these for my show on Sat. and the hostess wants to make something else to go with them, and she's like a gourmet chef, so she wants to do something more than just chips and dip. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[monica_sweetconsultant]

i am slowly getting around to the cookbooks. i have the new stoneware cookbook and let me tell you i have worn it out!! i will definately get more. i have tons of recipes saved on my computer. it would sure save room to just buy the books huh? lol never thought of it that way!! thanks for the advice!!

 

[sheilanyc]

Roasted Garlic

Was the roasted garlic spread good with the mini sandwiches? I am making these for my show on Sat. and the hostess wants to make something else to go with them, and she's like a gourmet chef, so she wants to do something more than just chips and dip. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The spread is better with chips or bread.

 

[kitchencop]

In the past 3 days.....my husband, kids, and I have made the Profiterole Puffs...YUM, (Valentine's Day) and today...I just made (with my 8 & 3 year old daughters) the Strawberry Amaretto Pastries....Double Yum!!!

 

[chefchelsea]

Thanks

The spread is better with chips or bread.

Thanks for letting me know. I made them last night, and they actually were delicious by themself. What's funny is when I tried one another consultant had made at our training they tasted try, I guess it's because it had been awhile since we all brought them over from various locations.
I just told her some chips and dip might would be good to go along with it and/or a salad.

 

[Baking Gal]

I have made the Gnocchi...It is very easy and very good. I made with the sage brown butter. I have also made the strawberry amaretto pasteries. These are really good. Make sure to use the zezt from the orange when you make them. It gives a really good taste.

 

[its_me_susan]

You really should invest in a couple of the cookbooks. They are so nice. I have them all and always take them to my shows. Some shows I only sell a couple, and some I sell 6 or 8!! I pass them around during the demo and let everyone look at them or leave them on my table and tell people they are free to look at them. My favorite one would have to be the All The Best. Not sure what I would choose for second place. I used to really like Delightful Desserts, but the It's Good For You is quickly taking over second. I've made several things out of Celebrate! too. I've had some people buy 3 or 4 of them at a time after seeing mine. What I started doing was making recipes out of them instead of the Season's Best. I would much rather sell a $14.75 cookbook than a $1 cookbook. But, that is just my opinion. I didn't always use them in the beginning, but do sell a lot more of them since I started taking them to my shows.

I agree ~ I show the great, easy-to-follow pictures & sell 1-5 All The Best at EVERY show. I have them all ~ my second favorite is the Dessert and Celebrate ones I think so far... still need to try them! I just got 3 at once.

I was also disappointed with the duplicates in the new Season's Best. I think the fillings for the potstickers is not great.... Wasn't thrilled seeing the chocolate-banana phyllo bundles or family burritos again either. The Artichoke chicken salad is yummy though! But I think that anyone that buys the Season's Bests on a regular basis will be disappointed to see repeats.

 

[cookingtbenee]

I generally offer the SB free if I see a lot of duplicate recipes to those that buy them from me every season.

 

[its_me_susan]

Does anyone have any of the recipes already typed up? If not, shall we divide them up to post here? I'm thinking I want to put a few on my website.

 

[mirandalea]

Rustic Focaccia is fantastic!!I did the Rustic Focaccia at my show last night and it was fabulous!! I did change the recipe just a touch, though. When I made it at home it seemed VERY tomato-y. I liked it, but my husband isn't that fond of cooked tomatoes. I got a little worried that some of the people at my shows wouldn't be big tomato eaters either, so I cut it down to one plum tomato and added Canadian Bacon. It was fantastic!! Everyone really loved it. Oh, I also did it on the rectangular stone instead of the round, because I have a heck of a time trying to get sqare pizza dough rolled into a circle shape! I didn't want to have to struggle with it during my demo.

 

[KitchenKristen]

I'm a brand new consultant, so I of course didn't notice the repeats! I made the antipasto vegetable pizza for a potluck yesterday and got rave reviews. People really liked it. I'm going to make the strawberry amaretto pastries tonight!

 

[KHocutt]

All are great!The Rustic Foccacia is really good, and easy. I do like the idea of cutting the tomato back to one.
The Strawberry Amaretto Pastries are fun to demo...I've let guest assemble their own, and used the EAD for the filling. Works great.
The Caprese Mini Sandwiches are REALLY tasty, but the ingredients are a little pricey (in my area) and I haven't had any takers on that recipe yet.
I want to try the Quick Chicken Risotto this week, I've heard from several other consultants that it is easy and delicious.

 

[PamperedPeggy]

Family Size Baked BurritoI have been doing this recipe at my shows lately, to great reviews. I have been omitting the refried beans as I know they are not for everyone. I find this recipe is much easier than anything with the crescent rolls and my guests are happy to see something different.

I have also made the Rustic Foccacia Bread lately and it is a hit, as well. Looking forward to trying the Profiterole Puffs and the Amaretto Pastries.

 

[chefanita]

Hello,
I made the Antipasto Vegetable Pizza and the Hot Curried Chicken Dip for some friends on Friday night. They loved them both, especially the dip. I did find that the Antipasto Pizza was fairly messy though. And none of the 6 kids that were here were interested...but that's okay it wasn't for them anyways.LOL