Betty Crocker Party

I invited some friends over for a Betty Crocker Red Hot Holiday Trends party! I worked on this campaign last year with the Betty Crocker Kitchens, and the campaign is just as fabulous this year.  You can find it at BettyCrocker.com/RedHot. 

I decorated in Betty red and gave out big red spoons as party favors.

This was definitely the most delicious party I have ever hosted, and I have hosted a lot of parties.  Everyone was assigned a different recipe to make at home and bring to the party.  ALL the recipes turned out great!  Seriously, even those who don't cook or bake very often did a great job!  And here they all are...

I made the Sparkling Ginger Hard Apple Cider.  This is full of alcohol -- bourbon, ginger-flavored liqueur, orange-flavored liqueur, aromatic bitters, and hard apple cidar.  We joked that you should not drink this if you are pregnant, may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant any time in the future.  It was tasty! 

Katie made Gluten Free Chocolate Truffle Cakes.  They were mini and delish!  Perfect if you know someone who eats gluten-free.

Heather made Elf Food.  This is super yummy, and many of us commented that we will make it for our kids (ok, for ourselves) to eat during our drive to grandma's house for Christmas. 

Michelle made Chocolate Stout Caramel Corn.  She commented that it was very easy, and she's going to give the judge she works with the rest of the Guinness beer that was called for in the recipe as a Christmas gift.  Perfect!

 

 

Christy made Roasted Squash and Sweet Potato Flatbread.  This was a party favorite because it was delicious, and because it was one of the few savory dishes.  Christy commented that she could not find the delicata squash called for in the recipe (this is one of the problems with living in Rockford -- we don't even have a grocery store in town, and the stores close by don't exactly have a large selection), but used the tip and substituted a butternut squash instead.

Lisa made the 18 Layer Red Velvet Cake, and it was a show stopper.  We made her ceremoniously make the first cut to reveal the fun inside.  Lisa told everyone how it was made (it's surprisingly simple), but commented that it would have been much easier if she would have actually had 3 cake pans of the same size at home!

 

 

Tracy made Bakerella's Snowman Cake Pops.  When I first sent out the invitations to this party, I was really hoping Tracy could attend and make these cake pops.  Tracy is a graphic designer, super talented, and patient!  I think her decoration rivals Bakerella, but she admitted it took her 4 hours.  These were another party favorite, and most people took them home for their kids.

 

 

Becky made Caramel Apple Crisp Tarts.  Becky claims she never cooks or bakes, and I think this was my favorite dish. Sooooooo good!  My mouth is watering as I type and remember.

Amanda made Chocolate Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake.  She had never made a cheesecake before, so had to borrow a springform pan from a neighbor.  Amanda claims the cheesecake shifted a bit in the car, but I thought it looked (and tasted) perfect.

Kelly made Alfajores Hidden Surprise Cookies.  She commented that she could make them in pieces -- make the sugar cookies one day, toast the coconut another day, etc.  This is necessary when you have a baby and a 3-year-old in the house and you can't find a consecutive hour to prep!

 

Very nice job, ladies!  It was a fun night!

We had planned to make the bonus recipe for Paw Print Dog Treats and donate them to the local Animal Humane Society.  But, we were too busy eating and ran out of time.  So, today, I made them for our neighborhood dogs instead.  Merry Christmas to them!  Woof woof!