Customer Reviews

Pillsbury Holiday Baking: Treats filled with cheer for a magical time of year

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This cookbook covers October through December. You will get lots of recipes starting with Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and then ending with New Year.
The recipes are many you've probably already been making for years. But here they're all in one cookbook and with nicely done pictures so you know what the creations are suppose to look like completed.
I would say most of the recipes are geared for children's parties or at least parties where you're bringing the "cute" dish. For Halloween there are bugs in a blanket which is similar to the pigs in a blanket dish but with added shoestring potatoes stuck in for legs and tiny drops of ketchup and mustard on the top for "spots."
Most of the recipes are for desserts, cakes, puddings, pinwheels, sweet appetizers using crescent rolls. There are a few true appetizers but not many and very few entrees.
There is a recipe for savory crab cheesecake that is worth the price of the cookbook alone. It's a very impressive dish that is also delicious. It's served with cocktail sauce and assorted crackers. It would be very appropriate to take the office Christmas party. But again, as an appetizer.
Some of the Hannukkah recipes would be acceptable for any celebration. There a chocolate ganache meringue that is made from scratch that could be served for dessert at any dinner. The praline cream puffs are to die for. And cream puffs are very easy to make actually. Really no need for the store bought variety. I've used the recipe from Betty Crocker "Buffets" cookbook for years and they're delicious and so simple to make. If you can still get that cookbook then do so.
Under the Hannukkah section there is a mini reuben sandwich or a mini rachel sandwich made with refrigerated crescent dinner rolls. Again, could be served at any event.
The Kwanzaa section included aloha tea cakes, praline sugar cookies, red velvet cake, tiny ham and pineapple pot pies and cheddar and bacon biscuits. I'm not sure what food qualifies to be served at a Kwanzaa celebration but many of these recipes could be served any time of the year.
Perhaps that is what the other reviewer was referring to when she said that these are just the same old recipes. For New Years the banana-eggnog bread pudding with rum sauce was delish. We've served it for years.
Again, these are tried and true tested recipes using the Pillsbury product name. So that's what you're getting. These recipes could be served at any event except for the Halloween specialities.
Hope that helps in determining whether to purchase or not. If you have the Pillsbury Big Book of Baking then you'd have all these recipes already. But this would be a good Christmas gift for a new bride who is starting to "theme" bake who you don't want to overwhelm with a huge cookbook. Include some baking sheets, bread pan, and maybe even a Pampered Chef bar pan. There are lots of pictures of the finished product and includes calorie and nutrition information. Also includes high altitude directions.
If you want a book for all the themed holidays then get the "Pillsbury Cmon Over!" cookbook. It includes menus for Garden Cookout, Oktoberfest, Kids Halloween, After the Autumn Harvest Feast, Holiday Brunch, Winter Fiesta, The Big Game, Valentine's Day dinner, Welcome Spring party, Flower Power Shower, Mother's day, plus 20+ other parties. And it includes drinks, appetizers, entrees and dessert suggestions. I think it would be a better gift than just the "Holiday Baking" cookbook.
Both are very good cookbooks and I didn't see much overlap in the recipes.

Because it was a Pillsbury book, I was excited to be reciving. But it's okay, nothing outstanding, nothing new particularly, but just some of the same old recipes.