Some other thoughts: I have already at a different time, demonstrated how to make yogurt.

I thought about spaghetti squash, as it's interesting and different, but it is expensive here and I don't think it would appeal to my group. Same with California rolls but now I think that might be good although the ingredients are hard to find locally.
Or browning meat really well, why it's important, how to make a dark, rich gravy without enhancements.

Three items using techniques that might be new to many cooks are:

Consomme with its "raft"
Vegetable timbales
Steamed puddings

I've made AnnT's scones, but omitted the sugar and added carmelized onions and gruyere cheese. To save money, you could use swiss instead.
Jo

Bechemel sauce & transform it into cheese sauce. Knowing how to make that adds a lot of possibilities in their day-to-day cooking.

/tricia

Did you want a "savory" to use with the puff pastry? This is one I have been making for many years.

The recipe calls for pimento. I make my own by roasting a red pepper but it sounds like you are cooking with non-cooks so if you want to make it easy you could just buy a jar of pimentos.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Mushrooms And Pimientos In Puff Pastry
======================================
The Foods and Wines of Spain

1 package puff pastry
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon minced onion
1 clove garlic minced
2 Tablespoons minced pimiento
preferably homemade
1/4 pound mushrooms, chopped fine
1/2 dried red chili crumbled or 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the onion and garlic until onion is wilted. Add the pimiento and cook for a minute, then the mushrooms, chili pepper, salt, and pepper and saute until mushrooms are softened. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese.

Roll the puff pastry to 1/8 inch. You can cut Cut into 1 3/4 inch circles and place 1 teaspoon of filling on half of the circles. Moisten the edges with water, cover with the remaining pastry circles, and press with the tines of a fork to seal.

I prefer to make them triangle shape,by cutting the pastry into 2 1/2 inches squares, add filling on one half and then folding over corner to form a triangle.

(May be prepared ahead and refrigerated) Place on a dampened cookie sheet and bake at 425 F on the upper rack of the oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until golden.

( To cut down on work you could make this appetizer in a larger size and Bake for about 20 minutes.) Then cut into wedges.

I just had another idea--Popovers! You can make them savory by adding things to the batter like parm. cheese, or rosemary.
So easy. I mix mine in the blender and just pour it into the cups. Not many people make them anymore, but they should. They are eaasier than pancakes. Oh, and speaking of that, you could do crepes and fill with savory fillings.

Jo

Other basic dishes and techniques for non-cooks would be:

Cured Salmon
Pan-roasted or oven-roasted vegetables (with Spring's arrival, Asparagus would be a good and simple choice)
Fresh Pasta Dough
Emulsified and Unemulsified Vinaigrettes, these can be used as a light dressing on fish, salads, etc.

Sol

Gee, some of these are over my head!
But I appreciate all ideas!! Food for thought right now.
We are talking about people who go out to eat for most meals or eat Hamburger Helper. Seriously.

I had thought about doing roasted red peppers. How to seed, flatten and roast a pepper under the broiler then make crostini with goat cheese and red pepper topping. Or cut up and use in homemade pimento cheese.

I won't have a huge amount of time and the fruit tart will be the big thing.

In my day, I did a lot of classes and demos. Here are a few ideas and I have a notebook at home if you want more.

~ Stir fry cooking (see the Forum FAQ page under Cooking Techniques) and maybe steamed or pan fried dim sum dumplings and/or Fried Rice

~ Appetizers and party snacks

~ Hand held meat pies: empanadas, bierocks, calzones, etc. using pastry crust, bread dough, tortillas, etc.

~ Tapas Party - foods for tapas, sangria, and discussion of sherry

How about basic yeast rolls?
Linda c

I assume you are trying to teach these folks how to cook to feed themselves. Teresa mentioned empanadas. I did something for a group years ago where you took a basic refrigerator biscuit, you know, in the paper cylinder. You roll them out flat into a disc and then add the filling of your choice. I have done pizza fillings, andouille in a tomato sauce with cheese, spinach florentine, almost anything you can think of, even dessert or pie fillings. Then fold over and pinch the edges to seal. Bake and eat, everyone loves them and very simple. Good luck, it sounds like fun!

Steve

Personal size pizzas, using a ball of store-bought dough and an assortment of toppings.

Jim

I'm sorry, bumblebeeze. I didn't see the part about the lessons being for people who don't cook very much.

How about Cooking in Foil with a main course or entire meal in an individual foil packet they can bake in an oven or toaster oven?

Thank you all so much for your replies and ideas.

The phyllo dough demo went over very well last year and we did not have anyone in the group of 20? (ages 30-60) who had ever used it.
They all seemed to really enjoy seeing it used and had a lot of questions.
I talked briefly about puff pasty and none had used that either, so hence, this year it is.
A few of the ladies are good cooks but cook basic southern cooking.
I have no idea if anyone will actually make anything I show, but it is fun and entertaining!

The cured salmon made me laugh...must be a northern thing. Now if I made jerky venison....

One of my close friends always brings something to our groups that is lovely, one year she brought smoked salmon and lots of garnishes...beautifully presented. It went untouched. Dh and I pigged out afterward on it.

Most social occasions seem to have an abundance of chocolate fountains, m&m's, hotdogs, store bought french onion dip...

So, I did think about yeast rolls and I may do a savory filling for the turnovers. But not mushroom (sorry Ann, but I appreciate the recipe- I like mushrooms as much as you like carrots)

I would like do something really easy but if possible, not bready. Can't do canned biscuits- just hate them. (I know, P. Farm puff pastry isn't much better!) I have a recipe for ranch dressing, rosemary grilled chicken that is a little different, may do that on skewers.

Hmmm, how to use a pastry bag? How to pipe whipped cream into strawberries? Caramelized onion dip? Stuffed, rolled, turkey breast? (I like this idea)

I truly am reading and pondering everyone's ideas. Thank you so much.

Jim:
How about Personal Size Pizza's using mixed Pizza Dough. ?

The Dough can be mixed ahead and start to rise .
Then show how you make the Dough in Class.

Roasted Peppers ???
Peppers and Egg Omelet. Sausage and peppers.
- - - - - - - - - - -

Roasted Peppers in EVOO with Garlic, for Sandwiches, Salads.

Also use this for "Aglio e Olio Con Pepe"
(Garlic ,Oil and Peppers)over Spaghetti W. Parmesan.
Very Fast and easy to make.
You can even add Cured Salmon.

Recipe

Hi Everyone: I did the Red bell Pepper thing again tonight .
I simmered Roasted sliced Red Bell Peppers and 5 Garlic cloves chopped, in 1/4 cup of Olive Oil.

Loaded it with Chopped Parsley, Basil Flakes ( the top fell off, so I added a little more Basil ) pinch of Oregano, onion powder , Black pepper and a pinch of ground red pepper.

Meanwhile , I cooked 1/2 pound of spaghetti #9, drained it and put the pepper mess on this and mixed it.
While the spaghetti was hot I beat an egg in 1/2 cup of warm water with 1 teaspoon of Chicken Soup Base and dumped this on top and mixed it good,
with some grated Parmesan Cheese and salt to taste. Added more Cheese when served.
It was delicious!!!!!!!!! You have to try it.

Hope this helps a little.
Lou

I like Teresa's stir fry suggestion or how to cook an easy tasty meal using pasta - use the same pasta, such as bow tie or penne, angel hair, and demo 3 different easy, delicious main courses we all throw together in a hurry and take for granted because we know how.
Like Lori's BowTie Pasta
Shrimp with Pasta.
Pasta w/ a (gasp) jarred Marinara sauce (Trader Joe's if you have one nearby).

I totally understand who the people attending your demo are - my MIL.
Eats every meal out - if she cooks - everyone raves how great the meal is (always yuck)she thinks using Pork Shake n Bake on Chicken is gourmet.
This is a world traveled woman, who rates the cruises by their meals and if their french fries are extra crispy. She would attend your demo, enjoy it, and hit Applebees for lunch tomorrow and Olive Garden for dinner.

DH & son just returned from visiting her - Special delicious 1 dish meal was rubber no seasoned chicken breast with sauerkraut, swiss cheese scooped out of the pan over mashed potatoes. She told me this is what she had planned for their arrival. Unbeknown to me that I was on speaker phone, I asked DH how his chicken slop was over noodles (her original plan) - she yelled " I had mashed potatoes instead!" oops!

I think whatever you demo - there are alot of Hamburger Helper people out there who don't want to change their ways, but it is nice that we try to change them :)

I wonder if a marinated chicken breast might be a good subject. Since you live in the south, you have the option of grilling outside most of the year.

I have the perfect recipe, if you want it. It has that oriental flavor that goes well with typical sides and also goes great cut up on top of a salad. It's easy but way better than dumping a bottle of dressing on the chicken to marinate.

I'll check back....

Nancy

From what I gather, this third demo item should be:

1. Savory.

2. Easy for less skilled cooks to learn.

3. Something they probably would not make if not for this demo.

4. Interestingly different but not strange.

5. Not bready.

6. Appealing to those with a southern food background.

Did I miss anything? Number 4 may be just my thinking. I need to ponder this for a while.

Jim

That looks great Lou! I'll have to make that for me sometime. Lots of ideas to think about.
I am not expecting to change anyone's habits or even to teach them to cook.
So funny magothyriver!
The overall demo is part of our monthly womens meeting from our church so people will be attending who don't normally care about cooking.
I want to inspire and entertain and ultimately help the women to think our meetings are fun and want to come back.
If they learn something, great!

When I did the vodka pie crust I could tell the overall attitude was "but why would I want to bother when there's Mrs. Edwards?"

Nancy, I would like your marinade recipe, even if I don't use it for the meeting I marinate chicken constantly for us and yes, I do grill year round.

Here ya go Beez... I usually do about 5 lbs of chicken at a time, the extra uncooked chicken goes into the freezer, quick and easy the next time that I'm in the mood.

ASIAN MARINADE

Enough for 5lbs. of chicken breasts.

1 C vegetable oil
¼ C sesame oil
¾ C soy sauce
1/3 C minced garlic
¼ C minced fresh ginger
2/3 C minced cilantro
6 green onions, sliced thin
1 tsp black pepper

Combine and add chicken. Marinate for 2 to 24 hours in the refrigerator

Nancy

Nancy - Do you remove the chicken from the marinade before freezing? I am assuming you do - I always grill the extra and freeze it cooked. I'd like to try it your way. Thinking ahead to marinate ahead is my problem - that requires planning :)

bumblebeeze - how about a quick tutorial on making your own salad dressing?
You could serve several different kinds on a pretty platter of prepared lettuce leaves and hand out the recipes.

Are you sure my MIL doesn't go to your church? She lives in the South !!!

I saw a recipe in the Washington Post I want to try (if it ever stops raining) for grilled Romaine hearts with an anchovy, garlic dressing - we are either going to love it or hate it.

I've done it both ways... divide chicken into bags to freeze right away (with it's share of marinade) or marinate it all together and then pull out of the marinade and place in bags (with what ever marinade clings to the chicken). I can't tell a difference.

I have frozen extra chicken that's been grilled and don't really like to do that as well. I think that the chicken texture suffers.

Nancy