Join Martha Stewart and Miss Piggy for a festive holiday baking adventure! Watch the iconic duo craft an incredible gingerbread house and delicious cookies perfect for the season. With Martha’s expert tips and Miss Piggy’s flair for fun, you’ll find creative ways to make your holiday treats shine.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00An extremely special person is arriving soon to learn how to make her own holiday gingerbread house.
00:06I think I'll start her off with something very basic and very easy.
00:12You call that easy?
00:14I call it easy.
00:15Well, sure, you're a goddess.
00:18Do you actually know what you're doing?
00:19Well, it takes a little bit of practice, Miss Piggy.
00:22You just go back and forth like this.
00:25I'd do it, but I'd miss my gloves.
00:27I understand that you're coming up here to write your cookbook?
00:31Oh, my cookbook! In the Kitchen with Miss Piggy.
00:34Plonk, plonk.
00:35Oh, is that the name of your new book?
00:37Uh-huh.
00:38You know, I gave you a gingerbread recipe.
00:40That's why I invited you here to see this gingerbread house in construction.
00:44If you're the author of a book, you should know how to do everything in that book.
00:49What, type?
00:51No, cook.
00:52Oh, the part I enjoy most is actually finding the TV dinners at the market.
00:56I love flower arranging, too.
00:58It takes practice.
00:59Oh, I like those plastic flowers back there.
01:01Oh, you have, oh look, you have...
01:02Those are amaryllis, they're real.
01:04You have plastic glassware like I do.
01:06I have no plastic glassware.
01:08You rub the cartoon characters off yours.
01:09Plastic is nice.
01:11Is this the wall?
01:12This is a side of a gingerbread house.
01:14See, that's gingerbread.
01:16And this is how you do the windows.
01:18I think you'll find this very interesting.
01:20Can I eat it now?
01:21In a moment.
01:22These windows are made out of melted sugar.
01:24How do you clean them?
01:25Do you get a little candy man to come in?
01:27Do you actually know what you're doing?
01:28Oh yes, I've been building gingerbread houses for many years.
01:31You trace this on the paper.
01:34And then you put your caramelized sugar where the windows are going to be.
01:37Because what we have to do is get these windows off the paper and into the house.
01:41People do this at home?
01:42Well, I hope that everybody makes a gingerbread house.
01:46Sure, if they've got a degree in engineering.
01:49This is called royal icing.
01:50And it's what glues everything together.
01:53You do this one-handed?
01:54Ladies and gentlemen, one-handed!
01:58That's incredible.
01:59Those are the windows.
02:00And you put this on like this.
02:02How about the roof?
02:03The roof?
02:04I went and I got for the roof.
02:07There's these little candies called necco wafers.
02:09That's a cute word.
02:10Necco.
02:11Necco.
02:12Have you heard of necco wafers?
02:13I like the name.
02:14Necco.
02:15I asked my assistant to get me lots of necco wafers.
02:18And I'm only left with white.
02:21Did you do something with the necco wafers?
02:23Lunch.
02:25And now, let me show you how to make the roof out of these necco wafers.
02:28Oh, the roof, yes, the roof.
02:29This is another piece of gingerbread.
02:31Look at, oops, uh-oh, I broke a necco wafer.
02:34Close the door, she broke a necco wafer!
02:37We can repair that, no trouble.
02:39What are you doing?
02:40I'm just going to glue the necco.
02:42There is the necco wafer repair.
02:44That it?
02:45So you do all those little neccos?
02:47All those little neccos.
02:48You drive me out of my gourd.
02:50Well, you finish the roof, and now we have to construct this house.
02:54Are you going to help me?
02:55Well, to the degree that I'm able.
02:59What are you doing now?
03:00This is the most difficult part of the entire job,
03:04the actual construction, putting the walls up.
03:07A friend is coming over to help.
03:09Oh.
03:11Hi, Martha.
03:12Oh, just in time.
03:13How are you?
03:14I got your message, something about building a house.
03:16Yes, but not your typical house.
03:18This is the gingerbread house.
03:20I need another pair of hands.
03:21Martha?
03:22Yes?
03:23Ms. Piggy's helping today.
03:24Martha?
03:25Yes, dear?
03:26Who's the, you know?
03:27Oh, excuse me.
03:28This is Ben.
03:29Ben is the builder.
03:30He's a builder?
03:31He's not your friend?
03:32He's a friend and a builder.
03:33Hello, Ben.
03:34Hi, how are you?
03:35Ms. Piggy's speaking.
03:36Good?
03:37Good?
03:38Now, we are going to do it.
03:39Are you married?
03:40Yes.
03:41Oh, he has a lovely wife, Bonnie.
03:42Who cares, Martha?
03:43You're doing a wonderful job, Ben.
03:45We're going to use what will surprise all of you.
03:49Dressmaker pins, which are our nails.
03:52And I...
03:53What are you talking about?
03:54These little pins, see?
03:56Yes, yes.
03:57Are going to go into, just to hold the house together.
04:00So, you eat this thing and you get stuck with pins.
04:02Just pull them out with pliers before you serve this.
04:05This is not amusing.
04:06Yes, well, this is the only way I could figure out to hold these sides together.
04:10See, look.
04:11Sorry, can I see?
04:12Sorry, I'm just looking.
04:13It goes between, see?
04:15Watch out for your nose.
04:17Oh, I'm very, very sorry.
04:19You got insurance on this thing?
04:21This is kind of like carpentry food.
04:23Now, the roof.
04:25The Necco wafers.
04:26Oh, the Neccos.
04:27Yeah, look.
04:28The Necco wafer roof is going on.
04:30Good work, Ben.
04:31Oh, boy.
04:32Look at this little charming house.
04:34It only took 15,000 man hours to make.
04:38Now, if you get terrified about hammering into your gingerbread, Miss Piggy,
04:43just grit your teeth and do it because these just a few little pins really hold it.
04:48Can't see a Grand Central Station over here.
04:50We don't want you to get lost back there.
04:52Hi, you got a girlfriend?
04:54I have a wife.
04:55Oh, okay, forget her.
04:57And now, one last roof.
04:59Oh.
05:01Just hope that the roof doesn't slide.
05:03If it slides and breaks,
05:06you're going to have to make it all over again.
05:08Oh.
05:10See, Miss Piggy, Builder Ben has saved the day.
05:13Builder Ben.
05:14What a nice title, Builder Ben.
05:16Well, you have everything under control, both you ladies, so I will leave you both.
05:20Thank you, thank you.
05:21Happy holiday to both of you.
05:22Thank you, Ben.
05:23Bye.
05:24Joyeux Noël, Ben.
05:26Feliz Navidad.
05:29Miss Piggy, see this hole here?
05:31Mm-hmm.
05:32You could put your electric lights right in here, like a string of Christmas lights,
05:35and it lights up the entire house.
05:37Well, let's step back and look at it.
05:39Will you look at that?
05:41Isn't that wonderful?
05:42What do you think?
05:43Now you can have your house and eat it, too.
05:45Yes, and that's a very, very good thing.
05:49Merry Christmas, Miss Piggy.
05:51Joyeux Noël.
05:53Hello.
05:54I'm throwing a bit of a soiree next week.
05:56Soiree, that's French for bash.
05:58And I was hoping to borrow a few things, dear.
06:00Well, how nice to see you.
06:01I haven't seen you for an entire year.
06:04I notice you've changed your hair color.
06:06Yes, brunettes now have more fun.
06:08Oh.
06:09Well, you notice mine's getting a little darker.
06:11No, dear, not voo.
06:13May I possibly borrow a few things?
06:15You mind?
06:16Being a good neighbor?
06:17Well, if you just take a few things.
06:18Of course.
06:19All right, Bernie, Billy Bob, Martha said yes.
06:22Back up the truck.
06:23What?
06:24Make sure you get the good wreaths, you know, the ones with the pine cones.
06:27Just friends of mine.
06:29Oh, okay.
06:30Ooh, look, cookies!
06:31I'll take two pounds of those gingerbread ones
06:33and a pound and a half of the sugar cookies.
06:35Do you know how long those take to make, Miss Piggy?
06:38Who cares?
06:39Do you remember last year that we made together a gingerbread mansion?
06:43Could I forget?
06:44It was all to code, wasn't it?
06:45It was to code, exactly.
06:47Well, using a similar kind of recipe with all that fragrant spice.
06:51Can you smell?
06:52Mmm.
06:54Nice, huh?
06:56Well, that same kind of recipe makes the most beautiful, decorative cookies.
07:01So I bet you we're going to make cookies.
07:03We're making cookies.
07:04Would you like to just stay a little while?
07:05Sure, sure, sure.
07:06Okay.
07:07Well, I wanted to show you.
07:08Get the good china, guys!
07:10Sorry.
07:11I would just love to show you how I make these wonderful cookies,
07:15all different shapes made out of a giant cookie cutter, snowflake.
07:18I'm going to go to the bank to buy that thing.
07:20And a wonderful star-shaped cookie cutter.
07:23And you can go into smaller shapes like this.
07:26Uh-huh.
07:27And do you like that one?
07:28A little incy-bincy.
07:30I need my glasses to see that.
07:31Well, look, this is what I do with this.
07:33You cut a star shape out of the center of a larger cookie so you have a nice hole in it.
07:37Oh, how obsessive.
07:38Yes, just as a little, little decoration.
07:41Martha, why go to all the hard work of decorating the cookies
07:44when your guests are going to scarf them down in a few minutes anyway?
07:47Well, first, I want to hang these on my tree.
07:50I'm making a snowflake tree.
07:51Oh, these are not for eating.
07:52Oh, yes.
07:53They're totally edible.
07:54So you've got to eat them from the tree like this?
07:55Yes.
07:56Like that?
07:57Yes, indeed.
07:58Okay, Martha.
07:59And if you want to hang them on your tree, look, this is the secret way to hang them on a tree.
08:02Not very secret anymore, is it?
08:04Using the same royal icing and a silver thread or a ribbon,
08:09and you just put some icing over the ribbon,
08:11and you have a nice little thing to hang on the tree.
08:15Do this before you decorate your cookies.
08:18And look, these.
08:19Oh, my gosh.
08:20You're going to love these.
08:21Look, three different size silver balls.
08:23Do you know what they're called?
08:25Dare I ask?
08:26Dragues.
08:28That's French.
08:29Aren't they beautiful?
08:30Dragues.
08:31Little teeny, teeny ones.
08:32Excuse me.
08:33I'm having fun saying that.
08:34Dragues.
08:37We have to have some...
08:38Do you like this sign?
08:39Excuse me.
08:40I'm sorry.
08:41I can't talk now.
08:42I'm working on my dragues.
08:43Oh, lovely.
08:44Well, I'm using the medium dragues on my...
08:46Medium dragues.
08:47...mounds of frosting.
08:48You don't mind if I don't write that down?
08:50I can't spell drague.
08:52It's very easy.
08:53I have enough trouble with medium.
08:55Now, see how pretty when they're all put on the cookie?
08:58So once you finish decorating your cookies,
09:01then you can pack them up as gifts in boxes like this.
09:04Oh, did you make that box?
09:05Oh, I didn't.
09:06No, no.
09:07This is made in Vermont,
09:08and I like to fill them to the top with these delicate cookies.
09:11So I got to trudge to Vermont to get the box.
09:13Yes, or...
09:14How about like a paper bag from the grocery store?
09:15A cellophane bag would be very nice.
09:17Cellophane bag.
09:18Yes.
09:19She's got her back turned.
09:20Get some more stuff, guys.
09:22Then you package them up with beautiful ribbons.
09:26Ooh.
09:27How do you like these little millinery fruits?
09:29Oh, sweet.
09:31Or hang your cookies on a tree.
09:34This is a goose feather tree,
09:36and these are the sugar snowflake cookies.
09:39Oh, but do they have dragues on them?
09:41Oh, they do indeed.
09:42Want to see how I make those?
09:44Do I have a choice?
09:45No.
09:46Oh, okay.
09:47And now I'm going to show you how to make
09:49those fabulous, fabulous snowflake cookies.
09:52Those things are wonderfully packed there.
09:55Very nice.
09:56Would you like the one with the magenta ribbon?
09:58Yes.
09:59Okay, now look.
10:00These are my eyes.
10:01These are the snowflake decorations,
10:02made out of royal icing.
10:04So now, this is easy.
10:06You might think it's complicated,
10:08but it isn't so complicated.
10:10Here is a tracing of a snowflake,
10:12and you know what the main characteristic
10:14of a snowflake is?
10:15They're cold.
10:16Well, they're cold, but what's the thing that
10:18distinguishes snowflakes?
10:19None of them are the same.
10:21That's exactly the characteristic.
10:22Every single snowflake is different from the other.
10:24That's the characteristic.
10:25Which I personally do not believe.
10:28Well, I do.
10:29Okay.
10:30So you take a tracing like that,
10:32or, for demonstration purposes for you,
10:35slightly simpler.
10:36And then you color.
10:37Whoa, whoa, whoa.
10:38Simpler for me?
10:40I think that pigs are extremely intelligent.
10:44Oh, personally, not all pigs are that smart.
10:48Or are you discriminatory?
10:50Actually, I know some pigs who are no rocket scientists
10:52if you get my drift.
10:53Well, I only know you.
10:54Now, you put a piece of wax paper on top of our tracing,
10:58so you can use the tracing over and over and over again.
11:01And you can remove the frosting from the tracing
11:04by taking it off the wax paper.
11:07You just pipe wet icing very carefully.
11:11Let me see, let me see, let me see.
11:12Don't knock my arm.
11:13Let me see, let me see.
11:14Oh, please don't knock my arm.
11:15Okay, go ahead and knock it.
11:16Oh, I'm just going to look.
11:17And just keep piping.
11:19Do you like wax paper?
11:21What about it?
11:22Well, I love, I love wax paper because it is, you know,
11:24Wait, Martha, hold it, hold it.
11:26You love wax paper?
11:27I do.
11:28It's one of those papers I really love.
11:30Alrighty.
11:31Guess what?
11:32This snowflake is almost done.
11:34Yeah, my guys are almost done.
11:36Let me see how you're doing this.
11:37Okay.
11:38I'm quite curious.
11:39And now what happens?
11:40And now you put your little silver dragues.
11:41What do you think?
11:42Do you own stock?
11:43I don't, but I should.
11:44Uh-huh.
11:45Sprinkle with a little sugar and let it dry overnight.
11:49I have one that's dry.
11:51Now watch.
11:52You release it from the wax paper like that.
11:55Release it.
11:56Born free.
11:57The secret is if you want the back to look as beautiful
12:00as the front, you do the whole design over again.
12:03Oh, over again?
12:05Before it dries, you again apply your silver dragues.
12:09The dragues!
12:11And a sprinkling of granular sugar.
12:14It has to be granular?
12:15Yes.
12:16Let that dry and then you'll get these amazing,
12:20individualistic, everyone different snowflakes
12:25to hang on your tree.
12:26And how many of those do you make?
12:28Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds.
12:30Okay, well if you're a retiree, that sounds great.
12:33Are you finished packing up?
12:34Let me see.
12:35Billy Bob!
12:36Bernie, how you doing?
12:37Hey, don't forget to take the plastic snowman on the front lawn!
12:41It's been wonderful.
12:42Come to the party.
12:43I will.
12:44Oh, but can I come with you now?
12:45If you'd like.
12:46I'd like to see what you took.
12:47You want to see what I took?
12:48Yes.
12:49Get the stuff out of the truck!
12:50We're going inventory!
12:51Well, I'm going to get dressed.
12:52Martha?
12:53Martha?
12:54Martha, where are you?
12:55Martha?
12:56Here I am.
12:57Billy Bob wants to talk to you.
12:58He wants to negotiate.
12:59Oh, okay.
13:00And where did you get that idea from?
13:02Well, maybe from you, Miss Piggy.
13:04You have lots of ideas.
13:06You going brunette next?
13:07If it works for you.
13:08Would you give me a hug, please?
13:10I love you, Miss Piggy.
13:11Just before you see what we took.
13:12I love you.
13:13Oh, yeah, sure.
13:14Oh, look at this.
13:15Two temptresses.
13:16Come on.
13:17Let's go look at what you took and keep a list, okay?
13:20Okay, girlfriend.
13:21Let's do it.
13:22Let's go.
13:24Miss Piggy?
13:26Well, that's Miss Piggy.
13:28And she's back this morning for another holiday visit.
13:31And luckily, we're not dressed alike this time.
13:34No, we are not.
13:35We are not.
13:36I wouldn't be caught dead in that.
13:37Well, it's not glamorous enough for you, is it, Miss Piggy?
13:41No, no, no.
13:42Well, I forgot my pearls.
13:44If I had only seen what you were wearing before.
13:46Oh, yes, yes.
13:47Do you like it?
13:48Do you like it?
13:49My little pin?
13:50I like your faux leopard gloves and diamond bracelets.
13:56I love what you've done with the place.
13:58Yeah?
13:59Everything's so festive.
14:00Yeah.
14:01What's the occasion?
14:02Well, it's Christmas.
14:03I'm just kidding.
14:04It's show for Miss Piggy.
14:06This place is unbelievable.
14:08We will go.
14:09Oh, and look who's in the front row, Miss Piggy.
14:10Can you see all these children?
14:12Look how cute.
14:14Children.
14:15I love children.
14:16I love darlings.
14:17Kissy, kissy.
14:19Now, I wondered why the kids were here this morning.
14:21I totally forgot that Miss Piggy was going to be our premier guest.
14:25You forgot?
14:26No, I didn't.
14:27I'm just kidding.
14:28I make that much of an impression on you.
14:29No, I'm just kidding.
14:30But I know you love sweets.
14:33Oh, I do.
14:34And I know you love Kermit.
14:36Do you want to make something to take home to Kermit?
14:38No, not really.
14:39No?
14:40No, just for myself.
14:42He doesn't really deserve it.
14:43You're still having your little feuds now and then?
14:45Well, you know, we've been spending a lot of quality time together lately,
14:49which is showbiz talk for please someone call and give him a job already.
14:57I'm starting to get concerned about how he's going to afford all of my Christmas presents.
15:02Oh.
15:03Well, I wanted to show you something that you could make for a Christmas present
15:07to give away to your friends.
15:09And you can even eat it while you're making it and you'll love it.
15:13I'm loving it already.
15:15It's something sweet.
15:16It's a chocolate peppermint cookie.
15:18Does it sound good to you?
15:20Oh, yes, yes.
15:22Come on, let's make it.
15:23Have you made anything else this year?
15:25Have you made anything else this year?
15:27Well, you know, as a matter of fact, you know, I love baking.
15:31I like your hair, by the way.
15:33Very chic.
15:35You got rid of those curls.
15:36Yes, you know, you got to keep changing, mixing it up.
15:40You know what I always say?
15:41What's that?
15:42When you're through changing, you're through.
15:45You're through.
15:48So you are a prime example of never being through.
15:52I am never going to be through.
15:53No, no, no.
15:54I'm always going to change.
15:55That's great.
15:56As a matter of fact, after the commercial break, I'm going to change.
15:59Oh, you are again?
16:00I'm going to change again.
16:01Fashionista.
16:02Yes.
16:03Yes.
16:04Well, would you like to make the chocolate peppermint cookies?
16:06Yes, I would.
16:07You're so beautiful.
16:08Look at her blue eyes, everybody.
16:09Look at children.
16:10Beautiful blue eyes.
16:11Good children.
16:12They're mesmerized.
16:13Good children, this is good.
16:16This is what you should strive for, okay?
16:21So here in the double boiler, oh, and it's really cooking away.
16:24We have four ounces of milk chocolate and a half a cup of butter, okay?
16:29And it's all melted, you see?
16:31Okay?
16:33And so we're going to take that off.
16:36And we can put that right on our mixer.
16:40I love chocolate.
16:41Are we almost done yet?
16:42Don't you look, no.
16:43Don't you, you always say that.
16:44You have no patience.
16:45You have to, you have to get some patience.
16:47You know, I wanted to talk to you about something.
16:49You know, I've been baking a lot lately.
16:51And actually, actually, I've been using your book.
16:54The baking book?
16:55The Martha Stewart baking handbook.
16:58Go out and buy it.
16:59See?
17:00Even Miss Peggy discovers.
17:02How's that for a celebrity endorsement?
17:03You've always been looking for the best of the best.
17:06Mm-hmm.
17:07You have.
17:08And that's the best of the best.
17:09Well, you know, it's all right.
17:11It's okay.
17:12It's the best of the best.
17:13You have any trouble?
17:14Did you have any trouble with the recipes?
17:16I did have a little bit of trouble with one recipe.
17:18Which one?
17:19The cookies.
17:20Oh.
17:21The cookies.
17:22Okay, well, watch.
17:23Watch what I'm doing.
17:24Now, this is a sifter.
17:25Do you know that?
17:26It's also a whisk.
17:27Yes.
17:28Yes, I used that when I tried to make those cookies.
17:29Okay, a half a cup of unsweetened cocoa.
17:31Mm-hmm.
17:32Mixed into one and a half cups of all-purpose flour.
17:35Now, do you know what kind of all-purpose flour you use when you bake?
17:38All-purpose.
17:39Yes.
17:40Use a nice King Arthur or a Hecker's.
17:44And now mix and see when the whisk, see how the whisk does all this?
17:47Look, I just want to show you.
17:48The whisk is like a sifter, see?
17:50Yeah.
17:51Yeah.
17:52Yeah, it's like a sifter.
17:53So a half a teaspoon of baking soda.
17:54This isn't the same recipe, is it?
17:55No, it's different.
17:56Because the other one didn't really turn out.
17:57This one is not in the book.
17:59Half a teaspoon of salt.
18:01Okay.
18:02Okay.
18:03And we're mixing that in.
18:04And then...
18:05I mean, they were all right.
18:06They were okay.
18:07Well, I just don't understand.
18:08No, they're a little soft.
18:09I don't understand.
18:10These are kind of uncooked.
18:11Oh.
18:12Well, maybe you didn't bake them long enough.
18:13So now add...
18:14No, no, no, no.
18:16No, no, no.
18:17I put them in first.
18:18Let me see.
18:19Let's go.
18:20And you add your one and a half cups of sugar.
18:21Mm-hmm.
18:22And we're just making the batter now.
18:23Oh, very important, vanilla extract with the flour.
18:24Mm-hmm.
18:25And if you're old, I must be old.
18:26You weren't cooking at all during the commercial break.
18:27No, I was not.
18:28I was waiting to show...
18:29No, let's get these cookies going.
18:30Come on.
18:31Okay, but I want to show the audience.
18:32Now, I don't want to cheat the audience.
18:33They have to see the whole process.
18:34All right, all right, all right.
18:35So now add the dry ingredients.
18:36I did add a half a teaspoon of baking soda.
18:37Okay.
18:38All right.
18:39All right.
18:40Now, I don't want to cheat the audience.
18:41They have to see the whole process.
18:42All right, all right, all right.
18:43So now add the dry ingredients.
18:44I did add a half a teaspoon of peppermint extract and one teaspoon of vanilla extract.
18:48Peppermint.
18:49Peppermint.
18:50Peppermint.
18:51Oh, I love peppermint.
18:52Oh, I love peppermint.
18:53You can eat these cookies all day long and your breath just gets fresher.
18:56It does.
18:58If you have bad breath, which you don't have.
19:01No, no, I don't.
19:03And then 15 crushed peppermint candies.
19:06Just pour those in.
19:07And these are just the little swirly peppermint candies
19:10that you get at the drugstore or at the candy store.
19:13So then, now chill this dough until it's hard, like this.
19:18And then scoop it out.
19:20We're using like a tablespoon scoop
19:22so that they're all the same size.
19:25Don't you like that?
19:26Now watch.
19:26Roll it in just the tops of the little balls.
19:30Roll it in more crushed peppermint.
19:32This is 30 peppermint candies.
19:34So do not try to sneak peppermint candies
19:36while you are making these, OK?
19:39I would never.
19:40Oh, yeah, right.
19:42Right.
19:43OK, and then bake these at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.
19:4815 minutes.
19:49Yep, and then they come out and they look like this.
19:51Children, do you have your cookies?
19:54Oh, see, they all have their cookies.
19:55Wait a minute.
19:56Wait a minute, where did you get those?
19:57Here, you can have one, too.
19:59I'll put yours right here.
20:01And they are delicious, delicious cookies.