More than demonstrating Southern shortcut recipes for the holidays, our Holiday Cooking Show is a fun, lively night full of door prizes, silent auction, FREE dessert and Panera Bread coffee/hot chocolate bar, and more!
Read all the details about the show below carefully before buying your tickets. That link is after the show details.
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Fundraiser
Our 8th Annual Holiday Cooking Show, November 3, 2025 at the Gardendale, AL civic center is a fundraiser for Outdoor Ability Foundation.
OAF was founded by my husband and son to present adaptive equipment including all terrain outdoor wheelchairs to disabled kids that love to hunt and fish.
Is it just a cooking show?
No! It's so much more!
It's a fun, lively and entertaining show! I have a whole squad of friends helping to put this show together!
- Southern shortcut recipes I have hand picked recipes that are perfect for your Thanksgiving and Christmas meals and parties. Expect decadence when it comes to dessert, but not lengthy recipes.
- Door Prizes! We have sooooo many excellent door prizes such as restaurant gift cards, kitchen tools, and so much more! All ticket holder names will be pre-printed and entered in all door prize drawings.
- Silent auction from 5:00pm-6pm and again at intermission. (Doors open at 5pm this year!)
- A few of our 2025 Silent Auction Items Williams Sonoma gift basket, Overnight stay-Bee on the Brow bed and breakfast in Mentone, AL, Handcrafted wooden mantle clock, $100 basket of Alabama-made products, Handmade wooden cutting board, double wide Instant Brand air fryer, $250 Sonicare electric toothbrush, Red Mountain Theater tickets, gift certificates, and so much more!
- FREE Dessert and Coffee during intermission! Yep, that's right. Panera Bread's delicious cookies and coffee!
- Order a box dinner from Chick-fil-A. Don't have time to eat before you get here? You can preorder box dinner from a limited menu from Gardendale Chick-fil-A and it will be there when you arrive starting at 5:00pm! You can eat at your seat or we will have limited seating with tables in the silent auction room. (Registration and silent auction starts at 5:00pm this year.)
- Recipe Booklet and Program The program doubles as a free recipe booklet with all the recipes demonstrated at the Holiday Cooking Show. All recipes are created just for the cooking show and not even on GritsAndGouda.com until after each show.
- Goody Bags Everyone will leave with a goody bag with surprises.
- Selfie Station Don't miss our holiday selfie station where you can snap a selfie in front of our Christmas themed backdrop.
- Door Prizes ALL night long!- You'll learn the magic phrase to yell out to win a door prize and our volunteers will come running to you!
Silent Auction
How does this silent auction work?
It is a little different (and easier) than signing your name and having to constantly check back to see if someone bid higher than you.
To save time at the show, you can preorder your silent auction tickets and they will be bundled and ready for pick up in a different line at the silent auction.
There will be a bucket in front of every silent auction item. Guests will place tickets they purchase in the buckets they hope to win. Each ticket is $5 or 5/$20. The more tickets you place in a bucket, the more likely you are to win that item. One winning name will be drawn at the end of the evening from each bucket.
Pre-order your Silent Auction Tickets. We will have them bundled for you so you can skip the line to pay for them.
You must buy a general admission ticket and be present to participate in silent auction.
When and where is the Holiday Cooking Show?
- 2025 Holiday Cooking Show is November 3, 2025
- 6pm Gardendale, Alabama
- Gardendale Civic Center
The Gardendale Civic Center is located at 857 Main Street, Gardendale, AL.
How much are tickets?
General seating tickets are $20 while they last. VIP tickets are $50. (VIP tickets sell out quickly) Tickets for 2025 Holiday Cooking Show are now LIVE! Get your tickets, now!
Where do I get tickets?
Since this is a fundraiser for Outdoor Ability Foundation, there are no paper tickets printed. You will be added to our guest list and check in at the registration table when you arrive.
Get your Holiday Cooking Show tickets.
Everyone will receive an email confirmation within 24 hours of buying tickets online. Everyone will check in at the show registration table before entering the exhibition hall starting at 5pm. So, allow plenty of time to check in before heading to the silent auction.
If you absolutely cannot pay online, email us at gritsandgouda@gmail.com and we will make arrangements for you to mail a check one week in advance.
Who comes to the Holiday Cooking Show?
Everyone is welcome! Come single. Bring a friend or family member. Date night. We have entire groups like senior centers and Bible study groups make it an annual event!
By the time you leave you will have laughed, learned and be in the holiday and giving spirit, for sure!
Follow Grits and Gouda on Facebook for show updates!
We have sold out of show tickets EVERY year!
Can I use my credit card at the silent auction and vendors
Silent Auction: Yes, we will have the ability to slide your credit card. Cash is easier.
All show tickets are preordered online because we sell out every year. No tickets will be sold that night.
Holiday Cooking Show benefits Outdoor Ability Foundation
What is Outdoor Ability Foundation?
The Holiday Cooking Show benefits Outdoor Ability Foundation. OAF, a 501 c 3 nonprofit, was founded by my husband, Scott and son, Grayson, in 2014.
Our son, Grayson, was born with spina bifida. Grayson is now 26 years old, an Eagle Scout, Wallace State Community College graduate in welding, and loves to hunt and fish.
When Grayson was 15 he struggled to navigate the rough terrain of the woods and soggy river banks while hunting and fishing. So, we raised money through car washes, selling my Mississippi Mud Brownies, and community donations to buy a used tracked outdoor power chair.
Making a difference, one child at a time.
After experiencing this new independence of being able to go just about anywhere he wanted to hunt and fish, he and Scott wanted to help others have the same freedom. They started raising money by going to outdoor shows like World Deer Expo and Rick and Bubba's Outdoor Expo.
As of September 2025, OAF has helped 37 kids and young adults (Ages 8-19) in 13 states get all terrain outdoor power chairs.
Pictures of the recipients are on their website at OutdoorAbilityFoundation.com.
How can I donate to Outdoor Ability Foundation?
To DONATE, visit Outdoor Ability Foundation's Zeffy website.
For all Kathleen's Southern shortcut recipes visit GritsAndGouda.com.
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To learn more about food blogger and author, Kathleen Phillips check out her About Me page.
Eliza Cross
What an absolutely fun and festive event for a very special cause. I loved reading Grayson's story and learning about how you and your family started this wonderful organization. Your holiday cooking class sounds like a BLAST!
Kathleen
Thank you so much! It's a family affair, for sure! We absolutely love it and have so much fun with the show!