Episode 52 - The Cookie Extravaganza! with Karen Porter and Cherry McGregor

Date: November 12, 2024

Podcast Show Notes: Interview with Karen Porter and Cherry McGregor

 

Story Highlight:
Welcome to The Women Behind the Words! We’re thrilled to have you with us for a heartwarming and festive episode featuring a truly inspiring mother-daughter team, Karen Porter and Cherry McGregor. For over twenty years, Karen and Cherry have upheld a remarkable Christmas tradition, touching lives around the world with their generous hearts and love for baking. Every December, they roll up their sleeves to bake an incredible 6,000 cookies, transforming Cherry’s home into a festive gathering space on a Sunday afternoon around the third week of the month. Friends, neighbors, and their extended community come together to admire, purchase, and enjoy these beautifully decorated cookies, which make for perfect gifts or holiday treats. Every dollar raised supports a beloved school in India that Karen and Cherry have been ministering to for over two decades. One year, they even raised an astonishing $8,000!

It’s a massive undertaking, but over the years, Karen and Cherry have streamlined their process, making it a cherished and manageable tradition. Cherry highlights the importance of organization, suggesting that those inspired to start a similar tradition could consider gathering a group of friends to share the effort. The cookies are not only delicious but true works of art, and their recipes have been collected in a cookbook co-authored by Karen and Cherry, titled Cookie Extravaganza, available at Bold Vision Books. They have also co-authored Make Your Heart a Manger, a beautiful retelling of the nativity story from the unique perspectives of those present at Jesus' birth, inviting readers to experience the Christmas story in a fresh, inspiring way.

Karen and Cherry’s Christmas tradition has brought joy and purpose to their holiday season, turning it into a time of global impact, blessing others with fewer resources, and creating treasured family memories. We hope this episode encourages you to start your meaningful traditions, perhaps with a few less than 6,000 cookies to begin with!
As a special treat for our listeners, the first person to email deb@debbiedufek.com with their favorite Christmas cookie will receive a copy of Cookie Extravaganza in the mail, so don’t forget to include your mailing address. Happy baking!

 

About the Guests (Bio):
Karen Porter and Cherry McGregor are the dynamic mother-daughter team behind several collaborative projects, including an annual Christmas cookie event and two co-authored books. Every holiday season, they bake over 6,000 cookies to support a cherished school in India. Their books include Make Your Heart a Manger and Cookie Extravaganza.

Karen Porter is a renowned international retreat and seminar speaker, successful businesswoman, and author of ten books, including I’ll Bring the Chocolate and If You Give a Girl a Giant. She is dedicated to coaching aspiring writers and speakers and training communicators globally. Karen, along with her husband George, also owns Bold Vision Books, a traditional Christian publishing company. Karen serves on the board of multiple non-profits and considers her marriage to George her greatest accomplishment. She loves talking about her five grandchildren and spends her spare time on an endless quest for the perfect purse.

Cherry McGregor brings a warm, creative touch to every project. Her life is full, balancing the joys of motherhood with her work in the family business. Cherry plays an active role at her church, where she helps plan events, leads a hospitality team, and teaches a new member’s class. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Science from Texas A&M and a Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine. A true Texan at heart, Cherry enjoys basketball, college football, family game nights, and all things Texas A&M. She is married to Craig, a local dentist, and together they have three children—Garrett, Gracen, and Gabriella—as well as a playful Basset puppy.

 

Book Spotlight:
Cookie Extravaganza is a delightful guide to hosting a cookie party for both fun and fundraising. With a step-by-step approach, Karen and Cherry offer their tried-and-true strategies for organizing a cookie walk, sharing tips on everything from preparation and volunteer recruitment to making each cookie a show-stopping treat.

The recipes in Cookie Extravaganza are easy to follow, delicious, and impressive. Whether you’re planning to raise money for a cause or just want to host a festive gathering, this cookbook will inspire you. Inside, you’ll find tips on hosting a cookie party, creative cookie decorating ideas, and guidance on recruiting and engaging volunteers. The cookbook includes recipes for bar, cutout, rolled, filled, pressed, piped, no-bake, and drop cookies—each one tested, refined, and perfected by Karen and Cherry themselves. This mother-daughter duo has truly mastered the art of cookies for a cause, and they invite you to join in the fun, even if you start with fewer cookies!

 

Connect with Karen Porter:
Facebook: facebook.com/kaeporter
Twitter: twitter.com/karenporter
Instagram: instagram.com/karen.j.porter