Words of wisdom from the only rat anybody ever wants to see near their food. 

Also wanted to share a big milestone!  This week my blog has gone from an average of 15 daily viewers to over 200!  How amazing is that?

Now if only you guys would leave a comment or two, I'd be in Disney blogger heaven!

Photo by me!

Unknown

Next week is the release of a movie I've been dying to see ever since I heard it was in production several years ago.  A Disney movie that centers around a strong red-headed heroine?  Count me in.

Of course, you know I'm talking about Disney/Pixar's "Brave." 

In honor of the release of the nationwide release of "Brave" next week, I'll be featuring (mostly) Scottish-inspired dishes from the Rose and Crown Dining Room and Pub in EPCOT.


Rose and Crown is, in my opinion, a great little place to catch a meal.  Right on the edge of the World Showcase Lagoon, it's a great place to make a later ADR.  If you time it right and ask to sit on the patio, you may find yourself watching Illuminations from the front row over a relatively authentic English meal.  Famous for their fish and chips (which are actually quite good, especially considering I don't generally like fish and chips), they also serve corned beef sandwiches, cottage pie, even a pretty amazing pub burger.  I had my first Yorkshire pudding there and the most amazing sticky toffee, and I have deliriously fond memories of walking right in to a table at lunch while on a trek around the World Showcase in 110 degree heat...  It was almost as amazing as riding Soarin for the first time.

I'm so excited for next week...  A week of great food, followed up by the release of a movie I'm dying to see.  I can't wait!

Here's a shot clip from "Brave" for those who haven't seen it yet.

I can't wait to meet Disney's newest Princess at Disney next September.

If there's anybody out there as excited to finally this movie as I am, I suggest checking out the book "Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure."  It's a spectacularly illustrated children's book featuring another strong, redhead (though she's Irish, not Scottish) who's on an epic quest journey to see the world and save the man she loves.

Somebody tell me how I can have her hair.  Seriously.  I'd kill to have that kind of red hair.

Unknown

First, a confession, followed by an apology...

My goal in doing this blog is to recreate the food at Disney by using the actual recipes from Disney, preparing them accordingly, and then sharing the results.  But there are times that the food Gods do not cooperate and even somebody who knows their way around the kitchen get stumped by forces beyond their control.  

That is exactly what happened to the treat I was making today, Jamaican Buns from Caribbean Beach Resort.  Seeing as this is where I'm calling home in September and it's probably my favorite hotel, I was pretty excited to try this guy out.

So far, so good

First, I was going to have leave out the coconut due to allergy concerns.  I figured that wasn't such a big deal and I opted to add coconut extract instead.  Then upon raiding my pantry, I discovered that I had no raisins and what I thought was raisins were actually dried cranberries.  Fine.  I'd just substitute the raisins for the cranberries and make a note of it on the entry for this recipe.  From there, it just slid downhill.  I started mixing the batter, but the forgot about it (the convenience of a Kitchen Aid mixer is perhaps a little too convenient) so I suspect the dough was very over mixed.  Then I had to step away for a moment, so I threw the batter in the fridge to keep the butter from melting, and what started as a moment ended up being about 4 hours, so the batter got completely chilled...  Which should never happen with a bread dough, even a quick bread.  Then, for the first time as an adult, I actually broke the yolk of not one, but both eggs, getting a pretty substantial amount of yolk in the whites.  Finally, in the oddest problem I've ever had in a kitchen, I couldn't track down my cookie pan...  I swear, it was the most bizarre thing.  But with a hot oven and a now mostly room temperature dough ready to go, I had to come up with something.  And that something was foil on a wire rack over a pizza stone.  So basically, the most non-cookie sheet I could have possibly made.  So by the time all was said and done, I came up with a recipe that at its core is a Disney recipe, but fate turned it into something else.   


The end result was...  Interesting, to say the least.  While they tasted just fine, if not a little dense, I could tell by looking at them that this is probably not what Caribbean Beach serves to its guests.  

Where to start? They didn't brown, they spread out, the yolk on the whites burned, the tops split, and the foil gave an odd shape.

It was like a deflated, overly moist scone, when (as I understood it), it should have been more like a hot cross bun.  Even after cooking the buns for 40 minutes instead of the 20, all I got was burned edges.  A trademark sign that the dough was too cold and too overmixed.  The hint of a great flavor, the potential behind a great little dish, but in the end, they were completely inedible.  Bummers.

Burned at the edge, raw in the middle.  Can you believe they were in the oven for 40 mins?

My goal is to try and remake this sometime in the very near future, when either I or my kitchen is less cursed, and hopefully we can compare how it ended up this time to how it should have been.  LoL!


So, better luck next time!


Edit:  This recipe was apparently so cursed that, despite scheduling it to be posted yesterday, it never posted and had to be posted manually today.  LoL!

Unknown

You can't talk about breakfast at Disney without mentioning the famous Mickey waffles.  If you're on a Disney property and it's breakfast time, you can't avoid them...  And who would want to?  They're served at buffets, they're covered in fruit, chocolate, syrup, whipped cream, chocolate bits, cherries, M&M's...  Sometimes all at once.  They're a Disney institution, right on up there with Cinderella's Castle, fireworks, and waiting in line.  Getting that first smell of fresh Mickey waffles while walking through the food court on the way to the buses...  Somebody call Yankee Candle and tell them to put that smell into a candle.  

Luckily for us, Disney is not at all stingy about sharing their recipe for their famous waffles.  They're fast, easy to make, and taste so much like Disney World that, quite honestly, I felt a lump in my throat and got a tiny bit misty thinking about how much I missed Disney.  

Now if only Disney would share one of their Mickey-shaped waffle makers, I'd be in heaven.  Yes, yes, I know they have Mickey-shaped waffle makers, but they're different.  I can tell.

If you're wondering if beating the egg whites will make a difference, let me just tell you, yes, it does.  In fact, I think the big secret to this waffle recipe is those stiff egg whites.  While the waffles are certainly very good if you don't take that extra step, they will be denser, rise a little less, and will be noticeably less fluffy.  Trust me, the extra work is worth the effort.  

Look how fluffy that guy is!

Also a note about the sugar...  The "official" recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of sugar.  However, I have it from the chef at the Crystal Palace that in reality, they tend to be a little more liberal with the sugar, making a sweeter waffle.  Having made this recipe both ways, I can say that most of the time I've had Mickey in his waffle form, he had the extra tablespoon (or maybe even more!) of sugar.  Also, according to my inside source, depending on where you had him, he may have had a splash of extra vanilla too.  I was told that within the Magic Kingdom, they like their vanilla a wee bit stronger.

~~~~  °o°  ~~~~

 

Mickey Waffles

As is served across Walt Disney World

 

°o°  4 eggs, separated
°o°  1 - 2 tablespoons sugar

°o°  1 cup milk

°o°  1/4 cup (half a stick) of butter or margarine, melted, cooled to room temp

°o°  1 teaspoon vanilla

°o°  2 cups flour

°o°  2 teaspoons baking powder

°o°  1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat egg yolks in a large bowl until the sugar is thoroughly mixed and the yolks are thick and sunny colored.  Add the milk, cooled melted butter, and vanilla extract and stir until combined.  Then add all at once flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix well, but be sure not to overmix (overmixed batter will be frothy with lots of bubbles).  If the mixture is too thick, add more milk until the mixture resembles that of thick pudding.

In a separate bowl, using a mixer, beat egg whites until stiff.  Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter.  DO NOT MIX.

Bake, following the instructions of your waffle maker until golden brown.  Please note, these waffles rise and expand considerably so use the least amount of batter needed for desired results.  For those using a lock-lid waffle maker, this is especially important.  For results that most resemble Mickey waffles as served at Disney World, use a Belgian waffle maker.

Serve with a variety of toppings, including butter, powdered sugar, syrup, chocolate sauce, chocolate chips, whipped cream, strawberries or other fruits, even ice cream and sprinkles.  

~~~~  °o°  ~~~~

 

 

 

 

Unknown

When I was planning my September of 2011 Disney trip, it was all pretty last minute.  I knew I wanted a character breakfast, but the only thing available a month out was Tusker House.  While I was looking forward to a character breakfast, I wasn't in love with Tusker House.  With a buffet that included sausage gravy and biscuits I knew I wouldn't starve, but I figured the experience was all about the characters and not so much about the food.  Even though I was told over and over that the food was awesome, I was expecting very little.  I did, however, want to try the famous mealie pap, something I was told was a signature dish that was to die for.

When it finally came time for the trip and the Tusker reservations, I knew I was in for a blast.  And when I got a look at that buffet, my tummy did a big ol' happy dance.  Along with my precious sausage gravy there was Mickey waffles, pancakes, fruit, a cutting station with ham...  Honestly, after loading my first plate so full it was almost embarrassing, the characters almost got in the way of the super delicious food.  

On my second trip to the buffet, I grabbed a spoonful of the mealie pap, which granted looked a little odd, but it reminded me of a corn casserole I used to eat when I went to Texas.  I took one, big mouthful and I have to say...  I wasn't a fan.  I really wasn't.  I wanted to like it, and I almost did like it as it certainly isn't disgusting, but it was missing what I think every oatmeal-style dish needs...  A ton of sugar.  That said, I know that mealie pap is almost universally beloved by all that try it and it's become a signature dish for this brilliant restaurant.  In fact, since visiting in September, I've heard that Tusker House serves two versions, one sweet, and one cheesy and savory (the savory version being the one that I tried).

Figuring I was missing out, I decided to give the recipe one more try at home.  I must say, it came out exactly as it did while I was there and tasted exactly the same...  Great for the people who love the savory mealie pap (and the 7 recipe requests from fans who asked for me to make it), but not so much for me as I'm still just not a big fan.  I will say though, the sweet version is quite delish and will have to give that one a go when I go down again next September.  And my 2 year old son?  He's a big fan of mealie pap apparently.  So much so that he ate the entire serving pictured, plus another serving and a half.  

The only real issue with this recipe is hitting the desired consistency, which also seems to vary at Tusker House.  At times it's thin, like porridge (as it was when I went the first time), but other times fluffy like scrambled eggs (as it was when I went the second time).  Simply adjust to your tastes by adding a little cornmeal, then more if you'd like it thicker.  Add milk if you'd like it nice and thin.  This meal is also a breeze to reheat, just make sure you add more milk before reheating.

~~~~  °o°  ~~~~

Mealie Pap

As is served at The Tusker House, Animal Kingdom

 

°o°  1 small onion, diced
°o°  1/2 cup (or one stick) butter

°o°  2 14.5 ounce cans of sweet creamed corn

°o°  4 cups milk

°o°  1 1/2 - 2 cups yellow cornmeal

°o°  8 oz Parmesan cheese

°o°  salt and white pepper, to taste

°o°  2 oz shredded cheddar cheese

 

Add the diced onion and butter to a large, hot pan and cook onion until it is clear.  Remove from heat and blend until onion is very finely chopped and the butter mixture is a porridge-like color and consistency.

Return mixture to the pan over medium-high heat, adding the creamed corn and milk.  Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring constantly to prevent scalding.  Add 1 1/2 cups of cornmeal and reduce heat to medium low while stirring constantly with whisk for about 15-20 minutes.  If the mixture is too thin, add up to another cup of cornmeal.  If the mixture is too thick, add milk until the desired consistency.  Add Parmesan cheese and stir until incorporated.  Add salt and pepper to taste, and top with remaining cheddar cheese, if desired.

Serve warm.

To make savory mealie pap, omit cheeses and pepper, add 1/4-1/2 cup of sugar (according to taste) and stir until thoroughly mixed.  Top with additional cheese or drizzle with syrup if desired.

~~~~  °o°  ~~~~

Unknown

This recipe, like all great recipes, was first used out of desperation.  Desperation and an overflow of bread.  And it so happens to be one of the recipes that has some of my fondest memories.  I swear, whenever I feel a little bummed and lonely for Disney, these are my pick-me-ups, my hug-on-a-plate. 

Just back from Disney, I was in what I call the "Disney Blues."  People who've been are, I'm sure, familiar with it.  Symptoms of "Disney Blues" usually include listening to music from the park constantly, re-watching favorite Disney movies, habitually checking ride line apps on your cell phone to just to see how long ride waits are (like it matters), and dwelling on irrational, pointless thoughts like "Right now, somebody's FastPass for (insert favorite ride) just became active and now they're on the ride and I'm not." I myself freely admit, I'm guilty of all some of these offenses.

Anyway, it was the morning, I was in the midst of full-swing Disney Blues, and trying to recreate Disney in any way possible.  Usually this meant making my favorite foods into a Mickey shape.  In the last week, we'd had Mickey-shaped pizza, Mickey-shaped cookies, Mickey-shaped sandwiches...  If it could be made to the face of Mickey, I did it.  My plan of attack this morning was to break out the Mickey cookie cutter and make toast shaped like Mickey.  Not all that creative, but it was early and I'm not a good morning thinker.  Then, out of the sleepy fog I was operating in, it occurred to me...  Extra bread is perfect for French toast.  French toast, which I've never made before and had only a rough idea of what went into making it.  Surely Mickey had a solution...

And he did.

I cracked out my Mickey Cookbook and found this amazing recipe for Puffed French Toast from Crystal Palace.  As soon as the first batch of toast hit the frying pan, it smelled just like every food court and restaurant at the Magic Kingdom during breakfast.  Of course it tasted so Disney, sweet and decadent, heavy without being filling.  I almost felt like it was time to go conquer the parks after breakfast.  Tons of memories came flooding back like they'd happened yesterday, the castle lit up at night, getting your first glimpse of EPCOT on the way to your hotel to check in, walking with a full tummy from Tusker House to Dinosaur because you're a little too full for Everest...  

This recipe made me so happy, and brought back so many amazing memories, it was the inspiration for me to seek out other Disney recipes  And that inspiration inflated my Disney recipe collection from just two little cookbooks to over 1,500 recipes that are direct from Disney, not to mention being on a first-name basis with the customer service rep (and several cast members, even a chef or two) of various restaurants around the The World.  

And who would have thought all of that would come from too much Wonder Bread? :)

~~~~  °o°  ~~~~

Puffed French Toast

As is served at The Crystal Palace, Magic Kingdom

 

°o°  2 whole eggs
°o°  2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

°o°  1/2 teaspoon salt

°o°  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

°o°  2 cups milk

°o°  1 cup flour

°o°  2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

°o°  12 slices of bread (Texas-style toast is used at Disney)

°o°  Butter or oil for frying

°o°  4 teaspoons cinnamon

°o°  3/4 cup sugar

 

Mix eggs, 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, salt, vanilla, and milk until well blended and a creamy yellow.  Slowly add flour and baking powder and mix until very few lumps remain.  Dip bread slices in batter, allowing the extra to drip off.  If you're using thin bread, do not allow the bread to soak.  

 

Fry bread in a hot pan using butter or oil (enough to keep the bottom of the pan coated) on both sides until golden brown.  Remove from heat to drain on paper towels for about 30 seconds.  For the best toast, fry one side for about 1-2 minutes, flip and fry for 1 minute, then remove from heat.  The fewer times the bread is flipped, the fluffier the toast and the better the coating.

 

Meanwhile, combine cinnamon with 3/4 cup sugar.  After toast has drained, coat both sides with cinnamon sugar mixture.  Serve warm.

 

Serves 6-12

~~~~  °o°  ~~~~

 

 

Unknown

I have a hard time thinking of a more polarizing meal than meat loaf.  Some people love it, some people hate it.  Some are haunted by memories of Mom threatening the end of the world if they don't finish it...  Perhaps that's why it makes meat loaf a perfect signature meal at 50's Prime Time Cafe.

Meat loaf isn't hard to make, but making good meat loaf seems to throw people for a loop.  In fact, when I talked to folks about meat loaf, the common complaints I heard was that their meat loaf has soggy sides, the corners are dried out bricks, the meat loaf itself is too dry, the meat loaf is too soft and falls apart, it's impossible to get that crunchy top because the fat pools on top...  And believe it or not, the solution to almost all of these problems is how the meat loaf is put in the pan.

Wrong!

It seems most people simply push the meat loaf into the bread pan, pat perfectly flat on the surface, and mash the loaf so that it fills every square inch of the pan.  However, by doing this, the fat that cooks out of it has nowhere to go but on the top of the loaf (ruining your nice glaze), and the corners of the meat loaf get double cooked as they're exposed to two sides of the hot pan.  No fun!

The absolute best way to make meat loaf is to shape it in a long, rounded mound, something that doesn't fill every corner of the bread pan.  This way, the fat that comes out of the top of the meat loaf during cooking rolls down the top and sides of the meat, creating that delish crust, and making sure that the meat is actually cooking, not simply boiling in its own fat.  It also makes it easier to drain the pan, which I like to do about halfway through cooking, so I can use fattier ground beef (which makes the loaf more moist).  Also, make sure you really dice your peppers and onions very, very small.  The larger they are, the more likely your now super-moist meat loaf will crumble when you take it out of the pan.   

Right!

Using that trick, along with the recipe for Mom's Meat Loaf from 50's Prime Time Cafe, I got two amazing meat loafs...  One for dinner and one for the freezer for later.  And I love a recipe that gives me leftovers I can freeze!

~~~~  °o°  ~~~~

Mom's Meat Loaf

As is served at 50's Prime Time Cafe, Disney's Hollywood Studios

 

For the meat loaf~ 

°o°  1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
°o°  1/2 cup finely chopped onion

°o°  1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

°o°  1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

°o°  2 pounds ground beef

°o°  1 pound ground pork

°o°  4 large eggs, lightly beaten

°o°  2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

°o°  1/2 teaspoon coarsely cracked black peppercorns (or to taste)

°o°  1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt (or to taste)
 

For the glaze ~

°o°  1/2 cup ketchup

°o°  1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

°o°  1/2 cup brown sugar

°o°  1 teaspoon Dijon mustard  

Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly oil or spray with non-stick spray 2 medium sized loaf pans (about 8.5 inches by 4.5 inches).  

In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, onion, and bell peppers until completely mixed.  Add beef, pork, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and salt.  Using your hands, combine until all ingredients are completely combined, but take care to not overmix (overmixed meat will become overly mushy).  Divide the meat mixture in half and shape into two, rounded loafs.  Place in loaf pans.

Place loaf pans in oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until juices run clear and a meat thermometer says the inner temperature is 155 degrees.  Brush meat loafs with glaze (preparation instructions below) and bake an additional 10 minutes.

 

Remove the meat loaves from the oven and allow to stand 5-10 minutes before serving.  To serve, slice and serve warm with additional glaze or gravy on top.

To prepare glaze, while meat is cooking, prepare the glaze by combining ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and mustard and stirring until combined.  

 

Yield: 8 Servings 

 

I left mine in a little longer than suggested...  I love that crust!

~~~~  °o°  ~~~~

 

 

 

Unknown

I know I said this would be 50's week, but I had to make one slight departure.  I was craving really good mashed potatoes to go with this weeks main meal, and unfortunately the mashed potato recipe from 50's Prime Time Cafe was unavailable for home use.  

So for today's recipe, I mentally traveled to my favorite park, EPCOT, to the restaurant that probably has all form meat with mashed potato down to a fine art: Le Cellier. 

I won't get too in depth as to how amazing Le Cellier is (that's best done in a series of posts!), but this restaurant does deserve far more attention than a minor mention in a side dish recipe.  Chances are anybody who's been to Disney and sought out fine dining has ended up here at one point or another.  The steaks, the famous cheese and beer soup, and the chocolate "moose" have made this a place to not be missed.  When I thought of great mashed potatoes to go with a hearty meat dish, I knew I just had to use Le Cellier's cream cheese mashed potatoes.

The nice thing is that these are easily adapted to your individual tastes.  If you like nice and fluffy, like me, just reduce the milk and mash using a masher.  If you like the creamier, more liquified version, like is served at Le Cellier, use a food mill or processor (or that handy dandy hand blender I used in the peanut butter and jelly shake).  Because they serve it fluffy at 50's Prime Time Cafe, I opted for the less milk and masher method.  What I got were heavenly, cloud-like potatoes that almost stole the show.

~~~~  °o°  ~~~~

Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

As is served at Le Cellier, Canada Pavilion, EPCOT

 

°o°  2 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and chopped in quarters
°o°  8 ounces cream cheese

°o°  1 stick unsalted butter

°o°  1 tablespoon Kosher salt
°o°  1/2 cup warmed milk (you may not use all of it!)

°o°  black pepper, to taste

Boil or steam potatoes in lightly salted water until fork-tender.  Drain, but do not rinse.

Add cream cheese, butter, and salt.  For fluffy potatoes, use a masher and mash potatoes while slowly adding milk until reaching the desired consistency.  Stir to incorporate all ingredients.  For creamier, more liquified potatoes, use a food mill, mixer, or processor to incorporate all ingredients, adding enough milk to reach desired consistency.  

Add black pepper and more salt to adjust seasonings and serve warm.

 

Yield: 8 Servings 

~~~~  °o°  ~~~~

Unknown

I have a confession to make.  I don't eat peanut butter.  I don't eat sandwiches.  I don't eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  When I first heard about this shake, I got queasy.  Try as I might, no part of this sounded good.  But it is a signature drink, I had the authentic recipe, so I suppose that obligated me to try it.

It was painfully easy to make and I was willing to tackle it with an open mind...  And I have to say, when all was said and done, this was actually pretty darn good.  It was more of a peanut butter flavor then a PB and J, but still the fear that I had that it'd be this nasty jumble of yuck was completely unfounded.

I will say though, if I were to do it again (and who am I kidding, I probably will), I'd up the jelly to 4 tablespoons (or 1/4 cup) for just a bit more jelly flavor.  I'd also ditch the blender and go for my handy, dandy hand blender.  Honestly, when I was making it I knew that I should have used it, but I think the excitement of rediscovering that I actually owned a blender made me throw caution and good sense to the wind.  The other observation I heard was that maybe slightly less peanut butter may make it taste slightly better...  The nice thing with shakes is that its so easy to tinker with the basic recipe that you can make something for every taste with little-to-no effort.  

~~~~  °o°  ~~~~

Peanut Butter and Jelly Shake

As is served at the 50's Prime Time Cafe and Tune-In Lounge, Disney's Hollywood Studios

 

°o°  1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
°o°  3 tablespoons grape jelly

°o°  1/4 cup milk
°o°  3 cups vanilla ice cream
 

Combine peanut butter and jelly in a small bowl and mix until completely blended.  

In a separate bowl, container, pitcher or blender, combine ice cream and milk.  Top with the peanut butter and jelly mixture.  Using a blender or a hand mixer (I strongly suggest the hand blender), blend until combined and slightly frothy on the surface.  Serve immediately in tall glasses with a straw and spoon.

 

Yield: 4 Servings 

~~~~  °o°  ~~~~

 

 

 

 

Unknown