Snapshot Saturday
Photo Credit:EH
Fabulous Find Friday – Mike and Jen’s Winter Survival Cocoa Mix
Photo Credit: EH
Today’s fabulous find comes in the form of a warm drink for the winter…..Mike and Jen’s Winter Survival Cocoa Mix. I first learned of this cocoa from @DisneyDean , who I met several years ago on Twitter. He took on this venture along with his children to create a wonderful cocoa mix. The mix arrived last week via United States Postal Service priority mail. I used 8oz of hot water and about 3 heaping tablespoons of mix. Milk can be used instead of water and I will try that next time. The cocoa was very rich and I must say good. I am a chocolate person and this cocoa hit the spot.
I was informed Mike and Jen’s Winter Survival Cocoa Mix is made up of the following ingredients:
- Italian Cocoa
- Whole Milk
- Organic Confectioner’s Sugar
- Organic Pure Cane Sugar
- Corn Starch
- Organic Vanilla Bean
- Salt
A 1 pound 12 ounces bag costs $12.95 (part of the proceeds are donated to the American Cancer Society) plus shipping and handling. You can order at their website here.
Also visit and “like” Mike and Jen’s Winter Survival Cocoa Mix on Facebook. When you visit and/or order tell them Diz Thru Brown Eyes sent you!!
Photo Credit: EH
Impossible To Easy by Robert Irvine Cookbook Giveaway
Photo Credit: EH
Since a nice time was had at one of the Kitchen Memories demos at Epcot’s 17th Annual Food & Wine Festival featuring Chef Robert Irvine, he was asked to autograph a copy of his cookbook Impossible to Easy. You can view that post of his demo here . This cookbook will be given away to one lucky reader of the blog.
Photo Credit: EH
The contest will begin Friday, 11/2/12 at 12:01am EST and end Friday, 11/9/12 at 12:01am EST. The winner will also be announced on Saturday 11/10/12. The link and rules to enter are below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Rules:
-Open to residents of U.S. and Canada
-Must be 18 years and older to enter
-Entry requires you to follow Diz Thru Brown Eyes on Facebook
-Extra entry will be following Diz Thru Brown Eyes on Twitter
- Cookbook will be mailed to the winner
- All entries will be verified upon selection of a winner to make sure that they are still in compliance with the terms of the giveaway.
Kitchen Memories with Chef Robert Irvine
Photo Credit: VW
Each fall Epcot comes to life and celebrates the Culinary Arts as it presents the International Food & Wine Festival. This year was the 17th annual festival, which is presented by Chase, and runs from September 28th until November 12th. During the festival there are many culinary experiences, one of which is the Kitchen Memories series. This 3-course lunch evokes joyful kitchen memories. A celebrated chef demonstrates how to prepare an appetizer, main course and dessert, while a winery representative pairs each course with a selection of wines. These demonstrations are premium events and require an additional fee and reservations which are not included in park admission.
One of the celebrity chefs who did a demonstration this year was Chef Robert Irvine. Chef Robert has over twenty-five years in the culinary profession cooking all over the world. He has cooked in Europe, the Far East, the Caribbean and the Americas. He has worked in hotels and on the high seas, but most people know him as the host of the hit television show on Food Network “Restaurant Impossible”. On the show he changes the lives of restaurateurs who are in severe debt and have failing restaurants by showing them the proper way to run a business and redesigns the restaurant in two days and only using $10,000. The show is amazing, but people may not realize that he also has two very successful restaurants of his own. Robert Irvine’s nosh is located in Bluffton, SC, and features his take on southern cuisine by utilizing regional ingredients with classic preparation and a chef driven twist while Robert Irvine’s eat! is located in Hilton Head Island, SC and specializes in great American dishes… with a twist!
Photo Credit: VW
On October 26th, Chef Robert conducted his Kitchen Memories demo keeping those in attendance laughing at his stories about cooking in the British Royal Navy all the way thru his wedding to his wife professional wrestler Gail Kim all along not burning the food he was preparing.
The menu that Chef Robert prepared during his demonstration was as follows:
Appetizer
Shrimp and Grits
(paired with a Monterey Chardonnay)*
Main Course
Slow Roasted and Quick Fried Chicken Mac and Cheese
(paired with a Monterey Pinot Noir)*
Dessert
Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Tabasco Ice Cream
(paired with Anderson Valley “Sweet As” Late Harvest Gewurtztraminer)*
*All wines were by La Crema Winery
Photo Credit: VW
After the wonderful demo and meal Chef Robert prepared, he even took time to sign his cook books and take pictures for his fans young and old spending time talk to each person like they were the only one in the room. Chef Robert truly believes that he is still just a cook and wants to make sure everyone eats good, healthy food and takes care of each other. There are many ways you can keep up with him. You can check out his official website at chefirvine.com, his Facebook page , or by following him on Twitter at @robertirvine1.
- Post written by HC
Tasty Thursday: Honey Coriander Wings
Tasty Thursday is a week late, but as you can see from this post, there has been a lot going on.
I made these wings due to a special request. I’m sure the requester would have liked for me to share though. Oops! I do not remember having these at ‘Ohana, but I will definitely be getting them next time.
I baked the wings, basted them witht the sauce half way through, then continued to bake them. They were so good! They would be a great addition to your football watching menu.
Honey Coriander Wing Sauce
Adapted from Allears
Ingredients:
3 lbs. chicken drumettes and wings
Salt & pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. ground ginger
Zest and juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp. ground coriander
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 cup honey
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, toss chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place remaining ingredients in a small sauce pan. Heat until hot.
4. Remove wings from oven and baste the chicken with the 1/3-1/2 cup of sauce. Return to oven and continue to bake for 20-30 minutes.
5. Serve remaining sauce with chicken wings.
Tasty Thursday: Polpetini
Homemade meatballs, or polpetini, are the greatest. You can add them to your pasta or make a sandwich with them. This recipe is inspired by the 2010 Epcot Food and Wine Festival and while it looks like meatballs are not on the 2012 Italy booth menu, I am sure one of the Italian restaurants in the World Showcase have some.
You can make the polpetini with veal, beef, pork or turkey. I used a combination of pork and beef. I liked the idea of baking them in a mini muffin pan. For those of us who seem to shape things in various sizes, the mini muffin tins made a good reference to keeping them small.
I served these with spaghetti in tomato sauce, and the dish was delicious. I actually doubled the recipe so I could freeze half for later. I would definitely make these again to have them on standby.
Polpetini or “Meatballs”
Adapted from Chef Big Fat Panda & Disney Food Blog
Yields: 48 meatballs
Ingredients:
2 cups-1 inch bread cubes from day old, crustless bread
1 1/2 cups milk
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, soak the bread in the milk. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground meats, cheese, eggs, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Squeeze the milk from the bread so that the bread is damp, but not soaking wet. Add the bread to the meat mixture, and mix by hand.
3. Shape into 48-1 inch balls. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet or a mini muffin pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
Note: If you want to freeze them, let them cool completely, then set the polpetini on a rimmed baking sheet making sure that are not touching. Place them in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer safe bag or container and place them back into the freezer. This way you can pull out only what you need without them sticking together.
Tasty Thursday: ‘Ohana Green Beans
Happy Thursday! Today, I have a quick side dish for you from ‘Ohana Restaurant at the Polynesian Restaurant. We learned that ‘Ohana means family from the movie Lilo and Stitch. I have eaten at ‘Ohana once for dinner with my family, and I loved it. I look forward to going back again!
Now is a great time to pick up some fresh green beans from your local farmer’s market or grocery store. Nothing beats fresh veggies! And come on, everything is better with bacon! The sweetness of the stir fried onions pairs well with the saltiness of the bacon. Serve this with grilled chicken or shrimp for a Hawaiian feast at home.
‘Ohana Green Beans
Adapted from Allears
Yields: 3 servings
Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh green beans
1/2 medium red onion, 1/2 inch thick
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 lb. bacon, crispy & crumbled
Directions:
1. Wash green beans in cold water; snip both ends and break in half.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring lightly salted water to a boil. Add green beans and blanch for 1 minute; strain.
3. Heat a wok or fry pan over medium-high heat. Add oil, then stir fry garlic and onions for 2 minutes. Add green beans and continue to stir fry for 2-4 minutes (depending on how well cooked you prefer your green beans). Add soy sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper and continue to stir fry for 1 more minute.
4. Garnish with bacon.
Tasty Thursday – Buttery Chocolate Shortbread
It’s a Small World in the Magic Kingdom is one of my favorite rides. I’m not sure why because it is not as thrilling as the Tower of Terror, not as sensory pleasing as Soarin’, and not as interactive as Toy Story Mania. It’s just something about it that I can’t explain (it’s also I good ride to rest on).
Your lovely host here at Diz Thru Brown Eyes bought me the cookbook FEED Our Small World because she knows how much I enjoy the ride but also because I enjoy cookbooks (obviously). By purchasing this book, a donation was made to the FEED Foundation to provide Vitamin A supplements for 450,000 children for one year.
How great is that? Recipes for a good cause!
It is actually a cookbook for kids so it would make a great gift for the little ones in your life. There are recipes from all over the world plus fun facts.
I thought this recipe was a great one to share because it represents England and who isn’t watching the Olympics right now??
You can make an almond variation or a chocolate one. I chose chocolate since your host loves chocolate. You can also add almonds to the top of the cookies. The dough was not coming together at all so I could have left in the refrigerator longer. Since I was pressed for time, I just worked it with my hands. Then I pressed it out and used a biscuit cutter to shape the cookies. I only made a small portion and will bake the rest in the next day or so.
The cookies were buttery and not too sweet. They would definitely go great with some tea.
Buttery Chocolate Shortbread
Adapted from FEED Our Small World: A Cookbook for Kids
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup Confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions:
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the flour, mixing until just incorporated.
2. Divide the dough into three equal pieces and roll them into logs. Wrap them in wax paper and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 325. Remove the dough from the refrigerator one log at a time. Slide the cookies 1/4″ thick or press/roll the dough out and cut using a biscuit or round cookie cutter. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 6-10 minutes, or until the cookies are firm. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
Tasty Thursday: Spinach Artichoke Dip
It isn’t the 2nd Thursday but it is Thursday nonetheless, so here is what I’m sharing this week: spinach artichoke dip from the ESPN Zone. Your blog host Elantrice forwarded this recipe to me as a request to make for the birthday party I threw for her earlier in the month. I thought it came out great, the best spinach artichoke dip I have made thus far.
You can find this at ESPN Zone in Downtown Disney at Disneyland.
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Adapted from ESPN Zone
Makes 8 Cups
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups whole or 2% milk
1/8 tsp. white pepper
2 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. hot sauce
1-8 oz. package cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened
2 1/2-10 oz. boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2-14.5 oz. cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
Tortilla chips, carrot and celery sticks, garlic bread, for serving
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add flour; cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in cream and milk, then bring to simmer, whisking often until sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon.
3. Add white pepper and Parmesan, stirring until well incorporated. Remove from heat. Add salt, pepper, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Mix well.
4. Fold in cream cheese, stirring well until cream cheese is completely incorporated. Add spinach, stirring to combine. Add artichoke hearts, stirring gently so as not to break up the artichokes.
5. Pour mixture into a 9×9-inch baking dish and sprinkle mozzarella evenly on top. Bake 15 minutes, or until cheese on top is completely melted and bubbling. Serve hot.
Tasty (Throwback) Thursday
As you can see from the title, I am taking you back to a series of posts I did over on my blog The Givens Chronicles in September of 2010 in preparation for our visit to the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. It was such a special visit because it was a sister trip. We ate lots of food, ran in the Wine & Dine Half Marathon Relay, and ate even more food.
I made four recipes from the previous years’ festival cookbook to gear up for the trip. Enjoy!
Lamb Sliders with Tomato Chutney
Tasty Thursday: Jungle Juice
It’s getting warmer so that means we need to stay hydrated. Water is great, but I can drink this Jungle Juice all day. I remember the first time I tasted it at Boma. I kept wanting our waiter to bring out more! I have even asked Ms. DizThruBrownEyes to stop by Boma to pick me up some and freeze it to bring to me.
No such luck.
So I made it myself using 1/2 cups of each juice for a single serving. Even shook it up in my martini shaker with some ice.
Then..wait. Who is that?
How did she get….
Hey! Get away from my drink Ursula. You are not welcome here! By the way, don’t you belong in the sea.
I see you needed reminding. Bye bye!
Back to my drink.
That was goooood.
Jungle Juice
From Disney Food Blog
Ingredients:
1 part orange juice
1 part passion fruit juice
1 part guava juice
Tasty Thursday: Broccoli Cranberry Salad
It’s spring time and that means there are so many great fresh fruits and vegetables becoming available. One is broccoli, a favorite of mine. This doesn’t take long to whip this up and can be made the day before so it’s great for a picnic (make sure you can keep it chilled because one of the ingredients is mayo).
Broccoli Cranberry Salad
From Allears
Ingredients:
4 cups broccoli flowerettes , chopped fine
1/4 cup celer, celery
8 oz. dried cranberries
1/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, cranberries, sunflower seeds and celery.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour dressing over broccoli and toss. Keep refrigerated.
Tasty Thursday – Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes
Who doesn’t love mashed potatoes? I haven’t met a person who did not. They go great with various main dishes and they can be prepared a variety of ways. At the Garden Grill in Epcot’s The Land, they include caramelized onions. You have the choice to peel the skins off of the potatoes or not. This went perfect with the Mom’s Meat Loaf.
Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes
Adapted from Allears
Ingredients:
1 1/3 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ rounds
1 oz. canola oil
4 oz. shallots, julienned
3 oz. butter, separated
4 oz. fat free milk
Kosher salt and white ground pepper, to taste
Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Directions:
1. In a large pot, bring enough water to cover potatoes to boil and add salt. Add potatoes, and boil potatoes until tender.
2. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and caramelize. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 ounces of butter and continue to sauté until golden brown.
3. Transfer potatoes to a large mixing bowl and mix on low speed until smoth. Add in milk and remaining butter slowly. Add more salt and pepper, if needed. Stir in caramelized shallots. Pour into serving dish and add parsley for garnish.
Tasty Thursday – Butterfinger Cheesecake
Welcome back to another Tasty Thursday! Are you ready for some dessert? Well, that’s what I have for you today: Butterfinger Cheesecake. This is a dessert that can be found at Sunshine Seasons in The Land in Epcot. I have eaten here before, but never had this. Epcot is my favorite place to visit and Soarin’ is one of my favorite rides so I should eat here more often!
My father loves Butterfinger candy so I made this for his birthday. This was only my second time making a cheesecake so I was a little nervous but I think it turned out great and plenty people had a slice to validate that. Even Easter Bunny Micky stuck around for a slice.
The original recipe uses a cake pan for the cheesecake, but I used a springform pan because I had one on hand. I did get a crack in the cheesecake, but the smooth taste made up for it.
Butterfinger Cheesecake
Adapted from Allears
Cheesecake Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Confectioner’s sugar, sifted
2 1/2 lbs. cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
5 eggs
1/4 cup Butterfinger, crumbled
1/4 cup caramel
1 sponge cake round (see recipe below)
Butterfinger pieces for garnish
Caramel for garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Spray a 10″ springform pan with cooking spray. Cut parchment paper into a 10″ round, and line the bottom of the pan; spray cooking spray over the parchment. Cut sponge cake into 1/4″ thin layer and place on bottom of pan.
2. Place sugar in mixing bowl with cream cheese and sour cream and mix until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time; mix until smooth.
3. Add Butterfinger pieces and caramel and mix well.
4. Pour cheesecake mixture on top of sponge cake layer.
5. Fill a roasting pan with about 1/4″ of water. Place springform pan in the water and bake for about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. Determine if it is done by inserting an instant read thermometer into the middle of the cheesecake. The internal temperature should read 160 degrees.
6. Cool overnight under refrigeration.
7. Remove cake from pan and garnish top of cheesecake with drizzled caramel and Butterfinger pieces.
Sponge Cake Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour or 1 cup cake flour (I used cake flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
Confectioner’s sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut parchment paper, aluminum foil, or waxed paper into a 10″ round and line a 10″ cake pan. Spray pan with Baking cooking spray.
2. Beat eggs in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed about 5 minutes or until very thick and light yellow in color.
3. Gradually beat in granulated sugar. Then, beat in water and vanilla extract on low speed. Slowly add flour, baking powder and salt, beating just until batter is smooth.
4. Pour into pan, spreading to corners.
5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Immediately loosen cake from edges of pan and turn upside down onto towel generously sprinkled with Confectioner’s sugar. Carefully remove paper round. Trim off stiff edges of cake if necessary. Cool on wire rack at least 30 minutes.
Tasty Thursday – Mom’s Meat Loaf
It was cold in Georgia not too long ago, believe it or not. When it’s cold out, I want comfort food. Warm, tasty, and not always healthy foods is perfect such as macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes. I decided to go with Mom’s Meat Loaf from 50′s Prime Time Cafe at Disney Hollywood Studios.
I have never eaten at this restaurant, but read good things about their meatloaf. I usually make Turkey Meatloaf but decided to give this a go. I knew it would have lots of flavor and not dry out with the combination of beef and pork, and it did not disappoint! I love a meatloaf with a sweet glaze and the addition of the Dijon mustard gave it a little kick. My wonderful host here at Diz Thru Brown Eyes even ate some (and if she hasn’t told you yet, she is a very picky eater). She did end up picking out the red and green bell pepper but I wouldn’t expect anything less from her.
You don’t have to wait until next winter to make this meatloaf! It would be great for a Sunday dinner or when company is coming over. Don’t forget to come back next month to see what I made to accompany this main dish. Enjoy!
Mom’s Meat Loaf
From Allears
Ingredients:
2 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
4 eggs
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Salt & black pepper to taste
1/2 cup onions, diced
1/4 cup green peppers, diced
1/4 cup red peppers, diced
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350º and prepare a loaf pan with cooking spray. Combine meats, eggs, bread crumbs, 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Add vegetables. Place meat mixture in oiled loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour (internal temp 155º).
2. While meatloaf is baking, combine ketchup, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce until smooth.
3. Brush meatloaf with meatloaf glaze. Bake another 10 minutes. Let meatloaf set 10 minutes, cut loaf and serve.
Tasty Thursday – Coconut Curry Chicken Soup
Photo Credit: JG
Good day all! I am JoVonn (@jhgive) and excited to be a contributor to Diz Thru Brown Eyes. I have had a food blog The Givens Chronicles for almost 3 years and I am happy to now share my cooking here. I will be featuring recipes from your favorite Disney restaurants and resorts on the second and fourth Thursday through September. Some of them I have tried while in Orlando and some I look forward to trying in the future. I tend to adapt recipes to my family’s liking and what I have on hand, but I will always link back to the original recipe. Also, I have found that many of the recipes’ measurements are based on weight and I know that not everyone has a kitchen scale so I will be converting those for you. If you do like to cook, I encourage you to get a kitchen scale because weight is more accurate than volume; I love my scale!
Now on to the good stuff. This has been some unpredictable weather we are having so I decided to make a soup first (for those of your who have been affected by the recent tornadoes that ravished the Midwest and South, my thoughts are with you). I have visited Boma twice, once for breakfast and again for dinner. I love it, even my husband enjoyed it. It reminded me of my trip to South Africa a few years ago with a myriad of flavors influenced by different cultures. I enjoy the combination of coconut and curry and have made similar soups before. It was a little on the spicy side so I had this all to myself, and I’m not complaining. I used chicken thighs because they are flavorful and remain moist. Make this soup before the warm weather is back for good!
Coconut Curry Chicken Soup
Adapted from Allears
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp. curry powder, toasted and divided
4 ounces (1/2 cup) oil
3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) butter
3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) flour
1 quart (4 cups) chicken stock
8 ounces (1 cup) coconut milk
8 ounces (1 cup) onions, diced chunky
8 ounces (1 cup) red bell peppers, diced chunky
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and sliced
8 ounces (1 cup) potatoes, diced chunky
8 ounce (1 cup) diced tomatoes, drained
5 ounces (2/3 cup) honey
Cayenne pepper, to taste
½ cup cilantro, chopped
Shredded coconut (optional)
Directions:
1. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon curry powder. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and sear chicken until golden brown and ¾ done; set aside.
2. Melt butter and stir in flour to make a roux in a small saucepan; set aside.
3. In a large pot, heat chicken stock, remaining curry powder, coconut milk and roux. Let simmer until thickened.
4. Add the vegetables (except the cilantro) and seared chicken. Cook until chicken is done.
5. Add honey and cayenne pepper. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with cilantro and shredded coconut.
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