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The Rescuers – Moonshine and Gingersnaps

Quick links: Luke’s Moonshine (non-alcoholic) | Penny’s Gingersnaps |  Verdict

It had been a LOOOONG time since I had seen The Rescuer’s. One of my favorite Disney movies as a kid was The Rescuer’s Down Under, but I never had a huge affinity toward the original Rescuer’s movie. Watching it again made me like it a bit more. It was a very charming movie. It’s also on Netflix right now if you want to [re]watch it.

 

Luke’s Moonshine (Non-Alcoholic)

Louisiana Muskrats make the best moonshine. That’s a well-known fact. And if it weren’t for Luke’s moonshine, Evinrude the dragonfly would have failed. Luke’s moonshine actually helped out a few people. Giving them insane energy with a spicy kick.

Keeping with this family-friendly blog, I tried to find a good base to start off with for making a non-alcoholic moonshine that would produce the desired effects of Luke’s moonshine. Through my searching, I found a recipe based on one of my absolute favorite non-disney franchises, Harry Potter. Firewhiskey. I found a recipe and tried making it. It didn’t turn out the greatest. I modified it to fit more of a Rescuer’s theme. This recipe will definitely take some reworking though.

Luke's Moonshine (Non-Alcoholic)
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Prep Time
20 min
Total Time
12 hr
Prep Time
20 min
Total Time
12 hr
Ingredients
  1. 1 (2 liter) bottle ginger ale
  2. 3 (1 inch) pieces fresh ginger root
  3. 1/2 cup cinnamon red hot candies
  4. 2 cinnamon sticks, or more to taste
  5. 2 habanero (or cayenne) peppers, cut into large pieces
  6. 1 tsp Louisiana Hot Sauce
  7. 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
  8. 1 can Red Bull
  9. 1 Package Kool-aid (I used grape)
  10. 8 cups water
  11. 1 cup sugar
  12. A few drops of red food coloring
Instructions
  1. Combine the ginger ale, ginger, red hot candies, hot sauce, chili powder and cinnamon sticks in a large container (I used a milk jug)
  2. Refrigerate until the candies dissolve completely, 8 hours or overnight.
  3. Mix the Kool-aid as directed with the water and sugar (I used less water for a stronger flavor). Set aside.
  4. Add the habanero (cayenne) peppers, Red Bull, and 2 cups of the Kool-aid mixture to the ginger ale mixture for 4 hours or desired time.
  5. Remove and discard peppers.
  6. Serve in small glasses.
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Penny’s Gingersnaps

The first food we see is when Penny is in the orphanage in Rufus’s flashback. Penny feeds Rufus a gingersnap. 

He licks it and thinks its a catnip snap. We might have to make those sometime too, for all you cat-lovers out there.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

We’ve made some delicious (one of our favorite recipes) gingersnaps before in our Sleeping Beauty post. Here’s the recipe.

Penny's Gingersnaps
Serves 24
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
3 hr 30 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
3 hr 30 min
Ingredients
  1. 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  2. 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  3. 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  4. 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  5. 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  6. ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  7. 1 cup sugar
  8. 1 Extra Large Egg
  9. 1/3 cup dark molasses
  10. 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Make the dough (You can do this part up to three days in advance.)
  1. SIFT the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. PLACE the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  3. SWITCH the mixer to low speed and gradually add the egg, molasses and vanilla extract. Increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth.
  4. SWITCH the mixer to low speed and add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, pulsing the mixer to incorporate each addition before adding the next one.
  5. TURN the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead a few times to incorporate any crumbs.
  6. DIVIDE the dough in half. Roll each half into a log about 1½ inches in diameter and 12 inches long. As you roll, gently push the ends toward the center to prevent air pockets and to keep the logs at an even thickness.
  7. WRAP the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days.
Bake the cookies
  1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Line the bottoms of two 12″ x 18″ sheet pans with parchment paper.
  2. REMOVE the logs from the refrigerator and unwrap them. Using a ruler and a sharp knife, cut each log into rounds ¼ inch thick. If the dough crumbles as you cut it, reshape each slice.
  3. PLACE the rounds on the prepared pans, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake on the middle shelves of the oven, rotating the pans 180° halfway through the baking time, until the cookies are set but soft enough to hold a slight indentation when pressed with a fingertip (about 7 to 10 minutes).
  4. LET cool completely on the pans on wire racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Yield: 50-60 2-inch cookies.
Notes
  1. Source: http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/cookies/cookies2/ginger-snaps-recipe.asp
DisneyMeals https://disneymeals.me/

Will your Eyes Spiral and your Mouth Smoke?

The firewhiskey was kinda disappointing. I was hoping for something a lot tastier…or at least with more of a kick. 

The gingersnaps were great, as always. I highly recommend those.

Verdict:

Moonshine – 5/10
Gingersnaps – 10/10

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The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh – Honey, Hero Cake, Hero Shortbread Cookies with Jam, Succotash, Wheat Bread, [BONUS] Squash Alfredo Penne

Quick links: Honey! | Hero Cake | Hero Cookies | Wheat Bread | Succotash | Squash Alfredo | Verdict

 


 

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

We’re upgrading to a custom domain! Starting this week, the blog will now live here: https://disneymeals.me! I’ll have a link from the old site to the new site next week too if you forget. Also, with that change, over the next couple of weeks, I’m going to be giving the site a visual facelift. So keep on checking back for the shiny new upgrades. Now onto the post


 

 
I’m so rumbly in my tumbly. Time to munch an early luncheon. Haha. I had forgotten how clever and witty Winnie the Pooh was. I was smiling the whole time and it really brightened my wife’s mood. Of course, when you think of Pooh bear, you automatically think of honey. I love honey. So this week was amazing for me.

 

Honey!!!!!

Pooh loves his honey. Here’s some honey!

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

HONEY!
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Ingredients
  1. 1 Honey of Honey
  2. 3 Honeys with Honey
  3. Honey to taste
Instructions
  1. Stick your hand in honey pot or bee hive
  2. EAT EAT EAT!
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Pooh’s Hero Cake

At the end of the flood, Pooh erroneously gets made into a hero for eating honey out of a pot while he floated down the river. Graciously, Pooh let little Piglet  join in later in the movie. Even though Piglet was the real hero.  It amazes me how loving and unassuming all the characters are.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

 

My wife wanted to try this soda cake recipe. Since we don’t really know what kind of cake Christopher Robin and friends are eating (other than it was pink with chocolate frosting), we decided to make it.

Pooh's Hero Cake
Serves 8
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 Box White Cake Mix
  2. 1 Can Strawberry Soda (12 oz)
  3. 1.5 containers Chocolate Frosting
Instructions
  1. Place cake mix in the bowl. Don't add any of the ingredients mentioned on the box.
  2. Mix in strawberry soda
  3. Put into baking pans and bake as instructed on box
  4. Let cool and then frost with chocolate frosting
DisneyMeals https://disneymeals.me/

Piglet Hero Shortbread Cookies with Jam

Along with the Hero Cake, there were some cookies with jam centers.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Piglet Hero Cookies with Jam
Serves 12
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
14 min
Total Time
34 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
14 min
Total Time
34 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup butter, no substitutes
  2. 2⁄3 cup sugar
  3. 1⁄2 teaspoon almond extract or 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  4. 2 cups all-purpose flour
  5. 1⁄2 cup jam, for the centers
Instructions
  1. Cream butter and sugar
  2. Beat in extract
  3. Gradually blend in flour
  4. Cover and refrigerate for an hour
  5. Roll into one-inch balls and place one inch apart on un-greased cookie sheet
  6. With the end of a wooden spoon make a indention in the ball and fill with jam
  7. I have used Variety of jams and jellies Raspberry being the best! but Apricot is yummmie too, along with apple, blackberry, blueberry the possibilities are endless.
  8. Bake at 350 for 14 to 18 minute.
DisneyMeals https://disneymeals.me/

 

Rabbit’s Wheat Bread

Pooh invades Rabbit’s house to get something to eat. Rabbit offers Pooh some bread with condensed milk or honey. Pooh responds “Honey please, but no bread” Oh silly bear.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

But we made some wheat bread like rabbit and tried eating it with honey AND condensed milk

Rabbit's Wheat Bread
Serves 24
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Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
2 hr 45 min
Total Time
3 hr 15 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
2 hr 45 min
Total Time
3 hr 15 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 3⁄4 cups hot water
  2. 1⁄3 cup olive oil, any oil is fine
  3. 1⁄3 cup honey
  4. 2 tablespoons molasses
  5. 1 tablespoon salt, Sea Salt is good
  6. 7 1⁄2 cups of 100% whole grain wheat flour
  7. 2 tablespoons dry active yeast
Instructions
  1. Place the first five ingredients in the bowl and mix.
  2. Add: 2 Cups 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour. (to cool the water and end up with warm dough) Mix then add 2 Tbs of Dry Active Yeast. If your not sure about your yeast proof it in a little warm water first.
  3. Add: 4 Cups of 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour.
  4. Mix until the consistency is some what even. Then continue to slowly add flour 1/2 Cup at a time until the dough quits sticking to the sides of the bowl. It should be tacky to the touch. The trick is to have enough consistency to stand up with the least amount of flour so the bread will be fluffy. It will most likely be 6 1/2 cups but in any case do not exceed 7 1/2 cups of wheat flour. You can trade one cup of wheat flour for one cup of all purpose white if you wish. Don't over mix or the bread will be tough.
  5. When your dough is finished, leave it in the mixer, cover the bowl and let it rise for about 30-45 minutes. The dough will be larger but it doesn't need to double.
  6. Grease two bread pans with Crisco. You can also flour the pans to reduce sticking.
  7. Mix the dough again just enough to knock it down at least close to the original size.
  8. Drop the dough on a floured surface so you can work the dough and shape it. Shape it with your hands to make a nice ball getting enough flour on it so it isn't sticky. Divide the ball in half and do it again. Shape the loaves by turning the dough under it's self over and over. When the dough is shaped the sides and ends will be sealed and all you will see is a nice oblong shaped loaf with smooth sides and top. Drop the loaves in your bread pans and let them rise until almost doubled. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 36 minutes. If you forgot to preheat 41 minutes. (gas oven).
  9. When done turn the bread out of the pan to a rack to cool. You can eat it right away (a great time for real butter) don't wrap it until completely cooled. (Condensation will make it soggy) Put in tinfoil to store on the counter. If you put it in the refrigerator it will turn into a brick. Enjoy.
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Gopher’s Ssssssssuccotash

Pooh gets fat and gets stuck in Rabbit’s hole. Gopher is hired to get him out. In the middle of the night he appears with a mighty fine lunch. Summer squash, Summer salad, succotash, and honey.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Since summer squash and summer salad are pretty straightforward, and we already covered honey, we made some succotash. I had never really known what it was. It actually is a pretty tasty side.

Gopher's Ssssssuccotash
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup butter, divided
  2. 2 cups fresh lima beans
  3. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  4. 4 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  5. 2 teaspoons white sugar
  6. 4 ears fresh corn kernels, cut from the cob
Instructions
  1. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in lima beans and salt, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan heat tomatoes, sugar and remaining 1/2 cup butter.
  3. Cook until tomatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
  4. Stir tomatoes into lima beans and add corn; cook 10 minutes more.
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[BONUS] Squash Alfredo Penne

So since lots of veggies are shown in Winnie the Pooh (like the summer squash and some from rabbit’s garden), I decided to make a nice pasta dish that incorporated many of the dishes.

This is a 100% original Disney Meals Recipe.

Squash Alfredo Penne
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Prep Time
15 min
Prep Time
15 min
For the sauce
  1. 1 Acorn Squash
  2. 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  3. 2/3 cup cream
  4. 1/3 cup milk
  5. 1/2 tsp basil
  6. Salt and pepper to taste
For the rest
  1. 1/2 box penne (cooked)
  2. 2 Fresh Tomatoes
  3. 1 Summer Squash
  4. 1 tsp thyme
  5. 1/2 tsp salt
  6. 1/2 tsp pepper
  7. 1 tbs olive oil
  8. 1 lbs chicken (diced)
  9. 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  10. salt to taste
  11. 2-3 tbs butter
For the sauce
  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Cut Acorn squash in half
  3. Place squash halves in a baking dish
  4. Fill bottom of baking dish with about an inch of water
  5. Cook squash halves for an hour
  6. When the squash are done, scoop out of skin and place in blender or food processor with parmesan cheese, cream, milk and spices
  7. Blend and then transfer into pot and simmer on low
For the rest
  1. While the Acorn squash is roasting, cut the summer squash into thin discs and dice the tomatoes.
  2. Place them in a bowl with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper
  3. Shake the bowl up so the spices get evenly dispersed.
  4. Melt 1 tbs butter in a pan
  5. Brown the diced chicken
  6. After the chicken is cooked, add the rest of the butter to melt
  7. Add the tomatoes and summer squash, and balsamic vinegar
  8. Cover and cook on medium low for 30-45 minutes.
  9. Add the chicken and veggies to cooked penne and add the acorn squash alfredo on top.
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Will it Stop the Rumbly in your Tumbly?

I love Winnie the Pooh. The show was so great and the food was tasty. I could probably just eat all the honey just like him. The cake had a nice twist. The bread was nice and moist and tasted great with honey and not as good with condensed milk, but still good. The cookies were nibbly numbly. The succotash was something I didn’t expect. It made for a great side. I might make it more often.

Verdict:

Honey – 15/10
Hero Cake – 8/10
Hero Cookies – 9/10
Wheat bread – 8/10
Succotash – 7.5/10
Squash Penne – 8.5/10
 

 

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Robin Hood – Little John Stew, Blackberry Pie, Currant Pie, Gruel

Robin Hood and Little John chilling in the kitchen, breakin’ eggs, stewin’ beef and eatin’ the day away. This is one of my wife’s favorite Disney movies. Mostly because she thinks Robin is a “fox”.
It is a really good, classic Disney movie with some good food to boot!

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Aristocats – Creme de la Creme ala Edgar, Goose ala Provencale stuffed with Chestnuts and basted with white wine, French Onion soup

Everybody wants to be a cat! Aristocats doesn’t feature much food, but the food it does show isn’t half bad. It’s set in Paris, so the food has a lot of French influence. There are a couple dishes that range from a simple dessert to a high-end meal. So check out the recipes from Aristocats.

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Jungle Book – Bare Necessity Fruit Salad, Pawpaw BBQ Sauce and ants

(Credit: Disney)

Baloo is one of the greatest Disney characters in my opinion. He’s just so chill. And boy, he knows how to eat. Almost all of the food mentioned in the movie comes from one song, Bare Necessities. There isn’t really a recipe, just lots of different fruits. So I did some fun things with them.

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Sword in the Stone – Shortbread Cookies, Turkey Leg, Water Strider, Roast Pig, Honey Cake

I think Sword in the Stone is one of the least plot driven movies in the Disney Universe. Arthur (Wart) basically has fun with Merlin until he randomly pulls out the sword and is king. End movie. It’s a fun movie though…although, it doesn’t have much food.

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101 Dalmatians – Kanine Krunchies, Bologna Sandwich, Baked Beans from a Can

Get your puppies together and check out some dog-centric recipes from 101 Dalmatians.

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Sleeping Beauty – Cake with no wands & Cake with wands, Strawberye, Bread Pudding, Gingersnaps, Hippocras (Spiced Wine), Brussel Sprouts, Sweet Potatoes, Almond Rolls with jelly, Pistachio-Almond Rice Pudding, Berry cake with Lemon Icing.

Food isn’t a huge part of this movie. The most notable food in sleeping beauty is the horrendous cake Fauna tried to make. However, you may remember the feast the kings stand by when they drink and sing their “Skumps” song. We skipped over the ham, fish and the turkey that was shown in that scene, for those recipes, see Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Pinocchio, and Make Mine Music.

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Lady and the Tramp – Spaghetti and Meatballs, Breadsticks, Donuts and Coffee, Rib-eye and Mushy Peas, and Wedding Cake

Quick links: Wedding Cake | DonutsRibeye and Mushy Peas | Spaghetti and Meatballs | Breadsticks | Verdict

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Probably one of the most famous Disney food scenes out of all of the animated movies. The spaghetti kiss. We tried recreating the famous scene, but our dog wasn’t as willing as Lady. All-in-all, Lady and the Tramp had a good haul of food. And our greyhound loved the food too.

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Passed-up Wedding Cake (with fondant)

Toward the start of the movie, Tramp was looking for a good place to eat, before settling on Tony’s. One of the options is a cake shop.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

We have made lots of cake throughout this blog, but never a wedding cake. So we made a delicious wedding cake, with fondant and everything

Wedding Cake and Fondant

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Medium-Hard
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Ingredients:

Cake

1 package (18 ounce) betty crocker white cake mix
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3 whole eggs (even for white cakes)
1 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon almond emulsion (stronger than flavoring) (or 2 teaspoons almond extract)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 Fondant

1 package (16 ounces) white mini marshmallows (use a good quality brand)
2 5 tablespoons water
2 pounds (about 8 cups) sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

Cake

  1. In a bowl, mix 1st 3 ingredients. (see notes below) Set aside.
  2. Place remaining ingredients in mixer bowl then add the dry.
  3. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, until dry ingredients are incorporated; mix at medium 2 minutes.
  4. This makes 1 & 1/2 times the usual batter than a ‘straight’ cake mix. It will fill one of the following pans: 8″ sq; 12″ round; 9x13x2; OR one 10″ and 6″ round.
  5. Pour into pan(s) and bake as you usually do. I prefere to bake at 300 degrees F. for 20 minutes, then turn oven up to 325 degrees F. for an equal time OR until you can smell cake If it has pulled away from the edges of the pan it is *over done*. You should have a flat cake that won’t (usually) need leveling & is not sticky on the top when it cools.

Special NOTES:.

  1. There is NO oil, butter or margarine in this recipe.
  2. Use large eggs.
  3. If almond extract (not emulsion) is used, add 2 teaspoons or to taste.
  4. Can use ANY cake flavor.
  5. Flavorings can change depending on cake flavor you use. Try a combination of 1 part vanilla, 1/2 part butter flavoring and 1/4 part almond.
  6. It is important to mix the dry ingredients well especially if using a chocolate mix or you will have white spots in the finished cake. I use a wire whisk.

Fondant

  1. To make marshmallow fondant, place marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds on high; stir until mixed well. Continue microwaving 30 seconds more; stir again. Continue until melted (about 2 1/2 minutes).
  2. Place 3/4 of the confectioners’ sugar on top of the melted marshmallow mixture. Fold sugar into marshmallow mixture. Flavoring can be added at this point if desired. Place solid vegetable shortening in easily accessed bowl so you can reach into it with fingers as you are working. Grease hands and counter GENEROUSLY; turn marshmallow mixture onto counter. Start kneading like you would dough. Continue kneading, adding additional confectioners’ sugar and re-greasing hands and counter so the fondant doesn’t stick. If the marshmallow fondant is tearing easily, it is too dry; add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time) kneading until fondant forms a firm, smooth elastic ball that will stretch without tearing, about 8 minutes.
  3. It’s best to allow Marshmallow Fondant to sit, double-wrapped, overnight. Prepare the fondant for storing by coating with a thin layer of solid vegetable shortening, wrap in plastic wrap and then place in resealable bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. Marshmallow Fondant will keep well in refrigerator for several weeks.
  4. When not working with fondant, make sure to keep it covered with plastic wrap or in a bag to prevent it from drying out. When ready to use, knead fondant until smooth. Roll out fondant 1/8 in. thick.
  5. To color fondant: If you need to tint the entire batch of fondant, add a little icing color to the melted marshmallow mixture before adding confectioners’ sugar. For smaller amounts of tinted fondant, add icing color to portions of fondant as needed.

IMG_20150503_184033


Donuts and Coffee for your pooch

Disclaimer: DO NOT feed your dog donuts and coffee. Caffeine is toxic to dogs. But that didn’t stop Jim Dear. While having his morning coffee and donut, he decided to give Miss Lady some.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Even though it’s a bad breakfast for dogs, it’s a perfectly good breakfast for humans. We found a great donut recipe that fits the time period of the movie well.

Early 1900's Donuts

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Medium
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Ingredients:
1 egg
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup sweet (aka whole) milk
1 pinch salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
lard or oil, for frying
extra flour
  1. One egg, one cup of sugar, two tablespoons of butter, beaten together till creamy.
  2. Add one cup of sweet milk, a pinch of salt, two teaspoons of baking powder stirred into two cups of flour*.
  3. Add one-half teaspoon of ginger and one-fourth teaspoon of nutmeg to the flour.
  4. Beat well, roll out about one-fourth of an inch thick.
  5. Cut out all the cakes before beginning to fry.
  6. Cook in deep fat that will fry a small walnut-sized ball of the dough in about sixty-five seconds.
  7. Do not let the fat get above that degree of heat.

*NOTE: I don’t know if I messed up the recipe or what, but I had to add about double the flour asked for. The dough was too sticky to shape so I just added more flour until I could shape the donuts to fry, which I used 2 different sized lids to make the circle shape and the circle hole.

IMG_20150505_210018


Lady’s Rib-eye Steak and Mushy Peas

:Poor Lady didn’t get a chance to eat the juicy steak she envisioned.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

and instead got a face-full of mushy peas

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Even though Lady wasn’t a fan of the peas, our greyhound loved them.

IMG_20150503_142119

For the Rib-eye steak. I salted the meat beforehand, and then threw it on the grill until I got a medium-rare cook.  The mushy peas recipe is as follows.

Mushy Peas

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
1 (10-ounce) package frozen green peas
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  1. Bring a shallow pot of lightly salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add frozen peas, and cook for 3 minutes, or until tender.
  3. Drain peas, and transfer to a blender or large food processor.
  4. Add cream, butter, salt and pepper to peas, and process until blended, but still thick with small pieces of peas.
  5. Adjust seasonings to taste, and serve immediately.

IMG_20150503_141959

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Tony’s Famous Kissing Spaghetti and Meatballs

Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, the famous spaghetti and meatballs. Its such a beautiful scene on a bella notte.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

We tried to recreate the scene with our dog, but Roxie wasn’t so sure about sitting at the table. We did manage to get a semi-decent picture.

Tony's Famous Spaghetti and Meatballs

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Easy-Medium
  • Print

Ingredients:
2 cans (28 ounces each) diced tomatoes undrained
1 can (12 ounces) tomato paste
1 1/2 cups 1-1/2 water divided
3 tablespoons grated onions
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons 1-1/2 dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 1/4 teaspoons 1-1/4 salt divided
1 teaspoon minced garlic divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper divided
6 slices day-old bread torn into pieces
2 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 pound ground beef
hot cooked spaghetti
additional parmesan cheese optional
  1. In a Dutch oven, combine the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 cup water, onion, sugar, oregano, bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, garlic and pepper. (NOTE: I’d also add some crushed red peppers)
  2. Bring to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1-1/4 hours.
  4. Meanwhile, soak bread in remaining water. Squeeze out excess moisture.
  5. NOTE: I’d skip on the soaked bread and add 2 cups of bread crumbs and 1/4 cup milk
  6. In a large bowl, combine the bread, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley and remaining salt, garlic and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.
  7. Shape into thirty-six 1-1/2-in. meatballs.
  8. Place meatballs on a rack in a shallow baking pan.
  9. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes or until no longer pink; drain.
  10. Transfer to spaghetti sauce.
  11. Simmer, uncovered, until heated through, stirring occasionally.
  12. Discard bay leaf.
  13. Serve with spaghetti with additional Parmesan if desired.

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Tony’s Breadsticks

Accompanying the spaghetti is a bowl of breadsticks. Mary had made this recipe before, so we decided it would be good. However, when I made it, the bread turned out too sweet. I’m not sure why. So just a forewarning while making it, maybe add a little less sugar.

Tony's Bread Sticks

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Print

Ingredients:
1.5 cups Water
1 pkg. Yeast
1.5 Tbs Sugar
3 cups Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
  1. Mix ingredients
  2. Knead for 3 mins.
  3. Let raise for 10 mins
  4. Roll out on parchment paper to the size of a cookie sheet.
  5. Cut into 1.5 in strips
  6. Spread with butter
  7. add garlic, salt and Parmesan cheese on top
  8. Let rest for 10 mins
  9. Bake at 350F for 20 mins

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Will you call it a bella pasto (beautiful meal)?

Overall the recipes were good. I was a little tired and out of it when making the spaghetti and meatballs. I would have made the meatballs a bit spicier if I were on my game, and probably used bread crumbs as opposed to soggy bread. But they still turned out pretty good.

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The donuts and hot chocolate were a great pairing. Part of a balanced breakfast.

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And the cake was amazing. We got lots of compliments on that. I highly recommend it.

Verdict:

Wedding Cake – 10/10

Donuts – 8/10, Donuts dipped in hot chocolate 9/10

Rib-eye Steak – 9/10

Mushy Peas – 7/10

Spaghetti and Meatballs – 7/10

Breadsticks – 6/10

0

Peter Pan – Pineapple Rum Codfish and Potatoes

Quick links: Pineapple-Rum Codfish | Verdict

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I’ve had lots of people tell me that they can’t wait for me to do Peter Pan because all that food the lost boys eat looks amazing. What they don’t realize is, that’s Hook with Robin Williams. Peter Pan actually didn’t have any food in it whatsoever, besides some rum and a bowl of fruit.
However, I didn’t want to leave everyone hanging. So here’s a recipe inspired by Peter Pan brought to you by me and a robot. (What?! A robot? Read on and find out)

Hook-is-a-Codfish Codfish

Since Peter calls Hook a codfish, and the croc ALMOST eats Hook,

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

I decided to make some Hook-inspired piratey codfish.  I used a cool webapp called Chef Watson. It uses IBM’s super computer Watson to pair up common ingredients and generate a recipe based off of other recipes. You can actually find a bunch of awesome inspiration on there.

I knew I wanted to use codfish and rum. I also wanted it to have a Caribbean flair. I was able to generate a recipe based on those perimeters. However, I did do some tweaks I added some pineapple to give it a little  So without further ado, Here is Hook is a Codfish Codfish.

Hook-is-a-Codfish-Codfish

  • Servings: 2-3
  • Difficulty: Easy-Medium
  • Print

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs Filleted Codfish
1/2 cup Rum
1/2 teaspoon Anchovy Paste
1/2 tsp Red wine vinagre
1/3 cup Coconut water
1/3 cups Peanut or Canola oil
6 Red Potatoes
2 Minced Shallots
1 Chopped Vine-ripe Tomato
1/3 cup Water
1/4 cup creme fraiche
1/4 cup whole milk
3 tbs coconut oil
1/4 c crushed or pureed pineapple
Sea salt, pepper, cumin, basil to taste

 

  1. Bring rum, shallots, coconut water and vinegar to boil in heavy small saucepan.
  2. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 5 minutes.
  3. Remove pan from heat and cover.
  4. Let stand at room temperature.
  5. Preheat oven to 400 fahrenheit.
  6. Place each russet potato on separate sheet of foil, rub in oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and wrap tightly.
  7. Bake about 1 hour.
  8. Remove foil; cool to just warm, about 20 minutes.
  9. Cut lengthwise in half.
  10. Scoop flesh into medium microwave-safe bowl, leaving 1/4-inch-thick potato shell.
  11. Add the canola/peanut oil and milk to russet potato in bowl; mash well.
  12. Stir in creme fraiche.
  13. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  14. Loosely cover shells and filling separately and let stand at room temperature.
  15. Rewarm russet potato shells, then filling.
  16. Stir anchovy paste into filling; season with sea salt and pepper.
  17. Mound filling in shells.
  18. Sprinkle basil.
  19. Place tomatoes on top.
  20. Place 212 fl oz water and cod fillets in heavy large skillet; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  21. Cover; steam over medium-high heat.
  22. Meanwhile, rewarm rum-shallot reduction over medium-low heat.
  23. Add coconut oil and pineapple, alternating 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking continue whisking until beurre rouge is thick (do not overheat or sauce may separate).
  24. Season with salt and pepper.
  25. Spoon sauce onto 4 plates.
  26. Place russet potato on the remaining side.
  27. Arrange the cod strips atop sauce on each plate; sprinkle with cumin and basil.

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Will it Make you Fly off to Neverland?

Watson, by George we’ve done it. (Ok, wrong movie). But this recipe turned out great.

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The potatoes were a great paring to the pineapple rum codfish. I was thinking it would be a good addition to add a tangy piña colada-type sauce on top of the cod. So if someone makes this and comes up with such sauce, let me know.

Verdict:
Codfish – 8/10
Potatoes – 8/10