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Alice in Wonderland – Drink Me (Layered Drink), Eat Me (Sugar Cookies), Bread and Butterflies, Oysters on the Half-shell, Unbirthday Cake, Edible Plate, Mushroom

Quick links: Drink Me | Eat Me | Bread and Butterfly | Oysters | Unbirthday Cake | Edible Plate | Mushroom | Verdict

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I’ve always wanted to eat a plate. This was my chance. There is tons of crazy food in Alice in Wonderland. And the best part is that, since it takes place in a “wonderland” there is no wrong way to make the food.  It was great fun experimenting how to do the Drink Me and finding a way to make an edible plate. Now, before you ask, we didn’t eat a clock. That is one of the most memorable things in the movie, but since it wasn’t prepared as a food, we didn’t make it. Sorry 🙁

I forgot how entertaining Alice in Wonderland is too. The last time I had watched it, I was a little kid and half the movie went right over my head while the other half scared me. Watching it as an adult was much more enjoyable.

Drink Me (Cherry Tart, Custard, Pineapple, Roast Turkey Drink)

So you fall down a rabbit hole and land in a mysterious place? What is the first thing you do? Well drink a strange drink sitting on a table of course.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

She even examines it and notes that it might be poison, but downs it anyway.

Well it never really shows what is inside the “Drink Me” bottle, but she describes the flavors. At first it tastes like cherry tart, and then like custard, then pineapple, then roast turkey. That meant I got to make a multi-layered drink!

Drink Me

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Print

Ingredients:

Cherry Tart

1 pound red cherries
2 pounds sugar
1/2 pint water
3 bottles carbonated water (soda)

 

Custard

1.2 cups milk
1/4 cups cream
4 eggs yolks
2 Tbs sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pineapple

1 can Pineapple
1/4 c Sugar
1 tsp Lemon Juice

Roast Turkey

1/2 c Turkey
1/4 c Gravy
2 Tbs Cranberry Sauce
1/2 c Water
1/8 tsp Chicken Bouillon
Salt to Taste

Cherry Tart

  1. Put the clean, seedless cherries and sugar in a saucepan. If you want your cherries on the super-tart side, add less sugar.
  2. Cover the pan and leave at room temperature for 2 hours. The cherries need time to soak up the sweetness of the sugar. It’ll be so tangy that you’ll need the water to dilute it later.
  3. Add the 1/2 pint of water and stir until all the sugar dissolves. You’re looking for one mostly uniform consistency (the cherry chunks will keep it from being entirely uniform).
  4. Bring the contents up to a boil.
  5. Then reduce the heat and simmer for fifteen minutes. It should maintain a light bubble the entire time, reducing the liquid and turning almost syrupy.
  6. When finished, strain the mixture.
  7. Squeeze all the moisture from the cherries into a separate saucepan. Don’t just strain it — really squeeze out all the juices. Simmer the strained liquid until it thickens like maple syrup.
  8. Then take the pan off, let it cool to room temperature and move it to a sealed vessel for storage in a refrigerator
  9. Put one or two spoons of it into a glass of soda water. Sparkling water (or even just water) works, too.
  10. Feel free to experiment with the ratio to find your personal taste. It may take a try or two — but once you find the right combination, it’ll be easy.

Custard

  1. Bring milk and cream to a simmer slowly on low heat.
  2. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together, add the egg yolks, combine well.
  3. Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Add vanilla. Return to the saucepan and stir gently until thickened. Serve hot, or cool to use as a layer in trifles, or fill tart pans.
  4. Tip. If using it hot, it can be kept warm in a jug set in a pan of hot water with a bit of cling film on top to prevent a skin forming.

Source: food.com

Pineapple

  1. Put all ingredients into a blender
  2. Blend
  3. Chill

Roast Turkey

  1. Place all ingredients into a blender
  2. Blend
  3. The mixture should be thick, but still able to move when you tilt the container.

Layering

There are a couple ways to layer the drinks. The first way is the way I used for the tube. Tilt the container pour each of the liquids, starting with the bottom-most liquid, slowly into the container. The contents should slide down the side of the container and rest on top of each other.

For more open-faced containers, you can use the spoon method. Pour the first liquid into the bottom of the container. Then place a spoon upside-down and at an angle, so the tip of the spoon is resting just above the bottom layer, and pour the second layer onto the spoon slowly. Move the spoon to cover the whole first layer.

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Eat Me Sugar Cookies

After she foolishly drinks the luckily-not-poisoned, but enlarging drink, she goes on and eats some strange cookies that appear out of no where in the hopes that she will shrink back down.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

These look like regular sugar cookies. We found a great recipe and whipped some up.

Eat Me Sugar Cookies

  • Servings: 4 dozen
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons buttermilk
sprinkles or colored sugar for decorating
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Add enough of the buttermilk to moisten the dough and make it soft, not wet.
  4. Roll rounded teaspoons of dough into balls and place on a ungreased cookie sheet. With a brush or fingers, moisten the top of each cookie with the remaining buttermilk and slightly flatten the top of each cookie. Sprinkle with raw sugar or colored sprinkles.
  5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly golden. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to cool on a rack.

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Bread and Butterflies

Ok, so this one is a little out of place. I’m combining two recipes. In the Walrus and the Carpenter section, the Carpenter makes some bread to go with the oysters,

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

and later on, we see some wonderful, punny creatures, bread and butterflies. So here is the recipe for the bread, and then how to make the bread and butterflies. We weren’t exactly successful in making the bread and butterflies, but it was fun to try.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Bread and Butterflies

  • Servings: 10
  • Difficulty: Medium-Hard
  • Print

Ingredients:
4 cups white flour plus extra for dusting
7 grams fast-action dried yeast (one packet)
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups lukewarm water (give or take a little)
a little oil for greasing
  1. Make the dough by tipping the flour, yeast and salt into a large bowl and making a well in the middle.
  2. Pour in most of the water and use your fingers or a wooden spoon to mix the flour and water together until combined to a slightly wet, pillowy, workable dough – add a splash more water if necessary.
  3. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 10 mins until smooth and elastic.
  4. This can also be done in a tabletop mixer with a dough hook.
  5. Place the dough in a clean oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in size.
  6. Heat oven to 430F/220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
  7. Knock back the dough by tipping it back onto a floured surface and pushing the air out.
  8. Mould the dough into a football ball shape that will fit a 900g loaf tin and place in the tin.
  9. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove for 30 mins.
  10. Dust the top of the loaf with a little more flour and slash the top with a sharp knife if you want.
  11. Bake the bread for 15 mins, then reduce the heat to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and continue to bake for 30 mins until the loaf sounds hollow when removed from the tin and tapped on the base.
  12. Leave the bread on a wire rack to cool completely.
  13. The loaf will stay fresh in an airtight container for 3 days or can be frozen for 1 month

Bread and Butterfly

  1. Get a pipe cleaner and fold it in half.
  2. Twist the ends together, but leave them seperated a bit to make antenna.
  3. Take a piece of bread and roll it over the pipe cleaner.
  4. Wet the edge of the bed so it sticks to itself in the roll.
  5. Slice 2 more pieces of bread for wings.
  6. Stick toothpicks in the bottom of the bread.
  7. Stick the wings into the body.
  8. Put honey at the top of the body and attach 2 googley eyes.
  9. Spread butter on the wings.

IMG_20150418_211812 IMG_20150418_214744_rewind

Little Oysters on a Half-shell

The Walrus and the Carpenter is a pretty messed up story. They eat little baby oysters. Now, people do that all the time, but these were cute anthropomorphic little oysters. The carpenter goes into what he’s putting into the sauce to eat with the oysters. It turns out he was probably describing a mignonette. So I found a good recipe and made it with the raw oysters. Both me and my wife aren’t fond of oysters, but we stomached them anyway.

Little Oysters on a Half-shell

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

Oysters

10-20 Oysters
Crushed Ice or rock salt

Mignonette

1 tablespoon coarsely ground white or black peppercorn (vary amount according to taste)
1/2 cup white wine vinegar (I used red, but white would be more accurate)
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots or sweet onions
1 tsp Ground mustard seed
salt to taste

 

 

 

 

Oysters

  1. Clean the oysters really well under running water with a course brush. Dirt is everywhere, so be sure to scrub, especially around the hinge
  2. Insert a butter knife as far into the hinge as possible.
  3. Rock the knife gently up and down as you push the knife further into the oyster
  4. The oyster will finally open.
  5. Detach it from the top and bottom of the shell, but leave it in the bottom.
  6. Place in crushed ice or rock salt.

Mignonette

  1. Combine all ingredients
  2. Chill for at least an hour.
  3. Serve with the Oysters


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A Mad Unbirthday Cake

This was another fun recipe. When Alice meets the Mad Hatter, he gives her an unbirthday cake.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

We know what the outside looks like, but there was no way of knowing what the inside was because it explodes into a firework. So, it being wonderland, we had to do something interesting, so we made a multicolored cake!

A Mad Unbirthday Cake

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Print

Ingredients:
1 box white (vanilla) cake mix
food coloring
2 cartons pink frosting
water **according to cake package
egg white **according to cake package
oil **according to cake package
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
  1. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, add vanilla and milk.
  2. Blend well.
  3. Separate into 3 bowls.
  4. Dye each bowlful a different color.
  5. Pour batter into three 9″ cake pans that have been greased and floured.
  6. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
  7. Allow to cool completely.
  8. Cut into cakes with 3″ and 6″ rings starting in the center (this will make it look like a target).
  9. Take the largest ring of one color, the 6″ ring of another color, and the 3″ center piece of the last color and put them together.
  10. This creates a new bottom layer.
  11. Frost.
  12. Continue to do this for all 3 layers.
  13. When you cut into the cake it will make a checkered pattern.
  14. Use pink frosting and white icing. Put one “trick” candle on top.
  15. Merry Unbirthday!

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Edible White Chocolate Plate

Another fun recipe. We see the mad hatter dip his saucer into his tea and take a bite out of it.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Now, I wasn’t too keen on ingesting glass, so I decided to make an edible saucer. I went through a few different possibilities. I thought about making sugar glass, but I wasn’t sure how to make it white. Then I thought, why not make it out of white chocolate, that’s already white.

I found a tutorial on how to make a mold. And made one for a plate. Note: I didn’t use nearly enough silicone. I would say use between 20-30 oz, not 10 like I did.

Edible White Chocolate Plate

  • Servings: 1
  • Difficulty: Hard
  • Print

Ingredients:
1 Package white chocolate chips
 3 10oz tubes Silicone
1/2 c dish soap
 64 oz water
  1. Follow the instructions here to make a mold of a plate
  2. Melt the white chocolate chips either in the microwave, on the stove or double boiler.
  3. Pour the melted white chocolate into the mold.
  4. Chill for 1-2 hrs
  5. Remove from mold and there you have your saucer..

 

 

 

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Mushroom to Help you Grow Big and Strong

Another thing Alice eats on the trust of others. The caterpillar just tells her to eat a mushroom when around 50% are inedible, 20% are toxic and 1% are deadly (Not sure if this is a credible source).

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

But lucky Alice, she didn’t die, just grew really big again.

Mushroom to Help you Grow Big and Strong

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Get a mushroom. Steam it in a steamer. Eat it. (You can put some salt or something on it)

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Will it Send you Down the Rabbit Hole?

Not the absolute tastiest movie, but one of the funnest cooks. I loved being able to try and figure out the different ways to make some of the stuff.

The Drink Me was interesting. It was fun being able to go through all the flavors. The cake and the cookies were probably the best part.

If you like oysters, then maybe you’ll like the oysters and mignonette, I dunno.

The edible plate was a good idea in concept, but for some reason, I couldn’t get the chocolate to melt right and I didn’t have enough silicone to make a full plate mold. If I had gotten it melted right, and had more silicone, I think it would have turned out better

IMG_20150419_214434

IMG_20150419_194433 IMG_20150419_194854

Verdict:

Drink Me – 7/10 (Cherry) 8/10 (Custard) 8/10 (Pineapple) 4/10 (Roast Turkey)

Eat Me Sugar Cookies – 9/10

Bread and Butterfly – 7/10

Oysters – 5/10 (Raw Oysters), 3/10 (Boiled Oysters) 7/10 (Mignonette)

Unbirthday Cake – 9/10

Edible Plate – 6/10

Mushroom – 6/10 (Would be better with seasoning)

1

Cinderella – Porridge, Homemade Toast, Cream, Corn, Bonus 19th Century Hot Chocolate

Quick links: Cream | Corn | Porridge | Homemade Toast | Bonus: Hot Chocolate | Verdict

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A semi-timely post coinciding with the live-action Cinderella, which we watched as well! Unfortunately, we didn’t do any recipes from the live-action Cinderella…although the sweets that were shown at the ball were tempting. 
The animated Cinderella is a perfect breakfast movie, as all the food in the movie is breakfast food. So get that fire going, brush some cinders on your face and discover all the food from Cinderella.

Lucifer’s Cat Cream

Of course Lucifer gets the first food of the movie.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

And on the subject of Lucifer, who would unironically name their cat after Satan? Why would Cinderella’s dad marry someone who unironically named their cat after the devil? Wouldn’t that raise some red flags? It’s not exactly subtle.

Lucifer's Cat Cream

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Whole Milk
1/3 cup Unsalted Butter
  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat (or in microwave) be sure not to let the butter boil
  2. Remove from heat
  3. Add in the milk
  4. Mix well for 2-3 minutes.

IMG_20150413_202446


Greedy Gus-Gus Corn

Are the chicken feed corn kernels really worth it? Are they Gus?!?!

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

I ate some corn, like Gus. I didn’t have to run away from a hungry cat while doing it though. There’s not really a recipe for this, just corn. You can steam it until it’s soft. Or let it go stale and eat it as chicken feed.IMG_20150413_212141

Drizella’s Porridge

Cinderella is shown taking some breakfast to her step-family. We wanted to be accurate with the type of breakfast she would be serving, seeing as this is supposed to take place in 19th-century France. However, it seems like the animators either didn’t see it as taking place in France, or just weren’t accurate with their French breakfasts. It looks like Cinderella is taking her family porridge and tea.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

However, porridge isn’t a common French breakfast. They usually eat grains, coffee, and fruits. But because it really looks like porridge, we were true to the animation and made some porridge.

Drizella's Porridge

  • Servings: 1
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
50 grams porridge oats
350 milliliters milk or water or a mixture of the two
greek yogurt thinned with a little milk
clear honey to serve
  1. Put the oats in a saucepan, pour in the milk or water and sprinkle in a pinch of salt.
  2. Bring to the boil and simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring from time to time and watching carefully that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
  3. Or you can try this in a microwave. Mix the oats, milk or water and a pinch of salt in a large microwaveproof bowl, then microwave on High for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through
  4. . Leave to stand for 2 minutes before eating.
  5. To serve. Pour into bowls, spoon yogurt on top and drizzle with honey.

Source: bbcgoodfood.com
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Anastasia’s Toast

This is more accurate to France. Toward’s the end of the movie, Cinderella brings her step-family breakfast yet again. This time it’s toast.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

We didn’t want to just buy some bread at the store and toast it, we make our own bread from scratch.

Anastasia's Toast

  • Servings: 20
  • Difficulty: medium-hard
  • Print
Ingredients:
4 cups bread flour divided
2 teaspoons active quick rising dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
  1. Put 1/4 cup of bread flour on your clean counter top and reserve.
  2. Place remaining 3 3/4 cups bread flour in your mixer bowl.
  3. Spoon the yeast on one side of the bowl, and the salt on the other side.
  4. Pour in the warm water and with your regular mixer paddle, mix on low speed until the dough comes together in a mass.
  5. Switch to the dough hook. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Dough should clear the sides but stick to the bottom. If it is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time. If too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water to dough to adjust.
  6. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
  7. Turn the mixer on again and mix for 3 minutes. (If mixing by hand, mix for 6 minutes, then let rest for 7 minutes and mix again for 7 minutes.)
  8. Take the dough out and place on the counter. Remember that 1/4 cup of flour that we reserved? We’ll use it now.
  9. As you knead the dough by hand, incorporate more flour as you need.
  10. Knead by hand until the dough is very satiny, smooth, tight and formed into a nice, compact ball.
  11. Place this dough in a large lightly oiled bowl
  12. Turn dough over so that all sides have a thin coating of oil.
  13. Cover with plastic wrap and set in warm place for 1 1/2 hours to let rest and rise.
  14. Dough should almost double in size.
  15. While the dough is rising, about 1 hour into the rising stage, preheat your oven to 450F and place your pizza stone, inverted baking sheet or covered cast iron pot into the oven to heat up.
  16. If you are using a loaf pan for steam, also place that into the oven, on the very bottom rack, off to one side of the oven.
  17. After the dough has risen fully, punch dough down and form back into a ball. Poke your finger on the surface – the dough should give into the pressure and slowly creep back up.
  18. Ok, here’s the fun part. Cut the dough into half – you’ll shape one half at a time (keep the other piece under wraps)
  19. Pick up the dough – stretch it out until it forms a big rectangle.
  20. Dust your work surface with flour and fold over the ends of the dough inwards in 3rds.
  21. Now do a little “karate chop” lengthwise down the middle of the bread and stretch out the long ends again.
  22. Fold over in half. The karate chop helps get the middle tucked inside.
  23. Pinch all sides shut. This is important – you want to make sure that all ends including the short ends are pinched tightly to create a seal. This allows the bread to rise & expand up and out evenly. If the bread looks a little lopsided, you can try to fix it by letting it rest 5 minutes and gently stretching it out again. Just don’t knead the dough again – you’ll pop all the beautiful gas that took 1.5 hours to create!
  24.  Turn the bread over so that it is seam side down.
  25. Cover the loaf with a damp kitchen towel. Repeat with the other dough ball.
  26. Leave the loaves to rest on your well-floured pizza peel or cutting board for 30 minutes.
  27. After bread is done rising, take a sharp paring knife and make 3-4 shallow, diagonal slashes on the surface of the loaf. This allows the steam in the bread to escape so that it expands evenly during the baking process.
  28.  When you are ready to bake, remove your baking vessel from oven. Carefully slide the gorgeous loaf into or onto your baking vessel.
  29. If you are using pizza stone or inverted baking sheet: You can probably fit both loaves on it at the same time, just leave at least 6-8″ of space between the loaves. -> Get a 1/2 cup of water ready next to the stove.
  30. Open the stove, put your bread in the oven and throw the water on the oven floor or in the pre-heated loaf pan.
  31. Immediately close the oven door. This creates your steam. -> Bake 20-25 minutes.
  32. Check temperature of the bread – internal temperature should read 190-200F.
  33. Remove and let cool before cutting into it.
  34. If you are using a long cast-iron pot or covered baker: -> Before closing the lid on your pot/baker, put 1/4 cup of water directly in the pot. Cover immediately.
  35. Put pot in oven. -> Bake 10 minutes.
  36. Remove lid of pot. Bake another 14 minutes.
  37. Check temperature of the bread – internal should be 190-200F. Remove and let cool before cutting into it.
  38. Repeat with other loaf. (For convection ovens- bake 8 min covered, 10-12 min uncovered. Check temperature of bread)
  39. To re-crisp the crust, put in 375F oven for 5 minutes.
  40. Cut the bread and toast  it!

Source: steamykitchen.com

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Bonus: 19th Century Hot Chocolate

It seems like she just has hot water in her tea kettle. But we didn’t feel like making tea. So even though it probably wasn’t hot chocolate, we found a great recipe for 19th century hot chocolate. Remember, sweet chocolate didn’t come to be until later.

19th Century Hot Chocolate

  • Servings: 1
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Print

Ingredients:
1/2 pint water
1/2 pint milk
1 ounce bakers chocolate
  1. Scrape fine one square of Baker’s chocolate (which will be an ounce).
  2. Put it in a pint of boiling water and milk, mixed in equal parts.
  3. Boil ten minutes, and during this time mill it or whip it with a Dover egg-whip (one with a wheel), which will make it foam beautifully.
  4. Sweeten to the taste, at table.

Source: huntsville.about.com

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Is it a dream/a wish your heart makes?

Everything was alright. Nothing was blow-your-glass-slippers-off amazing. The best thing about the meal was the homemade toast. That was really good. The hot chocolate was kind of disappointing. Of course, I don’t love bitter chocolate, and it was pretty bitter.

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Verdict:

Cream – 6/10

Corn – 6/10

Porridge – 7/10

Toast – 10/10

Hot Chocolate – 7/10

4

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad – Tea & Crumpets, Turkey, Roast Quail, Raspberry Pie, Donuts, Ham, Red Velvet Cake, Cherry Cupcakes, Rolls, Corn on the Cob, Biscuits, Summer Pudding, German Chocolate Cupcakes, Roast Beef Sandwich, Pecan Shortbread, Hardboiled Egg, Mashed Potatoes

Quick links: Tea & Crumpets | Roast Turkey | Roast Quail | Raspberry Pie | Donuts | Baked Ham | Red Velvet Cake | Cherry Cupcakes | Sweet Rolls | Corn on the Cob | Biscuits | Summer Pudding | German Chocolate Cupcakes | Roast Beef Sandwich | Pecan Shortbread | Hardboiled Egg | Mashed Potatoes | Verdict

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The main mystery of Ichabod Crane is not how the headless horseman came to be, but how he can stay so skinny. He must have the metabolism of a hummingbird (which eat 1.5x-3x their weight each day). He is eating in almost every scene of that movie, which caused a lot of cooking for us. To help decrease the amount of work and cost, anything shown in Ichabod Crane that had been shown in another Disney movie that we’ve done, or is a common food, we skipped. Sorry for skimping a little on this one, but it was a big ask.
Mr. Toad on the other hand only had the appetite for speed. There was hardly any food shown in that movie.
Even though both of these stories have fallen into the shadows of the Disney universe, they’re very enjoyable. I’m just mad that Disney World doesn’t have Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride anymore. Can’t they have both Winnie the Pooh and Mr. Toad?

Tea & Crumpets with a Rat

The only food shown in this wild ride is the classic tea and crumpets. I had never actually had crumpets before, but that is my go-to word when I’m trying to talk in a British accent (and failing). They actually taste like English Muffins. I think I made mine a little thick and didn’t cook them for long enough, so it was a little soft in the center. But it was still tasty.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Tea & Crumpets with a Rat

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
450 grams strong plain flour sifted (1lb)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons fast-rising active dry yeast (1x7g sachet)
300 milliliters warm milk (1/2 pint)
300 milliliters warm water (1/2 pint)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
vegetable oil
  1.  Note – you will need 4 crumpet rings, or egg rings or 7.5cm (3in) plain pastry cutters, greased. I didn’t have any, so I folded a sheet of aluminum foil a few times and then made a ring.
  2. Place the flour and salt into a large bowl and stir in the sugar and yeast making a well in the centre.
  3. Pour in the warm milk and water and mix to give quite a thick batter.
  4. Beat well until completely combined and cover with a tea towel or cling film.
  5. Leave in a warm place to rise for about an hour until it’s a light, spongy texture.
  6. Stir well to knock out any air, add the bicarbonate of soda and pour into a large jug – mix well and allow to stand for a further 30 minutes.
  7. Heat a non-stick frying pan, or a greased griddle, over a very low heat with a drop of oil or butter.
  8. Wipe the pan with kitchen paper to remove excess oil/butter.
  9. Sit the greased crumpet rings in the pan and leave to heat up for a couple of minutes.
  10. Pour in enough mixture to fill the rings just over halfway up the sides. Leave to cook until lots of small holes appear on the surface and the batter has just dried out. This will take about 8-10 minutes.
  11. Remove the rings and turn over the crumpets to cook for a further minute or two on the other side. Sit the first batch of crumpets on a wire rack whilst continuing to cook the remaining crumpets.
  12. Serve the crumpets warm, generously buttered. If you are making crumpets in advance, then reheat them by toasting lightly on both sides before serving. (Prep time includes rising time for the yeast dough.).

Source: food.com

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Ichabod’s Turkey Addiction

I am amazed at how skinny Ichabod stays, judging by how much he eats. Towards the end of the movie, I began to wonder if he had a stomach parasite.

Ichabod’s main addiction is turkey (and other poultry. This is somewhat cannibalistic, because of his own bird-like qualities.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

We have made chicken in a couple of other movies like Pinocchio and Make Mine Music, so we just cooked a turkey. Luckily it was around Easter, so we got a good deal on a 22lbs turkey from our local grocery store! In the picture, it looks like there are chestnuts around the turkey. Chestnuts make a good turkey stuffing. Unfortunately, chestnuts weren’t in season and I couldn’t find a store that sold them. Luckily, Google said that pecans were a good chestnut substitute.

Ichabod's Turkey Addiction

  • Servings: 8+
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Print

Ingredients:

Bird

1 Turkey
1.5lbs butter
2 tsp salt
Basil, rosemary, and parsley to taste

Stuffing

2 cups Chestnuts
1.5 cups Margarine
0.5 cup chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
 1 tsp basil
2 loaves day-old bread (cubed)
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk

Bird

  1. Remove neck and gibbets and do any other turkey prep needed.
  2. Rub salt all over turkey.
  3. Melt butter and rub all over turkey.
  4. Rub additional spices on turkey.
  5. Stuff with stuffing.
  6. Place onions and extra stuffing around turkey.
  7. Bake for about 13 minutes per pound, basting with extra butter every hour or so.

Stuffing

  1. With a sharp knife, cut slits in the surface of the chestnuts. Place chestnuts in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook 25 minutes, or until tender. Drain, peel, and chop.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  3. Melt margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in chestnuts, onion, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning, and cook until onions are tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium baking dish, and mix with the cubed bread.
  4. In a small bowl, beat together eggs and milk, and drizzle over the cubed bread mixture.
  5. Bake 30 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until surface is crisp and lightly browned.

IMG_20150405_184708


Invisible Roast Quail

Going along with Ichabod’s poultry love, he eats what looks like a small chicken. I know that in Ichabod Crane’s time period, people ate quail and squab (pigeon). I looked all around for quail or pigeon, but couldn’t find any. I didn’t want to go out into the streets and catch a city pigeon either, because that would be disgusting. So sadly, there will be no quail/squab recipe to try.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

One of the Many Pies (Raspberry)

There are TONS of pies shown in this movie. A lady carries pies on her head,

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

school chidren bring pies to school,

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

and there’s even a pie at her picnic.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

They never really show what kind of pies there are, except for the close-up of the school-child’s pie, which looks like some kind of berry pie, so I decided to make a raspberry pie. If you want recipes for other pies, see Snow White, Pinocchio, and Melody Time.

One of the Many Pies (Raspberry)

  • Servings: X
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients (Filling):
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
5 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries thawed
1/4 cup water

This recipe uses prepared pie dough. For a pie dough recipe, see Melody Time.

  1. Place the water and the sugar in a pot, stir vigorously until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil.
  2. Add the raspberries and let simmer for 5-10 minutes
  3. Add cornstarch and stir until sauce thickens.
  4. Add the berry mixture to the prepared pie crust and bake on 350F for 35-45 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown.

The finished.


Do-Ray-Mi Donuts

Ichabod woo’s ladies with his deep bass singing voice. The secret is probably the donuts next to his piano. We made some home-made puff pastry donuts. They were delicious but oh so fattening. Perfect for deepening your voice.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Do-Ray-Mi Donuts

  • Servings: 24
  • Difficulty: Easy-Medium
  • Print

Ingredients:
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
vegetable oil for frying
2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry.
  2. Cut circles out of puff pastry using two different sized circle cookie cutters, a larger circle for the outside and a smaller circle for the center.
  3. Fill a large pot with an inch of vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat.
  4. Cook donuts in hot vegetable oil, flipping when one side is golden.
  5. In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, milk and vanilla to make glaze.
  6. Warm the glaze in the microwave, or else it will flatten the donuts
  7. While the donuts are still hot, dip them in the glaze. Alternatively, use a spoon to drizzle the donuts with glaze.

Source: sixsistersstuff.com

Fattening

 

Ichabod’s Such a Ham

If turkey is Ichabod’s first weakness, ham would be his second. There is a lot of ham in this movie as well. Maybe ham is just easy to illustrate.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Again, watching this around Easter had it’s advantage. I got a cheap ham and it was amazing.

Ichabod's Such a Ham

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
1 (12-pound) shankless skinless smoked cured ham
whole cloves for studding ham
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup prepared mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
variation: glazed ham steak with brown sugar mustard glaze
1 to 2 inch ham steak
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup prepared mustard
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Score top of ham into diamonds and stud center of each diamond with a clove.
  3. Place ham on a rack in a roasting pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours. In a bowl combine the sugar, mustard and vinegar and spread glaze evenly over ham.
  4. Bake for another 35 minutes
  5. Transfer ham to a platter and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees

    Combine cloves, sugar and mustard and brush over Ham Steak. Bake in baking dish in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes until heated through.

Recipe courtesy of Georgia Downard

Source: foodnetwork.com

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Sly Red Velvet Cake

Another couple hundred calories into his black hole of a gut. He is even sneaking food when dancing with the lovely Katrina.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Sneaked Red Velvet Cake

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
250 grams butter softened
600 grams caster sugar (or bakers sugar)
6 eggs
2 tablespoons red food colouring
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
375 grams flour
250 milliliters buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 200 2 (200g) tubs cream cheese
350 g white chocolate
250 g butter, softened

 

  1. Preheat oven to 170 C / Gas mark 3. Grease and flour three 20cm tins.
  2. In a large bowl, cream 250g butter with sugar.
  3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  4. Mix food colouring with cocoa and add to mixture.
  5. Add flour alternately with buttermilk. Add vanilla and salt.
  6. Mix baking soda with vinegar, and gently stir into mixture. Be careful not to over mix.
  7. Divide cake mixture into three prepared tins. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Allow to cool.
  8. To make the White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing: Melt the white chocolate and allow to cool to lukewarm.
  9. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.
  10. Gradually beat in melted white chocolate and softened butter.
  11. Beat until it is the consistency of whipped cream, then use to fill and ice the cake.

Source: allrecipes.co.uk

IMG_20150407_222449

Cherry Cupcakes

Over to the left, there are some cakes. I assumed they were cherry cupcakes. So I made those. A note after making these, double the amount of cherry juice. Or maybe add some cherry extract. There wasn’t enough of a cherry flavor.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Cherry Cupcakes

  • Servings: 24
  • Difficulty: Easy-Medium
  • Print

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
4 egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
12 maraschino cherries halved
maraschino cherry with stems (optional)
  1. Allow butter and egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line twenty-four 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups or coat with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
  3. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup combine buttermilk and cherry juice; set aside.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  5. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
  6. Add sugar, vanilla, and almond extract; beat until combined.
  7. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  8. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each just until combined.
  9. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups.
  10. Press a cherry half into batter in each cup.
  11. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched.
  12. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes.
  13. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups.
  14. Cool completely on wire racks.
  15. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting over cupcakes. If desired, top with cherries with stems.

Frosting

  1. Allow 1/2 cup butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
  3. Gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well.
  4. Beat in 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice or milk and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
  5. Gradually beat in 3 cups additional powered sugar.
  6. If necessary, beat in additional juice or milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until frosting reaches piping consistency.
IMG_20150406_201216

Katrina van Tassel’s Sweet Rolls

This is kinda hard to see. In the picnic scene, where this group of men are swooning over Katrina, there is a bowl of white balls. I guess they are rolls. That’s a good picnic food.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Katrina van Tassel's Sweet Rolls

  • Servings: 24-36
  • Difficulty: Easy-Medium
  • Print

Ingredients:
1 package dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 eggs beaten
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil or melted shortening
6-7 cups flour
  1. Dissolve yeast in warm water.
  2. In large bowl mix eggs, sugar, and salt.
  3. Add oil. Add yeast mixture.
  4. Mix flour 1 cup at a time; stir well.
  5. Cover bowl with cloth and let rise until double.
  6. Punch down. Make into rolls.
  7. Cover and let rise until double again.
  8. Bake at 400 until golden brown.

IMG_20150405_190852

Corn on the Cob

Corn wasn’t in season for us, so the corn on the cob we made wasn’t particularly great.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Corn on the Cob

  • Servings: X
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Boil desired amount of corn until tender. Serve with butter and salt.

Biscuits

Same image, but there are some biscuits on the left side. My wife has a great recipe for biscuits. Her dad makes biscuits and gravy all the time and it is delicious.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Biscuits

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

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups self-rising flour (Plus extra for flouring your surface)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 cup chilled buttermilk (Plus 1-2 tablespoons if needed)
1 tablespoon melted butter to brush on top
  1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
  2. Prepare a floured surface for shaping the dough and have an ungreased baking sheet ready
  3. Whisk together flour, sugar and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
  4. Using a fork or a pastry blender cut in the shortening and butter.
  5. Work quickly, you don’t want the fats to melt – the key to fluffy biscuits is minimal handling.
  6. The mixture should be crumbly.
  7. Make a well in the flour mixture, and pour in the buttermilk.
  8. Stir with a spoon and blend just until the liquid is absorbed and the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl – add 1-2 tbsp more buttermilk if the dough is dry.
  9. Do not over mix; the dough will be tacky, neither wet nor dry.
  10. With lightly floured hands, turn out the dough onto a lightly-floured surface and gently fold it over on itself 2 or 3 times.
  11. Shape into a 3/4” thick round. If you use a rolling pin, be sure to flour it first to keep the dough from sticking to the pin.
  12. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out the biscuits pressing straight down (avoid the temptation to twist the cutter as twisting keeps the biscuits from rising).
  13. Dip the cutter in flour between cuttings to keep the dough from sticking to the cutter.
  14. Place biscuits on the baking sheet so that they just touch (for crunchy sides, leave space in between).
  15. Reshape scrap dough and continue cutting.
  16. Remember to handle the dough as little as possible.
  17. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top.
  18. Turn the baking sheet around halfway through baking.
    Optional: Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter.

IMG_20150404_180042

Summer Pudding in the Fall

I wasn’t sure what this pink blob was. I did some research and found out that it is a British dish called Summer Pudding. It’s a chilled fruit dish inside a bread pudding-like shell. I absolutely loved it. I’ll definitely be making it again.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Summer Pudding in the Fall

  • Servings: X
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
300 grams strawberries
250 grams blackberries
100 grams red currants
500 grams raspberries
OR
12 ounces mixed berries of your choice
3 tablespoons golden caster sugar (ultra-fine bakers sugar)
6 slices day-old white bread from a square, medium-cut loaf
  1. Bring out the juices: Wash fruit and gently dry on kitchen paper – keep strawberries separate. Put sugar and 3 tbsp water into a large pan. Gently heat until sugar dissolves – stir a few times.
  2. Bring to a boil for 1 min, then tip in the fruit (not strawberries).
  3. Cook for 3 mins over a low heat, stirring 2-3 times.
  4. The fruit will be softened, mostly intact and surrounded by dark red juice.
  5. Put a sieve over a bowl and tip in the fruit and juice.
  6. Prepare the bread: Line three 3″ molds with cling film as this will help you to turn out the pudding.
  7. Cut the crusts off the bread. Fit the bread to the mold Let the edges overhang by about 15cm.
  8. Build the pud: Dip the whole piece of bread into the juice for a few secs just to coat.
  9. Push this into the bottom of the mold.
  10. Now spoon in the softened fruit, adding the strawberries here and there as you go.
  11. Let flavours mingle then serve: Dip the bread in juice and place on top – trim off overhang with scissors.
  12. Keep leftover juice for later.
  13. Bring cling film up and loosely seal.
  14. Put a side plate on top and weight down with cans.
  15. Chill for 6 hrs or overnight.
  16. To serve, open out cling film then put a serving plate upside-down on top and flip over.
  17. serve with leftover juice, any extra berries and cream.

Source: bbcgoodfood.com

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German Chocolate Cupcakes

On this massive platter of food, there are a bunch of things that we didn’t bother making. We have made a few cakes, so we didn’t make the pink frosting cake, there’s the quail that we couldn’t find, a sandwich which we made later, some grapes, celery, a round log which I assumed was possibly liverwurst. I bought some of that from the store. It wasn’t very appetizing. Then there was a delicious-looking german chocolate cupcake. I just had to make some of those.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

German Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Servings: 24
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

  1. Buy a box of German Chocolate Cake mix.
  2. Follow instructions
  3. Frost with store-bought coconut pecan frosting
  4. Add Maraschino cherry on top

IMG_20150404_171645

Roast Beef Sandwich

Just like I promised, a roast beef sandwich. There were a couple sandwiches featured in the movie. It is hard to tell what kind they are, but this one looks like it could be roast beef. So I decided they were ALL roast beef. So here’s a simple roast beef sandwich recipe.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Roast Beef Sandwich

  • Servings: 1
  • Difficulty: Insanely Hard
  • Print

You should know how to make a sandwich by now.

done

Pecan Shortbread

I kinda had a hard time distinguishing what the cookie-type things were at the bottom-right of this picture were.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

I finally settled on pecan shortbread. They look about the same.

Pecan Shortbread

  • Servings: 20
  • Difficulty: Easy-Medium
  • Print

Ingredients:
3/4 pound unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups small diced pecans
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until they are just combined.
  3. Add the vanilla and almond extracts.
  4. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter/sugar mixture.
  5. Add the pecans and mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together.
  6. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk.
  7. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
  8. Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut into 2 1/2-inch squares with a plain or fluted cutter (or cut into any shape you like).
  9. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet.
  10. Add a whole pecan to the center of each cookie
  11. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown.
  12. Allow to cool to room temperature and serve.

1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, All Rights Reserved
Source: foodnetwork.com

Shortbread stuff

Paprika Pyramid Hardboiled Egg

This was a fun one. The reddish powder that Ichabod sprinkles on the egg could be a number of things. He ends up eating it and getting hot in the face. So I decided it was probably either chili powder or some paprika. I went with paprika. I almost choked. I coughed for 5 minutes after.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Paprika Pyramid Hardboiled Egg

  • Servings: 1
  • Difficulty: Easy, but a killer
  • Print

Hard-boil an egg. Peel the shell and dump a gratuitous amount of paprika on it. Take a big bite and choke on the spice.

IMG_20150407_204057

 

hoteggg

Mashed Taters

Finally, at the end of the movie, we see a giant feast. I hope Ichabod brings in enough money for this huge family, his huge wife and their (probably) huge appetites. We had gone through and made most of the stuff on the table already, except for the bowl of white stuff with brown chunks. If someone knows exactly what it is, let me know. I couldn’t figure it out. It looks like it could be mashed potatoes with the skins. So thats what I made.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Mashed Taters

  • Servings: X
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
8-10 potatoes washed
1/4-1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
salt to taste
pepper to taste
  1. Chop and boil potatoes unitl soft.
  2. Strain water out (save some for the gravy if you’re making any).
  3. In pan add butter, milk, salt and pepper.
  4. Mix with hand beater or potato smasher until creamy. Enjoy!

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Will it Make you Lose your Head?

Surprisingly, there wasn’t really a dish that I didn’t like this week, except for maybe the hardboiled egg. Wow, that was a lot of spice. Everything else tasted amazing.

IMG_20150405_190852

I loved the ham and turkey. The summer pudding was divine. I was excited for the Cherry Cupcakes, but they didn’t taste cherry enough. I think it needs more maraschino cherry juice.

A crowd favorite were the German Cupcakes, even though it was just a boxed cake and store-bought frosting. But you can’t go wrong with any of the meals this week.

Verdict:

Tea & Crumpets – 7/10 (would be more if I had cooked them longer)

Roast Turkey – 10/10

Roast Quail – ?/10 (I need to find my huntin’ rifle)

Raspberry Pie – 10/10

Donuts – 9/10 (And will fatten you up)

Baked Ham – 10/10

Red Velvet Cake – 8.5/10

Cherry Cupcakes – 8/10

Sweet Rolls – 8/10

Corn on the Cob – 7/10

Biscuits – 9/10

Summer Pudding – 10/10

German Chocolate Cupcakes – 10/10

Roast Beef Sandwich – 6/10

Pecan Shortbread – 7/10

Hardboiled Egg – 3/10

Mashed Potatoes – 9/10

2

Melody Time – Apple Pickles, Apple Tarts, Apple Sauce, Apple Pastry, Apple Pie, Apple Cake/cupcakes, Apple Dumplings, Apple Fritters, Tangy Apple Cider, Stewed Apples, Baked Apples, Fried Apples, Bacon, Eggs, and Hot Chocolate.

Quick links: Apple Pickles | Apple TartsApple Pie | Apple Pastries | Apple Sass | Apple Cake/Cupcakes | Apple Dumplings | Apple Fritters | Apple Cider | Apples (Stewed) | Apples (Baked) | Apples Fried | Bacon and Eggs Breakfast | Hot Chocolate | Verdict

[twitter-follow screen_name=’DisneyMeals’]

After last week’s giant feast, I was hoping for a slower week. I was even going to combine Melody Time and the Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, in hopes that neither of them had much food in it, but I was wrong. Melody Time started off calm with some nice Fantasia-like segments. But then came the Johnny Appleseed short. Johnny Appleseed meets his guardian angel who goes through all the different ways to prepare apples. After watching that, my hopes for a slow week were demolished. At least they were tasty recipes to try. 
If you want to watch the whole Johnny Appleseed segment for ol’ time sakes, look no further.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=484AJlOnOnc
Skip to 5:54 for the apple song where all these recipes come from.
There was some more food mentioned in the other segments of the movie, like a fantastical cocktail during the “Blame it On Samba” song and a hearty cowboy breakfast from “Pecos Bill.” But most of the food will be apple-based this week.
When the time came to actually make the food featured in Melody Time, I came down with a bad flu. So most of this week’s food was prepared by my lovely wife. Which works out anyway, she’s the better baker out of us.

Apple Pickles

The song that mentions all these lovely recipes starts by mentioning Apple Pickles.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

I didn’t even know Apple Pickles were a thing. Sadly, we weren’t able to start pickling the apples far enough in advance for them to reach their full pickled state by the time this article dropped. It takes at least a week for them to reach that. But I’ll update the article when I try them fully pickled.

Apple Pickles

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground ginger
6 apples peeled, cored, sliced
1/2 cup lemon juice
  1. Place the water, cider vinegar, sugar, allspice, clove, nutmeg, and ginger into a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Meanwhile, toss the sliced apples with the lemon juice and pack into two sterilized 1 quart canning jars with lids and rings.
  3. Pour the boiling syrup over the apples and affix the lids and rings.
  4. Allow the jars to stand at room temperature until cool.
  5. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight.
  6. Place in refrigerator and wait 1 week before opening.

IMG_20150322_142223_rewind


Apple Tarts

These were really fun. Mini-apple pies. In the song the Apple Angel causes a small apple tart to appear in Johnny’s mouth, later to be replaced by a real-sized pie. We used basically the same recipe for the pie and the tarts. The only differences were that we baked the tarts in a cupcake tray and we diced up the apples more.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Apple Tarts

  • Servings: 10
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
pie crust (See apple pie recipe)
2 apples cored, finely chopped (about 1/4 inch pieces)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1. Heat oven to 425F.
  2. Roll out pie crust.
  3. Using a large cookie cutter, cut out rounds.
  4. Gather scraps and re-roll to cut out more rounds to total 10.
  5. Press each crust round into ungreased regular-size muffin cup.
  6. In medium bowl, stir together apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla.
  7. Divide mixture evenly among crust-lined muffin cups.
  8. If there is extra crust, add some to the top of the mini pies.
  9. Bake 18-20 minutes or until crusts are golden borwn and mixture is bubbly.
  10. Cool completely in pan, about 30 minutes.
  11. Loosen edges with knife; remove mini pies from muffin cups. Enjoy!

IMG_20150321_222004_rewind

Apple Pie

Wow, what a mouthful. I’m glad my apple Angel didn’t cause the tart to expand in my mouth… it woulda hurt.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Apple Pie

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Print
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 3/4 cups butter-flavored shortening
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 egg
1/2 cup ice water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon groud cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6-7 cups tart apples peeled, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg white
sugar

Crust:

  1. In a large bowl and using a pastry blender or fork, mix flour, shortening, sugar, and salt until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  2. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, egg, and water; mix well.
  3. Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture and blend quickly. Be careful not to overwork the dough; mix just until liquid is absorbed by the flour mixture.
  4. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes before rolling. This dough can be divided into individual crust portions, wrapped, and frozen for later use.

Filling:

  1. In small bowl, combine sugars, flour, and spices; set aside.
  2. In a large bowl toss apples with lemon juice. Add sugar mixture; toss to coat.
  3. Line 9-in pie plate with bottom crust; trim pastry even with edge.
  4. Fill with apple mixture; dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie. Place over filling. Trim, seal, and flute edges. Cut slits in pastry.
  5. Beat egg white until foamy; brush over pastry.
  6. Sprinkle with sugar.
  7. Cover edges loosely with foil.
  8. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
  9. Remove foil and bake 20-25 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.
  10. Cool on a wire rack.

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Apple Pastries

This we mentioned in the song, but shown later in the segment.

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Our pastries weren’t round, but they tasted just as good.

Apple Pastries

  • Servings: 9
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print
Ingredients:
1 (17-ounce) package puff pastry sheet
12 ounces red apples (approx. 2 medium apples), cut up
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg beaten
  1. Thaw puff pastry according to directions on package
  2. Peel, core, and chop apples up coarsely
  3. Combine apples with sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  4. Heat oven to 350F.
  5. Flour surace lightly and cut pastry sheet into nine 3×3 inch squares
  6. Place approx. 1/4 cup apple mixture on each square and brush edge with beaten egg.
  7. Place second pastry square on the top of the already filled pastry to form a pocket
  8. Press down border with fingers to seal and then press with fork to decorate the edges
  9. Make a 1-inch L shape incision into each pie and fold back the pastry flap
  10. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and give each one an egg wash
  11. Bake for approx. 20 mins or until golden.

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Apple Sass

When I first watched this clip, I thought Johnny said apple sauce with a southern accent.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

But I have since found out that apple sass is apparently a real thing, but is similar to apple sauce. If anyone can advise further, that would be great. However for this week, we just ate store-bought apple sauce. But here’s a recipe for home made.

Apple Sass

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print
Ingredients:
4 apples peeled, cored and chopped
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  1. In a saucepan, combine apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon.
  2. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft.
  3. Allow to cool, then mash with a fork or potato masher.


Apple Cake/Cupcakes

Another food I had never tried was apple cake. I was excited to make this one. In the show, they actually talk about apple cake, but then show apple cupcakes as well later on.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

So we made both. And oh boy, it is delicious. My favorite recipe of the lot.

Apple Cake

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
2 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (trans-fat free)
4 cups peeled, chopped apples (about 1 pound before peeling)
1 cup walnuts chopped
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar (light or dark)
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 9″ x 13″ pan.
  2. To make the cake: Mix all of the ingredients except the apples and nuts in a large bowl.
  3. Beat until well combined; the mixture will be very stiff, and may even be crumbly.
  4. Add the apples and nuts, and mix until the apples release some of their juice and the stiff mixture becomes a thick batter, somewhere between cookie dough and brownie batter in consistency.
  5. Spread the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing it with your wet fingers.
  6. Bake the cake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few wet crumbs clinging to it.
  7. Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a rack to cool completely; don’t remove the cake from the pan.
  8. To make the frosting: Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and salt and cook, stirring, until the sugar melts.
  9. Add the milk, bring to a boil, and pour into a mixing bowl to cool for 10 minutes.
  10. After 10 minutes, stir in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Beat well; if the mixture appears too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar. Spread on the cake while frosting is still warm.

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Apple Dumplings

I had heard of apple dumplings (probably because of the Apple Dumpling Gang) But I had never tasted an apple dumpling. I was really missing out.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Apple Dumplings

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: Medium-hard
  • Print

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1/3 cup cold water
8 medium tart apples peeled and cored
8 teaspoons butter
9 teaspoons cinnamon-sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter cubed
  1. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly.
  2. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball.
  3. Divide into eight portions.
  4. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until easy to handle.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°.
  6. Roll each portion of dough between two lightly floured sheets of waxed paper into a 7-in. square. Place an apple on each square.
  7. Place 1 teaspoon butter and 1 teaspoon cinnamon-sugar in the center of each apple.
  8. Gently bring up corners of pastry to each center; pinch edges to seal. If desired, cut out apple leaves and stems from dough scraps; attach to dumplings with water.
  9. Place in a greased 13×9-in. baking dish.
  10. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar.
  11. In a large saucepan, combine sauce ingredients.
  12. Bring just to a boil, stirring until blended.
  13. Pour over apples.
  14. Bake 50-55 minutes or until apples are tender and pastry is golden brown, basting occasionally with sauce.
  15. Serve warm.Source: tasteofhome.com

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Apple Fritters

When I think of Apple Fritters, I think of the giant ones that you get at the donut shop. I never loved apple fritters, but when I was a kid, I would get them because they were usually the biggest donut.

However, these apple fritters were a little different. In the song, the angel describes the apple fritters being “as light as a thistle.” And they show little round ones.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

So we made smaller, lighter apple fritters. They were delicious.

Apple Fritters

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 large egg
1 small apple peeled, and diced
2 cups vegetable oil
powdered sugar for serving
  1. In large cast iron (or similar heavy) pan heat the oil over medium heat to 350.
  2. In medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cinnamon.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together lightly the cream, butter, and egg.
  4. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, stirring lightly, then fold in the diced apples. Be careful not to over mix.
  5. Ensure the oil is hot enough by dropping in once apple piece coated in batter; it should sink then immediately float to the surface and bubbles should form around the edges as it fries.
  6. Use a 1/2 cup measure to scoop out one fritter.
  7. Press the batter firmly into the measuring cup, then dump it in your hand to press it flat – you wat a flat disk before dropping in in the oil. Do the same with the remaining batter.
  8. Fry 3-5 minutes on one side, or until golden brown, then flip and fry until the other side is golden brown.
  9. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
  10. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

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Apple Cider (Tangy)

The angel pours Johnny some apple cider and refers to it as “tangy.”

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

We went out bought some fresh apple cider, but I made it into some tangy apple cider. Honestly, I liked the pure apple cider better.

Tangy Apple Cider

  • Servings: 28
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
8 whole cloves or to taste
1 gallon apple cider
1/2 gallon orange juice
1 quart grapefruit juice
6 cinnamon sticks
  1. Place the cloves into a tea ball or tied-off coffee filter, and place into slow cooker.
  2. Pour the apple cider, orange juice, and grapefruit juice into the slow cooker, and drop in the cinnamon sticks.
  3. Stir once or twice.
  4. Set the cooker to High, cover, and cook until the mixture is hot; then keep warm on low setting.
  5. Serve in mugs.

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Apples (Stewed)

Very quickly in the song, the angel mentions different ways of cooking raw apples. Stewed, baked, boiled and fried.

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We did all of those. (The boiled apples went to make the apple sauce).

Apples Stewed

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print
Ingredients:
6 cups Bagged Granny Smith Apples chopped, peeled (about 2 lbs.)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
  1. Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan.
  2. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 45 minutes or until apple is tender, stirring occasionally.
  3. Let stand 5 minutes. Enjoy!

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Apples (Baked)

Apples (Baked)

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
1/4 cup dried sweet cherries
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pecan chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
6 apples rinsed
1/2 cup apple cider
3 tablespoons butter cut into pats
1/2 cup maple syrup
  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. In large bowl, mix together cherries, sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Put aside
  3. With a melon scooper, core apples to hollow out the middle. Do not go all the way though. Fill each apple core with dry cherry mixture.
  4. Pour apple cider into casserole dish and place apples right side up.
  5. Place a pat of butter on apple hole filled with mixture.
  6. Drizzle maple syrup on top of all the apples.
  7. Bake for 50 minutes.

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Apples (Fried)

Apples (fried)

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
4 Bagged Granny Smith Apples peeled, cored, and sliced
  1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat
  2. Stir sugar and cinnamon into the hot butter.
  3. Add apples and cook until apples begin to break down, 5-10 minutes.

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Bacon and Eggs Breakfast

The apple dishes are done! The last segment in the movie is the folk legend of Pecos Bill. They show some yummy bacon and eggs being cooked.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

This isn’t so much of a recipe, but just a suggestion to making a good bacon and egg breakfast.

Cook the egg in the bacon grease for a yummy egg. I find that just adding salt and pepper is the best thing you can do for eggs. I know some people add season-all or garlic powder or other things like that, but I enjoy just plain salt and pepper.

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Souped-up Hot Chocolate

Along with the bacon and eggs, you see a mug of coffee or hot chocolate. I don’t drink coffee, so I’m going to assume it’s hot chocolate.

(Credit: Disney)

(Credit: Disney)

Again, this is more of a suggestion, but adding a gratuitous teaspoon of Nutella to powdered hot chocolate makes it taste amazing. And of course, hot chocolate is always better when made with milk and not water.

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Will it Make you Want to Leave Home and Plant Apple Trees?

The apple smorgasbord was really fun to do. We had never baked with so many apples. Granted, after a while, lots of the recipes started tasting similar. They all contained very similar ingredients, apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, etc. But they were all tasty, especially the cake. MMMMM.

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Verdict:

Apple Pickles – -/10

Apple Tarts – 8/10

Apple Sauce – 7/10

Apple Pastry – 9/10

Apple Pie – 8/10

Apple Cake/cupcakes – 10/10

Apple Dumplings – 8/10

Apple Fritters – 8.5/10

Tangy Apple Cider – 7/10

Stewed Apples – 9/10

Baked Apples – 8/10

Fried Apples – 8.5/10

Bacon and Eggs – 8/10

Hot Chocolate – 9/10

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Quick links: ‘Murican Ice Cream | Stacked Fish Sandwich & Avocado Spread | Luana’s White Cake | A Cricket’s Chocolate Delight Cake | Slim Bean Sandwich | Willie’s Medieval Chicken | Coconut cake | Raspberry Lemonade | Fe-fi-fo-plum Pudding | Candied Beets | Donald Duck Dumplings | MMM, Chocolate Pot-roast | Smishmashio Green(ish) Gravy |  Verdict [twitter-follow screen_name=’DisneyMeals’] “Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum I smell the blood of an anthropomorphic rodent!” – Willie the Giant (paraphrasing…kinda)….
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4

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5

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Quick links: Red Currant | Acorns | Grapes | Red Clover | Bark | Grass | Thumper Salad | Verdict [twitter-follow screen_name=’DisneyMeals’] This week, we’re featuring venison! Say goodbye to Bambi’s mom! Ok,not really. The food featured in Bambi isn’t the tastiest, probably because it’s not really meant for human consumption. However, most of the animal food featured in Bambi…
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0

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I seem to always block out how sad Dumbo really is. I could say it was cutting up onions while watching Mrs. Jumbo cradled little Dumbo in her trunk, but there weren’t any onions featured in this heartbreaking movie. Only peanuts and the reoccurring early Disney theme of getting kids drunk.

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While there aren’t any sugary treats in this movie, it sure is a visual treat. From abstract colors, to unwieldy broomsticks, to evil demons, it is beautiful and has some amazing animation. If you have anything to do with visual arts in your life, you should watch this movie.

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Quick links: Figaro’s Fish | Princess Cleo’s Cake | Geppetto’s Chicken | Stromboli’s French Bread | Pleasure Island Pie | Verdict [twitter-follow screen_name=’DisneyMeals’] One of the saddest parts of Pinocchio is that Geppetto made a huge mouthwatering feast that no one got to eat! The Fish Figaro Failed to Eat So as it goes, Pinocchio gets turned into a living puppet that’s…
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