DIY Disney Dinner | Catfish and Grits from the Coral Reef

I think one of the best kept secrets for Disney Dining is the Coral Reef at Epcot's Living Seas. If you have never taken the opportunity to dine there and you even remotely like seafood, you are missing out! Book an ADR for your next trip. You'll be glad you did. Not only is the menu outstanding, the atmosphere is complete unique from any other restaurant on property. Where else can you dine inside a living coral reef? And they even give you souvenir guides so you know what fishes you are looking at. (Don't forget to spot that hidden Mickey on the ocean floor!)

This recipe is from Magical Recipes, a truly great resource for Disney recipes from around the "World." If you are looking for something specific, I would search there first. Although I'd stay away from the Crystal Palace Lemon Bars. Just saying.

Mr. Photos from the Parks is an amazing chef and his spin on this recipe was simply delicious. Although I'm not sure I would recommend this wine for this meal, as we both felt it was more like a Pinot Grigio than a Chardonnay; we would go with Francis Coppola's Diamond Collection Chardonnay instead. It's one of my standbys. (And if you even get the chance to visit that winery I HIGHLY recommend it!)

Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

Victoria & Alberts Mushroom Ragout

It's Pescetarian June in the cottage and I couldn't let the opportunity go by without posting a fabulous Disney recipe. First off, pescetarian means eating fish along with a vegetarian diet. I was vegetarian for 7 years before having Doc. (That pregnancy was ALL about red meat!) So this summer we decided for health reasons and being more responsible to the earth, we would spend the month eating pescetarian. I think it's been eye-opening for all of us, each in his or her own way.

Secondly, I have a thing for Victoria and Albert's. We are definitely foodies here in the cottage (especially Doc!) and from the beginning have loved V&A's. Mr. Photos from the Parks and I have been three times, each was outstanding! This is a six course meal with wine pairings if you so desire. It is not to be rushed, everything is elegant, perfectly portioned, and sublime. (The costumed waitstaff is a touch over the top, but hey, it's Disney.) Guests are required to dress up and I love that too. It's one of those special experiences that stays with you. And the coffee "show" at the end of the meal is worth waiting for!

When I saw the abundance of mushrooms in our refrigerator and then ran across this Victoria and Albert's mushroom ragout, I knew it was kismet. I substituted dried thyme for the fresh and used vegetable stock for the beef. Everything else was exactly as written, and it was lovely! We served it over mushroom ravioli. I loved it! Not only was the flavor wonderful, the memories of Victoria and Albert's while I was making it were wonderful to have too.

Give this recipe a try if you are a fan of mushrooms - it's worth the little time it took to put it all together. Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

Bouillabaisse from Epcot's France Pavilion For Your Christmas Dinner Menu

Bouillabaisse from Disney's Bistro de Paris

I love a good Disney meal. And Bouillabaisse is one of my favorite dishes! It's been cold here in central Indiana, as it tends to be this time of year. This stew is a perfect warm and hearty meal to sit down to. And it's elegant enough to serve at your Christmas table.

On our most recent trip to Walt Disney World, I was in search of a new Disney cookbook. We've had Mickey's Gourmet Cookbook for years, and I still reference it regularly. But I was ready for a new collection of recipes. I came home with this wonderful book: Delicious Disney. I couldn't be happier. It has a wide variety of recipes and although this one seems extravagant, it was really simple to put together. I did this for a week night meal. I purchased seafood stock instead of making my own and used canned tomatoes since the fresh ones we get in winter are not worth eating. The bouillabaisse got rave reviews from everyone but the kids (which I expected). Here's the recipe:

Bouillabaisse Provençale
serves 8

2 cloves garlic
1 shallot, sliced
1 bay leaf
2 cups peeled fresh tomatoes (I used canned)
2 cups fish stock (I used packaged seafood stock)
1 cup dry white wine (I used a pinot grigio)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/8 tsp saffron
1 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 T chopped parsley
2 raw lobster tails, without the shell, cut in 4 pieces
1 lb cod, cut in 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 lb sea bass, cut in 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 lb snapper, cut in 1 1/2 inch pieces
12 medium shrimp
8 clams
8 mussels
loaf of crusty bread

1. Heal oil in large stockpot over medium-high heat. dd garlic and shallot, and cook until shallots are tender.

2. Add bay lear, tomatoes, fish stock, wine, fennel seeds, saffron, salt, pepper, and parsley; bring to a boil, reduce heart, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Ten minutes before serving, add lobster, cod, sea bass, and snapper, and cook 5 minutes. Add shellfish and cook 5 more minutes, or until shells open.

4. Ladle into wide serving bowls, and serve with crusty bread.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Until next time, may all your holidays be filled with fairy dust!

DIY Disney Dinner | Catfish and Grits from the Coral Reef

I think one of the best kept secrets for Disney Dining is the Coral Reef at Epcot's Living Seas. If you have never taken the opportunity to dine there and you even remotely like seafood, you are missing out! Book an ADR for your next trip. You'll be glad you did. Not only is the menu outstanding, the atmosphere is complete unique from any other restaurant on property. Where else can you dine inside a living coral reef? And they even give you souvenir guides so you know what fishes you are looking at. (Don't forget to spot that hidden Mickey on the ocean floor!)

This recipe is from Magical Recipes, a truly great resource for Disney recipes from around the "World." If you are looking for something specific, I would search there first. Although I'd stay away from the Crystal Palace Lemon Bars. Just saying.

Mr. Photos from the Parks is an amazing chef and his spin on this recipe was simply delicious. Although I'm not sure I would recommend this wine for this meal, as we both felt it was more like a Pinot Grigio than a Chardonnay; we would go with Francis Coppola's Diamond Collection Chardonnay instead. It's one of my standbys. (And if you even get the chance to visit that winery I HIGHLY recommend it!)

Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

Victoria & Alberts Mushroom Ragout

It's Pescetarian June in the cottage and I couldn't let the opportunity go by without posting a fabulous Disney recipe. First off, pescetarian means eating fish along with a vegetarian diet. I was vegetarian for 7 years before having Doc. (That pregnancy was ALL about red meat!) So this summer we decided for health reasons and being more responsible to the earth, we would spend the month eating pescetarian. I think it's been eye-opening for all of us, each in his or her own way.

Secondly, I have a thing for Victoria and Albert's. We are definitely foodies here in the cottage (especially Doc!) and from the beginning have loved V&A's. Mr. Photos from the Parks and I have been three times, each was outstanding! This is a six course meal with wine pairings if you so desire. It is not to be rushed, everything is elegant, perfectly portioned, and sublime. (The costumed waitstaff is a touch over the top, but hey, it's Disney.) Guests are required to dress up and I love that too. It's one of those special experiences that stays with you. And the coffee "show" at the end of the meal is worth waiting for!

When I saw the abundance of mushrooms in our refrigerator and then ran across this Victoria and Albert's mushroom ragout, I knew it was kismet. I substituted dried thyme for the fresh and used vegetable stock for the beef. Everything else was exactly as written, and it was lovely! We served it over mushroom ravioli. I loved it! Not only was the flavor wonderful, the memories of Victoria and Albert's while I was making it were wonderful to have too.

Give this recipe a try if you are a fan of mushrooms - it's worth the little time it took to put it all together. Until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!