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!

Forgotten Disney | DIY Spoodles Crispy Polenta with Greens and Mushrooms

File this under Forgotten Disney. So much at Walt Disney World (and Disney in general) has come and gone, or undergone change and rehab since I was little. Periodically we will revisit some of the forgotten places and things from Walt Disney World, starting today.

One of the restaurants Mr. Photos From The Parks and I used to love was Spoodles at Disney's Boardwalk Resort. For my money, they had the best breakfast around. (I now proudly support the buffeteria at the Trail's End in Fort Wilderness as the best kept breakfast secret on property.) I stumbled across this recipe in my Delicious Disney book and all those wonderful memories came flooding back!

This recipe was really quite easy to make. The Balsamic Vinaigrette was the hardest part. I used prepackaged polenta from Trader Joe's so all the prep work for that was unnecessary. I just opened the package and sliced it. Everything else is just a sauté. And since I've been making a conscious effort to eat more veggies through the day (my one thing I can do right now to be healthier), this seemed like a no brainer. I added a bit of sweet onion to my mushrooms, and a slice of smoked provolone atop my polenta, and served it with the polenta slices on the bottom, but otherwise, it's the same recipe.

Enjoy this entrée from Spoodles, and until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

Crispy Polenta with Mushrooms, Wilted Greens and Balsamic Vinaigrette

from Delicious Disney

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 C warm cooked polenta
5 T butter, divided
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 C red wine
1 C vegetable stock
4 T olive oil
1 C shiitake mushrooms (or sub what you have)
1 C cremini mushrooms
2 C Swiss chard or large leaf spinach
2 C arugula
2 T water
Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together cooked polenta with 4 T butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Pour polenta into 1/2" thickness in an 8" square pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

3. While polenta is cooling, make Balsamic Vinaigrette. Set aside.

4. In a sauté pan, whisk together wine and vegetable stock; cook until reduced by half. Remove from pan and set aside.

5. In the same pan, heat 2 T oil and sauté the mushrooms.

6. Add the wine and stock reduction to the mushrooms; cook 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and keep warm until ready to serve.

7. In the same pan, melt the remaining T butter. Add greens and water and cook just until greens are wilted. Keep warm.

8. Remove polenta from refrigerator and cut into 8 squares.

9. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 T oil and cook the polenta until crispy, turning once.

10. Place wilted greens on serving plates, top each with 2 squares of warm polenta, then spoon mushrooms over the top. Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 shallot, minced
3T balsamic vinegar
1/2 t fresh thyme, basil or other favorite herb
5 T olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In food processor or blender, mix together shallots, vinegar, and herbs.

2. Drizzle in olive oil with machine running.

3. Season with salt and paper to taste.

DIY Disney's Vegetable Cuban Sandwich from Epcot's Sunshine Seasons

Hands down, my favorite quick service restaurant in Epcot's Future World is Sunshine Seasons in The Land pavilion. There are SO many great choices, especially for vegetarians. I was a committed vegetarian for seven years, and still tend to prefer eating as a vegetarian when I have the choice. One of my favorite sandwiches at Sunshine Seasons is this Vegetable Cuban and I was delighted to find the recipe in my new Disney cookbook: Delicious Disney.

This sandwich takes a little prep work, but what was nice for me is that the prep can be done piecemeal, so you don't have to spend a committed 45 minutes in the kitchen making this one. So helpful when I am also chasing toddlers! Mr. Photos From The Parks grilled up all our veggies the day before, as the grill was already hot from grilling that day's meal. I just wrapped them up and put them in the fridge for later. And THEN made us homemade Cuban rolls for these sandwiches! What a treat! I also cheated on the peppers and used some prepared roasted hot red peppers from Trader Joe's. It was a delicious choice!

You can find the entire recipe below. Let me know if you decide to make these amazing sandwiches! And until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

Sunshine Seasons' Roasted Vegetable Cuban Sandwich:

Ingredients:

3 Portobello mushrooms
Olive oil as needed, for grilling
8 ounces fresh eggplant, unpeeled, cut in half lengthwise
8 ounces yellow squash, cut in half lengthwise
8 ounces zucchini, cut in half lengthwise
1 red pepper, sliced
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 24 -inch Cuban bread roll
1/4 cup store-bought hummus
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
4 slices Swiss cheese
1/4 cup or more sliced sour pickles

Method:

Preheat grill or oven up to 400°F. Carefully remove the stems from Portobello mushrooms and wiped the caps. Brush olive oil on both sides, and grill 8 to 10 minutes on each side until mushrooms begin to brown and are soft to the touch. Refrigerate.

Season eggplant, squash, zucchini, and red pepper with salt and pepper; drizzle with olive oil and roast for 15 minutes. Refrigerate.

Slice chilled vegetables into 1/4" planks. Slice jeweled Portobello and 1/4" rounds.

Slice Cuban bread lengthwise. Spread top with hummus. Spread bottom with mustard. Arrange vegetables evenly on the bread and top with Swiss cheese and pickles.

Brush griddle or skillet with oil and grill for two to three minutes on each side, or until bread is crusty and cheese is melted. Cut into four servings.

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!