Adventure In The Great Wide Somewhere

Welcome Favorite Food Friday Blog Hoppers! If it can be found eaten by hundred of children walking down Main Street USA, is full of vanilla ice cream and has Mickey Ears, what is it? Everything's tastier when it's Mickey shaped! Mickey Mouse Kid's Cone- Once Scoop of Vanilla Location: Plaza Ice Cream Parlor, Main Street, USA Cost: $2.99 Although less iconic than the Mickey Bar and Dole Whip, in my kids eyes the Mickey Mouse Kid's Cone is equally magical. This smooth creamy cone cools you off while you wait for the beginning of Festival of Fantasy or Wishes, but more importantly, it is a lovely throw back served in a turn of the century parlor. Just off of the Main Hub and convenient to the new gardens, with the smell of fresh waffle cone wafting down Main Street, it's not likely you'd forget where to find this confection. The ears go first of course! Note, the ears will not so much as make it even part of the way down Main Street. I'm sure...

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! Chocolate Chip Pecan Mickey Pancakes (GF and Vegan) Location: My Kitchen! Cost: The Cleanliness of My Kitchen Magical breakfast for one! My kids love making pancakes at home because they get to be in charge of creating their very own culinary magic. The chocolate chips may have something to do with it, too. I love mixing up our own pancake batter at home because it's easier to mix our own than to find gluten free vegan pancakes anywhere outside of Disney. Honestly, there is no telling how much milk or vegetable oil went into these. They seemed to taste pretty awesome regardless of exact measurements! Ingredients: 1 cup Bisquick Gluten Free mix 1 cup almond milk 1 egg substitute (your choice. We like 1 TBSP Chia Seed to 3 TBSP hot water.) 2 tsp. vegetable oil 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 cup pecan chips 1/2 cup chocolate chips (Vegan and GF)        or blueberries Earth Balance ...

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! I have one clear favorite snack when I go Walt Disney World and based on this poll released on Disney's pinterest page , I'm not exactly alone. Beating out that Disneyland favorite, churros, and the iconic Mickey Bar, this is the one dessert at Walt Disney World that I really, really miss when I'm on a Disney Cruise. As in, the absence of this snack regularly makes my comment cards. Ah, the humble Dole Whip Float Location: Aloha Isle, Adventureland, Magic Kingdom Cost: $4.99/Dole Whip Float or $3.79 for traditional Dole Whip Is it a nearly perfect snack for indulging and cooling you off or is it breakfast? I mean pineapple is a fruit and fruits are a part of this balanced breakfast, right? Now if you really want to take it over the top, just order a nice Dole Whip Float and you are in business!    "It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up." Photo Courtesy of Kuleen from The Disne...

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! I just returned from a lovely girls only trip to Walt Disney World and one of my favorite new things we did this trip were eating our way around the World Showcase through the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Outdoor Kitchens!   I wanted to be sure to try out the Beijing-style Candied Strawberries at China's Food Booth, Lotus House. These fan favorites from last year's festival served on a bamboo skewer were a bit harder to eat than I had anticipated. Basically after trying to delicately pull berries off with my teeth I gave up on that pretension and just used my fingers. Things went much more smoothly and after washing my hands we wandered off to see more of the world. Yep. It's that shiny. The yellow cast to the berries is from the color of the glaze rather than under-ripeness. The candied shell is hard and crunchy rather than sticky as I'd originally suspected. With the soft but ripe strawberry center, it hits jus...

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! Citrus, Dark Chocolate, Macadamia Nut Pizza Location: Palo, Disney Wonder Cost: Included with Palo Brunch The legendary Berry Basil Pizza may need to move over on my favorite foods list or at least scoot over for a tie. Last cruise, Chef Stephane introduced me to a lovely new dessert. (Side note: Wait, all of my favorite foods fall under the umbrella of dessert? How did I not notice this?) The warm, citrus-y, spicy aroma rose off of the plate. Intriguing, layered, complicated, I hesitated  before pulling off a slice. I picked at the pistachios, the candied orange rinds and the peppers sprinkled liberally among the molten chocolate chips.  Surprising! Separately each topping tasted amazing. I took a few minutes before picking at the macadamia nuts lost it's delicious appeal (and I realized I happened to be in a nice restaurant and wasn't five.) I decided to risk a bite  of the seemingly disjointed toppings....

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! Allergy Free Chocolate Cake Location: All Rotational Restaurants as well as Palo, Disney Wonder Cost: Included in Cruise Fare (Palo has a surcharge) As I said in my "The Royal Treatment" trip report, our recent cruise allowed for us to see how the Disney Wonder handled allergy free dining. On previous Disney Magic cruise, we received a wide variety of desserts. On the Wonder we received this lovely, squishy sweet delectation for the first time. I noticed it was soft and sweet chocolate-y gooeyness.  I possess a very odd sense of humor though, since I found it hilarious when we were served it in: Parrot Cay after boarding lunch Triton's first evening at dinner Animator's Palate-Show Night second evening at dinner Animator's Palate-Pirate Night third evening at dinner Studio Sea (Family Studio) fourth afternoon at the princess tea and finally Palo fourth evening, after dinner. I don't know. I think the ...

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! Champagne Toast Location: Palo Brunch, Disney Wonder Cost: First glass included with brunch, brunch is currently priced at $25 per guest Disney ships offer a "Champagne Brunch" by reservation on sea days. Hosted in Palo, an Italian adults only restaurant, this quiet getaway is definitely worth trying (it's a must do for us.) Last trip we took my sweet mother in law, Diana with us and she had her doubts about the situation, but gamely went along to see our "favorite restaurant." Just to get this out in the open, Ben and I don't drink. Ever. (Unless I get the wrong cup at communion. So back on my first trip to the Palo Champagne Brunch, I expected a bit of awkwardness around the whole "complimentary first glass or mimosa" situation. I could not have been more wrong. This was completely a non-issue. On telling the waiter that we would like something non-alcoholic, he offered us sparkling cider instead....

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! Tuscan White Bean Soup Garnished with Cabbage and Red Radishes Location: Palo, Disney Wonder Cost: $25 for the meal with Cruise Fare Has anything ever tasted so home-y and warm as this? Maybe. But I wouldn't count of it. Though the weather outside is frightful, this is delightful. This rich cannellini soup is smooth, thick, velvety and comforting. The texture of the radish and the warm richness of the garlic combine for an almost lobster chowder experience. Substantial without being overly filling, it hit just the right balance for a slightly peppery appetizer. It left me cozy and looking forward to the main course. Basically if a Snuggie and a pair of Winnie the Pooh slippers decided to put on a cooking show, this is what it would taste like. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to search for the recipe. Do you have any recipes perfect for fending off the cold?     An InLinkz Link-up

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! Peppermint Tea Location: Room Service, Dining Rooms and Drink Stations, Disney Magic Cost: Included in Cruise Fare So for all of the coffee drinkers on the ship there is a full on café to meet your every whim. But for those of us on the tea drinking side, we luck into getting our drink of choice included pretty much all over the ship. Ahhhhh. After pretty nearly every meal on board I'll enjoy a nice cup of tea (almost always peppermint) and feel super civilized. At home I rarely (if ever) drink any kind of tea. It's super easy to make tea, it's just a matter of taking the time to sit, relax and go through the process. Now that I think of it, I feel like it is more special to me because I only ever drink tea on vacations! Do you have any foods you save for vacation?

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! Mickey Rice Krispie Treat Location: Concierge Reception, Diversions, Disney Wonder Cost: Included with Concierge Cruise Fare Not to be undone by the tragic Mickey Bar shortage of January 2014, which prevented our favorite cruise snack ( here ), we soldiered on in our vacation. What would our little gluten free mouseketeer enjoy for his favorite dessert? On arriving to the Concierge Reception, we were greeted by a tray of these: Mickey Rice Krispie Treats, Plain and Milk Chocolate Dipped with Sprinkles. Ben enjoyed one of the Milk Chocolate Dipped Mickeys, which he said was pretty much a normal Rice Krispie treat, with the added awesome of being Mickey's head on a stick. Chris enjoyed a plain Mickey head Rice Krispie (to avoid the possibility of gluten in the sprinkles.) Kylee and I stuck to fruit and fruity drinks. So how did these rate relative to Mickey Bars? Chris rates these Mickey Bars slightly above anything. Ice crea...

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! (I'm betting that song is now stuck on a loop in your head. For those of you who don't recall it, check out YouTube . We'll wait. Okay, now does everyone have it stuck in their head just like I do?) Candy! Location: Fish Extender, Disney Wonder Cost: However much you put into your FE gifts. (For those who are confused as to what the Fish is and why it needs extending, check out my handy primer on the ins and outs in FastPass to History ~ Fish Extender Edition ) We debarked from the Disney Wonder over a week ago, but thanks to the tremendous generosity of the people in our fish extender, we are stocked with candy well through Easter.  Kylee, sorting her spoils. Candy gets sorted by allergy, writing, coloring and makeup go in her purse and toys and wrapping go everywhere. Baby Ruths, Nerds, Butterfingers, Gummy Bears, Smarties, Life Savers, Tootsie Pops, Airheads, Nerds, Gum, Ring Pops, Starbursts, Suckers, Ski...

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! World's Largest Turkey Leg Location: Parrot Cay Lunch Buffet, Disney Wonder Cost: Included in Cruise Fare So as we headed into lunch on embarkation day on the Disney Wonder, my son was mesmerized by the roast beef shank at the end of the hot foods section. Asking him what he thought of it, he replied, "That's the biggest turkey leg I've ever seen. How big do turkeys get?" Adult in background for scale. My husband enjoyed his "turkey leg" immensely. I'll get back to my regular longer posts after I'm done sorting through hundreds of vacation photos and finish uploading to my flickr page.

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! Thank you Disney Day By Day for hosting this scrumptious blog hop. Soy Hot Chocolate No Whip Location: Cove Cafe, Disney Magic Cost: Starbucks pricing, but the pastries are included in cruise fare. Yesterday afternoon in a local Starbucks: "How can I help you? "Can I get a double shot frappe no whip?" *loud whisper* "Dad, what language is she using?" Whether you are a double shot non fat no whip frap lover or just want a simple cup of joe, Cove Café is a pleasant escape from the bustle of the family areas. Designated as an adults only area, if you need to find me I'll be curled up in a corner, reading a book (or my kindle) or just gazing out at the ocean with my personal favorite, the Soy Hot Chocolate (No Whip). Thankfully, they have a punch card that you can use to buy several and get a free coffee. Mmmmm. Do you speak Frappuccino or are you into simpler coffee drinks?

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! Minnie Chocolate Chip Cookie Location: My Kitchen, Texas, Y'all Cost: Faith, Trust, Pixie Dust and a Spoonful of Sugar It's just not Christmas Time without a little time together in the kitchen with family and friends. Since Darth Vader wasn't up to baking, Minnie decided to take a spin around the kitchen and see what she could mix up for our (gluten free, vegan) cookies. Minnie approves. Because my kids come from the "more is more" school of cookie thought, we decided to make more small "Minnie" cookies so that each of them could get many more cookies... Ingredients 2 3/4 cup almond meal 1/4 cup coconut flout ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 Tablespoon egg replacer plus ¼ cup water (or 2 eggs) ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk ¼ cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped Instructions 1.) Pre...

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! Thank you Disney Day By Day for hosting. Mickey's Island Jam Character Breakfast Location: Parrot Cay, Disney Magic, May 2013 Cost: Included on 7+ night cruises on the classic ships On arriving at our appointed character breakfast, we joined our usual servers at our usual table. After taking our drink orders we perused the menu. Chris received his usual short stack of gluten-free pancakes and bacon while Kylee enjoyed dairy free pancakes and a fruit cup. Our servers remembered how much Chris loves his gluten free donuts and muffins and brought out enough on a plate to serve five. And Chris broke out his gluten free muffin happy dance for the occasion. The entertainment team got on the microphones to announce that our breakfast guests would be there shortly and that you needed your cameras out and autograph books at the ready. Our table either got it's food faster or something, but our kids finished their breakfast lickety-split....

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! Dark Side Gingerbread Cookies Location: My Kitchen, Texas, y'all Cost: Time, love and a couple Imperial Credits In honor of National Cookie Day, we spent an afternoon earlier this week making some gingerbread cookies. As I tweeted on Wednesday, #ThanksToStarWars my children prefer their gingerbread a little bit on the dark side. Thankfully, I've adapted a lovely gingerbread man recipe that is both Gluten Free and vegan, since that's how the Sith roll these days. Dark Side Gingerbread Cookies - GF, Vegan, Dairy, Nut, Egg Free Ingredients 3/4 cup vegan margarine, softened (we use Earth Balance) 1 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup black-strap molasses 1 Tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer and 1/4 cup warm water 2 3/4 cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Mix (we like Bob's Red Mill) 2 teaspoons baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon (or a smidge more if you like spice.) Extra flour ...

Welcome Foodie Friday Blog Hoppers! Berry Basil Dessert Pizza Location: Palo, Disney Magic Cost: $25 fee plus Cruise Fare A classic Palo dessert that isn't always on the menu, the Berry Basil Pizza is (in my mind) worth the cost of a cruise as I've previously discussed . From the crisp, warm crust to the ripe, sweet, fresh berries and basil, this is (again) a work of art and a beautifully balanced dish. November 2012. Best. Pizza. EVER!   The crust, crisp enough that you could eat this with your hands like a traditional pizza, remains soft inside. Rather than flouring the work surface with flour, powdered sugar acts as a sweet substitute without being too sweet in the finished pie.  February 2013, back for seconds. Chef Silvio Jr. let me know that he liked playing with this recipe so each subsequent cruise I received variations on the original. This one incorporated more of the berry reduction and less whole berries. Still delicious. Still worth a cr...