Tag: NUTRITIONAL

Let’s try Intermittent Fasting!

I am now a fledgling intermittent faster. Do you want to try it with me?

If you’re not familiar with intermittent fasting, it is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It doesn’t specify which foods you should eat (although healthier foods yield better results), but rather when you should eat them.

I’ve chosen the 16/8 schedule, which means that I am restricting my eating to an 8 hour timeframe and fasting the remaining 16 hours of the day. This is what is working for me, but there are several other schedules out there if you’re looking for something different.

  • 20/4: Restrict eating to 4 hours of the day and fast the remaining 20.
  • 5/2: Eat regularly for 5 days of the week, on days 6 and 7 only consume about 500 calories per day.
  • 24 hour: Fast for 24 hours straight, once or twice a week.
  • 36 hour: Fast for 36 hours straight once a week.

Why am I doing such a thing you ask? Odd as it may sound, I wanted to conserve food during the pandemic. After breaking my fast, I usually don’t feel hungry again until right before the 8 hours are up. Everything is simpler, there are fewer meals to prepare, cook or clean up after!

In addition to conserving food, I would love to reach my pre-pregnancy weight or lower. As I mentioned above this eating pattern has me eating fewer meals and consuming less calories a day. I’ve also read that intermittent fasting can boost metabolism and that’s encouraging!

There are several other potential benefits, but the best thing I can do is tell you about my personal experience. I will practice intermittent fasting for the next three months at least and report back with my findings. How about you?

Mushu’s Happy Porridge Recipe (Mulan)

Mushu's Happy Porridge Recipe from Disney's Mulan.INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be cooking the happy porridge Mushu serves to Mulan in Disney’s Mulan.

Mushu's Happy Porridge and Faa Family Dumpling Recipe from Disney's Mulan.This recipe is featured when Mulan is about to start her training. Mushu wakes her up the first morning with this happy breakfast to get her day started!

Mushu's Happy Porridge Recipe from Disney's Mulan.You can see little grains of rice in the porridge Mushu holds out to Mulan so to stay as true to the recipe from the film as I could I made congee. Congee is a type of porridge created with rice and enjoyed in China. It’s super easy to make and super delicious! I also chose to make the eggs in a muffin tin and the bacon on a baking sheet so I could cook them all at once and it was easier to keep them in the correct shape for the happy face on the porridge.

Mushu's Happy Porridge Recipe from Disney's Mulan.MUSHU’S HAPPY PORRIDGE
  • 4 cups of chicken broth
  • 4 cups of water
  • 1 cup of jasmine rice
  • Salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS (PORRIDGE)
  1. Bring the 4 cups of water and 4 cups of chicken broth to a boil in a medium to large pot.
  2. Add the rice and bring the combination back to a boil.
  3. Lower the heat and let it gently simmer with a partially closed lid, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  4. The longer the porridge cooks the thicker it will get, keep in mind it also gets thicker after it’s cooled off. Once you are happy with the consistency, remove your porridge from the heat.
  5. Season with salt to your taste.
  6. Serve Mushu’s happy porridge in a bowl, arranging 2 cooked eggs and a bacon slice (see below) to look like a happy face on top.
  7. Enjoy!
BACON AND EGGS
  • 8 eggs
  • 4 slices of bacon
INSTRUCTIONS (BACON AND EGGS)
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Grease 8 cups of a muffin or cupcake tin.
  3. Gently crack and place an uncooked egg into each greased cup of the muffin or cupcake tin. I personally only used the yolk and half of the white of each egg, but you can use the whole egg if preferred!
  4. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  5. Cut each slice of bacon in half and line the pieces out on the prepared baking sheet.
  6. Place the eggs and bacon in the preheated oven to cook. The eggs will take about 15 minutes and the bacon will take about 25 minutes, but keep an eye on them as every oven is different!
  7. Carefully (because they’re hot) remove the eggs and bacon from the pans and arrange them on the porridge (see above).
  8. Enjoy!

Lady’s Doughnut Recipe (Lady and the Tramp)

Lady's Doughnut or Donut Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be frying the Doughnuts (or Donuts) Jim Dear and Darling give Lady in Disney’s Lady and the Tramp!

Tony's Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe and Lady's Donut Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.These doughnuts are featured during a breakfast scene after Lady retrieves Jim Dear’s paper. Darling offers Lady a doughnut and Jim Dear offers her coffee to dunk it in.

Lady's Doughnut or Donut Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.I knew I wanted to make old fashioned buttermilk doughnuts with a simple glaze. I considered making cake donuts, but deep frying seemed like so much more fun! If you’ve never deep fried anything before, be very careful! I use a very heavy dutch oven and a frying thermometer, heating the oil up a little at a time so it doesn’t get too hot too fast!

Lady's Doughnut or Donut Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp. Lady's Doughnut or Donut Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.DOUGHNUTS (DONUTS)
  • 4 tablespoons of butter, melted
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 3 1/2 cups of flour, sifted
  • 3/4 cup of buttermilk
  • 6 cups of canola or vegetable oil
INSTRUCTIONS (DOUGHNUTS)
  1. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and sugar until they form a light, sandy texture.
  2. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the egg yolk, and then the vanilla extract.
  3. Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.
  4. Begin adding in one cup of flour, followed by 1⁄4 cup of buttermilk. Continue alternating the flour and buttermilk, ending with the flour.
  5. The dough will be very sticky. Flour your hands and sprinkle a little on the dough, cover it with plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for at least an 1 hour.
  6. In a large heavy bottomed sauce pot (I use my dutch oven), slowly heat the oil to about 325F as read on a candy or deep fry thermometer.
  7. While the oil heats, flour a large flat work surface and roll the dough out, flouring it liberally if needed to prevent sticking. Roll out to about 1⁄2″ thickness.
  8. Using a doughnut cutter, cut out doughnut shapes. Keep re-rolling and cutting the dough as needed.
  9. When oil is hot, gently slide the doughnuts into the pan using a slotted wire spoon to prevent splashing.
  10. Fry the doughnuts for about 90 seconds per side, or until a deep golden brown then remove them from the oil and place a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
GLAZE
  • 2 teaspoons of corn syrup
  • 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla
  • 1⁄3 cup of hot water
INSTRUCTIONS (GLAZE)
  1. Combine all of the glaze ingredients in a saucepan and stir until smooth.
  2. Place the warm doughnuts into the glaze mixture one at a time.
  3. Use a fork or spoon to turn them over and coat them completely in the glaze.
  4. Place the glazed doughnuts back onto the wire rack to set for about 20 minutes.
  5. Enjoy on them on their own, or dunked in coffee!

Tony’s Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe (Lady and the Tramp)

Tony's Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp. Tony's Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be cooking the Spaghetti that Tony serves Lady and Tramp in Disney’s Lady and the Tramp!

Tony's Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe and Lady's Donut Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.This recipe is featured when the Tramp takes Lady out to one of his favorite places to eat, Tony’s Restaurant. Once Tony notices Tramp is not alone and has brought Lady with him, he decides to treat this as a special night and serves them spaghetti and meatballs, then serenades them with “Bella Notte’.

Tony's Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.Spaghetti and meatballs are quite fun to make and did I mention delicious? I had to stop myself from snacking on the meatballs before I was done making the pasta! My only regret is that I didn’t make the pasta or the sauce completely from scratch. I chose the timesavers path and used pre-packaged pasta, canned tomatoes and tomato paste. The good news is, most of us do not have time to make everything from scratch, but I do look forward to revisiting this recipe in the future to bring you everything from scratch!

Tony's Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.SAUCE
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons of grated onion
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • 2 – 28 ounce cans of diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 – 12 ounce can of tomato paste
  • 1 cup of water
INSTRUCTIONS (SAUCE)
  1. Combine all the sauce ingredients together in a dutch oven.
  2. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (uncovered) for about an hour and 15 minutes.
  3. While the sauce is simmering prepare the meatballs (see below).
MEATBALLS
  • 6 slices of day-old bread, torn into pieces
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 3/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley
  • 1 pound of ground beef
INSTRUCTIONS (MEATBALLS)
  1. While the sauce simmers, soak the bread in the water until fully saturated.
  2. Squeeze the excess water out of the bread, then place it in a large bowl.
  3. Add the beef, eggs, garlic, parmesan cheese, parsley, pepper and salt; mix well.
  4. Shape the mixture into meatballs 1 1/2 inches in diameter and place them on a rack over a shallow baking pan.
  5. Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
  6. Bake the meatballs, uncovered for about 20 minutes or until they are no longer pink then remove them from the oven and prepare the spaghetti (see below).
SPAGHETTI
  • 12 cups of water
  • 3 tablespoons of salt
  • 8 ounces of spaghetti noodles
INSTRUCTIONS (SPAGHETTI)
  1. Bring the water to a rolling boil.Add the salt and allow the water to return to a boil.
  2. Add the pasta to the salted, boiling water and stir.
  3. Bring the water back up to a boil again (don’t cover), then lower the heat slightly to avoid the pot boiling over and cook for as long as directed on the packet.
  4. Once done, drain the pasta.
  5. Remove the bay leaf from the finished sauce (see above) and add the spaghetti, stirring to coat.
  6. Place the meatballs (see above) into the spaghetti and sauce, and simmer until heated through.
  7. Garnish with parmesan cheese if desired, and enjoy!

Creme de la Creme a la Edgar and Roquefort’s Cookie Recipes (The Aristocats)

Creme de la Creme a la Edgar and Roquefort's Cookie Recipes from Disney's The Aristocats.INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we are cooking up Creme de la creme a la Edgar as a dipping sauce with Roquefort’s butter cookies from Disney’s The Aristocats!

Creme de la Creme a la Edgar and Roquefort's Cookie Recipes from Disney's The Aristocats.This recipe is featured when Edgar wants to get rid of Duchess and her kittens, thinking they will be the sole heirs to his employer’s fortune. He makes a cream for the cats to drink, laced with sleeping pills and drives them out to the countryside to abandon them. Roquefort the mouse brings his cookie to share the cream, and ends up falling asleep too!

Creme de la Creme a la Edgar and Roquefort's Cookie Recipes from Disney's The Aristocats. Creme de la Creme a la Edgar and Roquefort's Cookie Recipes from Disney's The Aristocats.First thing is first, I did not lace the creme with sleeping pills, I’m not trying to knock you all out. What I did do was infuse it with chamomile to add a calming effect, although this is optional. With or without the chamomile it really is quite tasty as a dip, on its own, or even as a creamer for tea or coffee.

I’d also like to mention that when Roquefort brings out his “cookie” he actually refers to it as a cracker, but it looks so similar to a Sable Breton or French Butter Cookie that I took the liberty of switching it over. Totally worth it when pairing the cookies with the cream!

Creme de la Creme a la Edgar and Roquefort's Cookie Recipes from Disney's The Aristocats. Creme de la Creme a la Edgar and Roquefort's Cookie Recipes from Disney's The Aristocats.CREME DE LA CREME A LA EDGAR
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 or 2 chamomile tea bags (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS (CREME DE LA CREME A LA EDGAR)
  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and the chamomile bag or bags (optional).
  2. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves and the cream mixture begins to steam. Do not let it reach a boil.
  3. Remove the creme from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
  4. Divide into a bowl, bowls or cups and enjoy with Roquefort’s cookies (see below)!
Creme de la Creme a la Edgar and Roquefort's Cookie Recipes from Disney's The Aristocats.ROQUEFORT’S COOKIES
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS (ROQUEFORT’S COOKIES)
  1. Pre-cut the butter into small cubes and allow enough time for it to soften.
  2. Separate the egg yolks from the whites (you can keep the egg whites in the fridge for another recipe).
  3. Place the confectioner’s sugar and the egg yolks into a large bowl and whisk them together until they are fluffy and lighter in color.
  4. Add the softened butter, and whisk the mixture again until combined, this should look like a thick paste.
  5. Sift and stir in the baking powder and flour. Stop as soon as the dough comes together.
  6. Prepare a baking tray lined with a baking mat or parchment paper.
  7. Pre-heat the oven to 325F.
  8. Lightly flour your work area and transfer the cookie dough to it. Sprinkle the dough with a little bit of flour and flour your rolling pin.
  9. Using the floured rolling pin, gently press and stretch the dough to flatten it.
  10. Using a round cookie cutter (mine was about 2.5 inches in diameter), cut out the cookies and place them on your prepared baking tray, leaving a little bit of space between each cookie.
  11. Use the tip of a butter knife, create four + shaped patterns in the dough (see image above). If you butter knife is sticking to the cooke dip it in a little bit of flour.
  12. Repeat the process with any extra dough left. If the dough starts to become really soft, place in the fridge for a few minutes to harden.
  13. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cookies have a golden tint. Keep an eye on them, every oven is different!
  14. Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack until completely cool.
  15. Dip in the Creme de la creme a la Edgar (see above) and enjoy!

Mrs. Judson’s Cheese Crumpet Recipe (The Great Mouse Detective)

Mrs. Judson's Cheese Crumpet Recipe from Disney's The Great Mouse Detective.INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we are baking Mrs. Judson’s cheese crumpets from Disney’s The Great Mouse Detective!

Mrs. Judson's Cheese Crumpet Recipe from Disney's The Great Mouse Detective.These crumpets are featured when Olivia Flaversham and Dr. Dawson arrive at Basil’s apartment. Mrs. Judson (Basil’s maid) offers and serves them before Basil sets off on a lead, Olivia managing to snag a few before they rush off.

Mrs. Judson's Cheese Crumpet Recipe from Disney's The Great Mouse Detective.I am going to be so bold as to say that these are not traditional crumpets. Disney usually does their homework pretty thoroughly so I may be wrong, but perhaps they meant scones? Traditional crumpets look like the ones I made for Ratty and Mole’s Recipe in November, cooked on a flat surface within round rings. It was very hard to achieve the puffed look from the film using a crumpet recipe in a muffin tin, but I tried twice. The first time I used the recipe from Ratty and Mole’s Crumpets and added cheese, but they were very deflated up top. The second time I got a bit more lift by using baking powder instead of baking soda. Neither option had as much lift and puff as the cartoon, but they both taste cheesy and delicious so use what you have available!

Mrs. Judson's Cheese Crumpet Recipe from Disney's The Great Mouse Detective.Mrs. Judson's Cheese Crumpet Recipe from Disney's The Great Mouse Detective.BAKED CHEESE CRUMPETS
  • 1 teaspoon of cane sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of dried active yeast
  • 1 cup of warm milk
  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • ½ teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 cup of warm water
  • 1 cup of shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
INSTRUCTIONS (CRUMPETS)
  1. Stir the sugar and yeast into the warm milk and let it rest for 10 minutes until frothy.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.
  3. Add the liquid to the flour mixture and stir/knead until a thick dough forms.
  4. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place for an hour to let the dough rise.
  5. Dissolve the baking powder in the warm water and add it to the dough. Using a mixer, beat the dough for about one or two minutes. Any remaining lumps will dissolve during the next resting stage.
  6. Lightly coat the shredded cheese with flour, add it to the batter and stir to incorporate.
  7. Lightly grease a muffin pan and scoop the batter into it, filling each space no more than 2/3 full.
  8. Cover the batter while it’s in the pan and let it rest again in a warm place for at least 30 minutes. The batter should be nice and bubbly.
  9. While the batter is resting for its final 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 400F.
  10. Bake the crumpets for about 20-30 minutes until they are lightly golden. Keep an eye on them, everyone’s oven is different!
  11. Remove the muffin pan from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
  12. Remove the cheese crumpets from the muffin pan and serve warm, or you can reheat them later!

Winnie the Pooh’s Hero Cake Recipe (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh)

Winnie the Pooh's Hero Cake Recipe from Disney's The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we will be baking Winnie the Pooh’s hero cake from Disney’s The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Winnie the Pooh's Hero (Thumbprint) Cookie and Hero Cake Recipe from Disney's The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.Winnie the Pooh’s hero cake (and the hero cookies we made last week) is featured in the “Blustery Day” featurette when Christopher Robin throws a Hero Party for Pooh Bear, believing him to be Piglet’s rescuer during the flood. Pooh and Piglet really just happened to be in the same predicament at the same time and came out together perfectly alright, but it was still sweet of Christopher Robin and their friends to celebrate them all the same!

Winnie the Pooh's Hero (Thumbprint) Cookie and Hero Cake Recipe from Disney's The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.This is a surprisingly complex cake, and I had a lot of fun creating and tasting it! I chose to make pink velvet cake (my own interpretation of what flavor the pink color stood for) with chocolate frosting. White buttercream frosting surrounds the base of each of the orange candles and orange buttercream, in color and in flavor, whimsically dots the chocolate frosting in puffs. If you take the cake with the chocolate frosting and orange buttercream in the same bite it is absolute heaven and will definitely satisfy the rumbly of any tumbly!

Winnie the Pooh's Hero Cake Recipe from Disney's The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.HERO CAKE
  • 4 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 2 pinches of salt
  • 12 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature and cubed
  • 2 cups of granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of almond extract
  • 1 1/3 cups of whole milk, room temperature
  • 4 teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • 8 drops of red food coloring
  • 8 egg whites
INSTRUCTIONS (CAKE)
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans with spray or parchment.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. In another large bowl, beat the butter until softened.
  5. Slowly add the sugar and beat until fluffy, then add in the almond extract, food coloring, milk, and vanilla extract; mix on low until ingredients are incorporated.
  6. Beat in the egg whites one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
  7. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and bake for 20-30 minutes (depending on your oven) until a toothpick is inserted at their centers comes out clean, not wet with cake batter.
  8. Remove the pans from the oven and allow the cakes to cool for about 10 minutes within the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before assembling.
  9. While the cakes are cooling, make the frostings (see below).
CHOCOLATE FROSTING
  • 1/2 cup of butter, melted
  • 6 tablespoons of cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon of oil
  • 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
  • Milk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla
INSTRUCTIONS (CHOCOLATE FROSTING)
  1. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, cocoa powder and oil until well incorporated.
  2. Sift in the powdered sugar half a cup at a time and mix well.
  3. Add milk a little at a time and keep mixing until the chocolate is smooth and creamy.
  4. Add the vanilla in last and stir until well incorporated.
  5. Once the cakes are cool, put a small dollop of this frosting on the center of cake stand, then place the first layer of cake down on top of the dollop; this will anchor the cake to the stand.
  6. Scoop the desired amount of chocolate frosting onto the top of the first layer of cake and spread it around evenly, then add the next layer of cake over it.
  7. Apply the rest of the chocolate frosting to the sides, and then the top of the cake, using an icing spatula or something similar. I added texture to the sides of my cake using a cake comb that came with the little cake decorating set I bought.

* You can double this recipe for a thicker layer of frosting on the cake.

ORANGE AND WHITE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
  • 1/2 cup of butter, softened
  • 2 cups of powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract
  • Orange food coloring
INSTRUCTIONS (ORANGE AND WHITE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING)
  1. In a medium bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar together by low speed (or hand otherwise you’ll have a cloud of powdered sugar).
  2. Add in the whipping cream and orange extract and mix until well incorporated.
  3. Pause and scoop about a fourth of the white frosting into a pastry bag and set aside.
  4. Add in the orange food coloring and beat until fully incorporated.
  5. Scoop the orange frosting into another pastry bag with a large tip.
  6. After the cakes cool and you’ve applied the chocolate frosting, pipe 4 dollops of the white buttercream frosting onto the top of the cake where you want the candles to be and stick the candles in at their center.
  7. Using the orange buttercream, pipe small orange puff dots all around and on top of the cake.

Enjoy it!

Winnie the Pooh’s Hero Cookie Recipe (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh)

Winnie the Pooh's Hero (Thumbprint) Cookie Recipe from Disney's The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be baking Winnie the Pooh’s Hero Cookies from Disney’s The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Winnie the Pooh's Hero (Thumbprint) Cookie and Hero Cake Recipe from Disney's The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.Winnie the Pooh’s hero cookies are featured in the “Blustery Day” featurette when Christopher Robin throws a Hero Party for Pooh Bear, believing him to be Piglet’s rescuer.

Winnie the Pooh's Hero (Thumbprint) Cookie Recipe from Disney's The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.These cookies are open to interpretation, visually they look like a cookie or a pastry with red filling or topping. I believe they are thumbprint cookies with raspberry jam filling and boy are they tasty! I didn’t have any issues beyond lightly burning my finger on the side of the pan while re-pressing the indentations before adding the jam, rookie mistake!

Winnie the Pooh's Hero (Thumbprint) Cookie Recipe from Disney's The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.HERO COOKIES
  • 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 12 tablespoon of unsalted butter (softened)
  • 2/3 cup of granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons of a full-fat block cream cheese (softened)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
  • 3/4 cup of raspberry jam

INSTRUCTIONS (COOKIES)

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together at medium speed until light and fluffy; scraping down the bowl as needed.
  4. Add the cream cheese, egg, and vanilla, then beat until combined (about 30 seconds); scraping down the bowl as needed.
  5. Slowly add the flour mixture and whisk at a low speed until combined, about another 30 seconds; scraping down the bowl as needed.
  6. Scoop out 1 tbsp. portions of dough, lightly flour your hands and roll them into little balls, placing them on the prepared baking sheets 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart.
  7. Lightly flour the bottom of a teaspoon and press the bottom of the teaspoon into the center of each dough ball to make a small indentation. Re-flour the bottom of the teaspoon as needed.
  8. Fill a zip top or piping bag with the jam and set it aside.
  9. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Making sure to only bake one sheet at a time.
  10. Remove the cookies from the oven and use the bottom of the teaspoon measuring spoon to reshape the indents in the cookies again. Be very careful, the sides of the pan are hot!
  11. Take a pastry bag or a ziplock bag and snip off a small corner. Pipe enough jam into each cookie to fill the indentation in.
  12. Put the baking sheet back into the oven and bake for 12-14 minutes (depending on your oven) until golden around the edges.
  13. Follow the same steps for the next baking sheet until the dough is gone!
  14. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to complete the cooling process.

Rufus’s Gingersnap Cookie Recipe (The Rescuers)

Rufus's Gingersnap Cookie Recipe from Disney's The Rescuers.INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be baking the Gingersnap cookies Penny gives Rufus the cat in Disney’s The Rescuers.

Rufus's Gingersnap Cookie Recipe from Disney's The Rescuers.These cookies are featured when Bernard and Miss Bianca visit the orphanage to find Penny. They find Rufus the cat instead, and he recollects the last time he saw her. In his memory, she snuck him two Gingersnap cookies, which he charmingly mistook for “Catnipsnaps”.

Rufus's Gingersnap Cookie Recipe from Disney's The Rescuers.I think baking cookies is my favorite! There is just something so satisfying about making cookie dough and then baking snack size treats for loved ones. I tend to enjoy eating the chewier and gooier cookies, but these were like eating crunchy gingerbread cookies and I really love them! Perhaps its the crunchy store-bought or factory-made cookies I’m not as fond of!

Rufus's Gingersnap Cookie Recipe from Disney's The Rescuers.GINGERSNAPS

  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons of baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons of ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • 11 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup of sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup of mild-flavored molasses (sometimes called ‘light’ molasses)
  • ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • Coarse sugar crystals or granulated sugar for coating the cookies

INSTRUCTIONS (GINGERSNAPS)

  1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
  2. In another medium to large bowl, beat the butter until soft, then add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  3. Add the egg, molasses and vanilla to the butter and sugar; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients until the dough is smooth; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  5. Lightly flour your hands and gather all the dough into a loose ball (if it starts sticking to your fingers add a little more flour until it doesn’t), then place it back in the bowl.
  6. Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.
  7. We are to firm up the dough enough so it isn’t floppy while rolling it into a cylinder shape in the next step.
  8. Divide the dough in two equal portions and roll each on a lightly-floured surface until each is in a cylindrical shape that’s about 2 inches in diameter. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect; you can neaten them up in a second.
  9. Wrap each portion of dough in plastic wrap then roll them lightly on the counter to smooth them out.
  10. Refrigerate until both are firm (I let mine refrigerate overnight).
  11. To bake, preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  12. Remove the dough cylinders from the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap, and slice the cookie dough into 1/4-inch thick rounds with a sharp knife. I would work with one portion at a time so the other doesn’t get too soft.
  13. Pour coarse or granulated sugar into a bowl and dip one side of each dough slice into the sugar to coat.
  14. Place each slice sugar side up on the baking sheet, evenly spaced apart. Leave a couple of inches between the cookies since they will spread while baking.
  15. Bake for 10-14 minutes, rotating the baking sheets midway during baking, until deep-golden brown. This will depend on your oven, but you can bake closer to 10 minutes for softer cookies, and closer to 14 minutes for snappier ones.
  16. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about two minutes, then remove them with a spatula and transfer them to a cooling rack.

Ichabod’s Turkey Recipe (The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad)

Ichabod's Turkey Recipe from Disney's The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, or Sleepy Hollow.INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be baking what must be one of the many turkey’s Ichabod Crane is fed by the ladies of Sleepy Hollow in Disney’s The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.

Ratty and Mole's Crumpet, Ichabod's Red Velvet Cake and Ichabod's Turkey Recipe from Disney's The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad or the Wind in the Willows.This turkey is featured when Ichabod visits one of his student’s households for supper and is fed a turkey by the lady of the house.

Ichabod's Turkey Recipe from Disney's The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, or Sleepy Hollow.I highly doubt the residents of Sleepy Hollow had access to the Godzilla size turkeys we have available today, so I chose to work with a smaller size turkey. Smaller stature, paired with classic and simple seasoning and cooking methods resulted in the best tasting turkey I think I’ve ever created!

Ichabod's Turkey Recipe from Disney's The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, or Sleepy Hollow.TURKEY
  • 12 to 14 pound turkey (thaw if frozen)
  • freshly ground pepper
  • kosher salt
  • 1 carrot, cut into chunks
  • 1 rib of celery, cut into chunks
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 3 sprigs of sage, plus 1 tablespoon of chopped leaves
  • 3 sprigs of thyme, plus 1 tablespoon of chopped leaves
  • 12 tablespoons of unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons of paprika
INSTRUCTIONS (TURKEY)
  1. Let the turkey sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  2. Position an oven rack in the lowest position and remove the other racks, then preheat to 350 degrees F.
  3. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey and reserve for gravy if desired.
  4. Pat the turkey very dry with paper towels and rub inside and out with pepper and salt.
  5. Stuff the cavity with the carrot, celery, onion, sage and thyme sprigs; then tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
  6. Put the turkey on a rack set it in a large roasting pan and tuck the wings under the body.
  7. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat and whisk in the paprika, chopped sage and thyme leaves.
  8. Let the paprika butter cool slightly, then brush it all over the turkey.
  9. Transfer the turkey to the oven and roast for 1 hour.
  10. After the turkey has roasted for 1 hour, baste with the drippings.
  11. Continue roasting and basting every 30 minutes until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F.
  12. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let it rest for 30 minutes before carving; reserve the drippings for gravy if desired.