Recipes from #Disneyland to Help Balance Life During the #Holidays

 

MomTV spent a fun filled day at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park last week. With Halloween quickly approaching, it seems that life has already gotten busy for families. Easy recipes that everyone will enjoy make it easier to balance life during the holidays; this Pumpkin Beignet recipe from Disneyland is perfect for fall days and leaves your home smelling amazing in the process. We also have a sugar cookie recipe from Walt Disney Parks and Resorts that features the Halloween favorite, Jack Skellington, which can be easily adapted for use during other holidays.

Pumpkin Beignets Recipe

From Central Bakery at Disneyland^® Park

Makes: 25 beignets

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pumpkin purée

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

1/4 cup warm water

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

2 teaspoons pumpkin extract (optional)

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Pinch salt

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tablespoon dry instant yeast

Vegetable oil, for frying

Powdered sugar, for coating

Directions:

1. Combine pumpkin purée, sugar, cream, water, eggs, shortening, pumpkin extract, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk to combine. Add flour and yeast, stirring by hand to combine.
2. Mix dough with the dough hook attachment until it forms a ball around the hook; the dough may be a little sticky.
3. With floured hands, remove dough from hook and roll into a ball. Place dough in a clean bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4. Roll dough on a well-floured surface to 1/3-inch thickness. Cut into 25 squares. Cover with a clean dishtowel and set aside in a warm, draft-free area for 45 minutes.
5. Line a plate with paper towels; set aside.
6. Pour vegetable oil into a deep pot to a depth of 3 inches. Heat oil to 350°F.
7. Working in 2 or 3 batches, carefully drop dough into oil. Cook, turning frequently with a long-handled slotted spoon, until puffed and golden, about 3 minutes.
8. Remove beignets with a slotted spoon and transfer to the plate lined with paper towels. Lightly tent with foil to keep warm while remaining beignets cook.
9. Generously sprinkle powdered sugar on top of warm beignets; serve warm.

Another recipe that will help you keep afloat during the holiday season is this one for Jack Skellington Sugar Cookies. This recipe can easily be adapted for other holidays as well.

Jack Skellington Sugar Cookies

From Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Makes 18 cookies

Ingredients for Cookies:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for Icing:

2 egg whites

3 cups confectioner’s sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Black food coloring paste

Directions for cookies:

1. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Set aside.
2. Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture in three parts. Once dough comes together, cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F.
4. On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a round cookie cutter or an overturned cup, cut dough into circles about 3 1/4 inches in diameter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely before icing.

Directions for icing:

1. Place egg whites in bowl of an electric mixer; whisk until frothy. Add confectioners’ sugar a little at a time, until thick but still spreadable.
2. Place 1/3 of icing in a separate bowl. Add black food coloring paste to reserved icing and stir until color is uniform.
3. Decorate cooled cookies by covering with white icing and letting it dry (placing cookies in the refrigerator will speed up this process).
4. Place black icing in a pastry bag or a plastic resealable bag and cut off a tiny bit of the corner to create a very small hole. Use black icing to draw eyes, nostrils, and stitched mouth on each cookie.

Bio: Amy Barseghian is an Orange County freelance writer and blogger that specializes in social media strategy and community management. She builds brand relationships through press coverage, product reviews, and ambassador programs at OC Mentor and provides video coverage at www.momtv.com. You can contact Amy via email at amy@ocmentor.com or find her on the following social media communities: Twitter, Facebook, Facebook fan page, Pinterest, G+, Instagram, YouTube, and MomTV.

Too Many Cooks In The Kitchen And Not Enough Time?

Tips to Make Your Holiday Run Smoother

Thanksgiving passed and you think you’re in the clear. Think again. December brings a whole other round of entertaining, family meals and all…those…dishes. I had more than 30 people over for Thanksgiving and I’m not entirely sure that I have fully recovered from that experience! But, big holiday meals in my family mean big laughs, great stories and a time I treasure to catch up with the ones I love. So, I am sure excited for what’s right around the corner. ‘Tis the Season!

I recently chatted with Christina Stanley-Salerno, a recipe developer and founder of the family food website TakeBackYourTable.com that recently partnered with Samsung Home Appliances for a program called, “Make Your House Work for the Holidays.” Check out our chat on Mom Talk Radio . We talked about Christina’s Thanksgiving experience and she shared tips and tricks on how you can make the holidays run smoother. See some of her key points about how you can plan in advance, prep for your meals and cleaning tips:

• Don’t wait until the last minute to do your grocery shopping before a big holiday. Last minute shopping means packed stores, crowded parking lots and fighting with other procrastinators over the last ham. Give yourself plenty of time to stock up on what you need so you can stay calm and focus on the big day. Save even more time in the grocery store by and group your grocery list by aisle. Organizing your list by category (ex: Meat/Poultry, Bread, Dairy, Produce, etc….) will ensure that you are in and out of the store in a timely and organized manor.
• Prepare your table in advance. The day before the feast, download the place setting guide via the Samsung Make Your House Work for the Holidays hub and set the table a day in advance so you aren’t rushing around on the big day.
• Delegate, delegate, delegate. Just because you are hosting doesn’t mean you have to be the one who cooks all of the courses. Ask a guest to bring an appetizer, a salad or a dessert. They will be thrilled to contribute and that’s one less thing for you to prepare.
• Timing is key. A recent survey commissioned by Samsung and Harris Interactive found that 21% of people said their biggest Thanksgiving regret was not having their meal and sides timed correctly. So if you’re in the market for a new oven to combat this issue, be sure to check out the Samsung Flex Duo Oven.  It provides cooks with the option of preparing two dishes at two different temperatures, from one large capacity oven. That means you can have a pumpkin pie on top and a roast on the bottom with no mixing of aromas.

For mouthwatering dish inspiration, click here to check out some of Christina’s go-to holiday recipes – whether it’s brunch, dinner, appetizers or desserts, these fun and easy recipes will make any holiday meal that much more festive!

Visit the Samsung Home Appliance Facebook page for more planning, cooking and cleaning tips and tricks this season.  Also, you can enter for a chance to win a suite of kitchen appliances, just in time for the holidays!

 

This post is part of a sponsored campaign with Samsung Home Appliances.

Pinterest Interests – New Babies

Like many of you I find myself on Pinterest at least once a day. Whether I’m killing time in the airport or looking for a recipe for dinner, Pinterest has become one of my favorite websites to learn about new products, recipes, and ideas. I decided I’d like to start sharing some of my favorite boards I’ve come across with my readers and followers.

This week’s theme has to do with new babies, because everywhere I turn I’m hearing about someone’s newborn or seeing their adorable photos. Summer is always an exciting time with new babies and new pregnancies. Here are some of my favorite baby-related boards of the moment:

 

1. Gifts for Baby from BabyCenter – This board is full of great baby gift suggestions. If you’re looking to buy something new and colorful for your baby, or you’re in need of a baby shower gift, check out this board for some inspiration.
2. Newborn Inspiration from Kim Zagarenski – Newborn photography has come a long way since I had my babies. I love the soft, artistic photos featured on this board. It’s impossible to not smile when looking at these sweet babies.
3. Nursery Ideas from Premama Prenatal Vitamin – These nurseries are beautiful! I’m not sure where the moms find the time to create such intricate and thoughtful nurseries, but I am a fan. Browsing this board never fails to make me smile.
4. Babies and Pets from Ellen DeGeneres – What could possibly be cuter than babies and pets in the same photos? This board always makes me laugh. You’ll definitely want to follow it!
5. Green Baby Goodies from Inhabitots – I know many moms are becoming much more aware of the products they are using around their newborns. This board has some great earth-friendly products for babies from organic cotton onesies to natural wood teething toys.

Have you seen an outstanding board relating to babies that I’ve missed? Leave a link in the comments so I can check it out! Be sure to follow me on Pinterest so I can take a look at your boards and possibly feature you in the future too.

Bobby Flay and Hellmann’s Serve “Real Holiday Helpings”

I love the holidays and I dread the holidays.  Wait…before you call me Scrooge, I’m not saying “Bah Humbug” to all of it, especially the time I spend with my family.  Just some of the pieces of the holiday season that sneak up on me, like planning and shopping for meals, especially the big holiday dinners that take more preparation. (Note the side benefit to my teenagers who drive: I can now send them to the store for that single ingredient I forgot for a dish!)

While I am a planner by nature (see my Black Friday post), when it comes to food, I could always use help. So I was thrilled to find delicious recipes and all-around kitchen and prep tips from one of my favorite celebrity chefs, Bobby Flay, as part of the “Hellmann’s Real  Holiday Helpings” program.

There are so many recipes and tips to cover, I can’t fit them all in this one post. So throughout the next couple of weeks, I’ll send out tips and delicious recipes, and if you leave a comment with your tips and favorite recipes, your name will be entered in a random drawing for a Real Holiday Helpings  Cookbook and a coupon for a FREE 30-oz. jar of mayonnaise, compliments of Hellmann’s and Best Foods. (Drawing on Thursday, Dec. 10th at noon.)

Here’s your first “taste”, followed by the tips that will de-stress your holidays:

Broiled Cherry Tomatoes with Basil-Balsamic Green Goddess Dressing

Broiled Cherry Tomatoes with Basil-Balsamic Green Goddess Dressing Serves: 4

½ cup Hellmann’s® Real Mayonnaise

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 anchovy fillets

3 green onions, sliced

¼ cup fresh basil leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 pints cherry tomatoes

16 oz. fresh mozzarella, cubed

Olive oil

4-inch wooden skewers, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes

1. Combine the mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons water, vinegar, garlic, anchovy, green onion and basil in a blender or food processor and process until smooth, season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (this allows the flavors to meld).

2. Preheat broiler. Skewer 2 tomatoes on each skewer and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or foil. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Broil tomatoes, turning once, until slightly charred and soft, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a platter; add a mozzarella cube to each skewer.  Drizzle with some of the dressing.

Hellmann’s® and Best Foods® Real Holiday Helpings
Bobby Flay’s Tips and Techniques

Celebrated Chef, Author and TV Personality Bobby Flay Offers Seasons Ingredients

Celebrity Chef Bobby Flay

‘Tis the Season(ing)

• Plan the holiday meal in advance and stock up on all dry and non perishable ingredients ahead of time.
• As the holiday approaches, start planning an ingredients list a couple of days before shopping to avoid making several trips to the grocery store.
• Keep your meal simple with spices. You do not need a lot of expensive or exotic seasonings to create a flavorful meal; often all it takes is just a little salt and pepper to create a delicious dish.
• Add a little flair to the holiday turkey this year by preparing Tandoori style roasted turkey breast – it only takes a few simple ingredients to create this flavorful, delicious course that adults and kids will love.

At www.Hellmanns.com and www.BestFoods.com, you will find tips and recipes for food that you can feel good about serving the whole family. Visitors can enjoy how-to videos and tutorials featuring Flay, recipes and more.  You can also enter the Real Food Holiday Giveaway for a chance to win the grand prize of a year supply of groceries, or play the Real Food Matchup for an entry to win a $50 grocery gift card.