Marscapone Filled Brownie Sandwiches

December 21, 2013Carroll 3 Comments

I wanted to tag everyone in this post, to get your attention and suggest you stop what you’re doing today and make these instead. By far these are absolutely my favorite cookie made to date. Rich, creamy, and decadent, the kind you would travel across town for. This is the cookie in which one is enough, at least for one seating.

If you have to share with more than 5 friends I highly suggest doubling the recipe as it doesn’t make too many. Or hide the last one, not that I did that!

From Better Homes and Garden Holidays– They got this one right on the money!

Ingredients
5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon instant espresso coffee powder
2 eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
1 8 ounce container mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon whipping cream
½ teaspoon vanilla

Directions

In a small heavy saucepan heat and stir chopped semisweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter over low heat until melted and smooth; set aside to cool slightly. In a small bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl beat eggs, granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed for 4 minutes or until thick and light yellow in color. Fold in melted chocolate mixture. Fold in flour mixture until combined. Fold in semisweet chocolate pieces. Let batter stand for 10 minutes (batter will thicken as it stands).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Drop batter by slightly rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake about 8 minutes or until set and tops are crackled. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

For filling, in a small bowl stir together the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, whipping cream, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Spread about 1 tablespoon filling each on the flat sides (bottoms) of half of the cookies. Press the flat sides of the remaining cookies against the filling.

From the Test Kitchen
To Store: Layer filled cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store the cookies in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Enjoy the first day of Winter- 85 and sunny here in Florida! Looking forward to waking up in the 40s on Christmas morning!!

No Bake Lemon Drop Cookies

December 20, 2013December 19, 2013Carroll 2 Comments

The kiddos are about done with school before the holiday and will soon be looking for something to do! Put them to work with these fun candy cookies- no ovens required and plenty of hands on time! Hard to beat the classic flavor of a lemon drop candy!!

These kid friendly treats came from Better Homes and Gardens. They offer a ray of sunlight on a cold winter day (unless you are in Florida with me where we pray for temperatures under 65).

Ingredients

2 cups finely crushed shortbread cookies
1 cup powdered sugar
½ cup almonds, toasted and finely chopped
½ cup finely crushed lemon drop candies
2 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon finely crushed lemon drop candies

Directions
In a large bowl, stir together the crushed cookies, the 1 cup powdered sugar, the almonds, and the 1/2 cup crushed candies. In a small bowl, stir together corn syrup, milk, and melted butter. Stir the corn syrup mixture into the cookie mixture until well combined.

Shape cookie mixture into 1-inch balls. In a small bowl, combine the 1/3 cup powdered sugar and the 1 tablespoon crushed candies. Roll balls in powdered sugar mixture. Place on a large baking sheet or tray.

Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Roll balls again in powdered sugar mixture just before serving.

Makes about 36 cookies.

And of course the best part is…your little helpers are the ones able to make them!!

Wild Flower Honey- Hazelnut Lace Cookies

December 19, 2013December 18, 2013Carroll 2 Comments

Lace cookies should be a part of every cookie buffet, they add the perfect option for the “I’ll have a small one” line of thinking. These are crisp, rich and light all at the same time, the perfect answer to that sweet tooth.

These scrumptious cookies came from Southern Living. Truly cannot go wrong!

Ingredients

¾ cup powdered sugar
½ cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon wild flower honey
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup finely chopped hazelnuts
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour

Parchment paper

Direction

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Beat first 5 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer 4 to 5 minutes or until creamy. Add hazelnuts and next 2 ingredients; beat just until blended. Drop by level teaspoonfuls 3 inches apart onto 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

2. Bake at 325° for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes; transfer to wire racks, and cool.

Makes about 2 dozen.

These are a perfect hostess gift, and last up to a week. Unless the elves in the house get to them first!!

Triple Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies

December 18, 2013December 17, 2013Carroll 2 Comments

Chocolate and Mint- what more do you need in a holiday cookie? Sir Wes believes all items with ingredients of mint and chocolate reign supreme, I have to agree with him mostly! This combination certainly needs to grace every holiday cookie list.

When I saw these bad boys in Better Homes and Gardens 100 Best Cookie Issue I knew they were daring me to put them on the must make list. They were just about perfect, I just added a touch extra mint.

Ingrediants

½ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon mint flavoring
½ teaspoon butter flavoring
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup powdered sugar
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
1 -2 tablespoons water
1 ounce white baking chocolate, melted (optional)
Very small fresh mint leaves (optional)

Directions
In a medium bowl combine the granulated sugar, the oil, the 2 ounces melted white chocolate, the egg whites, mint flavoring, and butter flavoring, stirring until well mixed. In a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg white mixture; stir just until combined. Cover and chill dough for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours or until firm enough to roll into balls.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls (1 teaspoon dough each). Place cocoa powder in a small bowl. Roll balls in cocoa powder to coat. Place balls 1-1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten balls with the bottom of a glass to about 1-1/4-inch-diameter circles.

Bake for 6 to 7 minutes or just until edges are firm. Transfer to a wire rack; cool.

For chocolate filling, in a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, the melted bittersweet chocolate, and enough of the 1 to 2 tablespoons water to make a smooth spreadable filling. (If mixture seems too thin, allow it to stand a few minutes before using.)

Spread the bottoms of half of the cookies with the chocolate filling, using about 1 teaspoon filling on each. Top with the remaining cookies, bottom sides down, to make sandwich cookies.
If desired, place the 1 ounce melted white chocolate in a small resealable plastic bag. Seal bag. Using scissors, snip off a very small corner from bag. Drizzle white chocolate over tops of cookies; place mint leaves on top.

Makes about 16 sandwiches.

Storage
Layer undrizzled sandwich cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw cookies if frozen. If desired, drizzle with white chocolate as directed in Step 6.

These will be a crowd favorite- consider making a double batch!

Glistening Lemon Sandwich Cookies

December 17, 2013December 17, 2013Carroll Leave a comment

These are one of my favorite cookies from the beginning of my baking journey. They are so delicate and festive, that they scream perfect for a season filled with love and care. They taste like shortbread but with a much lighter and flaky consistency.

I thought they were just gorgeous when they made the cover of the 2008 Gourmet December issue, and thought they deserved a reappearance!

Ingredients

For cookies:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
White or colored sanding sugars

For filling:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

Equipment: a heavy-duty sealable bag

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.

Beat together butter and confectioners sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in zest and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture just until a soft dough forms.

Put sanding sugars in different bowls. Roll a scant teaspoon of dough into a ball and drop into sugar, turning to coat. Reshape if necessary and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat, spacing balls 3/4 inch apart, until baking sheet is filled.

Bake until tops are slightly cracked but still pale (bottoms will be pale golden), 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to a rack to cool completely.

Form and bake more cookies on second baking sheet.

Make filling and sandwich cookies:

Beat together all filling ingredients in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until combined well. Transfer to sealable bag and snip off a corner.

Turn over half of cookies and pipe about 1/2 teaspoon filling on flat side of each. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing gently.

Makes about 50 sandwich cookies.

Cheers to a weeks worth of holiday cookies- Turn your ovens on!!!

Double Chocolate Coconut Cookies- The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap

December 11, 2013December 10, 2013Carroll 4 Comments

Confession- there has not been a trip to the grocery store in the last two months that I have not bought a cooking magazine, mostly from the cookie category. Every year the same thing- that one to five minutes spent waiting in the darn check out line is just too long to resist. Holiday baking- I love it, the search for that perfect gem of a cookie. This year I participated again in the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap along with over hundreds of other participants (search #FBCookieSwap to find mouth-watering cookies to bake or torture yourself with). The cookie swap was all to raise money for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, over $13,778.40 was raised!

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2013

Martha Stewart contributed to the cookies I sent- after an evening of heated debate and taste testing these were the winners that I was going to ship and bake.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon coarse salt
2 cups white-chocolate chunks (about 9 ounces)
1 ¾ cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 ¾ cups coarsely chopped walnuts (about 6 ounces)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time. Stir in vanilla.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Mix into butter mixture on low speed until well combined. Stir in chocolate, coconut, and walnuts.

Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop batter onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly. Bake until set, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 2 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.

We totally lucked out this year with our cookie swaps- all three of the cookies received were out of this world- so ummm, umm good! Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Cookies from Stephanie at 52 Kitchen Adventures were Sir Wes’s favorite- he “allowed” me to have a couple. Kate at Fleur-De-Licious sent Ginger Crinkle Cookies, which I am wondering if she knew about my ginger devotion- so yum! And lucky for me, Sommer, of A Spicy Perspective, could not decide what cookie to send so we got both Sour Cream Whoopie Pies with Chocolate Hazelnut Filling and Tangerine Shortbread with Chocolate Drizzle. Love that I found another indecisive lady in the kitchen!

Thanks to Lindsey and Julie for organizing such a fun way to “Bake-Back” to a great cause! If you want more mouth watering temptation follow their blogs! Also to the sponsors of The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, OXO, Dixie Crystals, Gold Medal Flour, and Grandma’s Molasses!

Butternut Squash, Chicken and Sausage Cassoulet

November 23, 2013January 2, 2014Carroll 3 Comments

I am drawn to all the squashes being stocked at the groceries and markets. They are not only tasty, but pretty as well. There are tons of creative ways to incorporate them into your holiday décor. I am definitely partial to food that I can decorate with!

I love that they are play the role of both vegetable and starch. It’s sneaky, they go both ways. In fact they double their character by being used in both savory and sweet sides of the kitchen. This week though I stuck with the savory side, a cassoulet type soup/stew. Rich and hearty and packed with fall flavors.

1 pound raw chicken breast, diced into 3/4 inch cubes
1 tablespoon Herb de Provence
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 red pepper, roasted, seeded, skin removed and diced
1 green pepper, roasted, seeded, skin removed and diced
12 ounce sausage crumbles, turkey or pork
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and diced in to 3/4 inch cubes
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon chopped sage
3 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup sliced green onions

Start by marinating the chicken with the Herb de Provence, salt and pepper. Allow the chicken to marinate at least 1 hour. Roast your peppers in high temp oven or over a grill and remove seeds and skin, then dice and reserve.

Place a heavy bottom stock pot over medium high heat and add sausage crumbles. While stirring sausage add in the chicken, squash, onions, celery and sage. You may need to add a touch of oil depending on how much fat leeches out of the sausage. When onions are translucent and there is a bit of color on the squash and chicken pour in the chicken stock.

Turn the heat to medium and allow to simmer for another 20 minutes. Add in the roasted, diced peppers and adjust with salt and pepper to your taste. Before serving add the green onions.

Serves 4-6 guests

This is a quick and easy fall dinner, one that gets better with age, so it’s a perfect do ahead meal for your busy weeks coming up! Just have to sacrifice one of your display squashes!

Warm wishes and happy Thanksgiving!!

Buffalo Chicken Pierogies

November 17, 2013November 17, 2013Carroll 1 Comment

Sheez- fall has come and is almost gone. We just finished up with the Epcot Food and Wine Festival and our big event of the year, the Walt Disney World Service Celebration, which is a crazy busy time of year and has made time fly by. Sir Wes was such a champ to take on most of the house chores and help me out so much thru the last few months so I wanted to do something special for him. Which naturally translates to cooking him something.

I saw this recipe at Soph n’ Stuff and could not resist another buffalo chicken adventure. I have mentioned Sir Wes can’t go without wings for more then 2 weeks, so I try to find ways to switch it up.

Pierogie Dough
Ingredients

•3 cups all-purpose flour
•1 teaspoon salt
•1 egg
•3/4 cup water
•2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation

Using a food processor, add all ingredients and pulse, slowly adding water until a solid dough forms. Move the dough out onto a floured countertop and knead a few times until smooth. Top with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 minutes before rolling and cutting it into rounds.

Buffalo Chicken Pierogie Ingredients

•1 batch pierogie dough, cut into 36 rounds
•2 cups unsalted mashed potatoes
•1/4 cup frank’s red hot sauce
•1 skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
•1/2 cup all-purpose flour
•1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon garlic powder
•1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
•1 egg
•1 cup vegetable oil, for frying
•1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled into small nuggets
•carrots and celery sticks, for garnish

Preparation

In a bowl, add frank’s red hot sauce to potatoes and combine with a fork. Set aside.

Blend flour, spices, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk egg. Take chicken pieces and coat each in egg mixture, then dredge through flour mixture, coating well.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. The oil will reach temperature when you drop a pinch of flour into the oil and it sizzles. Working in small amounts at a time, fry the breaded chicken pieces for 2-3 minutes on each side, until the breading is golden brown. Set the pieces aside to drain on a paper towel.

To assemble the pierogie, place a small amount of the potato mixture in the middle of a dough round. Place a chicken piece and a nugget of blue cheese in the center and fold dough over, sealing the edges with a little water, pressing firmly.

Once they are assembled you can either freeze for later or cook the pierogie right away. Frying them, rather than boiling, will retain the crispiness.

Pierogies are such a fun, easy thing to make, the kids will love getting their hands dirty with them!

And more importantly our supportive, wonderful husbands will devour them! Watch out Mrs. T!!

Raspberry Rose Macarons- A Thank You for Breast Cancer Supporters

October 6, 2013Carroll 2 Comments

October is National Breast Cancer month and it seems like everyone wants to join in on the crusade, from the NFL, Social Media Sites, and shopping proceeds to research. As well as into our work places and own homes with things like Pink Shirt Day, Pink Ribbons and into the privacy of a woman’s bathroom with self-exams. With both mine and my Mom’s fight with #BreastCancer, I like to take the time to do what I can and bring awareness to women, in particular young women each year at this time.

I remember the amount of roses that got delivered to me after surgeries and how that support and love felt. I know that support is what gets many cancer patients thru, even though it seems like so little to those friends and family. The medicines, treatments and developments in surgery are the technical parts that heal but it is the personal part, the support from loved ones that lasts a life time.

Last week I thought about my experience and where I am now with it. What it means to me, and how I wanted to honor it. The friends and families support is what I held on to and I wanted to honor that. Macarons seemed like the best way to do that. Making macarons truly is a dedication of time and patience for me, not giving up and although the process may not be easy for me, in the end the learning’s and results are very fulfilling. Rose flavor for the love I received during my experience. XOXO

Rose Macaron Shells, slightly modified from Martha Stewart

1 ¼ cups almond meal
1 ¾ cups confectioner’s sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon rose extract
Red Food Coloring Drops

Raspberry Rose Ganache, slight modified from Les Petits Macarons by Kathryn Gordon and Anne E. Martin

11 ounces white chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
¾ cup sour cream
1 cup frozen raspberries, pureed and strained
2 teaspoon rose extract
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, very soft

To make rose macaron shells:

With a fork blend together almond meal and confectioner’s sugar and sift into a large mixing bowl.
Beat egg whites until frothy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add granulated sugar and rose extract, and beat until barley stiff, shiny peaks, another 3 to 5 minutes, adding red food coloring drops until the desired color is achieved.
Add egg whites into almond mixture and fold until combined. Continue to mix vigorously with spatula until the batter sinks easily into a smooth mass and has the consistency of honey. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag, cut off 1/2 inch off tip. Pipe 1-inch rounds about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined sheets.
Let dry 30 minutes to an hour and a half until tops are firm and dry.
Preheat oven to 350. Bake one sheet at a time for about 14 minutes, rotating once. Let cool completely on wire racks before piping ganache and sandwiching cookies together.

To make the ganache filling:

Put the chocolate in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until it is chopped into small pieces. Leave the chocolate in the processor.
Bring the corn syrup, sour cream and raspberry puree to a boil in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Immediately pour it over the chocolate in the food processor. Wait one minute for the chocolate to melt completely, then pulse until the mixture is completely smooth. With the food processor running, add the butter, then the rose extract, and pulse until all is incorporated and the ganache is homogeneous and shiny.
Pour the ganache into a shallow pan, and let it cool at room temperature until it becomes pipeable, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. This ganache can be kept covered and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

These French macarons came out perfect, I was so happy with the lightness of the cookie and the subtle rose flavor. They have perfect balance and are a perfect tribute to all of those that support breast cancer patients.

All you ladies, take care of yourself, do your exams, and remember to show your supporters how much their efforts matter.

2013 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Kick Off

September 29, 2013September 1, 2017Carroll 2 Comments

We had a big week at work with the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Presented by CHASE® kicking off. Take the chance to taste your way around the world and discover global cuisines and a world tour of cultures and experiences.

This is the best time of year in the park, there are so many food related events and a focus on food that reaches around the globe, how can a chef not love it! The festival runs thru November 11th this year, plenty of time to get your passport stamped!

There are many events during the festival that our team is responsible for and I just love being able to be part of them. The energy in the kitchen in the coming weeks will be dynamic, along with all of our cast, we add in many eager students and talented guests chefs from across the world.

The festival started for our team predawn on Friday with a plated breakfast in the Festival Cranberry Bog, where a few local news programs featured Discover the Cranberry, hosted by Ocean Spray® Craisins® Brand Dried Cranberries. We had the pleasure of recreating these Ocean Spray recipes for our guests. I can’t to make the pizza for my niece and nephew.

Peanut Butter, Banana and Craisins® Roll Ups

Craisins® Breakfast Bars

Ocean Spray® Craisins®-Orange Muffins, Disney’s BoardWalk Bakery

Craisins® Crunch Breakfast Bowl

Mickey Fruit Pizza

Turkey Sausage and Craisins® Strata

On opening day we also had The Chocolate Dinner –Prepared by Dale Reynolds, Chef Epcot, World Showplace East Hall. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed being around while Chef came up with this Ghirardelli® chocolates menu. These guests truly got lucky. I literally was licking my fingers when Chef Dale brought me samples to try. Tip of the day- never pass up White Chocolate Beurre Blanc! Below is the team that worked on it, Chef Carla Hall wanted to get a picture with this team!

Ghiradelli Chocolate Dinner

Reception Items Prepared by Chef Lisa Rios

Chef Dale Reynolds Presents:

Soup Course

Oxtail Consommé with Dark Chocolate Chile Ravioli

Chateau St. Michelle Reisling, Columbia Valley

Prepared by Chef Rebeca Modia

Second Course

Chicken and Waffle

Braised Chicken on a Chocolate Dipped Waffle Chip

Franciscan Estate Napa Valley Chardonnay

Prepared by Chef Alejandro Ocanto

Sorbet Course

Chocolate Sorbet

Prepared by Chef Dennis Byras

Main Course

Maine Lobster with White Chocolate Beurre Blanc

Chocolate Rosemary Braised Short Ribs

Cocoa Bean Smoked Shallot Mashed Potatoes

Baby Vegetables

La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

And La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Prepared by Chefs Omar Harris and Micah Ginder

Cheese Course

Baked Brie with Dark Chocolate Caramelized Onions

Rosa Regale

Prepared by Chef Jason Jakubowski

Dessert Course

Milk Chocolate Risotto

With Drunken Cherries and Pistachio Brittle

JDK & Sons™ Crave Chocolate Cherry Liquor

Prepared by Chef Melissa Webster

We also had an Ocean Spray reception back at the Festival Cranberry Bog and the Butterfly Garden area opening night. The Ocean Spray reception menu was an international experience, all with cranberries incorporated into the traditional dishes. It was a fun menu to create taking classic flavors and putting a cranberry twist on them. We truly learned about the versatility of cranberries!

Japan

Craisin® Infused Five Spice Char Kobe Beef with Sriracha
Craisin® Vegetable Fried Rice

United States

Seared Free Range Chicken with Craisin® Moonshine Pearls
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Craisin® Ketchup

Canada

Cranberry and Sea Salt Cured Wild Salmon with Maple Sugar Crystals
Craisin® Glazed Pork Belly with White Cheddar Maple Grits

United Kingdom

English Mustard Dusted Scotch Egg with Cranberry Marmalade
Beef and Craisin® Sheppard’s Pie

France

Artisan Cheese Stuffed Craisin Brioche
Craisin®, Bacon and Brie Potato Gratin

Mexico

Mole Shrimp Quesadilla with Cranberry Salsa
Pulled Chicken Craisin® Tamales

Chef Damon was lucky enough to take a dip in the Festival Cranberry Bog and chat with the guests about the vast uses of cranberries! Ahhh- the #CranberryLife

What a exciting and fun start to the best time of year at Epcot! I can’t wait to get out and experience it as a guest! But the behind the scenes experience are ones that I will cherish for a lifetime. Super lucky to be on this great team doing amazing things!! If you have the chance be sure to get to the festival and bring your appetite! Follow along with all the chatter at #EpcotFoodFestival!

Thank God we had our jogging stroller with us. All that walking at the theme park would have been way too much on the children. Our double stroller really paid off in the end. I’m really glad we checked out: Top 5 Best Double Jogging Strollers | 2017 Reviews | ParentsNeed.