Dinner Disney Style

Last night’s dinner brought four new recipes to the table, and not a dud in the bunch. There are a few dishes that caught our tastebuds while we were in Disneyworld last week, and we asked for a few recipes along the way. Surprisingly enough, each request was fulfilled, with the last batch being e-mailed to me yesterday. That’s my kinda service!

Peanut Satay Sauce – When we had dinner at ‘Ohana at the Polynesian resort, there was a trio of dipping sauces served with Fried Wontons. One of them was a delicious Peanut Satay Sauce, which we requested the recipe for. It hit the table last night, alongside a plate of grilled chicken and was delish. Love.that.stuff.

Spinach Artichoke Dip – this was an appetizer that The Neighbor Husband ordered at the Grand Floridian Cafe. It came with toasted pita chips, and The Neighbors declared it the best ever. It has heavy cream in it, which I don’t believe is in many other Spinach Artichoke Dip recipes. Simple to make and pretty tasty to boot.

The Best Shrimp and Parsley Frittata – this recipe is courtesy of Jamie Oliver’s latest cookbook, Jamie’s Italy. You can’t beat frittatas for their simplicity. Mix a bunch of things together, throw it in the oven and let it do its thing. Doesn’t get much simpler than that. I think this one could use a smidge more seasoning, but with a little bit ‘o tinkering, it’s a keeper.

Spinach Salad with Waffle Croutons – This one comes from a recent issue of Woman’s World magazine. I pulled it out because I knew I had a package of dunkables languishing in the freezer. I bought them awhile back, thinking Nicholas would like them. Not. He did, however, love the salad, eating two platefuls before calling it a night. Would skip the croutons next time (didn’t get crunchy enough), but the dressing is fab.

The best part of tonight’s dinner? With the exception of buying spinach and cherry tomatoes, I had all the other ingredients on hand – gotta love that! With the herbs in last night’s recipes, they are the perfect addition to Kalyn’s Weekend Herb Blogging, this weekend hosted by A Fridge Full of Food.

A year ago today… strange marketing from McDonalds.
Two years ago today… new cookbooks.

Spinach Salad with Waffle Croutons
Recipe courtesy of Woman’s World magazine
Yield: 4 servings

Cut 2 (4″) waffles into 1″ pieces. Whisk 1/2 cup Italian vinaigrette, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; toss 1/4 cup with waffles. Bake in 400F oven until golden. To leftover dressing, add 4 cups spinach, 3 slices cooked chopped bacon, 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved), 3/4 cup sliced mushrooms and 1/4 cup sliced onion (I used red) and croutons.

The Best Shrimp and Parsley Frittata
Recipe courtesy of Jamie’s Italy
Yield: 4 servings

6 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
10 medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, half roughly chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, salt, and pepper. Add cheese, parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice; add whole and chopped shrimp to egg mixture. In a small, heavy non-stick ovenproof skillet, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat; add egg mixture. Stir eggs slowly for 1 minute, then place pan in oven and cook 9-10 minutes, until frittata is slightly set in the middle. Remove pan from oven; sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

Peanut Satay Sauce
Recipe courtesy of ‘Ohana Restaurant
Yield: 1 quart or 6-8 servings

1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
3 cloves garlic
1 finger garlic
1/4 cup Spanish onion, diced
1 tablespoon chopped peanuts

Peel garlic and ginger. Add all ingredients together in a blender and pulse until smooth.

Spinach Artichoke Dip
Recipe courtesy of Grand Floridian Cafe

(Full recipe below; I halved recipe; it makes a ton)

2 lbs cream cheese
1/2 quart heavy cream
6 oz parmesan cheese
1/8 oz garlic powder
3 lbs frozen spinach
2 lbs artichoke hearts

In a food processor, process the cream cheese, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and garlic powder until smooth and creamy. Add the spinach and process until thoroughly mixed. Add the artichokes and process until coarsely chopped. Place 10 ounces of mix in large ramekin and bake in oven for 20 minutes at 350. Cool.

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