For many families, tamales are a delicious Christmas Eve tradition, with the process of making them with family and friends – scooping and smearing the dough, wrapping in corn husks and snugly tying – an endearing custom.

In this video, Disneyland Resort Chef Martha Sigala shows how she makes a vegetable tamale, basically a dumpling made with masa (hominy flour) dough filled with potatoes and carrots, then steamed in a natural wrapper (typically a corn husk or banana leaf). It takes lots of organization, and rolling takes a little practice, but the result is flavorful comfort food worthy of sharing.

Chef Martha shows you her technique in the video below, and the following recipe is from Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante in Disneyland park.

Vegetable Tamales
Makes 18 tamales

Red Chile Sauce
1 (3-ounce) bag dried California chiles (about 12 to 14 chiles)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch ground bay leaves (see Cook’s Notes below)

Vegetable Filling
4 large fresh pasilla peppers (may substitute poblano peppers)
2 medium russet potatoes
4 medium carrots
1/2 (1-pound) bag frozen sweet peas
1 pound queso fresco

Tamale Dough
3 1/2 cups masa harina (see Cook’s Notes below)
1/2 cup vegetable shortening at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Tamale Wrappers
24 dried corn husks, soaked in boiling hot water for 2 hours or overnight.

For red chili sauce:

1. Place chiles in a medium bowl. Pour 3 cups of boiling water over, submerging chiles completely in water. Soak for 2 hours.
2. Place soaked chiles into blender with the remaining ingredients. Add just enough water to cover chiles (no more than 2 cups). Purée until smooth.
3. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove skin and seeds, pressing on solids to push sauce through sieve. Set aside until ready to use.

For vegetable filling:

1. Place peppers on a baking sheet lined with foil. Place under a pre-heated broiler, about 2 inches below the heat. Broil until skin blisters and is charred, turning to evenly char each pepper.
2. Place peppers in a bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Steam in the bowl for about 5 minutes. Gently peel away skin. Cut off tops of peppers and discard stems and seeds. Cut peppers into strips about 3 inches long and 1/2-inch wide.
3. Peel potatoes, and place into a bowl of cold water. Cut each potato into strips 3 inches long and 1/2-inch square. Return potato strips to water until ready to use.
4. Peel carrots and cut into strips 3 inches long by 1/2-inch square.
5. Place frozen peas in a sieve and run under hot water until they turn bright green.
6. Crumble queso fresco and place in a small bowl. Set aside.

For tamale dough:

1. Place masa harina and shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Blend until shortening is evenly distributed through the masa.
2. Add chicken broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until mixture resembles the consistency of mashed potatoes. You may not use all of the broth.

For tamales:

1. Lay 1 cornhusk, concave side up, on a work surface. Place about 2 tablespoons tamale dough in an even layer across the wide end of the husk. The dough should be about 1/2 inch from the sides, 1 inch from the top and about 3 inches from the bottom.
2. Place 2 strips pepper, 1 piece potato, 1 piece carrot, 1 teaspoon peas and 1 teaspoon cheese in the center of the dough. Bring sides up to meet, pinching dough to seal, and then roll tamale into a cylinder. Fold the bottom of the husk up and under. Set tamale seam side down on a baking sheet or large platter. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
3. Add a few inches of water to a large stockpot, and place a steamer basket inside. Place tamales in steamer, stacking no more than 2 high. Place pot over high to bring water to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low. Steam tamales for about 90 minutes, or until the tamales start to separate from the cornhusks.
4. Serve with Red Chili Sauce.

Cook’s Notes:

• Masa harina (literally “dough flour”) is flour made from dried masa, which is made with sun- or fire-dried corn kernels. Masa harina may be found in the ethnic-foods aisle of grocery stores, or in Latin food markets.
• Ground bay leaves may be found in the ethnic foods aisle of grocery stores, or in Latin food markets.

Keep an eye on the Disney Parks Blog for more updates on the holiday season at Disney Parks, and join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #DisneyHolidays.

Tagged: Dining, DL, DLR, Holidays, Recipe, Video

Filed: Disney Dining, Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort

Wish you were spending Thanksgiving on a Disney Ship? Me too! Well, the good news is that we can bring a part of Disney Cruise Line to our homes this year.

Each Thanksgiving on Disney ships, a very special dessert is served: pumpkin cheesecake. If you want to get a taste of what it’s like to eat on a Disney ship for Thanksgiving, or if you simply want to wow your friends and family with a delicious dessert on “Turkey Day,” check out this video of how to make it at home.

Be sure to download the keepsake Disney Cruise Line recipe card for the complete ingredient list and cooking instructions!

Tagged: DCL, Dining, Recipe, Video

Filed: Disney Cruise Line, Disney Dining

Ever wondered what’s in that delicious Champagne cocktail served at Remy? Well you’re in luck! Disney Cruise Line Food and Beverage Manager Salah Chetbi gave us the secret in this video…

Take note of the ingredients listed below so you can impress your friends at your next dinner party. Á votre santé!

1 whole blueberry
1 mint leaf
1 piece dried apricot
5 oz. Champagne
1 oz. pear-infused vodka

In a Champagne cup, place blueberry and mint leaf. Add Champagne and pear-infused vodka. Finish with a piece of dried apricot.

For more Disney Cruise Line news, check out the posts below:

• A Magical Halloween Onboard the Disney Magic
• New Champagne Brunch at Disney Cruise Line’s Remy
• Disney Cruise Line Named No. 1 by Condé Nast Traveler Readers

Tagged: DCL, Dining, Recipe, Remy, Video

Filed: Disney Cruise Line, Disney Dining

We find every excuse to indulge on vacation, and recently, we had more than our share of these delicious tiny cupcakes when we booked a spa treatment during a stay at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa on the beautiful island of Oahu in Hawai`i.

Happily, the chef parted with the recipe – a wonderful little treat made with fresh zucchini and carrots. If you’re counting calories, just skip the buttercream frosting (but a little dab will do). And they top each cupcake with a tiny macaron, another low-fat indulgence.

If you’re lucky enough to be at Aulani, start with the hana pōhaku lomilomi heated stone massage and continue your bliss with one of these little cupcakes that they offer guests at the spa. But if you’re baking at home, this mini-indulgence is a treat all by itself.

Zucchini-Carrot Cupcakes

Makes 30 (2-inch) cupcakes

2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup finely diced peeled zucchini
1/2 cup finely diced peeled carrot
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup bran flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

• Preheat oven to 320°F.
• Whisk together eggs and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in zucchini, carrot, oil, and salt.
• Sift together bread flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Gently stir into egg mixture.
• Stir in bran flour and walnuts until incorporated.
• Lightly spray 30 flexible silicone 2-inch mini muffin molds with non-stick cooking spray. Scoop batter into molds, filling cups no more than 1/2 full.
• Cover molds with parchment paper and place a sheet pan on top to keep the cupcake tops flat while baking.
• Bake for 16 minutes. Cool completely. May be stored in freezer in airtight container to maintain moisture.
• If desired, frost with favorite butter cream.

Look below for more posts about Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa:

• Celebrating One Year at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
• Details Announced for Expanded Water Fun and Dining Options at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
• As Aulani Expands, Vacationers Can Enjoy a Five-Night Stay for the Price of Three Nights

Tagged: Aulani, Dining, DVC, Recipe

Filed: Aulani, Disney Dining, Disney Vacation Club

This dish is so delicious that it’s been on the menu since day one at California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. And while each chef has tweaked it a bit to make it their own, we’re sharing the original recipe below.

The video shows Chef Brian Piasecki’s version of Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli. Don’t be intimidated; the ravioli dough is store-bought won-ton wrappers. (And we’ve cheated and used our favorite vegetable juice in place of the tomato broth.)

Chef Brian is cooking at the beautiful Golden Oak at Walt Disney World Resort, where they offer custom, whole-ownership homes priced from $1.5 million. Check it out at www.DisneyGoldenOak.com.

Do you have a favorite dish at the California Grill?

Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli
California Grill
Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Serves 4 to 8

Clear Tomato Broth

15 ripe tomatoes, quartered
1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus additional to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
3/4 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and discarded
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3/4 cup thinly sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes


Roasted Garlic Purée

1 whole head garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil


Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli

1 pound soft, mild goat cheese, crumbled
2/3 cup plus 4 to 8 teaspoons grated aged goat cheese, divided
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons store-bought basil pesto
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Roasted Garlic Purée
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
16 eggroll wrappers*
Clear Tomato Broth, for serving
4 to 8 sprigs or pinches of baby basil leaves, for garnish
4 to 8 teaspoons of high-quality extra virgin olive oil, for garnish


For clear tomato broth:

1. Working in batches, coarsely chop tomatoes and salt in a blender.
2. Place a large mesh sieve lined with a double layer of damp cheesecloth over a large bowl. Pour chopped tomatoes into sieve and let mixture strain in refrigerator 24 hours.
3. Press on solids, squeezing juice from pulp. Reserve liquid in bowl and discard pulp. Set tomato broth aside.
4. Heat oil in a medium-large sauté pan over high heat. Add onion and mushrooms, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened.
5. Lower heat to low and add sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté 2 minutes more. Add mixture to tomato broth.
6. Heat broth in a large saucepan over medium-low heat; keep hot until ready to serve.

For roasted garlic purée:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cut stem and top third off of garlic head. Place garlic on a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil and drizzle with oil.
3. Wrap in foil, sealing edges tightly. Roast 1 hour. Unwrap garlic and set aside to cool to room temperature.
4. Squeeze roasted garlic from cloves into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Any unused puree can be refrigerated in a re-sealable container for up to 1 week.

For Sonoma goat cheese ravioli:

1. Combine fresh goat cheese, 2/3 cup aged goat cheese, breadcrumbs, pesto, olive oil, roasted garlic puree, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; mix until well combined. Set aside.
2. Whisk together egg and water in a small bowl; set aside. Lay out 8 eggroll wrappers on a work surface lightly dusted with cornstarch. Brush each wrapper with egg wash.
3. Divide goat cheese mixture evenly among wrappers, dolloping mixture in the center of each square.
4. Cover squares with remaining 8 wrappers. Press any air bubbles away from filling, then press all of the corners down and around filling. Use a large round cookie cutter just smaller than the eggroll wrappers to cut ravioli into large rounds.
5. Cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain completely.
6. Serve with Clear Tomato Broth and garnish with remaining 4 to 8 teaspoons aged goat cheese, baby basil, and extra virgin olive oil, if desired.

*Look for eggroll wrappers in the produce section of most supermarkets.


Cook’s Notes: If you are not using ravioli immediately, sprinkle lightly with cornstarch, and refrigerate in a sealed container between layers of waxed paper. If you don’t want to make the tomato broth, top the ravioli with chopped, seeded, ripe tomatoes.


Want more recipes from around Disney Parks? Take a look at the posts below:

• ‘Delicious Disney Holidays’ Newest in Cookbook Series
• Carthay Circle Lounge Cocktails, Appetizers Elevate Theme Park Eats at Disney California Adventure Park
• Easy Apple Crisp from Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa at the Disneyland Resort

Tagged: Dining, Recipe, Video, WDW

Filed: Disney Dining, Hotels & Resorts, Walt Disney World Resort

Joining “Delicious Disney Desserts” and “Delicious Disney Just for Kids,” the new “Delicious Disney Holidays” is the latest on the shelves in Disney stores. We had the pleasure of working with the Disney chefs to come up with 20 perfect recipes for this treasure of Disney holiday favorites, starting with New Year’s Eve flatbreads and ending with a Christmas yule log.

In between, we’ve got chocolate truffle cake for Valentine’s Day, hot cross buns for Easter, coconut-crusted tofu in miso broth for Earth Day and roasted garlic-orange pork ribs for Fourth of July. There are Jack Skellington sugar cookies for Halloween and smoked salmon and herb muffins for Hanukkah.

One of my favorites is the sweet potato pancakes with honey-pecan butter from The Wave… of American Flavors at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. The book suggests them for Mother’s Day, but we mix a batch on a lazy weekend morning and everyone feels special.

Sweet Potato Pancakes With Honey-Pecan Butter
Serves 4 to 6

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato (from about 1 small sweet potato)
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

1. Preheat oven to 225°F.
2. Sift flour into a large bowl. Add baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and whisk until
   combined.
3. Combine milk, brown sugar, sweet potato, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl; whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, and stir until just blended.
4. Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium-low heat until a few drops of water sizzle on the surface. If using an electric skillet, preheat to 350°F.
5. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto skillet. Cook on first side until tops bubble and sides look dry; flip and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes more.
6. Place cooked pancakes on a baking sheet and place into preheated oven to keep warm. Repeat
   process with remaining batter.
7. Stir together butter, honey and pecans in a medium bowl.
8. Top pancakes with honey-pecan butter, and serve immediately.

Tagged: Dining, DLR, Holidays, Recipe, WDW

Filed: Disney Dining, Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort

We can’t think of many places more special than the cool downstairs lounge at Carthay Circle Restaurant, where guest can sip a classy cocktail and relax – hard to imagine you’re in a theme park when you settle back in the comfy chairs and order a Pimm’s Punch, pear martini or the divine Bloody Mary (garnished with a dehydrated, horseradish-crusted tomato), all served in elegant glassware. Even the ice is drink-specific.

Add an order of the deviled eggs with smoked salmon and lemon crème fraîche, duck confit sliders or roasted Moroccan lamb meatballs and you’ll be totally transported to your happy place.

This short clip shows the bartenders in action. And below is the recipe for the classic Bloody Mary. We don’t have a recipe for the dehydrated horseradish-crusted tomato garnish, but it sips just fine without. Cheers!

Carthay Circle Lounge Bloody Mary
Serves 1

1.5 ounces Belvedere Bloody Mary Vodka
3 ounces Finest Call Loaded Bloody Mary Mix
1/4 ounce Fee Brothers Zesty Deli Dill Pickle Brine
4 drops The Bitter End BBQ Bitters
Dill sprig, dehydrated horseradish-crusted tomato slice, for garnish, optional

With ice, shake together vodka, Bloody Mary mix, pickle brine and bitters in a mixing glass. Strain over fresh ice in a tumbler and garnish with a dill sprig and dehydrated tomatoes, if desired.

Want more recipes from around Disney Parks? Take a look at the posts below:

• Easy Apple Crisp from Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa at the Disneyland Resort
• Stamping Your Passport at Skyline on the Disney Fantasy
• Mediterranean Kabobs from Paradise Garden Grill at Disney California Adventure Park

Tagged: DCA, Dining, DLR, Recipe, Video

Filed: Disney California Adventure Park, Disney Dining, Disneyland Resort