August 2015 - NY Foodie Family

Disney Vacation Recap

Posted on August 31, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

And we are back from our six night, seven day Disney vacation. If you follow along on Instagram, then you have seen some of the fun and food (yes, there was LOTS of food) we had on this trip. The last time we went to Disney, our kids were 3 and 5. My son doesn’t remember anything from his first trip, except for what he sees in the scrapbook that I made of the vacation. We were really excited for this trip because he’s now seven and we could all ride the roller coasters together.

We ended up leaving on Wednesday night at 10 PM and driving straight through the night. The goal was for us to get past Washington D.C. before morning rush hour. We actually made it to North Carolina by 7:30 AM, where the Weekend Chef took a little detour to get some Krispy Kreme doughnuts and of course….coffee!

We had hotel reservations in Savannah Georgia and made it there by 2:00 PM with lots of bathroom and stretch breaks along the way. We ate at our first Waffle House and then went to the hotel and crashed for several hours. We woke up, watched some television and by 10 PM we were all asleep again. We were exhausted! We woke up around 6:30 the next morning, had breakfast at the hotel and then left for Disney. We arrived at Disney Pop Century hotel around 1 PM and were able to get into our room early.

We unpacked and then headed to the pool. We decided not to do a park the first day since we weren’t sure what time we’d get to the hotel and had 6 PM dinner reservations at Cape May restaurant at the Beach Club Resort.

Saturday we spent the day at Magic Kingdom with a lunch break at Whispering Canyon at the Wilderness Lodge Resort.

Sunday we spent the day at Animal Kingdom with dinner reservations at Tusker House with Mickey and other characters.

Monday we had breakfast at the Contemporary Hotel with Chef Mickey and Friends and then headed to Hollywood Studios for the day.

Tuesday we spent the day at Epcot and had dinner at Akershus in Norway with the Princesses. Wednesday we were back at the Magic Kingdom and later had dinner at Ohana at the Polynesian Resort.

Thursday we spent the day at Epcot and ended up leaving around 8 PM to start our drive back home. We stayed at the same hotel in Savannah, Georgia Thursday night, got up at 6:30 AM (or more like 7 in my case!) and spent the entire day driving home. We ended up getting home at 1:30 AM!

Despite the heat and crowds, we had an amazing trip to Disney. With my super planning before we left, coordinating Extra Magic Hours, Fast Passes, dining reservations, etc. we feel like we did everything that we wanted on this trip. We rode all the major rides and my son only cried after Space Mountain, Expedition Everest, Tower of Terror and Haunted Mansion (I had to walk him out after the intro of Haunted Mansion, he didn’t even make it on the ride!).

We have tons of character autographs including at least three different Mickeys, Aladdin, Princess Tiana and Dr. Facilier (as seen above, from The Princess and the Frog, which we own and I’ve never seen!) Mary Poppins and Alice in Wonderland! I referred to Disney lover Brenda from Chatting Over Chocolate prior to our trip about the Memory Maker package and ended up purchasing it. Between our cell phones, our DSLR camera and the Memory Maker package we have TONS of photos!

And of course, we tried to make the most of our meal plan, trying new restaurants and eating lots of yummy treats!

Unfortunately, the way we do Disney (at the park when it opens and staying until the fireworks/night time show/etc.) is not relaxing. We’ve spent the weekend catching up on sleep and getting readjusted to “real life.” We think we may do another Disney vacation in four years or so, with our next big vacation being something more relaxing!

And We’re Off!

Posted on August 19, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

The photo above is the last page in the scrapbook that I made from our last Disney trip in 2011. Four years later and we are finally on our way back. The car is jam packed with our bags, snacks and hopefully lots of fun things to keep the kids occupied (yes, we’re driving this time…..not sure if we’re crazy or not. We’ll let you know when we get back!)! We are leaving tonight from New York and after a quick night in Savannah, Georgia will be in Orlando by early Friday afternoon. Things will be quiet around here while we’re away, but you can follow along on our adventure on Instagram! We will post plenty about our trip when we get back! Enjoy these last few weeks of summer!

Food Trucks!

Posted on August 18, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

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Food Trucks! by Mark Todd
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This picture book is a timely one, as food trucks are so popular. Todd introduces readers to all different types of food trucks beginning with “Mornin’ Joe” a breakfast truck to “Cheddar Chuck” a grilled cheese truck to “Dutch” a pretzel truck and many more. Each truck has a descriptive poem accompanying it. The illustrations are colorful and detailed with interesting and themed trucks as well as appropriately themed menus. Each page also includes interesting facts and information relating to that particular food truck’s theme. While I googled some of these trucks, it appears that they are fictional, but based on actual food themed trucks out there. This was a fun read for both the kids as well as us parents. After reading this book you will probably want to go visit some food trucks!

*This book was borrowed from the library.

We highly recommend watching the movie Chef, though not child-appropriate, it will make you want to open a food truck and travel the country! Check out our past review.

Depending on where you are in the country, check out the sites below to find food trucks in your area!

If you are in New York City, you can visit NYCTruckFood.com to track food trucks in the area.

If you are in the DC area, you can visit Foodtruckfiesta.com to track food trucks in the area.

If you are in the Boston area, you can visit CityofBoston.gov to find a food truck schedule.

If you are in the LA area you can visit FindLAfoodtrucks.com to track food trucks in the area.

If you are in the San Diego area you can visit SDfoodtrucks.com to track food trucks in the area.

If you are in the Seattle area you can visit Seattlefoodtruck.com to track food trucks in the area.

Atlanta has a Food Truck Park & Market!

If you are in the Miami area you can visit Miami Food Trucks for information on the trucks and to track their locations.

Meal Plan {Week 10}

Posted on August 17, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Here’s a look at what was cooking in our kitchen last week. Hopefully, it will help inspire some ideas for your own meal planning!

Saturday – We had Supper Club. This month’s theme was “Food On a Stick.” I made Teriyaki Portobello Mushroom Kabobs and the Weekend Chef made Dulce de Limon Ice Pops. Everything was delicious!

Sunday – We went out to The Melting Pot for a belated birthday celebration for our son. It was a fondue extravaganza!

Monday – I made Gnocchi with Zucchini, Sweet Corn and Basil. This is a great summer recipe, where I was able to use the basil that I’ve been growing. We all enjoyed this. I served with tomato and mozzarella slices.

Tuesday – I was planning on making a chicken dish that called for more basil and a cram sauce. I just wasn’t feeling it though so I ended up just making breaded chicken cutlets, rice and tomato slices (that we grew from the garden box!).

Wednesday – The kids were away and I made Crispy Buffalo Wing Shrimp with Blue Cheese Grits. This was ah-mazing! I could just eat the blue cheese grits by themselves they were THAT good…..but adding the buffalo wing shrimp….yum! I’ve made grits before and the kids don’t like them, so this isn’t a dish that I’d make again for them. When it’s just the Weekend Chef and I, umm, yeah, this will be happening again!

Thursday – The Weekend Chef made Pineapple Dak Bulgogi (Pineapple Korean BBQ Chicken). He pre-made the marinade the night before. I got home and sliced the chicken so it could marinate for an hour or so. The pineapple was sitting in the marinade since the night before though and absorbed the spiciness of the gochujang. I could only eat a couple of pieces of the pineapple it was so spicy. The chicken though was delicious. Again, this was a dish that would be too spicy for the kids but perfect for just the Weekend Chef and I. He served this with rice and the leftover vegetables from my Supper Club kabobs.

Friday – I made an adapted version of this Guacamole Pizza. I wish I had the Portobello mushrooms, but when I went to use the ones I had bought they had started molding…yuck! And I wasn’t running out to the grocery store in the middle of dinner prep to get some. The kids dislike avocados and guacamole, so this was another meal that I was saving for just the Weekend Chef and I. This pizza was good….if you like guacamole. If you do decide to make it, be sure to eat the whole thing the day of. Leftovers did not taste nearly as good….or look as good.

Friday Favorites {Week 27}

Posted on August 14, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Yeah for another Friday! Next Friday we will be in Disney World! Woohoo! The end of summer is speeding by and we’ve been trying to squeeze in as much fun as possible. I spent the past two days at training for my new job and I should be all set now for September. We talk to the kids every night before they go to bed and they seem to be enjoying their stay at their grandparents. Here are some of this week’s favorites:

1. Regal Summer Movie Express $1 Movies – The kids were in camp for most of July when I found out about Regal Summer Movie Express. Each Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 AM, Regal theaters show two different movies for $1 each. The movies are older, but it’s fun for the kids to see a movie on the big screen. This past week’s choices were Madagascar 3 or Dolphin Tale 2. The kids had already seen Dolphin Tale 2 so we watched Madagascar 3. I’m not a big fan of sequels, but this movie was funny! Next summer we will have to make more use out of this deal!

2. Favorite bookmarked recipe of the week – This 5-Ingredient Baked Spinach and Mozzarella Ravioli Florentine. This looks like an easy weeknight meal, perfect for once the school year starts and schedule craziness ensues.

3. Neutrogena sunblock – I bought this sunscreen at Walmart for $10. I hate the greasy feeling of having sunscreen on my face. This is the second time I’ve purchased a Neutrogena face sunscreen and I love it. It absorbs quickly without leaving me with a greasy/yucky feeling on my face. This is coming to Disney with us!

4. Garden Tomatoes – Our tomato plants have been finally producing tomatoes. Almost daily we’re picking ripe tomatoes. It’s hard to tell from the above picture, but that tomato was as big as the Weekend Chef’s hand! The kids were amazed!

5. Kohl’s sale – I got an e-mail yesterday that Kohl’s was taking an extra 20% off the already low clearance prices. Add that with my 30% off coupon and the ability to earn Kohl’s Cash…..well, I couldn’t not go! I needed t-shirts for Disney and picked up sunglasses and some shorts at amazing prices! I’m not sure if it’s just our local Kohl’s or if it’s nationwide, but it’s definitely worth checking out!

Hope you have a great weekend! Linking up with Tif @ Bright on a Budget, Amanda from Meet @ The Barre and Andrea from Momfessionals.

Cheesy Taco Skillet

Posted on August 13, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

I have a tasty recipe for you today! When I see any recipe with “taco” I’m almost guaranteed that it will be a hit with the kids (wait, who am I kidding?!! I mean my son, the picky eater! My daughter eats almost everything). This dish is basically a taco without the shell. I served the mixture over rice but it would be a great taco or burrito filling. Next time I make this, and there will definitely be a next time, I’m also going to add a can of black beans and possibly add another tablespoon of taco seasoning. This was a quick, easy and delicious recipe that we all loved!

Cheesy Taco Skillet
Recipe adapted from Sweet C’s Designs

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey
1 onion, diced
Kernels from 3 ears of fresh corn
1 (14.5) ounce can diced tomatoes with jalapenos
2 Tbsp. taco seasoning (I used Penzeys)
1/2 cup water
2 cups shredded Colby jack cheese
3 cups mustard greens, chopped (any greens will do – kale, spinach, etc.)
2 cups cooked rice

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, brown the turkey, breaking up into crumbles as it cooks and draining any excess fat.

2. Add the onions and corn kernels cooking for approximately 5 minutes until onions start softening.

3. Add the diced tomatoes, taco seasoning and water, stirring to evenly coat the meat mixture. Once combined add the greens mixing until wilted.

4. Cover the mixture with the shredded cheese. Once melted serve over the cooked rice.

What’s Hap-“Pinning” {Volume 1}

Posted on August 12, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

So, I’m always game for a good link-up! I recently discovered the new What’s Hap-“Pinning” link-up hosted by Jessi and Jenn. Unfortunately, I haven’t been too busy pinning things on Pinterest so I’ll just share what’s going on with NY Foodie Family. The kids left today to spend a couple of days with their grandparents. The kids will get to spend some quality time with the Weekend Chef’s parents. It’s not all fun and games for the Weekend Chef and I though. He has his normal work week and I get to spend today and tomorrow in training for my new job that starts in September. We may have some fun things planned for the weekend though!

My Goodreads TBR list just doubled yesterday after linking up and getting new recommendations from the Show Us Your Books Link-Up hosted by Steph and Jana.

I had to get a PPD for work. I spent an hour on Monday waiting to get into the room for something that literally took 30 seconds. Did I mention I had both kids with me, who were luckily super patient! Lucky me gets to go back today to get it checked. It better be quick though since I have to be down at training and can’t sit and wait for an hour to be seen!

I’ve been so busy binge watching shows on Netflix that I forgot that I hadn’t seen the latest season of Grey’s Anatomy. Whenever I’ve been able to get a chance to watch television, this is what I’ve been watching.

I’ve been reading this book for what feels like forever. I’m only about half-way through but it’s really good! It’s been on my TBR list for what seems like forever and I finally decided to read it.

As of today, we have 9 more days until we are in Disney! The countdown has begun!

July Reads

Posted on August 11, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Today I’m linking up with Steph and Jana for their Show Us Your Books monthly link-up. I love seeing what everyone’s been reading and love to add new books to my to be read pile! Having the summer off has made for lots of reading time! I got nine books read in July. This month I’m sharing my books by how I rated them.

3 stars:

14th Deadly Sin by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro – I am still enjoying this series by Patterson. While this isn’t thought provoking, quality literature, I enjoy the fast-paced suspense of his books. Plus, fourteen books in now, I enjoy the characters of the Women’s Murder Club.

Disney After Dark (The Kingdom Keepers #1) by Ridley Pearson – The kids and I listened to this children’s chapter book on CD on one of our drives up to Rhode Island. My daughter has read four of the books in this series and had been trying to get me to read the first book. This first book focuses on five young teens who need to battle villains at Walt Disney World to save the park. This series is aimed for middle school readers and is a bit dark if I must say. There’s a part where the dolls of the It’s a Small World ride come to life and try to attack the kids! Even though the series is aimed at older readers, she enjoys “scary” books like the R.L. Stine’s Goosebump series. While I probably won’t be reading any more in this series, I’m okay with her enjoying them.

The Knockoff by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza – This is what you’d expect of typical chick-lit. When Imogen returns to work as editor-in-chief of Glossy magazine after a six month medical leave she discovers that her former assistant Eve is trying to take over. Eve is much younger and more tech-savvy with different ideas on how the magazine should be run. This was a mindless summer read but nothing to write home about.

Re Jane by Patricia Park – This book has been advertised as a Korean American retelling of Jane Eyre. I’m not sure that I’ve read the classic Jane Eyre and if I have, I didn’t remember it. It was interesting to learn more about Korean customs and traditions and the struggles of a young woman trying to live in two cultures and feeling like she doesn’t really fit in either very well. Regardless, this book was only okay for me.

The Rose Effect by Graeme Simsion – I really enjoyed the first book The Rosie Project. While this book had the occasional humorous bits, overall it was only an okay read for me.

The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand – This is a summer read, set in Nantucket, like Hilderbrand’s previous novels. Long-time friends Madeline and Grace end up being the topic of a rumor, as the title suggests. This book is filled with infidelity, friendship and deceit. An okay summer beach read.

4 stars:

Little Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan – I was pleasantly surprised by this book. While I thought it would be a traditional chick-lit type book, it had a bit more substance. When Polly’s marriage fails she packs up and rents a small flat above a bakery in the isolated sea town of Polbearne. She ends up turning to baking which brings her income and helps her forge friendships.

Where They Found Her by Kimberly McCreight – I read McCreight’s Reconstructing Amelia and enjoyed it. This book focuses on the body of a dead infant that was found in the woods as authorities try to figure out whose baby it is. This book was a suspenseful page-turner with lots of twists. I even gave it to my husband to read!

5 stars:

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks – I don’t know why I waited so long to read this. Luckily, the movie came out recently and I want to see it, but I won’t usually watch the movie until I read the book! I’m a sucker for a good love story and a happy ending which Sparks is excellent at providing! There are two parallel love stories occurring throughout this book. I thought the bull riding and horses in this book would be a turn-off, but I really enjoyed this book.

Meal Plan {Week 9}

Posted on August 10, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Last week’s menu was filled with tasty dinners and LOTS of fresh produce! As a volunteer at the food pantry, we are asked to take the leftover fresh produce, or else it ends up going bad. Last week I came home with swiss chard, mustard greens, corn on the cob, carrots and squash! I am happy to say that we cooked and ate it all, minus a bunch of carrots that are still sitting on our counter.

Saturday – We went to our neighbor’s potluck BBQ. The Weekend Chef made coleslaw and potato salad.

Sunday – The Weekend Chef made Peppers & Greens Skillet Hash from the Moosewood Restaurant New Classic Cookbook. Topped with a fried egg, this was a tasty vegetarian dish in which we were able to use the swiss chard.

Monday – We had One Pot Cheesy Taco Skillet over rice. I adapted this recipe a bit and will be posting my version on the blog soon. It was a hit with the kids, easy to prepare and we will be having this again soon!

Tuesday – I made BBQ Bacon Peach Chicken Calzones from blog Melanie Makes. Her original recipe called for turnovers using frozen puff pastry. At over $5 a package, with the recipe using two packages I opted for a cheaper alternative and used pizza dough to make calzones. I had featured this recipe as my favorite bookmarked recipe of the week in a recent Friday Favorites post. These calzones had many of the kids’ favorite ingredients and they ate these right up. I found them to be a bit sweet, which might have been due to the barbecue sauce I used (Kraft). As much as the kids enjoyed these, I told them that I would NOT be making these again, only due to the sheer number of steps and dishes it required! I had to roast the peaches and cook the bacon. I had to cook the chicken. Then I had to bake the calzones. It was just too time-consuming for me! I served these with corn on the cob.

Wednesday – I made Squash Pie adapting it from this Zucchini Pie recipe from Life According to Steph. This time I used a variety of squash, but I’ve made it previously using just zucchini. The kids like this a lot and it’s another recipe keeper. I served this with a salad.

Thursday – I made what I’m calling Caprese Pasta inspired by this Summer Pasta recipe from Green Fashionista. This was another recipe that I recently featured as my favorite bookmarked recipe of the week in a Friday Favorite’s post. I changed the recipe quite a bit but was inspired by Kate’s recipe. It too will be making an appearance soon on the blog! I served this with a salad and garlic bread.

Friday – We had pizza with my parents at their place. A night off from cooking is a plus!

Friday Favorites {Week 26}

Posted on August 7, 2015 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Happy Friday! This was the kids’ last week of camp and then we have a couple of weeks home together before the big Disney trip. Summer is almost over! Here are some of this week’s favorites:

1. Duolingo – I found this app and now the whole family has it! It’s a free way to learn a language. As seen above, I am attempting to learn some Spanish. Seeing that the five years of high school French that I took have been pretty useless, I figured it was time to learn a little Spanish.

2. Neighbors with pools – Last Saturday one of our neighbors had a BBQ, inviting a couple families from our street over for a potluck dinner. The kids spent the majority of the time in their pool. Sunday, the kids were invited back to go swimming. While our yard is not big enough to have a pool, the Weekend Chef and I both have said we wouldn’t want a pool, even if we could have one. Yeah for our neighbors who are always inviting us over to swim!

3. Favorite bookmarked recipe of the week – I bookmarked these Grilled Mesquite Pork Tacos with Apple Glaze. The pork with the diced apple make me think of fall. While I’m not trying to rush the rest of the summer, these might be making an appearance on one of our September or October weekly meal plans.

4. Impromptu game night – The other night after dinner the kids wanted to play a game. After much debate, they finally agreed upon Monopoly Junior. Luckily, Monopoly Junior games don’t last as regular Monopoly games!

5. Crossy Road – If you are looking for a mindless, time-wasting game, download this app and then thank my son! He’s had this game for awhile and since then has convinced the Weekend Chef, my daughter and finally myself to get it. It’s a never-ending time wasting game reminiscent of the arcade classic Frogger.

Hope you have a great weekend! Linking up with Tif @ Bright on a Budget, Jennie from The Diary of a Real Housewife and Andrea from Momfessionals.