Magic Carpet Poptarts Recipe

Disney Movie Nights are a family tradition in our home.

Typically, we pick the movie at the beginning of the week and brainstorm the menu as a family. We think of foods mentioned or shown in the movie, discuss if the movie has cultural influences that could also be used to influence our menu and also talk about natural tie-ins (like a monkeybread for Abu the monkey, etc).

I’ve always used these movie nights as a way to introduce new foods and flavors, but I tend to stick to one “new” recipe and round out the rest of the menu with fun twists on foods that I already know my family is going to love. It helps make the new food a little less intimidating and also makes it a little less daunting for me in the kitchen than if I was to risk preparing a full menu that the whole family might snub.

For our family’s Aladdin movie night, we decided to make:

• a Watermelon Salad with apples, pistachios and feta – watermelon, pistachios and apples are all mentioned in the movie so we created an Aladdin-themed twist on a watermelon-feta salad with a honey-based dressing
• Chicken Shawarma Bowls – I’ve made chicken shawarma a few times, but always without the traditional “accompaniments” like pickles, picked turnips, tomatoes, etc. My daughter in particular is very picky when it comes to pickled vegetables so this was a fun way to present them in a low-stress atmosphere. She could try them, or not (for REALLY picky eaters, you can use a segmented plate)
• a duo of Aladdin-themed drinks: Genie’s cotton candy punch and Jafar’s pomegranate ginger ale
• and finally, two desserts: homemade Baklava and Magic Carpet Poptarts

Usually, we have a craft or fun activity for our movie nights (since the movie only takes up about an hour and a half of the night) but instead of a craft, I thought it would be fun to let the kids make their own Magic Carpets Poptarts!

We made a very simple two-ingredient homemade poptart together and after they were cooled down, we made frosting and pulled out the sprinkles and the kids decorated their own individual tarts to look like Magic Carpets!

Ella decided to pull up a Google image of the magic carpet to ensure her tart was decorated “properly” – but everyone had fun and I think they all turned out pretty cute!

How to Make Magic Carpet Poptarts

1. Make your poptarts using pre-made pie crust dough and a favorite jam
2. Crimp the edges of the tarts using a fork – this prevents the jam from leaking out and also gives it the impression of a carpet “fringe”
3. Bake the poptarts as you prepare purple and blue icing with powdered sugar, cream and vanilla extract to decorate your poptarts
4. Allow the poptarts to cool before decorating
5. Decorate the poptarts with the prepared frosting, using toothpicks for the intricate details
6. Add gold sprinkle embellishments, as desired

Pin this Easy Aladdin Dessert Recipe for Your Next Family Movie Night:

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Yield: 6-7 Servings

Magic Carpet Poptarts

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A fun Disney-inspired dessert perfect for an Aladdin Movie Night, these Magic Carpet Poptarts are a cute dessert for kids to make and decorate.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• Prepared Pie Dough
• 1/3 cup Strawberry Jam
• Powdered Icing Sugar
• 3-5 Tablespoons Table Cream, as needed
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Purple and Blue Food Dye, as desired
• Gold Sprinkles, as desired

Instructions

1. On a clean cutting board or floured surface, roll out the pie crust doughs.

1. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into approximately 2.5" by 4" rectangles.
2. Try to match up approximate pairs of the cut-up pie dough rectangles.
3. Place one of each of the pairs' rectangles on a greased cookie sheet. These are the "bottoms" of the poptarts.
4. Spread 1 Tablespoon of jam down the middle of each of the poptart bottoms, avoiding about 1/2" around the edges.
5. Place the matching/top poptart squares over the bottom poptart squares and gently create a seal around the jam filling by pressing the pie dough together.
6. Use a fork to crimp the edges of the poptarts, which also creates a "fringe" for the magic carpets.
7. Bake at 350F for 15-18 minutes.

To Decorate the Poptarts

1. Allow the poptarts to cool completely before frosting.
2. For the frosting, whisk together the powdered/confectioner's sugar, cream and vanilla extract.
3. Scoop 1/3 of the frosting into a separate bowl.
4. Dye the main bowl of frosting purple and dye the smaller bowl of frosting blue.
5. Spread the purple frosting onto the cooled poptarts using an off set spatula or butter knife.
6. Use a toothpick to add details with the blue frosting.
7. Garnish with gold sprinkles, as desired.
8. Allow frosting to set/dry completely for 10 minutes before storing or serving.

This is a great dessert to make with the kids – whether you’re making it as part of a Disney movie night or as a fun Aladdin party activity. And I don’t think any kid would object to one of these cute tarts making their way into their lunchboxes!

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While some of our favorite Disney dining spots are table-service meals, for the most part we rely on quick service locations to keep us happy and fed during our Disney vacations. They’re fast, inexpensive, usually don’t require dining reservations – and most of them serve up some pretty great food.

One of our family’s absolute favorite quick service meals is Disney Springs’ Chicken Guy!

(By the way, the exclamation point behind Chicken Guy! is not to indicate my excitement, although I am excited when we are heading there to eat. The exclamation point is a part of the restaurant name. I just thought I would clear that up before you continue reading and then wonder why I keep using the exclamation point. LOL!)

Disney Springs’ Chicken Guy!

Chicken Guy! was founded by celebrity chef Guy Fieri and renowned restaurateur Robert Earl. The Disney Springs location was it’s fourth location and it now currently has seven locations:

1. Miami, FL,
2. Landover, MD
3. Santa Clara, CA
4. Disney Springs
5. Gatlinburg, TN
6. Nashville, TN
7. And it’s newest location Winter Park, FL which is a stone’s throw from Magic Kingdom

According to their website, more locations will be opening soon – which is not surprising because the food here needs to be experienced in as many places as possible.

The Sauces at Chicken Guy!

Now let’s talk about why we love Flavortown – they offer one-of-a-kind, all-natural fresh chicken tenders paired with a wide selection of delicious sauces. There are over 20 house-made sauces to choose from. Try one or try them all; it is your call.

The complete list of sauces (as of now) include:

• Special Sauce: a blend of ketchup, mayo, mustard, pickle juice, and a proprietary spice blend.
• Donkey Sauce: mayo meets roasted garlic, mustard, and Worcestershire with a squeeze of lemon.
• Ranchero: roasted tomatoes, bell peppers, and chilies, seasoned with cumin, garlic, onion, and cilantro.
• Curry Mayo: a combination of coriander, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, garlic, lime, and of course – mayo.
• Wasabi Honey: simply wasabi, honey, and a hint of lime.
• Cumin Lime Mojo: featuring cumin, lime, cilantro, and roasted garlic. 
• Garlic Parmesan: mayo with roasted garlic and parmesan, a little black pepper, and parsley. 
• Avocado Crema: avocados and sour cream, complemented with cilantro and lime flavors. 
• Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ: brown sugar, molasses, apple cider vinegar, and a splash of Kentucky bourbon. 
• Buffalo: a blend of red chilis and jalapenos, garlic and onion, with a hint of paprika and vinegar.
• Bleu Cheese: bleu cheese crumbles, mayo, sour cream, and lemon. 
• Buttermilk Ranch: a combination of buttermilk and mayo, seasoned with dill, chives, onion, and garlic.  
• Lemon Pepper: mayo paired with lemon, black pepper, and a little honey.
• Honey Mustard: honey, yellow mustard, mayo, and a bit of lemon juice. 
• Teriyaki: infused with soy sauce, sesame, garlic, and brown sugar.
• Sweet N’ Sour: the flavors of orange, pineapple, honey, and vinegar.
• Chipotle Ranch: chipotle peppers mixed with buttermilk ranch, and smoked paprika.
• Nashville Hot Honey: honey paired with red chilies, cayenne pepper, garlic, and onion.
• Peri-Peri: roasted red bell pepper and chilies, seasoned with garlic, onion, paprika, oregano, and a splash of lemon. 
• Habanero Hot Sauce: habanero peppers mixed with vinegar, onion, and garlic. 
• Spicy Mayo: a combination of roasted red chilis and chipotle peppers with cayenne, honey, and mayo. 
• Sweet Sriracha BBQ: a roasted red pepper puree with tomatoes, onions, and a hint of molasses and brown sugar. 

My favorite sauce so far is a tie between the garlic parmesan and donkey sauce but I am still working my way through their impressive array of sauces. Like anything we do on Disney World property, our goal is to try everything at least once… and that includes the delicious sauces!

The Menu

Chicken Guy!’s menu offers a variety of options such as all-natural chicken tenders, skewers, sandwiches, salads and can be paired with some amazing side options as well. Chicken Guy Fries, Mac Daddy Mac ‘n Cheese, American Slaw, Fried Pickle Chip, or my personal favorite Loaded Fries are ALL on the menu!

I know Guy Fieri can be a bit of a polarizing figure as a celebrity chef, but there is no debating that this man and his team of recipe developers know their flavors. Everything I’ve had from his restaurants has been absolutely delicious.

Gluten-Free Chicken Guy! 

Ever since travelling to DisneyWorld with my friend and her daughter who had nut and gluten allergies, I’ve tried to take note of how the different restaurants on Disney property handle the needs of those guests.

Unlike a lot of chicken restaurants that use peanut oil, according to the manager I spoke to, Chicken Guy!’s menu is completely nut-free. There are also many gluten-free options available:

• A gluten-free bun can be substituted in any chicken sandwich.
• The chicken can be grilled instead of breaded.
• Fries are made with caution to food allergies.
• A salad can be ordered with the grilled chicken and without croutons.

The best part is… even with these adjustments, the food is still AMAZING. One of my favorite allergy-friendly dishes is the loaded fries. At Chicken Guy!, they are smothered in SMC (so much cheese), chopped crispy or grilled chicken, bacon & green onions. We had the ones with the grilled chicken on our last visit.

Did You Know Dessert Options Are Available?

While we have not tried them yet, you can add a frozen treat such as a handspun soft serve to your visit. Triple Double Mint or Cinnamon Apple both sound amazing!

Tip: If you are looking for something a bit sweeter while visiting Disney Springs, try Erin McKenna’s Bakery!

Disney Springs’ Chicken Guy! Hours

This location is open for lunch and dinner. With so much to do and see at Disney Springs, this fun little restaurant will allow you to grab a quick bite – no reservations required. However, wait times will vary depending on the time of day you are planning to visit.

We cannot wait for our next visit to Flavortown – we have a lot more food and sauces to try, plus soft-serve desserts! My mouth is watering now, just thinking about it. I guess we need to plan another trip soon!

If you are a chicken lover, dipping sauce fanatic, or enjoy loaded fries as I do, then you for sure need to add Chicken Guy! at Disney Springs to your dining list. This is a great restaurant for first-time visitors to Disney as well as seasoned travelers. 

What is one of your favorite quick-service restaurants at Disney World? Come on over to Facebook and join us at Disney Express Lane to let us know!

More Dining Posts:

• Tiffins Restaurant at Animal Kingdom
• Be Our Guest: Why Breakfast Here is a Must!
• Tony’s Town Square Restaurant at Magic Kingdon
• Turner House Restaurant at Animal Kingdom
• The Best Restaurants for First Time Visitors to Disney

The post Why We Love Disney Springs’ Chicken Guy (And So Will You) appeared first on WaltExpress.com.

5 Money Saving Snacks in Hollywood Studios

Popcorn

Cupcakes

“Totchos”

Frozen Drinks

Jack’s Num Num Cookie

Honorable Mentions:

Lunch Box Tart

Carrot Cake Cookies

Mickey Pretzels

Of course, Mickey Pretzels are always a great bang-for-your-buck snack. As you can see in the image above, they are huge and shareable. 

5 Money Saving Snacks 

Have you tried any of our favorite money-saving snacks mentioned? I’d love to hear your thoughts or any of your own personal favorite snacks from Hollywood Studios!

Come visit us over at Disney Express Lane! If you are looking for information regarding snacks, here is a great blog post with info about snacks in Disney’s Magic Kingdom .

The post 5 Money Saving Snacks You Can Find In Disney’s Hollywood Studios appeared first on WaltExpress.com.

Copycat Recipes: Mickey Waffles

Seriously, I don’t know a single person who has tried Mickey Waffles and not loved them! While we try to enjoy as many new Disney snacks and meals as possible whenever we visit, we always make a point to have at least one classic DisneyWorld breakfast complete with those light, crunchy and not-too-sweet Mickey Waffles.

For those who haven’t been lucky enough to try them at the parks, they have the texture of a Belgian waffle – crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside – however, they aren’t sweet like Belgian waffles so you can add all of your favorite indulgent toppings without it being too sweet.

Because as far as I’m concerned, you can never have too much of a good thing – I’ve bought an amazing waffle maker and learned how to make Mickey waffles at home… and we make them quite a bit!

While we’ve perfected a from-scratch recipe… I have a secret to tell you.

Those Disney waffles? The ones everyone says taste worlds better than any waffles they’ve ever had before? They are made with a mix. And it’s the same mix that many of us have used at continental breakfasts across the US – Golden Malted Waffle Mix.

They come in both the standard and a gluten-free mix, so even gluten-free families can enjoy these waffles at home. I’ll still share the from-scratch recipe below… but I’ll tell you, the Golden Malted mix is just as good – and a heck of a lot less work!

Regardless if you make them from a mix or from-scratch, you will want to invest in a good-quality Mickey Waffle maker. I tried a cheap $30 model and even with the same recipe, it yielded soft waffles that were more like pancakes. You need a waffle iron that gets to and holds the right temperature – about 350F – which the cheaper models simply don’t do.

Quick Tip: Make more than you need! I always make a few extra, wrap and then freeze in ziptop bags. Then, we’re all set for a lazy morning complete with Mickey Waffles the next time we get a craving – just pop them in the toaster and enjoy!

Copycat Mickey Waffles Ingredients

• 2 cups flour (can use all-purpose or gluten-free)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil (melted and cooled)
• 1 cup whole milk yogurt
• 6 fluid ounces of milk (room temperature)

How to Make Mickey Waffles:

1. Preheat and prepare your Mickey Waffle Iron.
2. Prepare the waffle batter.
3. Pour or scoop about 1/3 cup of the waffle batter into each Mickey Waffle shape on the iron.
4. Follow the waffle maker’s instructions to fully cook the waffles.
5. Remove waffle from waffle iron with a pair of tongs.
6. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Yield: 8-10 waffles

Copycat Disney Mickey Mouse Waffles

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A foolproof recipe for the perfect Mickey Waffles - the perfect Copycat Mickey Waffles with crispy edges and a soft, fluffy inside. Can be made gluten-free!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes

Total Time 16 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour (can use all-purpose or gluten-free)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil (melted and cooled)
• 1 cup whole milk yogurt
• 6 fluid ounces of milk (room temperature)

Instructions

1. Preheat and prepare your Mickey Waffle Iron according to the directions.
2. In a large bowl, place the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk together.
3. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with a hand mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment) until stiff (but not dry) peaks form.
4. 
5. Place the egg yolks and oil in a separate large bowl and blend with a hand mixer (or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) until creamy.
6. Add the yogurt and milk, and blend until well combined.
7. Add the dry ingredients, and blend again. The mixture will be smooth and thickly pour-able.
8. Fold the beaten egg whites gently into the large bowl of batter until only a few white streaks remain.
9. 
10. Pour or scoop about 1/3 cup of batter into each indentation of the prepared Mickey waffle iron.
11. Spread into an even layer.
12. Close lid and follow waffle maker's directions for cooking; or let cook for about 3 minutes or until steam stops escaping from waffle iron.
13. 
14. Remove waffle from waffle iron with a pair of tongs.
15. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Looking for more delicious copycat recipes? Try the Grey Stuff!

What are your favorite Disney recipes? Do you have an amazing copycat recipe to share? Join the Disney Express Lane Facebook Group to discuss this and many other Disney related topics.

The post Disney World Copycat Recipes: Mickey Waffles appeared first on WaltExpress.com.

Disney Dole Whip Recipe

It’s no secret that Disney’s Dole Whip is my all time favorite Disney snack. According to our readers, it’s A LOT of y’all’s favorite too! In fact, it was no surprise that it was number ONE on our list recently. Check it out, right here: 20 Snacks You Can’t Miss in Disney World.

For years, Disney fans like myself have tried to replicate the deliciousness that is Disney Dole Whip.

This sweet and tart, creamy pineapple ice cream is an essential snack on any Disney vacation – and it’s the first thing I start to crave after I haven’t been at the parks in a few months. It’s the perfect treat to cool down in the Florida heat… but who am I kidding? This Dole Whip tastes great at any time of year.

Disney finally shared the official recipe – so we’ve scraped our original attempt (which wasn’t quite perfect) and have now replaced it with this perfect copycat.

“Whip” up a batch of this delicious goodness and share with the family. Or, DON’T share! It’s totally up to you!

Disney World Dole Whips

Disney Dole Whips are less than $5 at the parks and are also available to purchase using a snack credit if you’re using the Disney Dining Plan.

There are several locations around Disney World to find a Dole Whip. One of our favorite spots is in the Magic Kingdom at Aloha Isle. Another favorite spot is at Disney’s Polynesian Resort at their very own Pineapple Lanai where you can also opt for the a pineapple-vanilla twist (my daughter’s favorite) or get a shot of rum added to your whip.

I also really love the Dole Whip Float, which is a Dole Whip added to a glass of pineapple juice. It sounds like a very basic addition but I LOVE this upgrade.

Disney Dole Whip Ingredients

• 2 cups Frozen Pineapple
• ½ cup Pineapple Juice
• Scoop Vanilla Ice Cream

How to Make Disney Dole Whips

1. Blend ingredients until pineapple chunks are completely broken down.
2. Scoop dole whip mixture into prepared piping bag.
3. Swirl the mixture into your serving cups.
4. Garnish and enjoy immediately.

Yield: 1 serving

Disney's Famous Dole Whip Recipe

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The perfect copycat recipe for Disney's Famous Dole Whip recipe - a sweet and tart pineapple soft serve that tastes like it came straight from Adventureland instead of your kitchen!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups Frozen Pineapple
• ½ cup Pineapple Juice
• Scoop Vanilla Ice Cream

Instructions

1. Optional: fit a piping bag with a large star tip. This will allow you to swirl the dole whip into your glasses for the perfect "soft serve" presentation, just like at the parks. However, this step is not essential and your dole whip will still taste great!
2. Prepare your serving glasses and have them ready as dole whips melt fast!
3. Measure out the ingredients into a smoothie-style blender.
4. Puree just until the pineapple chunks are broken down completely.
5. Scoop the mixture into the prepared piping bag, then swirl the dole whip into your serving glasses.
6. Garnish and enjoy immediately.

Be sure to keep watching Walt Express for MORE great Disney World copycat recipes! You can check out our Homemade Mickey Waffles here or our Gray Stuff recipe here.

If you have a favorite you would like to create at home, or have created at home let us know on the Disney Express Lane Facebook Group to discuss this and many other Disney related topics.

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