Snow White's Poison Apple

Being the huge Disney fanatic that I am, I've always appreciated Walt's classics. Something that not many people seem to realize is that Snow White was the original Disney princess... not Cinderella. The movie was realized all the way back in 1937. That's before many of our parents were even born, yet the movie has stood the tests of time and is seen as one of the best animations in Disney history. 

One of the most noteworthy and recognizable symbols from the movie is the poison apple which Snow White stupidly takes a bite of and falls into a coma. This recipe may not be poisonous, but it IS pretty darn addicting...

"This is no ordinary apple! It's a magic wishing apple." - Evil Queen



What you'll need:
1 red baking apple
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup raisins or cranberries
2 tbsp of butter + 1 tbsp per apple
1 tbsp light cream
160 grams white chocolate chips
1/4 cup apple juice

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Core apple, but not all the way through: use a knife to make the initial cuts, and then scoop out most of the core with a spoon.
3. In a small bowl, combine sugar, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and any optional ingredients.
4. Fill apple with oatmeal raisin mixture, and top with a pat of butter.
5. Place in baking pan, and pour apple juice around the apple. Bake until tender (about 30 minutes).
6. Meanwhile, make white chocolate sauce: Melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add light cream and white chocolate chips. Do not overheat! Stir continuously until mixture is smooth.
7. Remove from heat, and allow to sit until cool enough to touch. You should be able to shape the cooled ganache with your hands.
8. Shape white chocolate over stuffed apples that have been allowed to cool slightly. Use a knife or spoon to make a skull face, as pictured.
9. Enjoy cold, or warm in microwave for a toasty treat with ice cream.

I may have diverted from the queen's original recipe just a bit... but caldrons are really hard to come by nowadays. You understand, right? Once you make these bad boys a few times, they become incredibly easy. Start practicing so you can give out this semi healthy treat for Halloween!

Krabby Patties

Are you ready?! I'm ready, I'm ready for some delicious Krabby Patties straight from The Krusty Krab. Sure you might say, don't you mean a hamburger? No... I mean a Krabby Patty. There's a difference, gosh darn it. For this recipe I'm going to channel episode "Jellyfish Hunter" of Spongebob Squarepants where The Krusty Krab features Krabby Patties with jellyfish jelly. As you can see in the video below, they will make you bust out in a lovely dance from pure bliss.

Unfortunately it is vey painful and time consuming to milk jellyfish for their jelly... so maybe just pick your favorite kind from the grocery store. Personally, I like grape.

What you'll need:
1/2 of a large onion
Oil, for frying
3-4 tbsp water
2-3 tbsp grape jelly
1 egg
1/2 cup bell peppers, minced
2 tbsp cilantro, freshly chopped
1 pound ground chicken, turkey, or beef
1/2 cup bread crumbs
6 mini sesame buns
6 cheese slices
6 tomato slices
Lettuce (at least three large leaves)
Pickles, for garnish
Condiments - ketchup, mayo, mustard (optional)

Instructions:
1. Chop onions into long, thin slices. Fry slices over low heat, until soft and translucent.
2. Stir in water and jelly. Mix very well until jelly combines with water.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions have caramelized and most of the water has evaporated.
4. Meanwhile, make burgers by combining egg, meat, cilantro, and bell peppers. Add breadcrumbs until mixture is dry enough to shape.
5. Divide mixture into rounds and flatten into 6 patties.
6. Grill burgers on each side until cooked through. Transfer to prepared plate.
7. Layer each burger as follows:
Bottom bun
Your choice of ketchup, mayo, or mustard (or all three!)
Patty
Cheese slice
Pickles
Lettuce
Caramelized onions
Tomato slice
Top bun
8. Serve, and enjoy the taste of natural jelly.

Confession time- I am 21 years old and I still watch Spongebob on a regular basis. I'll give you a moment to judge me........ okay, done? Great. These Krabby Patties taste exactly how I imagine them to taste based off of the show. Sometimes I even cook them for my niece in an attempt to convert her to my Spongebob cult. I think it's working. 

Tiana's Kickin' Gumbo

One of my all time favorite movies- and please don't judge me- is Disney's The Princess and the Frog. I seriously have watched this movie (easily) a hundred times, and chances are I'll watch it again next week. Maybe it's because Tiana is incredibly relatable to me- both our dad's died and inspired us to work hard and follow our dreams... or maybe it's because of the movie's food.

The premise of the film revolves around Tiana's dream of opening a restaurant in her father's honor. On the way, the audience is enticed by cartoon renderings of beignets, sandwiches, and of course gumbo. After all, how can you have a film set in New Orleans without gumbo?! I don't even like spicy food, but somehow Tiana made me crave good ol' fashioned gumbo. This is a simple take on Tiana's signature dish.

What you'll need:
1 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
4 bay leaves
2 quarts chicken stock
1 lb shrimp
1 package mild Italian sausage
1 package cut okra
1 lb crushed, canned tomatoes
Essence
Tabasco

Instructions:
1. Cook sausage in a covered pan until cooked through and golden brown on the outside. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
2. In a small saucepan, add two parts water to one part rice over high heat. Once the water reaches a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover, untouched, about 20 minutes.
3. In a large pot, melt butter and whisk in flour until smooth. Cook over medium heat until roux is the color of peanut butter.
4. Add chopped veggies, garlic, bay leaves, and essence. Cook about 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
5. Add chicken stock and stir to combine. Add crushed tomatoes.
6. Add sausage and taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary, and don’t forget the Tabasco sauce!
7. Add peeled and deveined shrimp, cook until pink (about 8-10 minutes).
8. Serve over rice! Ta da!

This gumbo is seriously "the bees knees" as Tiana would say. It's perfect for anyone who needs to spice up their life... or their taste buds! Like I said, I really don't like spicy food, yet I'm in love with this recipe. I think you will be too! Try it out and channel your inner Tiana!