Tags: chocolate, copycat recipe, dessert, frozen hot chocolate, hot chocolate, Serendipity

A few weeks ago I was in NYC for literally less than 24 hours and one of the only things I was able to squeeze in other than what I was there for was a visit to Serendipity for one of my favorite treats…..the Frozen Hot Chocolate.  It is massive, chocolaty and perfectly ice-y.

When I got back home I told the boys all about the treat I had and said I would re-create our own version!  So…..I got to work

 

Here is your line up.  Please add one more hot chocolate to the picture.  I ended up using 5 packets.  Use your favorite brand of hot chocolate mix.  I used the Trader Joe’s brand of cocoa.  This literally takes 5 minutes to make, not kidding.

 

I had my little guy hop on the counter and help whip the cream and sugar.   Whip it until perfectly creamy.

 

Like so

Let’s start with the milk.  Pour it right into the blender.  PS…..LOVE my Blendtec!

Cocoa time!

Give it a good blend!

Add the ice and crush it up!

I found the perfect consistency and was in love

See those little ice crystals?!  Those are the best part.

Time for the sweet cream and chocolate!

I used mini chocolate chips, but you can used shaved chocolate that looks more authentic to the original

Ahhhh, wait until you try this!  Love!

A few boys I know enjoyed the treat

It was so fun bringing a little bit of NYC to my stinkers

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Have a great day!  Come back soon!

Tags: California, disneyland, Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe, restaurant, review, travel, Where to eat at Disneyland

I was so excited when Jolly Holiday, the new Bakery Cafe opened at Disneyland last week.  Thursday January 5th to be exact.  My family and I went Saturday afternoon to try it out about 2:15pm.  Look at the line!  Apparently we weren’t the only ones excited to try it:)

You can find the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe at the end of Main Street past the Penny Arcade and Coke Refreshment Corner.

Here’s the Outdoor menu board.  Lots of fun things to choose from.  Here’s the full menu.

Served After 10:30 AM

• HOUSE SPECIALTIES •

Jolly Holiday Combo  $8.99
Toasted Cheese Sandwich with Tomato Basil Soup

Ham & Cheese Quiche with House Salad  $7.19

• SANDWICHES •
Served with House Chips

Caprese (Tomato & Mozzarella)  $8.69
Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Basil, Lettuce, and Basil Vinaigrette
Served on a Toasted Focaccia Bread
Oven-Roasted Turkey  $8.69

Turkey, Tomatoes, Lettuce, and Mustard Aioli
Served on Toasted Ciabatta Bread

Chicken Waldorf on Brioche  $8.99
Apples, Walnuts, Celery, and Crasins, Dried Cranberries

Hot Angus Pot Roast Beef on Toasted Onion Roll  $9.69
Caramelized Onions, Horseradish Aioli and White Cheddar

• SALADS •
Served with Fresh Breadsticks

Jolly Holiday Salad  $7.49
Blend of lettuce, with Spiced Pecans, Feta, Red & Yellow Tomatoes
and Crasins, Dried Cranberries. Served with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Angus Roast Beef Salad  $8.99
Iceberg lettuce, Red & Yellow Tomatoes and Pickled Onions.
Served with Bleu Cheese Dressing

Grilled Vegetable & Whole Grain Salad  $7.99
Seasonal vegetables, Mixed Greens, Barley, Spelt, with Basil Vinaigrette

• FEATUREDS SOUPS •

Tomato Basil  $5.49
Classic Chicken Noodle  $5.49

• KID’S MEALS •
Ages 3 through 9 – Meals Built Especially for Kids
Served with Sliced Apples and Choice of small Low-Fat Milk, Minute Maid Juice Box or small Dasani Water. Soda Available on Request

Turkey Sandwich  $5.99

Macaroni & Cheese  $5.99

Granted the cafe had only been open for 2 days….the line was REALLY long.

So long, that my boys were at each others’ throats

Here is the outdoor seating area.  There are dozens and dozens of tables and chairs all outside under white and yellow umbrellas.  Even with the long line, we were able to find a table with no problem.

Loved the stained glass penguin on the outside window right before heading into the cafe.  How cute is he?

 

We finally made it inside!  The line kept wrapping. Lol!  It probably seemed longer because I was so hungry!

 Loved this charming Marry Poppins Song Lyrics painting inside the Cafe.  So cute!

My eyes went straight to the bakery display.  Cookies, cakes, brownies, bars, pastries, tarts.  You name it, they had it.

 

A look at some of the salads, sandwiches and more goodies on top.

My youngest ordered the mac and cheese from the kids menu.  He said it was good, but was still hungry afterwards.  The portion is more suitable for 3-4 year olds in my opinion.

 

My oldest ordered the grilled cheese and tomato basil soup.  He ate it right up however, here were my thoughts.  The grilled cheese was not hot and the cheese was not melted.  So…..don’t expect that if you order this one.  I thought the soup had great flavor and was a touch creamy which I thought was great.

 

The Caprese Sandwich that my husband and I shared was my favorite thing we ordered.  The bread was a soft focaccia and the entire sandwich was full of flavor.  Not dry at all.  I will order this again for sure.

 

I saw dozens of people ordering this Angus Roast Beef Sandwich so my husband and I shared this as well.  I have to say it looks really good in the photo, but I found it just ok.  There is a strong horseradish sauce, so be aware if you are not a horseradish fan.  The pickled onions were a bit overwhelming too.

 

You know we ordered dessert!  The giant Chocolate Chip Cookie looked really good.  For a theme park cookie it was indeed really good.  Soft, chewy with a good ratio of chocolate chips.

 

How gorgeous is this Chocolate Mint Cupcake?!  Now, when I ordered it I did not know it was chocolate mint, but what a nice surprise it was.  The cake was perfectly soft and moist and the frosting was crazy thick.  It was really good frosting, but really hard to cut with a fork.  Think ganache.  Loved it, just make sure you share it.  My family of 4 couldn’t even finish it.

 

The Micky Mouse Tart was surprisingly our favorite dessert.  It has a buttery shortbread crust and soft custard like chocolate/caramel tasting filling.  The Micky Face is crunch white chocolate.  It’s a must order if you ask us.

 

As I was taking my final photos of the outside of the Cafe, Josh Holloway (aka) Sawyer from “Lost” walked right past me with his crew.  I was in shock, but managed to snap this photo of him as he walked away.  My husband and I just finished the entire show last year and I just loved it.  What a treat to see him cruising Disney.

Here you have it friends.  The new Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe.  You will like this one.  Enjoy!

What do you think your favorite menu items would be?

Tags: Arizona, breakfast, brunch, cupcakes, dessert, Gilbert, The Coffee Shop, travel

There are so many great spots in Gilbert, AZ to eat.  If you are in AZ you must run over to The Coffee Shop is located in the Agritopia Neighborhood off of Ray and Higley.  It is such a charming little shop full of breakfast, lunch and lots of delicious cupcakes.  They even won cupcake wars on Food Network!

 

The grounds are gorgeous and right next door to The Coffee Shop is Joe’s Farm Grill which is another must visit.  Joe’s Farm Grill was on Drive In, Diners and Dives.

When you walk up to the counter, you will see gorgeous baked goods of all kinds.  These peanut butter cookies look to die for!

 

Oh the whoopie pies!

Vegan Options too.

Gorgeous!

Here’s some of the cupcakes we ordered.  Fabulous!

This is the Birthday Cake Cupcake.  By far one of our favorites.

The Vanilla Cupcake.  Classic and mighty tasty.

The Banana Chocolate Chip.  My FAVORITE!

We also tried the Vegan Turtle Cupcake.  Fabulous as well.

The Cookies and Cream Cupcake.  Love!

The Cookies and Cream Whoopie Pie!  Soft and perfect.

We really did have breakfast first My husband ordered this egg scramble with spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms.

I ordered this fabulous breakfast burrito.  Seriously to die for.

This picture of my nephew kills me.  Shows you how good the food was, lol!

 

There is a great area outside where the kids can run around and play.  Perfect place for the whole family.  Check it out next time you are in the Gilbert area.

The Coffee Shop

3000 E. Ray Road

Gilbert, AZ 85296

(480) 279-3144

Hours:

Mon-Thu	7am–8pm
Fri-Sat	7am–9pm
Sun	8am–4pm

Tags: breakfast, brunch, Farmhouse Restaurant, restaurant review, review, travel

Gilbert, AZ is near and dear to my heart, because we lived there for 8 years before moving to CA three years ago.  It was where we bought our first home and had both of our boys.  So many memories in Gilbert.

When we go back to AZ to visit our family, I love going out to eat to my favorite places.  The Farmhouse is no exception, it is a great place to go to breakfast or lunch.  There will most likely be a line of people waiting to get in when you arrive so be prepared

Click HERE to see the full Breakfast menu and HERE for the full lunch menu.

You know the food is good when people wait outside to be seated, right?

 

We waited about 20 minutes on a Saturday morning at 8:30am.  When I feasted my eyes on the menu, I knew we had to start with the warm giant cinnamon roll.  Watch how fast it disappears!

 

It was warm, soft and perfectly cinnamon-y!  A must order if you ask me.

 

All 6 of us grabbed our forks and went to town…..as you can see.

 

There was definitely some fork fighting going on

 

Yah, I’d say we devoured it in about 60 seconds or so.

 

The atmosphere is very friendly and country-like.  It is a very small restaurant inside, but worth the wait.

 

The kids ordered the fun pancakes.  Enjoyed them.

 

The French Toast was great.  Thick Texas Toast, just how I like it.

 

My Dad ordered the special of the day which was Country Fried Steak with Gravy, an egg and breakfast potatoes.  Yum!  It was hearty that’s for sure.  You won’t need lunch or dinner when you order this one

 

I ordered this bacon, egg, cheese and tomato omelet.  It was DELICIOUS, full of flavor.

Farmhouse is a great place to go with family and friends if you are not in a hurry to get in and out.  Definitely go expecting to wait, but also expect a great meal and friendly environment.  I am looking forward to going back and ordering that cinnamon roll again!

Have a great day and be sure to check out Farmhouse if ever in Gilbert, AZ!

The Farmhouse Restaurant

228 N Gilbert Road

Gilbert, AZ 85234

480 926-0676

Hours: Mon-Sat. 6AM-2PM Sun. 7AM-2PM

Tags: California, Corn Dog Castle, Disney California Adventure, disneyland, travel, travel destination, Where to eat at Disneyland

I love having Disney California Adventure right across from Disneyland.  We hop over to this fun park each time we visit for some of our favorite rides and food.  Today I’ll be showing you one of our favorites….The Corn Dog Castle.  Calories don’t count when you are at Disney right?!  Lol!

 

How magical is Mickey’s Fun Wheel?  It was a cloudy day when we went, but I love the reflection on the water

 

Here’s the Corn Dog Castle that you will find towards the back end of the park.  Keep walking past Grizzly River Run, past Little Mermaid towards the right.  Let your nose lead you to the greasy goodness, lol!

 

Unlike the Corn Dog Truck at Disneyland on Main Street, you have a few more choices to choose from such as the hot link corn dog and the cheddar cheese stick!  Oh my!

 

Here is your counter.

Your corn diggity comes with either a bag of sliced apples or a bag of chips.

Here’s the original corn dog that can also be found in Disneyland at the Red Truck on Main Street.

The Hot-Link Corn Dog was my favorite.  A little spicy….I will go back for this bad boy!

I did not know what to think of the cheddar cheese stick…..but for the sake of the review I just had to see what it was like.  Now, I have to be honest….I am a bit of a cheese snob.  I like good cheese, so if you can get over the fact that this is a deep fried piece of Velveeta then you will be fine.  It’s  kind of like a big grilled cheese sandwich on a stick.  Not my favorite, but definitely interesting

 

The jumping jellyfish ride is right across from the Corn Dog Castle along with the Golden Zephyr ride.

So, have you had the Corn Dog Castle at California Adventure?  Let’s hear about it!  Did you love the cheese stick or not so much like me?  The Hot-link Corn Dog or Original? 

Have a great weekend friends!!

Tags: California, disneyland, Disneyland Hotel, family time, Steakhouse 55, travel

A couple weekends was one of the best weekends my family has had together…..ever.  We celebrated my birthday and our anniversary at Disneyland and The Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim California.  I snapped pictures of our time to share….let’s take a look

To start, the hotel is under some construction right now, so make sure you ask about that if you plan on staying soon.

When you pull up to the hotel you have the option to valet your car for $22.00 per day or self park for $15.00 a day.

We checked in on a Thursday evening and met with friendly staff that showed us to our room.  As you walk out of your elevator you are greeted with this fun Disneyland banner on the carpet.  Too fun!

 

Skipping down the hall anxious to see our room.  Now, I will say I called one month in advance and most of the rooms were already booked.  The only rooms available were the suites so…..since it was my birthday and anniversary we splurged

 

As you open your door to the suite, you have a bathroom, separate living room and bar area.  Lots of space.  We had a decent view…not fabulous.  Next time, I will make sure we have a view of the park.

 

To the right of the living room was a separate bedroom and bathroom.  The beds were fabulous, soft and fluffy just like you would imagine.  My favorite part of the entire suite was the lighted Disneyland headboard.  Not only did it light up, but when you turn the light on, the lamp plays “When You Wish Upon A Star.”  It is magical without a doubt.  The boys and I would come into the room just to play the sweet song and watch the headboard light up.  Loved this

 

Every corner had Micky…..everywhere.  Perfectly festive.

 

My sweet boys had these fancy chocolate covered strawberries and Sparkling Cider ready when we checked in.  They were delicious.  There is also a room service menu you can peek at HERE.

 

The next morning we walked out the back door checking out the pool and restaurants.  Loved these Disney shaped bushes.

 

Here is the monorail water slide.  It was quite chilly when we visited, so we didn’t swim, but it looked very fun for summer!

 

Here is a separate pool area.  It was under construction during our stay, but it looked lovely from a distance.

 

Here is a shot of the vibrant blue hotel from the pool.

 

A couple shots of the water slide area.  The water slides didn’t open until 11am, but kids were still swimming around them.

Plenty of places to sit and watch the kids

 

Some of the scenery around the hotel grounds.  The boys loved the steam coming from the rocks.

 

One of the restaurants at the hotel, Tangaroa Terrace.  It is a casual dining experience.  We didn’t make it to this one, but will be trying it soon.  Click HERE to see the menu.  There’s also Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar you can see their menu HERE.

 

There is a Disney Fantasia shop to purchase plenty of Disney gifts for family and friends.  It was like a smaller Disney Store.

 

For breakfast one morning we dined at Steakhouse 55.  Next door is Goofy’s Kitchen (review coming soon) which is very busy.  Keep in mind if you waited last minute getting reservations to Goofy’s Kitchen you can generally get seated right away at Steakhouse 55.  Take a look at the menu.

Menu Date: March 2011 All That Jazz Espresso – $2.99 Caffe Latte or Cappuccino – $4.19 Mocha – $4.29 Brewed Regular or Decaffeinated Coffee, Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream, Hot Tea – $2.99 Juices: Orange, Grapefruit, Cranberry, Apple or Tomato – Small $2.99, Large $4.99 Steakhouse 55 Struttin’ Selections Buttermilk Stack – Steaming buttermilk pancakes piled high. Served with whipped butter and Warm Bananas Foster or Warm Berries. $11.00 French Toast – Thick-cut French toast dipped in eggs, cream with vanilla and powdered sugar served with Warm Bananas Foster or Warm Berries. $12.00 Sunrise Rhapsodies With fresh-cut fruit or roasted potatoes with peppers and onions Eggs Benedict – Two fresh eggs, expertly poached atop Canadian bacon and an English muffin. With hollandaise sauce. $14.00 Two Times Four – Two slices of French toast, two fresh eggs, any style, plus two strips of bacon and two links of sausage. $12.00 Build-Your-Own-Omelette – Choice of three: cheese, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, ham, avocado, tomato, onion or roasted peppers. With toast or bagel. $12.00 American Breakfast – Two eggs, any style with ham, bacon or sausage. With toast or bagel. $12.00 New York Steak and Eggs – A juicy, 7-ounce certified Angus steak, with two farm-fresh eggs, any style. With toast or bagel. $17.00 South-of-the-Border Serenade Huevos Rancheros – Two fresh eggs, corn tortillas, cheese and black beans with fresh pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream. $12.00 Sunrise Burrito – Scrambled fresh eggs, chorizo, potatoes and cheese in a flour tortilla with fresh pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream on the side. $12.00 Healthful Harmonies Egg-White Omelette – Egg whites, with mushroom, tomato, onion and peppers. With toast or bagel. $11.00 Bakery Basket – Choice of three: Blueberry or Bran muffin, Croissant or Fruit Danish. $6.00 Granola – Rolled oats with sliced almonds, with choice of one: fruit, yogurt or small juice. $8.00 Seasonal Fruits with Yogurt – Fresh-fruit cocktail or a grapefruit half. $8.00 Kellogg’s Cereals – Froot Loops, Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, Mini Wheats, Raisin Bran, Rice Krispies, Special K or Corn Flakes, with choice of one: fruit, yogurt or small juice. $8.00 Oatmeal – Served with brown sugar and raisins, with sliced bananas or strawberries. $10.00 Smoked Salmon and Bagel – Dill cream cheese and traditional accompaniment. $12.00

Here is a fun seating area as you walk into the restaurant.  My son was trying to dance like Michael Jackson and got embarrassed when I tried taking a picture

 

You’ll find a very nice dining area.  I will say this is not really kid friendly, however there were other families with kids dining around us.  This is more of a nice dinner atmosphere, but the breakfast was really good.

 

I ordered the eggs benedict, which was great.  The boys wished they would have ordered it for themselves.  They loved it….so did I!

 

The boys ordered the Micky Pancakes.  What kid doesn’t like pancakes in the shape of a mouse?  They gobbled these up no problem.  I like that it came with a side of yogurt and fruit.  Here is the menu for kids.

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For Kids Ages 3 through 9
Each meal includes a side of Seasonal Fruit and Yogurt plus one of these beverage choices:
Minute Maid Juice, Low-Fat Milk, Low-Fat Chocolate Milk, Dasani Water

Kellogg’s Cereals – Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes, Mini Wheats, Raisin Bran, Rice Krispies or Special K $6.99

“Mickey” Shaped Pancake. $6.99

Jr. Scramble – Scrambled Eggs with Breakfast Potatoes $6.99

My husband ordered the French Toast with a Banana’s Foster Sauce.  This was heavenly.  Overall, Steakhouse 55 was a great place for breakfast with no wait during a Holiday weekend.  Love that!

The Disneyland Hotel

1150 Magic Way
Anaheim, CA 92802

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Goofy’s Kitchen review coming next!

Hope you enjoyed our review of the hotel.  Have you been?  Tell us your experience.

 

Tags: California, Corn Dog Stand, Disney Eats, disneyland, Main Street, review, travel, Vacation, Where to eat at Disneyland

One might think….what is the big deal about a corn dog anyway?  Well, if you haven’t tried the Disneyland Corn Dog then you might want to make it your mission in life to eat one someday

As you walk down Main Street you will see fabulous flowers, charming shops and then…..

The bright red Corn Dog Truck or Little Red Wagon.

If you ask a handful of people their favorite thing to eat at Disneyland, chances are, many of them will say the deep fried, greasy, perfectly crispy corn dogs from this fun bright red corn dog truck.

You’ll find this Corn Dog Truck located right at the end of Main Street if you are walking from the entrance of the park.  You walk right up to the window to order.  There are a few tables located right behind the truck or we like to go into the Plaza Inn and eat at their outside tables.

Here it is….the corn dog that gets RAVE reviews.  Especially by my boys.   It is golden brown, crispy on the outside and hot diggety dog on the inside.  Your dog will come with either a bag of chips or apple slices on the side.

Here is the short menu:

Hand-Dipped Corn Dog – With sliced apples or a small bag of chips. $5.99

Coca-Cola, diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta Orange – Regular $2.79, Large $3.29

Bottled Water - $2.79

Large bag of chips – $2.79

 

Hello doggy!

Yah, these boys go kinda nuts for the Disney Corn Dog

This about sums it up

Have a magical day!

Do you have stories about these corn dogs?  Do you love them as much as we do?  Let’s hear it!!