Meals at "home"

[Brandie]

I didn't see this question already posed. Please direct me to the proper thread if I missed it . . .

What kind of meals do you make in the kitchen at your villa? I've seen reference to crock pot meals. Got any recipes for those? And, talking about crock pots, which brand/style do you have (and like)? I've got three crock pots and I'm not happy with any of them.

[DoctorK]

Oooh, can I tag on a little? Just to expand to include creative meals in a Studio (only a microwave) + crock pot or electric skillet.

[vicki_c]

MK always says they have things like frozen lasagna and bagged salad. So cooking, but not *really* cooking. We never cook - don't think I have yet turned on an oven @ a DVC or even the stove top. We use the fridge, the toaster and microwave!

[daleNchip]

I can't afford to eat out every meal at WDW. It's not in the budget and it's more important that I stay on budget than eat over-priced, mediocre food (can you tell I'm not a big fan of most of the WDW restaurants?). So, yeah, we do a lot of "cooking" in the villa and splurge on a few TS meals on vacation.

I meal plan for the vacation before we go. Like Vicki mentioned, I'm not so much "cooking dinner" when we eat in as "throwing it in the oven and waiting for the timer." We love fresh or frozen ravioli with pasta sauce and garlic bread--not a lot of work involved nor a lot of cleanup. Frozen pizzas. Frozen stuffed chicken breasts (Chicken Kiev, Chicken Cordon Bleu, etc.).

I've found some great recipes on the Reynolds Oven Bags site (http://www.reynoldsovenbags.com/)that are pretty low prep. If I decide I want to do one of those on the trip, I pack a snack bag with the pre-measured spices so I don't need to buy or bring the spice jars nor do I have to worry about measuring spoons (or measuring--which saves some time, too).

Our Owner's Locker has a waffle/sandwich maker in it so we sometimes do stuffed french toast (butter two slices of bread, put spreadable cream cheese and orange marmalade or jam on the inside--easy and YUM-O!) for breakfast or a hot sandwich for lunch (pizza pocket?).

Love the roasted chicken paired with steam-in-a-bag veggies and microwave-in-a-bag rice!

And there's always Giordano's--they deliver!

mk

[daleNchip]

Doc, you might look at some recipe books like "A Man, A Can and A Microwave (http://www.amazon.com/Man-Can-Microwave-Tasty-Meals/dp/B001TMDT38/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311361817&sr=1-1)" for ideas. The biggest challenge to eating in at DVC Studios, IMO, is the lack of table space. That little hotel side table is always the place where the various flotsam and jetsam of the trip accumulates.

mk

[daleNchip]

And while I'm busy talking to myself. . .

This is also where the Owner's Locker comes in so handy. We keep a couple of cutting board "sheets " (the really thin ones), a pair of good knives and potholders in the OL because what's provided in the units is just not quite good enough. I'm currently working on how to make enough room for a good 10" skillet in one of them (thanks for the idea, Brian!). Salt & pepper, chip clips, aluminum foil, cooking spray (aka Pam)--all stuff we wouldn't want to buy new or cart back and forth, but want each trip.

mk

[bnoble]

We also do pasta and bagged salad, as well as the pre-made chicken and a steamfresh veggie. Rather than microwave rice, we do garlic bread, but same principle.
Tacos are another easy-peasy in-condo meal.

I will say, though, that dinner in the condo works best when the parks are open somewhat late. With an 8PM or earlier close, it is tricky unless you do a 3/4 day. So, if we are offseason and want to cut down on expenses, we just stick to CS meals most of the time, and have one or two TS meals, total.

[dmandaro]

We will be down August 27 through September 3 (cast me, DH, DD8, DS5, DS4, DMIL, DSIL). We're planning 4 nights of dinner in the room. Sometimes it's not only a money thing but a "can they really handle a sit down meal right now?" kind of thing. LOL
We were going to do:
Frozen pizzas baked in oven, bagged salad / bottle of wine
Chicken breast baked in oven with lemon juice and olive oil, parsley and paprika, bagged salad, baked potatoes from the microwave or if not frozen french fries, mandarin oranges, shredded cheese, Pillsbury crescent rolls (planning to bring the seasoning from home)
Pasta with red sauce (can of Tuttoroso crushed tomatos) bagged salad and Italian bread
French Toast or pancakes, bacon, fruit, coffee (using the last of the bread, eggs, bacon, fruit)

The kids enjoy eating in the room too - we have a 3 bedroom lockoff Signature Collection Unit at Orange Lake.

Can't wait to hear other ideas.

Deb

[hinkey]

When it comes to crock pot meal one of my favorites is a pork roast. The cut of meat is up to you (I like a shoulder or a butt.) Add a can or two of broth depending on the size. Doesn't have to cover it, but should fill the crock at least a third. You can add veggies such as carrots and potatoes if you have room. Cook on low all day (at least 8 hours) You can shred the pork if you want sandwiches. The meat will be very tender and juicy. If you want you can add some seasoning, I don't usually add anything other than a little pepper or galic.

My crock pot is pretty simple. No timer, or thermastat, it has 3 settings: keep warm, low, and high.

[atlgator]

I made chili on our last trip - worked great. I have a Southern Living black bean chili recipe that we really like and it is easy. We had enough for leftovers the next day. Stoufers frozen lasagna is not bad, but Costco has a frozen lasagna that is much better. I'm not sure I will ever take the time for a Coscto run while on vacation, though. We'll probably try tacos at some point as well as frozen ravioli with a jar of spaghetti sauce and a bagged salad.

[lisapennie]

Tuna Noodle Casserole is always a good option - you just need whatever cream of soup that you like (we use chicken), canned tuna, and noodles, and it cooks up on the stove top in about twenty minutes. I do a crockpot beef roast that's super easy - get whatever kind of roast you want and a jar of pepperoncini peppers. Put the roast in the crockpot and empty the jar (complete with juices) over it and cook for at least ten hours on low (it can be started before you go to bed). I like the meat on taco shells with cheese, DH and my mom both like it on rolls with mozzarella cheese.

[Brandie]

Lots of great ideas!

What kind of frozen pizzas are y'all buying? My husband can't stand frozen pizza. I'd like to change his mind.

Stacey, is your Southern Living Chili recipe online somewhere?

[loribell]

You can get gift certificates for Giordano's from restaurant.com too! We have a big group going in December so for $2 I got a $50 gift certificate. It requires that our bill total $100 but how hard will that be with 4 families? I would say $52 for pizza for 4 families isn't too bad. There are also $10 & $25 certificates available for them at times too.

[atlgator]

Lots of great ideas!

What kind of frozen pizzas are y'all buying? My husband can't stand frozen pizza. I'd like to change his mind.

Stacey, is your Southern Living Chili recipe online somewhere?

Try this link: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/black-bean-chili-10000001673163/

We are not vegetarians, but I do use the Boca crumbles and my DH and kids all eat this chili. I use two cans of tomato sauce in pale of the diced tomatoes because I have this weird quality of not liking chunks of tomato in sauces or soups. We drive so I brought the spices and maybe the canned beans from home. I ordered the other items from Garden Grocer.

[MichaelColey]

I missed this thread the first time around.

We use a GE crock pot that we found at Walmart. Instead of a stock "crock", it has a nonstick insert. The cord retracts. It's lighter than a normal crock pot. The lid latches down. Perfect for travel (although we haven't tried to pack it in a checked bag yet - only driving).

Some of our favorite timeshare meals:

* Steaks (with baked potatoes, salad, mac and cheese, and/or green beans as sides)
* Spaghetti (with salad and/or Texas cheese toast as sides)
* Pulled pork (cooked in the crock pot)
* Pot roast (cooked in the crock pot)
* Tacos
* For breakfast: Eggs, bacon (Costco precooked bacon) and cheese on toasted English muffins
* For lunch: PBJ or Ham & Cheese sandwiches (either in the room or packed in a soft sided cooler to eat in the park)
* For desserts: Baked cookies or jello

Those are some of our timeshare staples.

[pfalcioni]

I will say, though, that dinner in the condo works best when the parks are open somewhat late. With an 8PM or earlier close, it is tricky unless you do a 3/4 day. So, if we are offseason and want to cut down on expenses, we just stick to CS meals most of the time, and have one or two TS meals, total.

You can also bring food into the parks - I have a small insulated bag that stuffs inside my backpack which holds a few sandwiches, we also bring cookies and snacks. This works really well for short park hours with not enough time to really go back to the room for supper and then back to the parks. We augment with Disney treats.

You guys have some mouth-watering dinner ideas - since we stay on-site at POP, I just bring stuff that is very quickly microwaved (in the food court) or eaten cold. I'm jealous of those "real food" meals!

[peachygreen]

We cook a lot of our meals in our timeshare when we travel.

Some of the things we have cooked include
Spaghetti with salad
Quesedilla or Taco night with rice and corn
Baked Chicken and potatoes
Meat Loaf
Pork Tenderloin

We also eat almost all our breakfasts in the condo and we bring lunch to the park or we eat lunch (either leftovers or sandwhiches) when we come back for our afternoon break. Some of those we do on a 1/2 day or 3/4 day as they would be hard to do on a RD/Break/Return day, but it depends on when we retun. If we do take a break we will eat dinner oftena round 5pm and so we are in teh resort for a while and go back to the park around 6:30pm.

We have our share of Table Service meals too.

[Canwegosoon]

Being that we are still trying to maximize our point by always staying in a studio- I do not have a lot of experience with actual "cooking"...but I have cooked Bacon/Bagles/eggs/Hot pockets/Hot dogs/pizzas in the microwave.

Something I came across while doing food stretching research- uses for stuffing- was to make crab or fish cakes. If I had access to a 1brm or larger I think I would make home made Mac/Cheese, Ziti, enchladias(sp)(because all could be made in morning and baked off later). Other quick meals I would make are Asparagrass/potatoes/steak and any kind of wrap(chicken, beef, tacos,even coldcut).
Another thing I love to make at home that I would make there(just pack the mini muffin tin) is eggs, bacon and cheese puffs( from tastefully simple-using the Bacon Bacon) very quick and my family loves them. The bisquick salsa chicken is pretty easy too.

[MichaelColey]

All of the DVC properties have grills, so even if you're at a studio (or even a regular hotel room at one of the properties that have both!) you could grill stuff.

[DoctorK]

Has anyone here used those? At AKV it's so far away you'd have to eat outside, and bring all of your side dishes down with you. Doing that in 95+ degree heat doesn't seem like a whole lot of fun.

[MichaelColey]

I've used the grills at six of the Orlando DVC properties (we haven't stayed at BLT yet). I always take the steaks (or whatever I'm grilling), charcoal, lighter fluid, a lighter a platter, and tons/spatula down to the grill area, then return to the room when it's done. If you have two people, or a box (like if you shopped at Costco or Sams), that helps. At AKV, OKW and SSR, I drive to the grills. At AKV, there are parking spaces right across from the grill area. If I didn't have a car, I would walk but it's easier to drive.

[loribell]

We have used the grills at SSR by the Grandstand pools. Have cooked steak, burgers & pork chops. It is super easy to do.

Other things I just thought of are the bowls of precooked bbq meat for sandwiches and the precooked fajita beef for fajitas. There are the little frozen taquitos that are available in the freezer sections also. I really should do more in the room but most times it seems so inconvenient. Then again maybe I just don't want to be cooking on vacation no matter how sick I get of theme park food!

[peachygreen]

I've actually never grilled before. I guess since I always fly I hate the thought of having to buy a bag of charcoal, lighter fluid etc for one meal and then have to leave everything behind. It would be nice to do a nice steak though.

I'm thinking our next trip of doing a fondue night though.

[Brandie]

Great ideas, everyone! Keep 'em coming!

[MichaelColey]

A big bag of charcoal and lighter fluid last for 3 or 4 meals for me. Even if I just use it once, though, the charcoal and lighter fluid are under $10 total. I do wish they had a place where people could leave any extra they have rather than just throwing it away.

[loribell]

When I have left overs of things like that or unopened foods I find a guest that is not leaving and offer it to them. They are normally more than happy to take it off our hands. Otherwise I ask mousekeeping if they would like it.

[loribell]

I don't know if any of you have seen this but this started on facebook and looks pretty incredible. There are a ton a crockpot recipes on here that look amazing! Would be great for cooking while we are out playing in the parks! he website is http://crockpotgirls.com. You can also find them under crockpotgirls on facebook. The recipes are on the discussion board. Be warned they move pretty fast so if you find a recipe you want to try make sure you copy it down while on the page so you don't have to go searching. It looks like they are trying to put the recipes from the facebook page up on the blog page but it is going to take a while. Something that I thought might be great is a post by one woman about "DUMP" recipes:

I do a lot of freezing – these are called Dump because you take the ingredients, dump them in a zip lock and freeze them. All the recipes call for chicken but I have also used pork with some. General cooking directions are either crock pot all day or bake in oven. I know it sounds gross, but the Sticky Chicken is awesome!!!

DUMP GARLIC DIJON CHICKEN

2 Cloves Minced Garlic
4 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons Lime Juice

DUMP HERB WINE CHICKEN

1 cup Red Wine
2/3 cup Vegetable Oil
2 Cloves Crushed Garlic
1/2 Lemon (sliced thinly)
2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley
1 Teaspoon Thyme
1 Teaspoon Basil
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper

DUMP HONEY SESAME CHICKEN

1/2 cup Beer
3 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds
3 Tablespoons Honey
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
2 Cloves Crushed Garlic

DUMP LEMON AND GARLIC CHICKEN

2 Cloves Chopped Garlic
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/8 Teaspoon Pepper


DUMP RUSSIAN CHICKEN

2/3 cup Apricot Preserves
16 oz Russian Dressing
2 Packages Dry Onion Soup Mix


DUMP STICKY CHICKY

2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
3 Tablespoons Smooth Peanut Butter
3 Tablespoons Ketchup



DUMP SWEET AND SPICY CHICKEN

1 Package Taco Seasoning
8 oz Apricot Jam
12 oz Salsa



DUMP TERIYAKI CHICKEN

1 Clove Garlic -- Crushed
1/3 cup Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Rice Wine (Or Sherry)
1 1/2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Minced Ginger

I know there are more but these are the ones that I have done. For more go to food.com


Hope you can find some useful recipes!

[DoctorK]

Some of those don't seem to have enough liquid to crock-pot all day... is there another step involved? I could see where the garlic dijon chicken would be dry as could be if that was in a crock-pot without any additional moisture (rice, stuffing, cream of something soup, etc.)

[MichaelColey]

They sound delicious to me! I'll have to try some, especially the sticky chicken.

The meat has quite a bit of liquid in it, so I wouldn't be surprised if the recipes work. We do a simple roast recipe that only calls for something like 1/2 cup of water, and it always comes out great.

How much meat do you include with these? Do you have to freeze it, or can you just dump and cook?

[DoctorK]

I think a roast might cook a lot differently than 3-4 chicken breasts. At least with our crockpot, on low, if they're (chicken breasts) not in at least a can of soup, and usually also on top of prepared stuffing or something like that, they dry out super crispy.

And I agree about the sticky chicken - I might try that in the oven this weekend! :D

[ke_page]

You guys are giving me the dvc itch! We are seriously considering it to begin with but I hate the thought of cooking on vacation... but worse I hate the thought of having a kitchen and not using it. Soooo.... these are recipes are actually pushing me almost over the edge..... funny that some silly ideas for food actually could do that :confused:

DH just came down and saw them and said.. guess we are buying in now huh?!

[loribell]

Hmm, I thought I had all the directions including how much chicken she uses. I will try to go back and find it but think she said 4 breasts so if you need more just up the ingredients some. I will see what I can find and report back here. I even found recipes for meatloaf, enchiladas, fajitas, tacos, lasagna and more!

[loribell]

Ok found the post and she says 4 -6 pieces of chicken.

Here is more info:

We call it "DUMP-CHICKEN" because you DUMP the mix into a 1-gallon freezer baggie with the chicken and freeze it. Then when you want to eat it, you thaw overnight in the fridge, DUMP it into your crockpot, and cook it!
All the recipes can be made with approximately 1 to 1.5 pounds of chicken (4 to 8 pieces of chicken, any pieces will do... wings, thighs, drumsticks, bone-in, skin-on, boneless, skinless). Use boneless/skinless chicken breasts to keep it healthier. This is a perfect way to take advantage of chicken that’s on sale! Prep it all when you get home from the grocery store, put it in the freezer, and you have several (or many) meals ready to go in the crockpot
Dump the contents of the bag in your crockpot and cook on low for approximately 6 to 8 hours.

[Kent285]

Wow-these Dump recipes are really cool...can't wait to try them!

[loribell]

Here is another chicken recipe:

DUMP HONEY CHICKEN
1/4 cup butter, Melted
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
½ cup BBQ sauce
1 1/2 lbs chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, or wings)
4-8 breasts or wings or thighs
Low 6-8 hour

Everything I have read says there is enough liquid. Some of them say they add frozen veggies in too to complete the meal which also adds some liquid.

[MichaelColey]

This could be such a great time-saver at timeshares (or even at home). Buy the ingredients at the start of the trip. Package it all up. Throw it in the freezer. And just thaw one out each day. I can't wait to try it!

[loribell]

Yeah. It looks so easy I might actually be willing to do it on our trips!

[Brandie]

You guys are giving me the dvc itch! We are seriously considering it to begin with but I hate the thought of cooking on vacation... but worse I hate the thought of having a kitchen and not using it. Soooo.... these are recipes are actually pushing me almost over the edge..... funny that some silly ideas for food actually could do that :confused:

DH just came down and saw them and said.. guess we are buying in now huh?!

:cheer2:

Now we need to petition DVC to include a crock pot in every unit.

Or, mabye a crock pot swap?

Found "Crockpot Girls" on Facebook. Lovin' all the recipes! Thanks everyone!

[MichaelColey]

Now we need to petition DVC to include a crock pot in every unit.I wish EVERY timeshare would do that, but NONE that I've stayed at does. I've only stayed at one (not a DVC -- and I can't remember where) that had one available to borrow.

If you want to travel with one, I recommend the GE Digital Slow Cooker (http://www.walmart.com/ip/GE-6-Quart-Digital-Slow-Cooker/12442589). It has a nonstick insert instead of a stone crock, so it's lighter and less likely to break when traveling. (The lid is still glass, though.) It also has a retractable cable and a locking lid.

[ke_page]

:cheer2:

Found "Crockpot Girls" on Facebook. Lovin' all the recipes! Thanks everyone!

I just joined too! I crockpot alot in the winter... now I'll be crockpotting alot in Disney too! HA!! :RpS_thumbsup:

[MichaelColey]

FWIW, we've tried two of these crock pot recipes reposted here and are doing a third tonight.

DUMP STICKY CHICKY - The kids didn't care for it. I thought it was okay, but wasn't overly impressed. DW liked it.

DUMP SWEET AND SPICY CHICKEN - We all loved this one. It's definitely going to be a regular for us.

DUMP HONEY CHICKEN - That's what we're trying tonight, and I think it'll be a hit as well.

The ones we've done DEFINITELY have enough liquid.

I think we'll be doing the DUMP RUSSIAN CHICKEN or DUMP TERIYAKI CHICKEN next. We definitely want to try most of these before our next trip and use them extensively on our timeshare stays.

[DoctorK]

Awesome, thanks for the update. I'm surprised at the Sticky Chicky response - the ingredients sound so good, but between you and your kids it sounds like a "meh."

[MichaelColey]

It tasted okay to me, but I'm a huge fan of Thai Chicken Satay, and I think I expected it to be a little more like that. Cooking in the crock pot, it's basically soaking in liquid and not at all crispy (but very tender and juicy). I thought about finishing them in the oven, but we didn't have time.

[loribell]

Glad you are liking some of them. I haven't had a chance to try any yet but plan to get to the store this weekend and see how some of them are. Really glad you have found some to use on your trips!!

[MichaelColey]

I found five others that I'm adding to our list to try. I've simplified the recipes somewhat and they haven't been tested out yet, so keep that in mind if you want to try any. (For instance, one called for chili powder, salt and cumin - instead, I'm going to use a packet of chili spices, which is essentially has all of those things.)

Here are the five (with 1-1.5 pounds of chicken assumed on most), plus our favorite pot roast receipe:

BACON RANCH CHICKEN
6 slices bacon, cut up
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream

CHEESY CHICKEN
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can evaporated milk

CHICKEN CORDON BLEU
4 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 slices of ham
8 slices of swiss cheese

CHILI MAPLE GLAZED DUMP CHICKEN
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 packet chili seasoning

CRANBERRY CHICKEN
1 (16 ounce) can cranberry sauce
1 packet onion soup mix

TO DIE FOR POT ROAST
4-5 pound roast
1 packet brown gravy mix
1 packet Italian dressing mix
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup water

[Brandie]

Thanks for reporting back, Michael!

[George]

Just catching up with this thread. Re: Liquid in slow-cooker recipes. Michael is right. You wouldn't believe how much water is in meat. The slow-cooker process draws this water out during the cooking process, and the end result is a right-balance sauce. It may look like it needs more liquid at the beginning, but patience and faith is rewarded.

[DoctorK]

patience and faith is rewarded.

Hard to have patience when you smell it cooking all day and you just want to eeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaat iiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttt!!! :D

[Kent285]

Wow, I may actually have to cancel some ADRs to slow cook instead. And did you see how many "likes" there are for Crock Pot Girls?! Crazy!!

[ke_page]

It tasted okay to me, but I'm a huge fan of Thai Chicken Satay, and I think I expected it to be a little more like that. Cooking in the crock pot, it's basically soaking in liquid and not at all crispy (but very tender and juicy). I thought about finishing them in the oven, but we didn't have time.

Ok I made this this week too... but mine was not juicy at all... it dried up ALOT. Did I leave it on too long do you think? Or did you add some more liquid? The flavor I thought was good but it needed more juiciness to it...... was trying to figure out what to add....

[MichaelColey]

I used boneless skinless thighs, so there was probably a lot more fat and moisture in them than with breasts. I think I used about 3 pounds of chicken and doubled or tripled the sauce recipe. I cooked mine on low for 10 hours or so.

I bought ingredients for a couple more of the recipes this evening.

[daleNchip]

Never did any follow up after our recent OKW stay, but I meant to.

Eight nights, 3 ADRs, 5 full dinners and breakfast every day in the villa. All in all, we spent less than 2 hours in prep (not including cooking) for all of the meals plus another 10 minutes/meal in clean-up. Understand that this wasn't just *me* working, but also DH and DS10. It's vacation for mama, too. :RpS_tongue:

1. Chicken pot pie. Frozen plus refrigerated pie crusts, rotisserie chicken, a can of cream of chicken soup, a half can of chicken broth, bag of frozen veggies. Used one frozen pie crust for bottom, one refrigerated pie crust for top. Used the other two crusts for quiches. 70 minutes in the oven.
2. No peek chicken. Wild rice mix, cream of mushroom and cream of celery soups, chicken breasts, package of onion soup mix. 2 hours in the oven.
3. Shepherd's pie. Ground beef, brown gravy packet, frozen veggies, pre-made mashed potatoes. Brown ground beef, mix in gravy, top with veggies and potatoes. Bake 30 minutes.
4. Meatloaf. Brought all the dry ingredients to mix in, add milk and ground beef, bake 1 hour.
5. Frozen stuffed chicken breasts from the freezer section of the grocery store. Bake 45 minutes.

Quiche was made with some chopped tomatoes, fresh parsley and scallions. Found some really awesome vacation perfect bacon: 572
This stuff is AWESOME! It comes pre-packed in four slice packages, with paper towels already in the package--you just throw the plastic package in the microwave and cook for 2.5 minutes. Wouldn't buy it for everyday use, but it's perfect for vacation. Quick, easy and--very important--mess free!

Family of 3, all the above mentioned meals, plus beer, wine and dessert was about $250 in groceries. Compare that to our $120 + tax and gratuity for our Chef Mickey's dinner. . . :RpS_ohmy:

mk

[Brandie]

mk, thanks for sharing! I love the price savings. Is that how you usually eat on your Disney vacation?

[loribell]

Never did any follow up after our recent OKW stay, but I meant to.

Eight nights, 3 ADRs, 5 full dinners and breakfast every day in the villa. All in all, we spent less than 2 hours in prep (not including cooking) for all of the meals plus another 10 minutes/meal in clean-up. Understand that this wasn't just *me* working, but also DH and DS10. It's vacation for mama, too. :RpS_tongue:

1. Chicken pot pie. Frozen plus refrigerated pie crusts, rotisserie chicken, a can of cream of chicken soup, a half can of chicken broth, bag of frozen veggies. Used one frozen pie crust for bottom, one refrigerated pie crust for top. Used the other two crusts for quiches. 70 minutes in the oven.
2. No peek chicken. Wild rice mix, cream of mushroom and cream of celery soups, chicken breasts, package of onion soup mix. 2 hours in the oven.
3. Shepherd's pie. Ground beef, brown gravy packet, frozen veggies, pre-made mashed potatoes. Brown ground beef, mix in gravy, top with veggies and potatoes. Bake 30 minutes.
4. Meatloaf. Brought all the dry ingredients to mix in, add milk and ground beef, bake 1 hour.
5. Frozen stuffed chicken breasts from the freezer section of the grocery store. Bake 45 minutes.

Quiche was made with some chopped tomatoes, fresh parsley and scallions. Found some really awesome vacation perfect bacon: 572
This stuff is AWESOME! It comes pre-packed in four slice packages, with paper towels already in the package--you just throw the plastic package in the microwave and cook for 2.5 minutes. Wouldn't buy it for everyday use, but it's perfect for vacation. Quick, easy and--very important--mess free!

Family of 3, all the above mentioned meals, plus beer, wine and dessert was about $250 in groceries. Compare that to our $120 + tax and gratuity for our Chef Mickey's dinner. . . :RpS_ohmy:

mk

That is great! And you probably actually saved time too over waiting to eat or transportation to eat. I really need to convince myself that this is the way to go. Did you eat CS lunches in the park every day or did you have lunch in your room too?

[daleNchip]

mk, thanks for sharing! I love the price savings. Is that how you usually eat on your Disney vacation?

It hasn't always been. But we both used to have really nice jobs and now there's only one paying job. :RpS_unsure: At first, it was all about saving money. But now it's really more about having a relaxing vacation while also saving money. I love putting dinner in the oven, putting the oven on a timer (all hail the person who created this feature!!), going for a swim or a nap, and waking up to the smell of dinner almost done. Love not having to be anywhere at a particular time. Want to swim a little longer? OK, I'll just leave the oven on warm and we'll eat when we get hungry.

Lori, lunch was CS in the parks. We are always hungry by 11 or so at WDW (all that walking? maybe we are just conditioned to eating. :RpS_biggrin:) so we never want to wait to get back to the room to eat.

The key is planning ahead, IMO. I knew what we were going to have and I knew what I needed to buy and what I needed to bring. I picked meals that are light on preparation and used similar ingredients--no buying a bottle of soy sauce for 2 tablespoons, etc. The big thing for me was making sure my grocery list was complete. Making a grocery run for a forgotten item is such a pain in the butt on vacation!

mk

[loribell]

Thanks for all the info! Sounds great. I never even thought about putting something on with a timer to cook while swimming. Genius!

[avic77]

I am working on a list for things to cook while in Disney in 2 weeks. I'm not sure we will do Dinner in the villa but all breakfast and most lunches will be. I have $800 budget for food for the week (in and out of parks) I'd love to cut that by 1/2. Here are some things I have listed:
Lunch in room ideas:
Grilled Cheese and Chips
Totino Pizzas
Raviolis
Sandwhiches
Frozen hamburger type things (our walmart has these)
Chicken Nuggets
Rotisserie Chicken and sides from deli
Philly Steak and Cheese Hoggie kit
Fajita kit

Breakfast
Bagels
Cereal
Biscuits sandwhiches with egg and bacon
Oatmeal
Yogurt
Doughnuts
Waffles

[DoctorK]

One of the things we'll be doing with dinners in the room is trying to make two meals out of one "cooking." For instance, sauteed chicken on day 1 provides chicken to reheat for burritos on day 3. Italian sausage with peppers and onions on day 2 provides extra cooked sausage to reheat with baked ziti on day 4, and as a topping for home made pizza (also using leftover sauce and mozz from the ziti) on day 5. That kind of thing.

For instance, looking at your list, the leftover Rotisserie Chicken could be used to make chicken salad sandwiches, or could be shredded and tossed with some other ingredients, olive oil and pasta. Or make some killer nachos with the leftover chicken and leftover cheese from your grilled cheese.

That should help cut costs as well as effort, since the second time around there's less cooking involved. We may also have a "breakfast for dinner" day toward the end of the trip to use up leftover eggs, pancake mix, etc. (Is it bad to admit that I have cereal for dinner about once a week at home?)

[avic77]

Well after look at my park touring plans, I think we will eat 5 Breakfast in the villa, 2 to 3 lunches, and 1 or 2 dinners. I think we will decide for sure while in the store. But knowing what are park hours look like that does help me know what times we will be in a park at dinner rather then in our room.
DocK I should just come eat in your room :RpS_lol: Jambo is a short walk from Kidani!

[DoctorK]

Just don't ask me to share the Crunch Berries. :RpS_biggrin:

[MichaelColey]

CHILI MAPLE GLAZED DUMP CHICKEN
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 packet chili seasoningTried this one tonight, and DW and I were very impressed. The kids, less so.

I took some of the liquid from the crock pot, strained it, brought it to a boil on the stove, then thickened it with a corn starch/water mixture. Made a tasty glaze to pour over the chicken.

[loribell]

Yum! I have not yet tried any of them. Glad you are enjoying!

[newday13]

I'm meal planning for our stay at WH. This is a great thread!

Recently I did Crock-Pot meals for the freezer. They have been delicious & a life-saver on busy days. We will be driving to FL so I plan on loading our large cooler full of foods for the week. Here are a couple things I'm taking. If it doesn't help for a Disney trip then maybe these links will help for real life at home. They certainly have been great for me!


Freezer Crock Pot Meals (http://mamaandbabylove.blogspot.com/2011/04/freezer-cooking-with-slow-cooker.html) - these meals have pleased even my vegetable-shy child. The goulash & curry meals are particularly delicious!

Corn Dog Muffins (http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/06/freezer-cooking-in-an-hour-corn-dog-muffins-chicken-stuffing-casserole-oatmeal-raisin-muffins-italian-pasta-bake.html) These have been a big hit with my boys. They freeze very well.

Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole (http://alattewithotta.blogspot.com/2010/11/crock-pott-recipe-egg-brunch-casserole.html) My boys like breakfast casserole for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I have yet to try the crock-pot method at home. If all goes well I hope to have this as a meal in our condo.


A great thread everyone!

[Brandie]

:bump:

I've enjoyed the responses. I don't actually use them at DVC, but when we go skiing and stay in a condo. My husband remembered one that he wanted me to make for Super Bowl tomorrow.

Keep 'em coming!

[Canwegosoon]

Thinking abount checking out my tastefully simple stash- I know they have a Cheddar soup( my own little LC).

http://www.tastefullysimple.com/tryourrecipes/recipes.aspx?rid=3399&src=s
Southern Shredded Chicken-sound very good

[momtodsn]

We cook bacon and use it all vacation long with breakfast. We also make omelets, they are quick and satisfying before we head to the park! Another thing we make is overnight french toast casserole, this warms up in the microwave and makes for another quick breakfast. Also, egg sandwiches are great. We don't like wasting the morning looking for something to eat, so try to eat a good breakfast before we leave, then a light lunch and usually eat dinner out.

[MichaelColey]

We cook bacon and use it all vacation long with breakfast.We love Costco precooked bacon (but not the ribbon-thin stuff they sell at Sams). We easily go through a package (~50 pieces for ~$13) or two per week, mostly for breakfasts.

[Canwegosoon]

I also do Bacon/bagles sandwiches a lot in the micro/toster. Aldi's has bacon crumbles if you are making omlets that don't need refrig until they are opened. I love the pre cooked bacon packages beacuse you can usually fit 2-3 very easily in luggage, and bagles hold up too, 2-3 boxes of granola or ceral bars and then if I don't have a car and am staying on site I use the gift shop for a few snacks and soda bottles. A car really changes your whole accessability to snacks/meals.

Anyone have a good way to cook eggs in the micro?

[Searlproudbottom]

Hello All

I have been a lurker for some time and enjoyed this tread so I thought I would share one of my favorite meals.
Searl Proudbottoms World s Famous BBQ Tri Tip Sannies

· I like using the Jack Daniel's EZ Marinader. “Steakhouseor mesquite flavor”. It comes in a zip lock bag that will hold up to a 3 poundtri tip.
· Marinade for two days
· Sear each side of the tri tip for about 3 or 4minutes.
· Wrap completely in foil and add a little of theMarinade to the meat.
· Cook for another 25 minutes with indirect heat and the lid down, about 400 degrees.
· Let sit for 5 minutes and cut then for sandwiches.
· I like using the small sour dough or Dutchcrunch rolls about the size of a fist.
· Add butter and light grill the rolls.

"Bon appétit"
Searl

[Brandie]

Hi Searl! Sounds nummy! Thanks for sharing! And . . .

:welcome: