This Wilderness Skillet is man food to the max, and something that DH Captain Bacon loves to cook for a hearty breakfast before a 12-mile bike ride at The Fort. And while there’s no bacon, there’s plenty of smoked sausage. But we’re not gonna call him Captain Sausage, because what would people think? Now, a princess can manage perfectly fine without the sausage part (of the recipe) and still have a damn good vegetarian morning. This is one of those foods that truly has the effect of making families happy. And nice to one another, too. No matter what was said the night before, after you succumbed to the temptation to indulge in extra magic hours. This meal is gonna make everything okay again. Continue reading “Wilderness Skillet with Fried Eggs”
Chicken Salad Princess Cranberry Chicken Salad
This is one of my top five two favorite chicken salad recipes ever, and my daughter’s favorite of all. It’s a fresh and delightful salad of roasted chicken (I use rotisserie), cranberries, pecans, perfectly blended in an incredible honey-yogurt-mayo dressing.
I have historically made it when my daughter had friends over, as it became a top request at her spend-the-night parties. It is a wonderful make-ahead dish for camping, as it is good for lunch or just a quick snack. It’s so easy to make, and you may never buy fast-food chicken salad again, and certainly not grocery store ones! Continue reading “Chicken Salad Princess Cranberry Chicken Salad”
Best Mashed Potatoes in the World – Le Cellier
Everybody has their favorite comfort food, and mine is mashed potatoes for three-fourths of the year (in summer, it’s a tomato sandwich or two). Mashed potatoes is not a childhood memory for me because my parents preferred rice as the starch. So, all through my 20s, I made so-so mashed potatoes, using the recipe in my starter cookbook. Finally, I learned the two secrets – cream cheese and salt! With the right amount of cream cheese and the courage to be brave with the salt, anyone has the potential to make the best mashed potatoes in the world. Actually getting to the finish line only requires selecting the right potatoes as well as a proper mashing method. Continue reading “Best Mashed Potatoes in the World – Le Cellier”
Better than Incredibles Mac & Cheese Casserole
Okay, this mac & cheese recipe may seriously be better than one that Mrs. Incredible made for Jack. It’s not traditional – it’s a little bit lighter and casserole-ish, even though it looks so 80s. But people who love mac & cheese and people who aren’t so excited about it (they exist – DH, aka Captain Bacon, is one of them) turn from grumpy to happy when they eat this. My late neighbor, who was the best cook in the county (and a friend of Susan Hayward), gave it to me several years ago. It usually gets half eaten up before dinner even starts. I love it for camping as a side to grilled chicken and a salad. Warms up so nicely the next day. Continue reading “Better than Incredibles Mac & Cheese Casserole”
Gone But Not Forgotten – Ft. Wilderness Railroad
the fort wilderness railroad
In 1973, WDW opened a glorious 4/5 steam train in Fort Wilderness. Its 3.5 mile track made it twice as long as the one in the Magic Kingdom, and it was a wonderful way to get around to various parts of the campground, and also to see the wilder sides of the forest and fields. Unfortunately, the train sometimes stopped because it ran out of water (it had to be refilled at the end of the loop every time), and fussy mothers and their little princes and princesses didn’t like the wait for the tow car, particularly on hot summer days. As the campground grew, the likelihood of a train-related injury grew as well, as the tracks came very close to some of the campsites, and there was no barrier between people and the tracks. Finally, Disney closed the train, and most of the cars were left to rust for a couple of decades, until a group of train enthusiasts bought and restored them. Most are now owned privately. A fun activity at Fort Wilderness is to go and try to find the wood cross ties still in place – some are near Loop 700.
Ode to River Country
RIVER COUnTRY – 1976-2001
One of the most magical places in all of the Disney kingdom was right outside of Fort Wilderness – River Country. The epitome of an old fashioned swimming hole, River Country opened in June 20, 1976, less than three weeks before America’s bicentennial. Okay, so here’s where things get messy. Part of going to Disney is about the nostalgia. And just because you add three or five new things doesn’t make up for that one that you abandoned/deconstructed/replaced. (Okay, I’ll try to calm down and do that seek-to-understand thing because it’s supposed to be good for my soul.) Continue reading “Ode to River Country”
Fort Wilderness Opened in November 1971 at $11 Per Night!
Opening Day – 1971
Fort Wilderness opened on November 21, 1971, just a few weeks after the Magic Kingdom, the Contemporary Resort, and the Polynesian Village Resort opened. It initially had about 230 campsites, with an additional 1000 planned to be available in the following years. The original nightly campsite rent was $11 per night, and included access to air-conditioned shower facilities, land transportation to other parts of Disney World, and steamboat transportation to the Magic Kingdom. Early materials promoted nightly campfires, fishing, canoe rides in the canals, a Western town, bridle trails, games and watercraft rentals. Continue reading “Fort Wilderness Opened in November 1971 at $11 Per Night!”
Le Cellier Steakhouse Cheddar Cheese Soup
This seems to be one of Epcot’s more popular dishes, and it’s a fairly easy one for camping life, assuming you’re not in a tent. However, due to the depth of it, I find it more appealing in the winter months. You’ll need the following, and you won’t find many of these at the Fort trading posts. You can substitute regular cheddar for the white cheddar. But don’t get one above medium level of sharpness.
ingredients
1 lb. bacon, divided
1 onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
4 tablespoons butter Continue reading “Le Cellier Steakhouse Cheddar Cheese Soup”
Chasen’s Chili Recipe (Walt’s Favorite)
Walt Disney was known to be one of those who would pick a hamburger over a steak, no matter what the setting. Like so many who grew up during The Great Depression, he had developed a taste for simple foods and canned foods (including Spam). One of his favorite meals of all, however, was Chasen’s Chili. Chasen’s was a famous restaurant in Hollywood, California from 1932 to 1995, whose recipe was revealed after it closed. Other famous fans of the chili included President Franklin D. Roosevelt, actor Frank Sinatra and actress Elizabeth Taylor. Continue reading “Chasen’s Chili Recipe (Walt’s Favorite)”
1900 Fare Broccoli Salad
This is very similar to the beloved dish at 1900 Fare at the Grand Floridian. Their version of broccoli salad has cashews, but the classic version does not, and is just as good. 
My version also uses 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup plain yogurt for a deeper flavor (instead of 1 cup mayo), and I sometimes substitute Craisins for raisins. This is an easy dish with few ingredients that makes for a refreshing side to a sandwich, and will last a day or two in the refrigerator.
If I were making this for myself, I would leave out the bacon, and probably find it even better for my own tastes. Obviously, this is not going to happen on a Fort Wilderness trip with Captain Bacon, or he would probably get all emotional and drone on about how the smell of frying pork takes him back to his childhood and how much more his momma loves him than I do. And then he would start loudly wishing for the freshly cut bacon at the Trail’s End brunch, and we will have a camping food fail. Continue reading “1900 Fare Broccoli Salad”