Once Upon A Bite 001

Blue Bayou Pan Seared Salmon with Tomato Caper Relish

I have loved, (and I mean LOVED) cookbooks for as long as I can remember!! There is something so fun about selecting a recipe and then creating it. It's the magic that comes with making a dish you KNOW someone poured their heart into. And then, we all make our own little changes here and there, and in some ways, it's as if we all melt together as one. AS ONE! Because, when you think about food, it really does bring us all together. Celebrations, conversations, quality time as well as healing and grieving. We watch families grow around the dinner tables, we see friendships strengthen but mostly we see love. And for those of us who enjoy the art of cooking, it is a gift we give to those who inhabit our hearts.

I have blogged about food for over 15 years. Mind you, it has been in bouts here and there, but my time in the culinary world has been (and continues to be) an interesting ride. While I have worked in restaurants since I was 18, I married into a restaurant family when I was 28. My husband, Glenn, and his father owned and operated various restaurants over the course of their life. In 2006 the last restaurant that they ran together was sold, and Glenn embarked on a different journey, leaving the restaurant word behind. He was in construction, and I was settled in real estate but it was clear that he missed the hustle and bustle of the restaurant business. There was always a flame, forever burning in his heart, that just wouldn't burn out. And so, In 2013 we opened our first restaurant together and over a decade later, we are still working side by side in one of our two restaurant locations, in Florida.

Which brings me to today...

Once Upon a Bite is something I have wanted to do for a long time. Like so many of you, one of the things I love most about Disney is the culinary journeys one can take if they choose to. I also love bringing that magic back and combining it with my own personal passion for cooking and baking. Once Upon a Bite is my creative outlet where I can share foods and culinary experiences influenced by Disney that bring joy to the makers heart, mind and of course to their palette. Things I have made and tested, that I think are worth sharing with you. Consider them as little, magical, gifts that bring the essence of something we love into our homes and to our tables in a meaningful way!! I hope you enjoy making these suggestions and that your time with these recipes is filled with so much love and MAGIC around your own tables!!

So, without further ado...I bring you my first pick for this series!!

Disneyland's Blue Bayou Restaurant

Pan- Seared Salmon with Tomato Caper Relish, Sautéed Spinach & Basil Beurre Blanc

I have just about every Disney Cookbook out there, and by far, Delicious Disney is my favorite. All of the recipes are well thought out and while many of them require a bit of effort, the end result is worth it. The Pan-Seared Salmon is proof of that! While the salmon itself is simply prepared with salt and pepper, it is the combination and the layering of the various flavor profiles, that truly make this dish delicious. The Tomato & Caper Relish is a fresh and briny treat that would be amazing on just about anything. Paired with the gentleness of the mashed potatoes and the simpleness of the spinach, one feels a sense of refined comfort food, when taking your first bite. But, the star of the show (and also the hardest element of this recipe) is the Basil Beurre Blanc. Try not to be intimidated by the process. Just follow directions. If you struggle with your basil and chive mixture in your food processor or blender, add the Chardonnay directly to it, and reduce with the herb mixture already in place rather than adding it at the end (this is what I did). One could even say this give things more time to marry and for the flavors to blend together. Either way, it's delicious!! And if you're feeling fancy, before you sauté your spinach in the olive oil, drop a basil leaf of two in for a pretty treat! Or not!! Pretty plating isn't needed! But DO take the time to sit and enjoy this beautiful meal!! You deserve it!!

"Crickets chirp, frogs croak, and it's always twilight at the Blue Bayou Restaurant, a Disneyland Park favorite. Cajun-Creole-inspired cuisine is on the menu, and luxurious beurre blanc sauce adds New Orleans flair to this dish. The sauce works well with all types of fish"

-Delicious Disney - the FRESH edition