Happy Mother's Day from DisneyBizJournal.com!

 

Branching Out At Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen

 by Beth Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 13, 2023

 

One of our family’s favorite Magic Kingdom restaurants at Disney World is the “Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen,” a mouthful of a name that most guests just call the  “Skipper Canteen.” If you haven’t had a chance to visit this eatery, it is a fun premise, based on the punny jokes and off-beat humor of the Jungle Cruise. Your servers are the Jungle Cruise Skippers, and if you get a particularly engaged cast member, you will be laughing your way through your meal.

On this recent evening, our Skipper was naturally charming and humorous, and the Skipper at the next table had a different joke or riddle for the family sitting next to us each time she returned to the table.  Of course, we eavesdropped! She was a veritable fount of cornball “Dad” jokes.

On top of being a unique combination of waiter and stand-up comedian, the Skipper Canteen cast member/skippers still manage to take your order, balance the food trays, and get you fed and out the door in a timely manner.  These folks are on their toes! The restaurant’s kitschy décor transports you back to the Jungle Cruise’s colonial-era outpost, with a plethora of visual puns and Easter eggs everywhere you look.  It’s worth a few minutes of your time to take a spin around the restaurant to seek out these gems, especially the book titles on the library shelves, Dr. Albert Falls’ family parlor, the S.E.A. (Society of Explorers and Adventurers) room, and the crew’s “mess hall.

For the past few years, we’ve generally ordered the same things every time we’ve sojourned to the Skipper Canteen. Usually, we split an order of the spicy chili-garlic shrimp over pork fried rice ($15.00), or occasionally opt for the delicious “secret menu” Brazilian Cheese Bread that won’t show up on your menu, but is available by asking your Skipper about it.  Our entrée choices typically lean toward the “Tastes Like Chicken” ($28.00), a safe, and crunchy option at this somewhat adventurous watering hole, or the slightly spicier Skipper Dan’s Dan Dan Noodles (also $28.00).

This time, we kicked off our meal with something a little different at the suggestion of our Skipper. We tried the Orinoco Ida's Cachapas ($13.00). I suspect that we’d stayed away from this dish for so long because none of us really knew what cachapas were, and in case you don’t either, they are a delicious corn pancake.  The Orinoco Ida version is a trio of small house-made corn pancakes, topped with beer-braised pork, roasted corn, Fresno pepper salsa, and avocado cream.  (Orinoco Idais the name of one of the Jungle Cruise riverboats, if you didn’t recognize the name. It’s the one with the missing skipper, whose previous tour returned to the dock without him. Just ask Albert Awol.)

These pancakes were very fragrant, with a strong underscore of corn flavor to the pancakes, yet the corn flavor was not overpowering to the rest of the appetizer.  In fact, there were several different flavors and textures working together here, so that at each bite, you were experiencing something just a little different on your tongue.  The cakes had a bit of a kick, which was cooled nicely by the avocado crema.  In addition to the braised pork and the snap of the corn kernels, there was a delicious  herbiness from the green sauce as well.

Next it was on to the main courses.  We were always a little skeptical of venturing out of our comfort zone to try the seafood dish at Skipper Canteen – anything labelled “Not Piranha” leaves a whole lot of wiggle room for swapping out ingredients.  It’s the equivalent of adding “…and other ingredients” to a food label.  But on this evening, we threw caution to the wind and branched out at our Skipper’s enthusiastic recommendation.  We opted for the Sustainable Fish ($32.00), billed as “Not Piranha,” and served over bok choy, with lotus root, bell peppers, and shiitake mushrooms in a light ginger-lemon grass broth.

Our Skipper was right, on most of the information. (She did say that we could expect our entrées to arrive in 3-5  business days… fortunately, they arrived much faster than that!) Our “Not Piranha” turned out to be a really enjoyable Red Drum, a white fish.  Fun fact: the Red Drum fish, native to Florida waters, gets its name from the drumming sound it makes from its swim bladder.

 
The fish was perfectly done – tender, flaky and on the sweet side. The searing was ideal – a nice combination of seasoning and crispness. Also, for those who may have seen pictures in other places of Disney serving up a whole fish, scales, bones and all, this was not one of those dishes.  The Red Drum was a filet, carefully trimmed and plated and looking lovely.

Why, we asked ourselves, hadn’t we ordered this delicious fish dish before?  We had been missing out.  We made sure to tell the other seafood-loving members of the family that they should definitely order this the next time they sailed on into Skipper Canteen.

For the first time, we also enjoyed the “Hardy Har Char” Siu Pork ($28.00), a Char Siu-marinated Pork served with seasonal vegetables and Jasmine rice, and we were sad that we’d been missing out on this yummy dish for so long as well.  A sauce similar to a chili glaze gave this uber-tender pork loin a touch of heat, but not so much that the spice-adverse among us had trouble with it.  It left just a little bit of a tingle on your tongue. The pork was already sliced for you, before being coated with the glaze, which was akin to a barbecue sauce, but not quite as sweet or as smoky as a traditional barbeque sauce. It had a similar vibe, but with that mild kick.  A side of charred Bok choy accompanied a tangy combination of zucchini, carrot strips and onion slices. The scoop of rice it was served with was a rounded hill that was soft in the middle, but a touch crunchy on the outside.

 

For dessert, we debated between our usual “Kungaloosh!” and the coconut bar, but in the end we felt like we were betraying the traditional Adventurers’ Club motto by going with the coconut bar. Kungaloosh! ($9.00) is a chocolate cake with caramelized bananas, while the coconut bar ($8.50) is a vanilla chiffon cake covered in a white chocolate ganache and served with a creamy pineapple-basil sauce. The diner choosing the coconut bar enjoyed the mix of sweetness, coconut and pineapple flavors, along with a slight denseness to the cake (again, in a good way).

Skipper Canteen also has a full range of wines and beers, along with a few specialty cocktails dreamed up by former Skippers. Tonight, we decided to stay in-theme, and tried out the Jungle Navigation Co. Shandy ($10.50), never having tried a Shandy before.  This version started with Blue Moon Belgian White Ale, married to a nicely chilled lemonade. It was a wonderful discovery as a summer delight – and of course, it's always summer in Florida!

The African, Asian and Latin inspired menu at Skipper Canteen can be a little daunting for some diners, but don’t let that scare you off.  Trust your Skipper’s recommendations, and venture outside your comfort zone… you’ll be glad you did!

  

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

2023 Performers for “Eat To The Beat Concert Series” Announced

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 12, 2023

 

If the food is the star of the annual EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, the “Eat to the Beat” concerts certainly boost the atmosphere.  The concerts feature a wide variety of performers and musical genres, and offer up concerts in the open air America Gardens Theatre at 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8 p.m. on select evenings during the festival.  This year’s International Food & Wine Festival runs from July 27th to November 18th, 2023.

This year’s announced performers include at least eight newcomers to the lineup, in addition to many returning fan favorites.  (Here at our house, we are inordinately excited about the arrival of The Bacon Brothers, and we try not to miss an appearance by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy!)

  
Here’s a look at the full schedule for the 2023 Eat to the Beat Concert Series:

 

• Orianthi – NEW (July 28 and 29)
• For King & Country – NEW (July 30 and 31)
• Southern Avenue (August 4 and 5)
• Tiffany (August 6 and 7)
• Ruben Studdard with Haley Reinhart  (August 11 and 12)
• The Bacon Brothers – NEW (August 13 and 14)
• Joey Fatone & Friends (August 18 through 21)
• Ayron Jones – NEW (August 25 and 26)
• Phillip Phillips – NEW (August 27 and 28)
• Baha Men (September 1 and 2)
• MercyMe (September 3 and 4)
• Ray Parker Jr. (September 8 and 9)
• Tobymac (September 10 and 11)
• Celebrity Latin Talent – To Be Announced (September 15 and 16)
• Raul Acosta & Oro Solido – NEW (September 17 and 18)
• Los Amigos Invisibles (September 22 and 23)
• 98° (September 24 and 25)
• Boyz II Men (September 29 and 30 and October 1 and 2)
• Mark Wills (October 6 and 7)
• Sugar Ray (October 8 and 9)
• Hoobastank (October 13 and 14)
• Air Supply (October 15 and 16)
• Taylor Dayne (October 20 and 21)
• Billy Ocean (October 22 and 23)
• Hanson (October 27 through 30)
• We the Kings – NEW (November 3 and 4)
• Shelia E. (November 5 and 6)
• Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (November 10 and 11)
• 38 Special (November 12 and 13)

 

Eat to the Beat concerts are free (with regular admission to EPCOT) and seating is on a first come-first seated basis, but if you don’t want to wait in the regular standby line, you can also guarantee yourself a seat by purchasing an “Eat to the Beat Dining Package.”  Disney has said the dining packages will once again be returning, and information on the packages and included restaurants will follow at a later date. Packages go on sale starting on July 6th, 2023.

  
You can also keep an eye on the Food & Wine Festival info at TasteEPCOT.com. 

  

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Investors Not Happy with Disney After Earnings Report

 by Ray Keating

Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 11, 2023

 

Well, investors aren’t seeing much magic in Disney at the moment.

 

At first glance, Disney’s earnings report released on May 10 based on the quarter ending April 1 was, at worst, mixed. Earnings per share came in as widely expected in the market, and revenue actually ran slightly ahead of where expectations were.

Courtesy of Google.com

Also, the theme parks did very well, with the company’s Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment posting a 17 percent increase in revenue compared to the same quarter last year, while the segment’s profits grew by 23 percent.

 

And Disney’s direct-to-consumer, or streaming, losses were narrower than expected, and were moving in the direction the company said they would. DTC revenues increased by 12 percent, and operating losses went from $0.9 billion to $0.7 billion.

 

But these general positives, so far, have been outweighed by negatives now, and concerns looking ahead.

 

For example, the number of Disney+ subscribers declined by four million (from 161.8 million at the end of 2022 to 157.8 million as of April 1, 2023). Of those losses, the domestic tally was -300,000. With the loss of cricket, a big chunk of the subscriber losses came in India. ESPN subscriptions were up slightly (24.9 million to 25.3 million) and Hulu subs inched up from 48.0 million to 48.2 million). 

 

Also, Disney’s traditional television (linear) networks saw a seven percent decline in revenue and a 35 percent decline in operating income.

 

In addition, Disney is in the midst of negotiating the purchase of the remainder of Hulu from Comcast, and plans to merge Hulu content with Disney+. There’s a significant amount of uncertainty swirling around the ultimate impact this will have on Disney.

 

As for the parks, the look ahead was less robust compared to recent performance, given the possibility of a recession, with commensurate slowing of the job market, a likely post-Disney World 50th-anniversary attendance falloff, and the evaporation of a post-COVID surge. At the same time, cost pressures likely will persist, including, ironically, on the labor front. 

 

And there is uncertainty tied to the company’s lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his allies in Florida government related to Walt Disney World. To say that it’s unusual for a company to sue a governor and related entities – and a governor who wants to be president – would be a major understatement. At the same time, though, Governor DeSantis’ crusade against Disney is an unprecedented act as well, and Disney has a strong case that this is government targeting a particular company and limiting or denying the right to free speech.

 

Whether one agrees or disagrees with the position that Disney took on an education law in Florida, one cannot seriously argue with what Iger said, including: “This is about one thing and one thing only, and that's retaliating against us for taking a position about pending legislation. And we believe that in us taking that position, we are merely exercising our right to free speech… There's been a lot said about special districts and the arrangement that we had, I want to set the record straight on that too. There are about 2000 special districts in Florida.” In addition, Iger asked, “Does the state want us to invest more, employ more people and pay more taxes or not?”

 

As for what might lie ahead, Investor’s Business Daily reported the following: “For the rest of the year, consensus views see the Burbank, Calif.-based company's earnings turning higher and ending up 16% for the fiscal year and up 21% (calendar year) over 2022. Fiscal year revenue is expected to rise about 9%.”

 

It also must be remembered that Disney is in the mix of some serious restructuring, trimming jobs and costs. As Iger said, “From movies to television, to sports, news, and our theme parks, we continue to deliver for consumers, while establishing a more efficient, coordinated, and streamlined approach to our operations.”

 

Disney’s stock price closed at $101.14 on May 10, before the earnings release, and then dropped by $8.84, or 8.7 percent, per share, closing at $92.30 on May 11. 

 

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, and the Alliance of Saint Michael novels; and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right? 

 

Consider books by Ray Keating…

 

• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. You can order the latest book in the series – Under the Golden Dome: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel. Get the signed books here, or paperbacks and Kindle editions right here.

 

• Pre-order The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Kindle edition here and signed books here. And don’t forget the first book in this growing series, i.e., The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks at RayKeatingOnline.com or paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions at Amazon.com.

 

• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel. Signed paperbacks and/or paperbacks, hardcovers and the Kindle edition at Amazon. 

 

• The Lutheran Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement, inspiration and consolation from the Christian faith.

 

• Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  –  signed books  or at  Amazon.

 

•  Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know is available at  Amazon  in paperback or for the Kindle edition, and signed books at  www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Disney World to Bring Back Dining Plan

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 8, 2023

 

There’s HUGE news out of Disney World today! The long-absent and greatly missed Disney Dining Plan will be returning in 2024, but you won’t have to wait quite that long to put those packages on your vacation itinerary. The plans begin going on sale May 31 for trips next year. The return of the Dining Plan is just one of five updates shared by Disney for park guests, including changes to the park reservation system.

Disney dining plans will be an add-on option for guests staying at Disney Resort hotels with packages after January 9, 2024. If you’ve never used the Dining Plans before, essentially, the Dining Plans are a way of pre-paying for your meals during your stay.  For some guests, it’s a money saver, while for others it is simply a matter of convenience, knowing that your trip, including food, is paid for before you step on property. The plans give you a set number of prepaid meals and snacks to enjoy during your stay. (Perhaps you’ve noticed the little DDP logo on menu boards at dining locations throughout the park, with the DDP tag indicating that those options are included in the Dining Plan.)  Two of the Dining Packages will be returning: the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan, and the Disney Dining Plan, which includes more sit-down restaurant options. 

     

As for the other announcements:

 

Among the most hated of the COVID-era changes was the “theme park reservation requirement,” and Disney has announced that they will be removing that requirement for date-based tickets. Beginning with park visits on January 9, 2024, theme park reservations will no longer be required for date-based tickets. There are still a few exceptions to the rule (such as non-dated tickets) for which you will still need to make park reservations, and you can check out those exceptions on Disney’s website.

For Annual Passholders, following on the heels of the current policy of not needing a park reservation after 2 p.m. (unless it’s Magic Kingdom on a weekend, when you still need a reservation), Disney will be expanding to “Good-to-go days” for Annual Passholders and cast members in 2024.  While this sounds like it might be confusing things a bit at this point, Disney promises there will be more details released on “Good-to-go days” shortly. The basic premise is this: Disney plans to offer select days on which Annual Passholders and Disney cast members can visit Walt Disney World theme parks without needing a park reservation. According to Disney Parks Blog, “Good-to-go days” may vary by park.  (Like we said, this may be muddying the waters just when we thought we were making progress…we’ll wait and see… sounds like we’ll still be checking the blasted calendars! God bless the cast members who will be manning the tapstyles as we all try to make sure we’ve followed the plan.)

 

In addition, Early Theme Park Entry for Disney Resort hotel guests will continue through 2024 each day for all four theme parks. Disney Deluxe Resorts and Deluxe Villas will continue to be able to take advantage of extended evening hours on select dates at select parks through 2024.

 

And last, but not by any means the least, Disney shared that they are working on simplifying the Disney Genie+ experience, including figuring out the logistics of allowing guests to make Disney Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane selections before the day of a park visit. They “look forward to sharing more information at a later date.”  

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Rosa Mexicano Offers Festive, If Uneven, Dining for Cinco de Mayo

 by Beth Keating and Ray Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 5, 2023

 

If you’re wondering where to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year, you might want to consider the recently opened Rosa Mexicano at the Swan and Dolphin Resort at Disney World.  

 

Just a short walk or boat ride from EPCOT’s International Gateway, the Dolphin site is the newest spot in the restaurant’s eleven location repertoire. There are three eateries in New York City, as well as ones in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Massachusetts.

Rosa Mexicano honors the restaurant’s Mexican heritage, dishing up both classic and upscale dishes in a festive atmosphere.  The locale serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and boasts an extensive drink menu, including an award-winning signature margarita served at their New York City destination as well. There is also a separate kids’ menu.

 

The restaurant is helmed by Florida native and executive chef Ryan Mills, who grew up on Florida’s Gulf Coast.  He previously served as sous chef at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, as well as executive chef at the world-famous Drago’s Seafood Restaurant in New Orleans, before heading to Denver to help develop a new restaurant concept for Great Divide Brewery.

 

The menu at Rosa Mexicano certainly is wide ranging, but on the evening we were there, the results were … uneven. There were standout moments, but there were others that ranked as rather ordinary. And that was disappointing given the prices.  On the upside, the décor was lively, with large windows offering a light, airy feel. 

 

Rosa Mexicano is known for its tableside guacamole preparation, a fun and interesting bit of entertainment along with your meal. And we were fortunate to get a peek as the diners one table over made this selection. The preparer was fluid and friendly, and our neighbors certainly seemed to enjoy the results.

 

Our meal started off with two satisfying drink selections. The Cocojito ($17) featured Cruzan Rum, house-made coconut liqueur, fresh mint, coconut milk, Canela-Infused Agave Nectar and fresh lime. It all worked together for a refreshing, milky, lime flavor (sounds weird, but again it was quite enjoyable). As for the Mexicano Mule ($15), it also was refreshing. It was crisp but not sweet, and featured Hornitos Reposado Tequila, fresh lime and Q Ginger Beer.

Next came the starters. The Chicken Flautas ($13) offered fried corn tortillas filled with pulled all-natural chicken, shaved cabbage, crema, queso fresco, tomatillo and avocado salsa. It was a nice mix of taste and texture, including the flavorful chicken, a mix of crunch and softness in the tortilla, and mild sauce.

 

Even better, though, was the Fresh Ahi Tuna Tacos ($19), with soy and lime, red onion, sliced avocado, cilantro, and crispy corn tortillas. It was delectable and zesty – cool, fresh and with a kick.

Unfortunately, the entrées were far less inspiring. Both diners went the duck carnitas route, given that duck is such a favorite in our family. But the Duck Carnitas Tacos ($19) – featuring black beans, grilled pineapple and jicama salsa, queso fresco, mint and corn tortilla – were fine, but in the end, kind of forgettable. And one of us thought the meat was on the dry side.

The Duck Carnitas Enchiladas ($26) – with mole poblano, queso fresco and crema – were an improvement. The sauce was rich, not acidic, and the meat moister. But it wasn’t a must-have-again meal. 

Having said this, the menu is quite extensive, and additional visits would be needed for a more complete picture. At the same time, though, this is an expensive meal.

Fortunately, the taste meter jumped back up at dessert. Our two desserts were, to say the least, generous portions. The Tres Leches offered sponge cake, soaked in three different milks, and light cream, and didn’t shortchange in terms of the size and number of strawberry slices. It was quite good.

Interestingly, the Flan was even better. We might say it was the best flan we’ve ever had. It was smooth and creamy, but not heavy. The sweetness level was just right, with the caramel sauce providing a boost. There also was a tiny hint of smokiness. Overall, it was a cool, tasty dessert – perfect at the end of a hot Florida day.

 

Is it enough to excel with the drinks, appetizers and desserts, when the main entrées are a bit lacking? That’s a choice only the individual diner can answer. But we did love those desserts.

 

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, and the Alliance of Saint Michael novels; and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Celebrate Star Wars Day With Spicy Mandalorian Stew

 by Beth Keating

Lifestyle

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 4, 2023

 

Dedicated Star Wars fans know that today, May 4th, is known as International Star Wars Day.  (Why, you ask?  May the Fourth… May the Force…. Hear it?)

  
To honor the day, we went back to our trusty Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge cookbook to see what could be fun to serve for dinner today. Since the third season of The Mandalorian recently wrapped on Disney+, and we’re big Mandalorian fans, we flipped through the recipes to see what might have been interesting to Clan Mudhorn, carefully avoiding any of Din Grogu’s preferred frog’s legs.

We think Din Djarin might have enjoyed the dish we eventually chose, “Spicy Mandalorian Stew.” We know we did.  It is spicy, but the apples in the dish lend a slightly sweet undertone to balance it out.  Maybe have a nice crusty loaf of bread nearby just in case.    

 

If you aren’t familiar with the Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge: The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook, it is a fun read. Chef Strono Tuggs, known as “Cookie,” is the head chef at Maz Kanata’s castle, and he is the “voice” behind the recipes in the Black Spire cookbook. Cookie quotes in the book, “Food is art,” and the Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge cookbook is art indeed.  Even if you have no intention of actually whipping up any of the admittedly sometimes strange recipes in the book, the photography and illustrations in the book are beautiful to flip through, and the backstories sprinkled among the recipes add a whole lot of depth to the Star Wars universe.  (The book is brought to you, in the real world, by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel and Marc Sumerak.)

Chef Cookie warns that this traditional stew is “so blazin’ hot it’ll burn the hair right outta your nostrils. This old Mandalorian gem is known in their native tongue as tiingilar – I ain’t fluent in Mando’a, but I assume it roughly translates to ‘eat at your own risk.’”   Cookie councils that this spicy stew has the potential to make even the hardiest Mandalorian sweat themselves right out of their armor.

 

The recipe itself is a quick prep; most of the cook time is in the simmer.  Give it a try. You can always cut down the amount of heat in the dish for the younglings in your clan! This is the way.

 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, roughly chopped

1 medium red apple, cored and diced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 carrots, roughly chopped

1 purple potato, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons garam masala

2 tablespoons curry powder

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1½ tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

4 cups chicken broth

½ cup pearl couscous

 

Directions:

1.    Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion, garlic and ginger.

2.    Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, then add the chicken. Stir occasionally until the meat is browned on all sides.

3.  Add the remaining ingredients and cook, covered, for about 30 min, until the vegetables are soft. Serve hot.

 

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.