Summer 2023 • Volume 32 • Number 2Walt’s Chili & Beans

Chili dish photoWalt’s Chili & Beans(Carnation Café edition)Inspired by the opening of Disney Vacation Club Star View Station – A Member Lounge at Disneyland Park and its celestial celebrations of Walt Disney’s dreams, Disney Files Magazine spotlights Walt’s favorite Disneyland dish. Originally a seasonal feature in the park, the dish evolved through the years before becoming a mainstay at Carnation Café on Main Street, U.S.A. This is the recipe for that beloved version, courtesy of The Official Disney Parks Cookbook by Pam Brandon and the Disney Chefs. (It’ll take a few hours to cook to perfection, but good food comes to those who wait!)Featuring “101 Magical Recipes from the Delicious Disney Vault,” the book includes recipes for drinks and dishes from Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Disney Cruise Line ships and Disney Vacation Club Resorts. You’ll also find notes from the Disney Chefs who created or enhanced these Disney dishes, offering helpful hints for easy preparation. Look for more of the book’s recipes in this column throughout 2023.Disney Dish book cover

Look for The Official Disney Parks Cookbook by Pam Brandon and the Disney Chefs wherever books are sold.

Always use caution when handling sharp objects and hot contents.Please supervise children who are helping or nearby.This recipe has been converted from a larger quantity in the restaurant kitchens.The flavor profile may vary from the restaurant’s version.
Disneyland construction photoServes: 6
Ingredients (serves 6-8):¼ cup olive oil¾ pound beef stew meat1 small onion, diced1 medium green pepper, diced4 cloves garlic, minced1 pound ground beef1 tablespoon ground cumin1 ½ tablespoons chili powder1 tablespoon onion powder¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper3 tablespoons tomato paste2 plum tomatoes, diced1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes2 tablespoons beef base (stock)1 ½ cups water1 (14.5-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drainedCoarse salt to taste
Steps:

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven (or another pot if you don’t have a Dutch oven) over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add stew meat, heating and occasionally stirring for 10 minutes, until meat is browned on all sides. Remove meat from pan and set aside.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to pan, and heat for 3 minutes (still over medium heat).

Add onions and green peppers. Cook for 8-10 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute, until garlic is fragrant.

Add ground beef. Cook (again, still over medium heat), stirring occasionally to break up meat, for 10-12 minutes, until beef is no longer pink. Drain excess fat.

Return stew meat to Dutch oven (or pot) with your ground beef mixture. Add ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, tomato paste, diced plum tomatoes, diced canned tomatoes, beef base (stock) and water.

Bring chili to a simmer, then cover and lower heat to low. Allow to cook for 3 hours, until stew meat is tender.

Add pinto beans, and simmer for 10 minutes until beans are warm.

Season with salt to taste, and serve with your favorite garnish (the Carnation Café serves this with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and diced tomatoes).

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