Category: Tips & Tricks

Dollywood Smoky Mountain Christmas

5 Best Food Spots at Dollywood Smoky Mountain Christmas

If you’ve ever had the opportunity of visiting Dollywood, then you already know that there is a great selection of restaurants. However, did you know that there are additional options during the Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival? We have our standard favorites of course, but here are a few options that you might consider during this holiday season. Here is our list of of the best food spots at Dollywood during Smoky Mountain Christmas!

Cookbookies’ List of Best Food Spots at Dollywood Smoky Mountain Christmas

Spotlight Bakery and Sandwich Shop

spotlight bakery at dollywood
Spotlight Bakery and Sandwich Shop

Near the entrance of the park, Spotlight Bakery and Sandwich Shop is a great place to stop for food. Sweet treats like cookies, cinnamon rolls, and Dollywood’s Cinnamon Bread are just a few of the great options available. We personally like to start out our day here by grabbing a warm cup of coffee to combat the chilly winter temperatures. And if we happen to grab a little sweet treat, then nobody really needs to know. If you’re unable to find Cinnamon Bread at this location, it is also available at the Dollywood Grist Mill as well! Check out Dolly’s recipe for Cinnamon Bread HERE if you happen to be craving it at home!

dollywood's famous cinnamon bread recipe

Granny Ogle’s Ham ‘n’ Beans

Granny Ogle's Ham & Beans
Granny Ogle’s Ham ‘n’ Beans

Granny Ogle’s Ham ‘n’ Beans is definitely “country cookin’ at it’s finest”! If you’re a lover of ham and beans, then this sit down restaurant should definitely be on the top of your list. Although most of their food options can be found during the regular Dollywood season, we still think that it’s a great food spot during the holidays. Our personal favorite is “The Meatloaf Stacker”!

the meatloaf stacker Dollywood
The Meatloaf Stacker at Dollywood

Red’s Drive-In

Red's Drive-In Restaurant

If you’re not in the mood for holiday food, then Red’s Drive-In Restaurant might be a great option for you. Red’s Drive-In serves All-American style diner food like burgers, fries, and milkshakes. Red’s Drive-In tends to be more busy during the summer months for obvious reasons. However, the wait times during the winter months are going to be shorter at this sit down location.

Crossroad’s Funnel Cakes

crossroads funnel cakes at dollywood
Crossroad’s Funnel Cakes

Is there ever a bad time for funnel cakes? We don’t think so! Deep fried doughy goodness in every bite! During the holiday season, Dollywood is offering the Apple Cinnamon Funnel Cake as well. So, if the apple pie at the Spotlight Bakery isn’t exactly what you want, then this might be a great option for you! For the traditionalists out there, there’s the standard funnel cake available as well.

Aunt Granny’s Restaurant

Aunt Granny's Restaurant Dollywood
Aunty Granny’s Restaurant

We’ve saved the best for last! Aunt Granny’s Restaurant is definitely our favorite place to eat no matter what time of year it is. This sit down restaurant is all you care to eat buffet. During the 2020 season, the normal buffet can’t be used due to safety protocols. However, you can still choose all the food that you want and it is brought to your table family style. Aunt Granny’s is also offering special food options during the holiday season. Therefore, if you’re unable to wait until Christmas Day to have that dinner you’ve been waiting all year for, then Aunt Granny’s can go ahead and serve it up for you today! (Bonus Note: Aunt Granny is Dolly Parton’s nickname to her nieces and nephews!)

Bonus: Tips & Tricks

If you plan on visiting Dollywood more than once, we highly recommend upgrading your daily ticket to a Gold Season Pass! Having a Gold Season Pass gives you admission to the park, free parking, AND a 20% discount at all of the restaurants and shops in the park!

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Scallions in a planter

Kitchen Hacks 101: Replant Your Scallions

We have to be brutally honest with you fellow Cookbookies! We don’t know how many times we’ve simply chucked green onion scraps in the trash. However, by listening to other fabulous home cooks, we’ve learned there’s a much better use for those scraps. Kitchen Hacks 101: Replant your Scallions! Not only is it incredibly easy, but you’ll also be cutting a little extra off your grocery bill each week. We had an extra window box that had yet to have any plants in it, so we utilized it for this very purpose.

kitchen hacks replant scallions
Fresh scallions scraps planted in a window box planter

It’s so easy to plant scallions. Simply take the root end of the onion that you haven’t used and plant it about an inch deep into potting soil and water. Make sure that the scallions are in a sunny location. Then, all that’s left to do is to watch them grow!

kitchen hacks regrow scallions
Scallion scraps after two days of replanting
Scallions in a planter
Scallions less than two weeks after being replanted

After your fabulous scallions have grown tall enough, feel free to cut them back to about an inch above the soil line. Scallions make a great addition to almost every savory meal. Try them sprinkled on Simple Instant Pot Dirty Rice or Toasted Sesame Peanut Noodles.

Have you seen us on Pinterest yet?! Follow our boards for more fabulous recipes!

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essential herbs patio garden

5 Essential Herbs For Your Patio Garden

Spring is definitely my favorite time of year! The air warms up, the sun shines brighter, and I finally get the chance to plant my annual herb garden. If you are an avid home cook like myself, you already know the importance of having fresh herbs to add to your recipes. However, buying herbs at the grocery store can get expensive, and you might be buying more herbs than you actually need for any given recipe. These essential herbs in your patio garden are incredibly easy to grow, and they will provide you with a full season of fresh home cooking. Be careful to plant your herbs after the frost date in your particular region. Check out Farmer’s Almanac website to see when that date is for you. Keep on planting and Stay Fabulous!

5 Essential Herbs For Your Patio Garden

  1. Flat Italian Parsley

    Flat Italian Parsley is by far the herb that I use the most when cooking at home. Parsley will brighten up any dish when it is added at the end of cooking. It’s also a great addition to many of those delicious homemade sauces. essential herbs patio garden

  2. Rosemary

    Rosemary is probably one of the longest lasting herbs in my garden. It’s evergreen-like needles have a woodsy scent that tastes great with poultry. If you’re looking for an easy way to boost the flavor of that Sunday Roast Chicken, Rosemary is an easy addition.essential herbs patio garden

  3. Thyme

    The tiny leaves thyme add enormous flavor to Italian dishes. I always have some on hand whenever I want to make fresh sauces from those ripe summer tomatoes. Try adding a couple teaspoons of fresh thyme to Italian Sausage, Onion, and Peppers Pasta. Don’t go overboard though. A little thyme goes a long way.essential herbs patio garden

  4. Oregano

    Like Thyme, Oregano is another one of those essential herbs to have on hand in your patio garden. It adds deep flavor to rich sauces and stews. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s high in antioxidants as well.essential herbs patio garden

  5. Basil

    Basil is an incredibly versatile and useful herb to keep in your garden. It can be transformed into a rich pesto sauce to go on your pasta, or you can simply chop it up into a fresh salad. However, I do tend to use a lot of this herb so I have to make sure that I have at least two of these plants to utilize. Note: If you’re Basil starts to flower, make sure that you cut those buds off with some garden shears to make your plant last longer through the season.basil herbs patio garden

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Easy Peel Hard Boiled Egg

The Art of the Easy Peel Hard Boiled Egg

I love a hard boiled egg! They can be eaten at any time of the day, and they are suprisingly easy to make. Also, since various weight loss programs have designated them a zero point food, they can be a great way to lose weight as well. However, nothing makes me more mad than losing half a hard boiled egg because it doesn’t want to peel correctly. Follow this method and the egg shells will easily slip away leaving most of your egg intact. Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs will be your next great snack or recipe addition!

Time needed: 30 minutes.

How to Make Easy Peel Boiled Eggs

  1. Boil water

    Bring a large pot of water to a complete and rolling boil.

  2. Add Eggs

    Using a ladle or slotted serving spoon, gently lower the eggs to the bottom of the pot being careful not to crack them.

  3. Boil Eggs

    Boil the eggs for 10 minutes.

  4. Drain Eggs

    Immediately drain the eggs and place them into an ice bath.

  5. Keep it Chill

    This is by far the most important step. Make sure that you let your cooked eggs chill in the ice water bath for at least 15 minutes.

  6. Peel and Enjoy

    Crack the egg shell and and peel away the membrane under cool running water.

  7. Store

    After all the eggs have been peeled, store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

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