The 129th annual Rose Parade is coming to Pasadena and I’m so proud to partner with Dole Packaged Foods on their first ever Wake Up & Watch initiative! I’m sharing 2 simple, delicious recipes you can make with Dole Packaged Foods products while you watch the Rose Parade on January 1st. As you know I like things that save me time. So these recipes can be made ahead or day-of, so you can get back to the parade and spending time with your family.

The 2018 Dole Packaged Foods float won the Grand Marshal Trophy in the Rose Parade.

First, can we talk about how amazing the Dole float is every year? It’s one of my favorites to watch coming down Colorado Boulevard because it’s always so beautiful.  In fact, Dole Packaged Foods has participated in the Rose Parade for the past eight years and is a seven-
time Sweepstakes winner. The theme for this year is Sharing Nature’s Bounty, which embodies the overall 2018 parade theme of Making a Difference. Sharing Nature’s Bounty celebrates the “circle of life” and showcases the various countries and cultures where Dole fruit is grown and the delicate balance of nature. The awe-inspiring float design will display creatures (octopus, zebra and more), water (2,000 gallons) and flora (more than 60,000 individual flowers). Up close, the float is a breathtaking work of art, engineering and countless hours of work by staff and volunteers.

I had a chance to talk with the folks from Dole and they tell me the float aims to serve as an inspiration; as well as celebrate Dole’s passion for the environment. The development of this year’s Sharing Nature’s Bounty float theme was also stirred by the dynamic
partnership between Dole, Feeding America and FOOD Share. The partnership builds upon Dole’s efforts to look out for one another and support underserved communities that are in need of fresh and healthy food.

With 45 million people watching, and 700,000 people in attendance, this is truly one of the must-see events of the year. And what better way to kick off your New Year than with something delicious while you watch the parade! Here are my suggestions to get you off to a good start.

Peach Breakfast Bake

Who says you have to wait until summer to enjoy peaches? Dole Packaged Foods has delicious sliced peaches that are ready to go right into your recipe. This dish is like a fluffy pancake with brown sugar-coated peaches inside and cream on top. You prep it the night before then just throw it in the oven on New Years day and it’s ready just in time to watch the Rose Parade.

Ingredients

Pancake

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups Dole Sliced peaches
  • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups pancake mix
  • 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 4 eggs

Toppings

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 peaches, peeled, sliced
  • Real maple syrup

Steps

1. Heat 10- to 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat; add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add 2 cups sliced peaches, and sprinkle with brown sugar. Cook 3 minutes; or until caramelized and soft. Remove from the heat; add 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Toss well, then set aside in a separate dish to cool. Add remaining butter to skillet.
2. In medium bowl, add pancake mix, 2/3 cup whipping cream, eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix to combine, being careful not to overmix. Fold in caramelized peaches.
3. Pour batter into buttered skillet (or you can use a greased 13×9-inch pan, if you prefer). At this point, you can cover the skillet and place in the fridge overnight, or go on to baking step.
4. Heat oven to 450°F.
5. Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F, and continue baking 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden on top.
6. Meanwhile, beat 1 cup whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla, and whip until combined.
7. Cut into wedges, and serve hot with sliced peaches, a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of maple syrup.
 

Sunrise Mimosa

Ingredients

  • 1 package Dole Frozen mango chunks
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • chilled prosecco
  • pomegranate liqueur
  • Dole mandarin slices, for garnish
  • Brown sugar for rim

Steps

  • Combine mango and orange juice in a blender and puree.
  • Wet glass rim and roll in brown sugar
  • Pour about 2 to 3 tablespoons of puree into 6 chilled champagne flutes.
  • Slowly pour prosecco over the mango puree almost to the top of the flutes.
  • Slowly add about a tablespoon or two of pomegranate liqueur to each champagne glass.
  • Garnish with orange slices.
  • Serve

Make sure you Wake Up & Watch the Rose Parade on NBC beginning at 8 a.m. PST, on Monday, January 1, 2018!

Disclaimer: I was compensated for my participation in the creation of these recipes and my honest review of these products. For more information, please visit my disclaimers page.