364026 Thu Jan 25 09:44:50 -0800 2007 38 31 Home Cooking 0 2225590 Any ideas for Oscar party food? I don't want to serve just appetizers! (We will be a group of 10 or so) I don't want to make a baked pasta dish, it seems too typical. At first, I was thinking a meatloaf, but then people said they didn't like meatloaf. Then, I though of a taco/burrito bar, but that might get too labor intensive for my guests, although I am really leaning towards that because people can customize. Any ideas on how to pull this off if I decide to do that? thanks! Thu Jan 25 09:44:50 -0800 2007 12920 jessica 1 2225716 Maybe a fajita bar. You can prep it all ahead of time and have the condiments ready. Then just cook the meat/veggies. If you go the mexican route, I would do some apps to start like a taco dip and other things, and a mexican style salad with creamy cilantro dressing. Drinks can be fun like red carpet martinis (vodka, cherry juice and grenadine garnished w/cherry) Thu Jan 25 10:12:56 -0800 2007 2225590 11587 Main Line Tracey 1 2225776 I hear you on baked pasta seeming too typical. What about shepherds pie or some kind of layered dish using polenta? I was also thinking of individual macaroni and cheese with assorted mix ins. A large muffin tin, with simple mac and cheese recipe, then an assortment of prepped condiments--bacon crumbles, jalepenos, tomatoes.. Thu Jan 25 10:26:11 -0800 2007 2225590 22627 MaspethMaven 1 2225901 How about a nice beef wellington? You can make a big one and slice into individual servings, or make mini beef wellingtons. Yum. Thu Jan 25 10:52:48 -0800 2007 2225590 56183 soypower 1 2225975 Mini sandwiches? My mother does sandwiches with high-quality turkey and beef tenderloin on dinner rolls for her parties. You can customize with spreads/fixings and they are very tasty. Thu Jan 25 11:04:34 -0800 2007 2225590 43173 Heatherb 1 2226039 We have an Oscar party every year. We make different food each year, depending on what movies are nominated, trying to base the dishes on either the title of the movie, the theme, a food that is featured in the movie, where the setting is, etc. Since the awards show is the focus, it's fun to have food that's kind of a conversation piece to go along with the movies featured on the show. That said, make-your-own bars are very practical for this kind of party. More labor-intensive for you, really, but guests love them. As for baked pasta, I have 2 recipes that are killer and not really "typical" if you'd like them. One is a Chicken and Pasta Gratin that uses creme fraiche and gruyere. The other is pasta, sausage and 3 cheeses (gorgonzola included) along with shitake mushrooms. So not your regular lasagne! :) Thu Jan 25 11:16:59 -0800 2007 2225590 11921 wyf4lyf 2 2226667 Do post the recipes please. I have a large family gathering coming up and I've been looking at baked pasta dishes. Thu Jan 25 13:37:07 -0800 2007 2226039 13609 Scagnetti 3 2227007 Will do...I'll post each separately. Thu Jan 25 14:44:27 -0800 2007 2226667 11921 wyf4lyf 1 2226117 Babel: Chicken Tagine on couscous The Departed: Boston Baked beans Letters from Iwo Jima: MREs & sushi The Queen: Baked beans on toast Little Miss Sunshiine: Grilled cheese sandwiches Thu Jan 25 11:35:47 -0800 2007 2225590 22193 evans 2 2226427 Fun! I hadn't started thinking of the menu quite yet for this year. But I will keep these in mind. Not sure about two baked beans, though. Might get a little noisy. :) Definitely some tea and crumpets though! Thu Jan 25 12:42:30 -0800 2007 2226117 11921 wyf4lyf 2 2258685 Little Miss Sunshine: Waffles and Ice Cream! Sun Feb 04 10:53:24 -0800 2007 2226117 14798 mellycooks 2 2315542 here's my list: Babel: Mexican Wedding Cakes (one of the storylines involves the nanny going to her son's wedding in Mexico) The Departed: Boston Clam Chowder Letters From Iwo Jima: Saketini The Queen: Finger sandwiches and Earl Gray tea Little Miss Sunshine: KFC fried chicken with honey mustard dip (KFC was their first family dinner in the movie) I'm elaborating more on the above list on my blog: http://singleguychef.blogspot.com Wed Feb 21 15:08:53 -0800 2007 2226117 43882 singleguychef 3 2315581 Very good suggestions. I have been working on my list for Sunday, too. I try to use foods from the movies that have been nomiated. This year, I've only come up with grilled gruyere cheese sandwiches from Devil Wears Prada (Andy's boyfriend makes this for her, and it is mentioned another time at the end of the movie). Pretty slim, I konw, but I'm working on it. Wed Feb 21 15:18:44 -0800 2007 2315542 19091 DCarbonaro 1 2226221 How about a big pot of gumbo with nice fluffy rice and a good green salad. You can combine a variety of ingredients. It is rich and warm and certainly not the usual baked pasta thing. Thu Jan 25 12:00:38 -0800 2007 2225590 10285 Candy 1 2226642 My fajita party was a big success, despite having to keep the meats/shrimp warm. This time I've got a lot of vegetarians coming, so I'm making quesadillas, some w/ meat and some w/out: chicken/pesto/mozzarella; prosciutto/cream cheese/herb; tapenade/pine nuts/tomato/feta; mushroom/gruyere; blue/pear/pecan. Thu Jan 25 13:32:13 -0800 2007 2225590 17220 Claudette 1 2227841 You could do fondue. It's a lot of prep, but almost no work afterwards. Plus people can eat just what they want. (I'd suggest cheese fondue because it works for vegetarians, too.) Thu Jan 25 18:40:40 -0800 2007 2225590 10681 piccola 2 2229526 Fondue's a great idea, but we just did that last week, and the same guests are coming back. BTW: do you have a good way to adjust the heat? I'm using the gel sterno, and it's either too hot or too cool, and that little tin lever-thing can't seem to hit the middle. Fri Jan 26 09:17:45 -0800 2007 2227841 17220 Claudette 1 2245713 Beef Tenderloin! You can prepare it the night before by rubbing it with olive oil, salt and chopped rosemary. Throw it in the oven at 450 (5 lbs) and it will be medium in about 30 minutes. Serve it with a sauce, Horseradish cream or gorgonzola is awesome! I'd probably make one other dish myself, like scalloped potatoes (gruyere and parmesian). Then skimp on the rest of the preparation and buy ready-made. Appetizers and finger foods from trader joe's are usually a good bet. Wed Jan 31 10:57:24 -0800 2007 2225590 52912 chunt 1 2245782 The taco/burrito bar is so much prep! What about pulled pork sandwiches? Roast the pork with a good rub, or cook in a crock pot. Serve with a selection of sauces served in plastic squirt bottles: a NOrth Carolina vinegar sauce, a piquant mustard-based sauce, and a smokey tomato-based sauce. Serve on buns or a selection of rolls with cole slaw. All can be prepared in advance. Also, if you have a crowd of people juggling plates in their laps, a one-handed dish is a plus. Wed Jan 31 11:12:17 -0800 2007 2225590 44682 mothrpoet 1 2245843 Ribs are easy and inexpensive to entertain a crowd. Supplement with simple finger sandwiches and salad and you're set! In the make your own vein that's a little out of the ordinary, I've had success with make your own sushi. It keeps people occupied, and some of my more eccentric guests have had a fine time experimenting with what can be added to a roll. Wed Jan 31 11:21:15 -0800 2007 2225590 26708 sidwich 1 2268158 We do an "elegant" Oscar party with not your average weekday menu. I love the following chicken recipe because it can all be prepared in advance and it takes no pampering to roast: Serves 8: 8 very large chicken breasts with skin 1 box chopped spinach, defrosted and WELL drained 1 can water chestunuts, drained and chopped 1 box Knorr or similar vegetable soup mix 1 cup sour cream (can use light) 1 8 oz. cream cheese softened (can use light) Preheat oven to 375 - mix all ingredients except chicken to make stuffing. Make pocket between skin and chicken leaving one side attached. Divide stuffing in 8 pieces, put into pocket. Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder & garlic powder. Place in large greased 11X17 baking sheet, cover with foil. Bake for 30 min covered, uncover and bake 30 addiitonal minutes basting once or twice with juices. We like to serve this dish with a rice pilaf with onions and mushrooms that can also be baked in the oven, roasted asparagus and usually a choclate mousse or tart. Wed Feb 07 08:48:44 -0800 2007 2225590 15139 Diane in Bexley 1 2315513 Here's a link with menu ideas based on the nominated movies: http://www.epicurious.com/cooking/menus/cooknow/oscars2007 Wed Feb 21 15:01:39 -0800 2007 2225590 11921 wyf4lyf 1 2315558 Mashed potato bar Love this for parties just do up a big pot of mashed poatoes then put out in bowls anything you think could go on MP's. People always go 3-4 even 5 times trying different combo's of stuff. and lots of the stuff you want can be dead easy. Bacon Bits - just buy the real ones Sour Cream Grated Cheese Green Onions Sala Gravy Sweet Corn caramelized Onions Depending on how much you have to spend you can get really creative. Shrimps Bernaise Caviar Crab meat Smoked Salmon Smoked Oysters Or just ask everyone to bring their fave topping, just might want to get them to RSVP what it is so that you don't get a whole lot of just bacon and Sour Cream or something. Wed Feb 21 15:12:52 -0800 2007 2225590 69079 starlady 2 2315670 I once went to a wonderful, elegant wedding where they had a mashed potato bar. They served the potatoes in large martini glasses, and you put your toppings on the potatoes in the glasses and ate them cocktail party style. It was diving. Don't forget some gravy as a side, either. Wed Feb 21 15:45:13 -0800 2007 2315558 10308 Tom P 3 2325539 I LOVE this idea TOM P! What a spectacular way to honor my beloved potato. I am stealing your idea, and I see little shepherds pies developing in the glasses, hmmm. Or, creamy mashed potatoes swirled with fresh spinach swirled in, then with garlicky bechamel, tender bits of filet mignon, carmelized onions, blue cheese, crispy procuitto and chives. WOW what a wonderfully comforting and classy starter, everyone will love you! Another idea would be to mix in petite pois and baby onions, and top with a pat of tarragon butter. And you mentioned gravy, I have these adorable tiny gravy boats, that you could place along side to top your Spudtini! I think this idea is just wonderful, and I am organizing an event and this appetizer would be perfect to serve at the reception. I have some champagne glasses that were designed a while back, more open like the martini glass, Great job! Sat Feb 24 11:01:46 -0800 2007 2315670 50431 chef chicklet 2 2323922 This is great....now serve in champagne glasses! Fri Feb 23 16:10:40 -0800 2007 2315558 77256 Elizabeth 2 4375395 You can also do batches of a couple of different color potatoes. White, Yellow, Sweet, Blue.... Sat Jan 31 09:03:59 -0800 2009 2315558 117271 Stuffed Monkey 1 2316418 I usually do Spanish for the Oscars. Tapas with wines to match. This year: Starting with A Cava Bellini (with Blood orange Juice) Grilled Bread with Roasted Peppers and Anchovies Serrano Ham Olives Tortilla Espanola Wild Mushrooms with Aioli Sauteed Chickpeas with Spinach Shrimp with Garlic Lamb Meatballs with Cumin Baked Goat Cheese with Rosemary Honey Dessert Most of it is made ahead or can be cooked in less than 5 minutes. Fun and yummy! Wed Feb 21 19:50:06 -0800 2007 2225590 10691 JeremyEG 1 2318856 I think it would be nice to have international food choices because so many of the nominated films are in foreign languages, have international settings and/or are directed or star people born outside the U.S. So I heartily support the fajita bar idea or the potato bar if you have toppings that are representative of foreign lands (notably Mexico, Morocco, Japan). Thu Feb 22 11:58:24 -0800 2007 2225590 76806 fsimon 1 2318869 I'm making Catherine Scorsese's lasagna with the hopes of celebrating Marty's first Oscar statuette (finally!). Not only is it thematically spot-on -- if I do say so myself -- but it can be made ahead fo time and warmed up between Best Doc and Best Editing. I'd only prepare food you don't have to tear yourself away from the broadcast to tend to, or you'll miss all the fin. Thu Feb 22 12:01:25 -0800 2007 2225590 71992 fat ass 2 2323917 What is Catherine Scorsese's lasagna recipe? Fri Feb 23 16:10:07 -0800 2007 2318869 77256 Elizabeth 1 2323910 In response to Jessica's request for Oscar party ideas, prepare a mashed potato bar with all the trimmings. Serve in champagne glasses! Fri Feb 23 16:08:51 -0800 2007 2225590 77256 Elizabeth 1 2324002 Don't mean to be a spoil sport, but theme food for movies is too weird for me. I started to do it a few years ago and then couldn't get over that some movies were gruesome (ala Silence of the Lambs) or horrifying or deeply sad. So, in order to sidestep that feeling, we always just have a big salad, fresh chilled crab and great, crusty bread. I always make a mayo with cayenne and garlic and provide lemon wedges for those who want something on the crab. Fri Feb 23 16:39:10 -0800 2007 2225590 10245 oakjoan 1 2326134 I usually do a roasted sausage/peppers & onions... with a big arugula salad... Add good La Brea bakery rolls and if you prep all the veggies in advance, you're not stuck in the kitchen. Easy. Sat Feb 24 15:45:24 -0800 2007 2225590 28006 Jennalynn 1 2607014 If anyone reads this now....oh, how I wish I'd seen it when it was posted. Every year, I do an Oscar party. And every year, my foods are PUNS based on the title of nominated films. Here was menu for this year's Oscar bash. Enjoy, and let me know what you think at malbert0623@rcn.com: Oscar Menu: Appetizers/Snacks: Babel-Ganoush Babaganoush “Babel” The Dip-hearted Artichoke heart dip “The Departed” The Deviled Egg wears Paprika Deviled Eggs “The Devil Wears Prada” A-guac-alypto Guacamole “Apocalypto” Pirates of the Carib-bean dip Bean Dip “Pirates of the Caribbean” Marie Antoi-nuts, Nuts on a Scandal The Pursuit of Happy-nuts Mixed Nuts “Marie Antoinette,” “Notes on a Scandal” “The Pursuit of Happiness” Cheeses Camp Assorted Cheeses “Jesus Camp” Main Course: The Queen Eliza-beef in The Good Shepherd’s Pie Shepherd’s Pie “The Queen” and “The Good Shepherd” Side Dishes: Bo-ratatouille Ratatouille “Borat” Lettuce with Oil and Cream-a Salad with Sour Cream Vinaigrette “Letters from Iwo Jima” Desserts: Little Miss Sunshine Cake Sunshine Cake “Little Miss Sunshine” The Good German Chocolate Cake German Chocolate Cake “The Good German” An Inconvenient Ruth Baby Ruth Bars “An Inconvenient Truth” Dreamsicle Girls Dreamsicles “Dream Girls” Sun May 27 21:00:30 -0700 2007 2225590 101506 kuffpah 2 2607493 Can you say CLEVER? This is great! Mon May 28 07:07:36 -0700 2007 2607014 71851 jinet12 1 4371243 I posted my PUN Oscar Menu in 2007. I forgot to post in 2008 (e-mail me at malbert0623@rcn.com if you are curious what it was). Here is my menu for 2009! Have a great Oscar BASH! APPETIZERS: Vicki Crostini Basil-Roma Bruschetta “Vicki Christina Barcelona” The Change-Wing Buffalo Chicken Wings “The Changeling” Rachel Getting Mole’d Guacamole “Rachel Getting Married” The Dark Nut Almonds (or Brazil Nuts) “The Dark Night” Wall-E Nuts Walnuts “Wall-E” Somedog Fill-in-here Pigs in a Blanket “Slumdog Millionaire” MAIN DISH: The Roastler Roast Beef Sandwiches (Hulk Hoagies!) “The Wrestler” SIDE DISHES: Revolutionary Road-tini Salad Rotini Salad “Revolutionary Road” The Range Casserole of Benjamin Button Mushrooms Sauteed Mushroom Casserole “The Strange Case of Benjamin Button” DESSERTS: Milk Chocolate Chocolate Truffles “Milk” Apple Pan Doubt-y Apple Pan Dowdy “Doubt” Frosted/Mixin’ Duncan Hines Cupcakes “Frost/Nixon” DRINKS: Marga-Reader Margaritas “The Reader” Tropic Thunder Tropical Punch “Tropic Thunder” Thu Jan 29 18:04:46 -0800 2009 2225590 101506 kuffpah 2 4373261 wow you are creative...have a great party! Fri Jan 30 11:38:16 -0800 2009 4371243 11854 LaLa 2 4432789 Amazing. I might borrow some ideas. For my party of 2. Think there may be too much food. Thu Feb 19 11:38:37 -0800 2009 4371243 120670 Em24