Come Party With Me: Oscars Viewing — Menu
Every February I invite an intimate group of friends over to watch the Academy Awards. In 2007 I cooked a menu that featured Wolfgang Puck's recipes. In 2008, I made a smorgasbord of elegant, award-winning appetizers. This year I've decided to serve a buffet of classic movie foods. However, I'll give the concession-stand snacks the star treatment. Instead of offering guests boring old popcorn, toss fresh cooked kernels with truffle oil, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper. Wrap mini sausages in puff pastry for an upscale take on the ordinary hot dog. Serve with a trio of dipping sauces — honey mustard, chipotle ketchup, and garlic mayo.
Trade in the theater's bright orange nacho cheese and stale tortilla chips for a creamy goat cheese béchamel and blue corn chip variation. Not into the Oscars? These recipes would be excellent at any movie-watching shindig. To add them to your recipe collection, read more.
Modified from Food and Wine Ingredients 6 tablespoons unsalted butter Directions Serves 6. From Martha Stewart Ingredients 2 pounds (about 60) mini hot dogs Directions Makes about 4 dozen. Truffled Popcorn

1 tablespoon finely grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon white truffle oil
Salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup popcorn kernels (7 ounces)
Freshly ground pepper
Pigs in a Blanket

Cheddar cheese, cut into small pieces, optional
Caramelized Onions, optional
1 large egg
All-purpose flour, for work surface
1 box (17 1/2 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed
Poppy, sesame, or mustard seeds, optional
Mustard, for serving
Ketchup, for serving

Goat Cheese Nachos
From Everyday With Rachael Ray magazine
Two 15.5-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving
1/2 white onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch ground cumin
Salt and pepper
20 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup heavy cream
2 bags tortilla chips (18 to 24 ounces total)
3 ripe avocados, coarsely chopped
1 pint fresh pico de gallo or salsa
1 cup chopped cilantro
- In a medium saucepan, combine the black beans, lime juice, onion, olive oil, garlic, cayenne, cumin and a pinch salt and pepper.
- Cover and warm over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer half of the mixture to a food processor; blend until smooth. Return the puree to the saucepan and stir; cover to keep warm.
- In a medium, microwaveable bowl, stir the goat cheese with the heavy cream. Cover and microwave on high power for 90 seconds; whisk until creamy. Set aside.
- Place a large handful of tortilla chips in individual paper bowls, drizzle with goat cheese sauce and top with the black bean mixture, avocado, pico de gallo and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
Serves 10.
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