12 Days of Christmas sale!  Use code MYSTERY50 for 50% off your order!

Recipes for Mystery At The Movies

 

Appetizers

Appetizer Round Option 1: Gourmet Popcorn

INGREDIENTS: (for 8 players)

Either 4 large bowls or a small individual bag for each of your guests
At least 4 bags (3.5 oz bags) of quality microwave popcorn
Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn: 1 cup salted peanuts, 1 cup chocolate chips, and ¼ cup peanut butter
Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn: ½ stick melted butter, ½ cup sugar (white), and 1 tsp cinnamon
Italian Cheese Popcorn: ½ stick melted butter, ½ cup grated parmesan or romano cheese, 1 tbsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Original Buttery: ½ cup melted butter

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Pop each bag of popcorn individually in the microwave according to package directions.
  2. Carefully open one bag and place it in the first bowl, and optionally add ½ cup melted butter.
  3. Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn: Using a small bowl, melt chocolate chips for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between until melted. Pour chocolate mixture, peanuts, and peanut butter into a bowl and stir well. Add popcorn and carefully mix evenly. If overly sticky, place in fridge to cool for ½ hour before serving.
  4. Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn: Open the 3rd bag of popcorn, and pour ½ cup melted butter over popcorn. In a small bowl, combine white sugar and cinnamon. Stir until mixed, and pour over melted butter and popcorn mixture.
  5. Open the fourth bag of popcorn, and pour ½ cup melted butter over popcorn. In a small bowl, combine cheese, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. When mixed, pour over melted popcorn mixture.
  6. Since not everyone will have the same taste buds, wait until your guests have arrived to fill their brown bags with popcorn, or leave a large spoon in the four bowls for your guests to sample each variety!

***Don’t forget to ask about food allergies before preparing or serving!***

Appetizer Round Option 2: Hollywood Pizza Squares

INGREDIENTS: (for 8 players)

13 in x 9 in pan
2 cans refrigerated pizza crust (approx 14 oz)
8 oz mozzerella cheese, cut into about 24 squares
4 ounces pepperoni or turkey pepperoni
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp italian seasoning
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ tsp garlic powder
1 jar pizza sauce (14 oz) (2 if you love sauce!)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Grease the pan.
  3. Unroll both packages of pizza crust to form a large rectangle. Cut (with knife or pizza roller) about 12 small squares out of each rectangle (24 squares total).
  4. Top each square with one cheese cube and one or two pepperonis.
  5. Pull up edges/seams of each small square over the cheese cube/pepperoni and close the seam by pinching it with your finger. Repeat this step with all 24 squares, and turn them over (seam side down), touching one another in pan.
  6. Mix olive oil, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder, and brush it over the top of the turned over squares.
  7. Bake for 15- 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
  8. Serve warm with pizza sauce!

Soup/Salad

Soup/Salad Round Option 1: Skinny Soft Pretzels & Sweet Mustard Dip

Sweet Mustard Dip

INGREDIENTS: (for 8 players)

½ cup spicy mustard
½ cup honey
3 tbsp raspberry preserves
1 tsp mustard seed (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Mix all ingredients and chill before serving.

Skinny Soft Pretzels

INGREDIENTS: (for 8 players)

1 ½ cups warm water
2 ¼ tsp active instant yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
4 cups all purpose flour (plus a couple of handfuls for the counter surface)
1 large egg
sea salt for topping
Healthier option: carrot and/or celery sticks for dipping

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat over to 425°F and grease baking sheet.
  2. Dissolve yeast in warm water and stir with a spoon for about 1 min.
  3. Add sugar and salt and stir.
  4. Add 4 cups of flour and mix. If dough is still sticky, mix more flour until just bouncy.
  5. Knead for about a minute.
  6. Your dough is ready to make into soft pretzels! You can make pretzels by taking a tennis ball size handful of dough and rolling it in your fingers until it becomes like a long rope, and then twisting into fun shapes. If you are short on time, use half the amount of dough and make short pretzel sticks.
  7. Beat the egg, and dip each of the completed pretzels into the bowl.
  8. Place directly on the baking sheet, and cover in salt if desired.
  9. Bake for ten minutes for yummy movie theater pretzels!
Soup/Salad Round Option 2: C4 – The Camden California Cucumber Club

INGREDIENTS: (for 8 players)

2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
4 tbsp chopped chives
10 fresh (chopped) basil leaves (or 2 tsp dried basil)
1 long (hothouse) cucumber, thinly sliced
4 ounce package feta cheese, crumbled
10 slices sliced sourdough, rye, or gluten free bread, or fancy crackers.

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, half and half, chopped or dried basil, and chives. If handy, use a mixer or blender for texture.
  2. If serving as tea sandwiches, use a circular or triangular shaped cookie cutter to shape bread, and spread each side with mixture, adding a fresh cucumber before enveloping. If you are spreading the mixture onto fancy crackers, top each with a cucumber slice.

Entrees

Main Course Round Option #1: Hollywood Hot Dogs

INGREDIENTS: (for 8 players)

2 packages good quality hotdogs (Please feel free to splurge a bit here. After all, we are talking about hot dogs!)
2 packages hotdog buns.
mustard
ketchup
onions
relish
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 16 oz can prepared chili (optional)
other favorite toppings!

 

DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat oven to 475 degrees F. Place all of your hotdogs onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
  2. Slit most hot dogs to within ½ inch of ends, but leave a few plain.
  3. Insert equals amount of cheese into each slit, but leave a few plain.
  4. Place chili in saucepan and cook on low heat, or use microwave to warm it.
  5. Place hotdogs in oven for five-eight minutes.
  6. Chop onions and get condiments ready if you have not made prior preparations.
  7. Slide each hotdog into a bun, and remove chili from heat.
  8. Leave chili in a bowl for individuals to serve themselves.
Main Course Round Option 3: Camden’s Bacon Chicken Strips

INGREDIENTS: (for 8 players)

¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp canola oil
10 large mushrooms, cut in half
2 green onions, minced
5 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
½ lb sliced thick cut bacon, cut in half (optional)
1 – sixteen ounce can of large pineapple chunks, drained (or cut one large fresh pineapple)
10 skewers

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large bowl, mix the soy sauce, cider vinegar, honey, canola oil and onions.
  2. Place the mushrooms and children into the mixture, and stir to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
  3. Heat the skillet or grill, and wrap the chicken chunks with bacon (if using bacon) and thread onto skewers. Alternate with mushroom halves and pineapple chunks.
  4. Lightly oil the grill, if using a grill, or use a small amount of olive oil.
  5. Cook 5 to 20 minutes, brushing occasionally with remaining soy sauce mixture until chicken juices run clear and bacon is crisp.
  6. Serve!
Main Course Round Option 2: Cheesy Theatre Nachos

INGREDIENTS: (for 8 players)

1 or 2 bags of tortilla chips, depending on your size.
1 lb ground beef or turkey (cooked)
2 cans black refried beans
2 tomatoes
2 avocados
a sprinkling of lemon juice
½ chopped onion
1 tsp taco seasoning
1 cup cheddar cheese or nacho cheese processed cheese)
1 cup sour cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Pour both cans of black refried beans into an ungreased 9 by 13 inch pan.
  3. Brown meat, onions and taco seasoning in a large frying pan over medium heat, and when it is browned, remove from heat, use a paper towel to catch grease, and then pour mixture over the beans.
  4. Pour 1-cup cheddar cheese over the beans/meat/cheese mixture.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes.
  6. Chop tomatoes and avocados and when the dish is out of the oven, add these slices to the top of the beans/meat. (Note: avocados should not be prepared earlier, since they will brown).
  7. Sprinkle a bit of lemon juice (about ½ tsp) over the dish for added fresh flavor if desired.
  8. Bring dish to the table, with a large spoon for individual serving, and if you bought sour cream, place it on the table for individual serving as well.
  9. Place tortilla chips in two medium to large bowls, so guests on either side of the table can reach them.

Desserts

Dessert Round Option 1: Packer’s Power-Packed Peanut Butter Cups

INGREDIENTS: (for 8 players)

10 graham crackers
2 1/3 cup butter, melted
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

  1. Line the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan with graham crackers.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, confectioner’s sugar and peanut butter until smooth.
  3. Spread mixture onto the graham crackers and chill until firm, about fifteen minutes.
  4. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave oven according to package directions (usually for a couple of minutes, stirring about every 30 seconds). Spread over the chilled peanut butter mixture. Refrigerate until firm and then cut into ten squares. Serve directly from pan or if you plan to display, use wax or parchment papers between layers.

* For dessert, a wonderful and easy option is to provide bowls or individual packages of movie theatre candy, which can be purchased at the local dollar store or pharmacy. However, for a more homemade or fancy palate, enjoy our provided dessert recipes or one of your own winning standbys!

Dessert Round Option 2: Movie Star Cream Puffs

INGREDIENTS: (For twenty small cream puffs)

2 packages vanilla pudding (3.5 ounces each)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole or 2% milk
½ cup butter
1 cup water
¼ tsp salt
1 cup all purpose flour
4 eggs

 

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large bowl, mix together pudding, cream, and milk. Cover and refrigerate to set. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well between eggs. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
  2. Bake for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven until golden brown. Centers should be dry.
  3. When the shells are cool, either split and fill them with the pudding mixture, or use a pastry bag to pipe the pudding into the shells.

Bonus

Prize Cookies Movie Theater Cookies! (To be divided amongst the award winners)

INGREDIENTS: (For twenty-four cookies)

2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1-11 oz bag of milk chocolate covered raisins
2 cups kettle popcorn, crushed

 

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
  2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, cream room temperature butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
  4. Add both sugars to the mixture and stir.
  5. Crack eggs into a separate bowl, adding one whole egg and one egg yolk only. Add them to the butter-sugar mixture and cream on medium high speed until fully incorporated and light and fluffy.
  6. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in increments, mixing on low and then medium speed after each addition.
  7. When the flour is fully incorporated, add the bag of chocolate covered raisins and mix them in by hand or on low speed with the stand mixer.
  8. Pour kettle corn (pre-bought or freshly microwave popped) into a small bowl. Crush the kernels in your clean, dry hands, to break the popcorn down into smaller bits.
  9. Measure 2 cups from the crushed popcorn pieces and add it to the dough, mixing it through either by hand or with the stand mixer on low speed.
  10. Using a large cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop, scoop balls of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. The cookies will spread out; so only bake 6 cookies at a time, per sheet.
  11. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.