Courtesy
Break out the fancy glasses and DIY gold plates—it’s almost Oscars night! To complement the star-studded affair, we rounded up chic décor and decadent dishes that suit an epic viewing party. In fact, two of the featured recipes come straight from Wolfgang Puck’s menu for the Governors Ball -- the post-Oscar celebration (bringing us that much closer to Lupita and Cate, right?!) So, grab a handful of ballots, add some streamers to your shopping list, and peek at what’s awaiting you come Oscars night.
Movie Party Decor
From: minted.com
Personalized Bunting Banner, $28; Rounded stickers, 12 for $9; Table Tents 12 for $9; Personalized table signs, $7 each; Straws, 24 for $4; All available on minted.com.
Personalized Bunting Banner, $28; Rounded stickers, 12 for $9; Table Tents 12 for $9; Personalized table signs, $7 each; Straws, 24 for $4; All available on minted.com.
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Clos du Bois Best Dressed Cocktail
From: Clos du Bois
Ingredients
4 oz of Clos du Bois North Coast Chardonnay
2 oz cranberry juice
1 oz triple sec
4 oz lemon-lime soda
1 orange
Directions
Pour the Chardonnay into glasses. Add triple sec and stir. Top off the glasses with both the cranberry juice and lemon-lime soda. Stir again and add orange slice (giving a gentle squeeze first) decoration.
Ingredients
4 oz of Clos du Bois North Coast Chardonnay
2 oz cranberry juice
1 oz triple sec
4 oz lemon-lime soda
1 orange
Directions
Pour the Chardonnay into glasses. Add triple sec and stir. Top off the glasses with both the cranberry juice and lemon-lime soda. Stir again and add orange slice (giving a gentle squeeze first) decoration.
Mo Money, Mo Problems Cocktail
From: Bombay Sapphire Gin
Ingredients
1oz Bombay Sapphire East Gin
.5oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
.375oz lime juice
.25oz Green Chartreuse
3-4 mint leaves
2oz Martini Prosecco
Directions
Shake and fine strain into flute, top with prosecco; add one scoop of lime citrus caviar.
Ingredients
1oz Bombay Sapphire East Gin
.5oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
.375oz lime juice
.25oz Green Chartreuse
3-4 mint leaves
2oz Martini Prosecco
Directions
Shake and fine strain into flute, top with prosecco; add one scoop of lime citrus caviar.
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Prime Mini Burger with Cheddar Cheese and Remoulade
From: Wolfgang Puck
Yield: 12 Mini Burgers
Ingredients
3/4 pound prime ground beef, such as Kobe-style
Pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 small slices of cheddar cheese
12 mini sesame brioche buns
Remoulade (recipe below)
Arugula leaves
6 cherry tomatoes, sliced
3 cornichons, sliced
Directions
Preheat grill or grill pan.
Put the ground beef in a bowl and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix together with your hands to combine. Take a small amount (about 2 tablespoons worth) of the ground beef and roll it in the palm of your hand like you are making meatballs. Flatten the top slightly and put the mini burger patties on a side plate. Drizzle the burgers with oil and season the tops with salt and pepper. Turn the burgers over and season the other side.
Place the burgers on the hot grill. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn them over with tongs. Place slices of cheddar cheese on top of the burgers, allowing it to melt. While that’s cooking, put the buns on the grill. Let them toast slightly on both sides, about 2 minutes total time.
To put the burgers together: Put the toasted buns on a platter. Top each with a small spoonful of Remoulade. Put the burger on top (cheese side up), followed by an arugula leaf, a slice of tomato and a slice of cornichon.
Remoulade
Yield: 1 cup
Combine 3/4 cup of store-bought or homemade Thousand Island dressing with 2 tablespoons of bottled barbecue sauce and a little bit of diced red onion. Stir to combine.
Yield: 12 Mini Burgers
Ingredients
3/4 pound prime ground beef, such as Kobe-style
Pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 small slices of cheddar cheese
12 mini sesame brioche buns
Remoulade (recipe below)
Arugula leaves
6 cherry tomatoes, sliced
3 cornichons, sliced
Directions
Preheat grill or grill pan.
Put the ground beef in a bowl and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix together with your hands to combine. Take a small amount (about 2 tablespoons worth) of the ground beef and roll it in the palm of your hand like you are making meatballs. Flatten the top slightly and put the mini burger patties on a side plate. Drizzle the burgers with oil and season the tops with salt and pepper. Turn the burgers over and season the other side.
Place the burgers on the hot grill. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn them over with tongs. Place slices of cheddar cheese on top of the burgers, allowing it to melt. While that’s cooking, put the buns on the grill. Let them toast slightly on both sides, about 2 minutes total time.
To put the burgers together: Put the toasted buns on a platter. Top each with a small spoonful of Remoulade. Put the burger on top (cheese side up), followed by an arugula leaf, a slice of tomato and a slice of cornichon.
Remoulade
Yield: 1 cup
Combine 3/4 cup of store-bought or homemade Thousand Island dressing with 2 tablespoons of bottled barbecue sauce and a little bit of diced red onion. Stir to combine.
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Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Almond Cream Frosting
From: Wolfgang Puck
Ingredients
Frosting:
1 1/2 cups plain or vanilla-flavored almond milk
3/4 cup soy milk powder
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon coconut extract
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups coconut oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose gluten-free baking flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill
1/2 cup potato starch
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup hot brewed dark-roast coffee
1 cup coconut oil
1 1/3 cups agave nectar
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
First, prepare the frosting. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the stainless-steel blade, combine the almond milk, soy milk powder, agave nectar, coconut extract, and vanilla. Process for 2 minutes, until thoroughly blended.
With the machine running, slowly add half of the coconut oil, then half of the lemon juice, then the remaining half of each. Continue processing until the mixture is smoothly blended.
Pour the mixture into a nonreactive bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the frosting has firmed up enough to be spreadable, about 6 hours.
For the cupcakes, set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the cups of 2 standard-sized 12-cup muffin tins or 4 standard-sized 6-cup muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, potato starch, cocoa powder, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. Stir well with a wire whisk until thoroughly blended.
In a separate bowl, combine the hot coffee, coconut oil, agave nectar, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir with a whisk until blended.
Add the wet ingredient mixture all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir with a whisk until a smooth batter forms.
Pour or spoon 1/3 cup of the batter into each paper-lined cup, almost filling it. Bake the cupcakes on the middle rack of the preheated oven. After 15 minutes, rotate the baking tins front to back. Close the oven again and continue baking until the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed at their centers, about 7 minutes longer.
Remove the cupcake tins from the oven and leave them at the tins at room temperature for 20 minutes. Then, remove the cupcakes from the tins and leave upright on wire racks to cool completely.
When the cupcakes have cooled, use a frosting knife or spatula to spread about 1 tablespoon of the frosting over the top of each cupcake. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator until serving time, up to 3 days.
Ingredients
Frosting:
1 1/2 cups plain or vanilla-flavored almond milk
3/4 cup soy milk powder
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon coconut extract
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups coconut oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose gluten-free baking flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill
1/2 cup potato starch
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup hot brewed dark-roast coffee
1 cup coconut oil
1 1/3 cups agave nectar
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
First, prepare the frosting. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the stainless-steel blade, combine the almond milk, soy milk powder, agave nectar, coconut extract, and vanilla. Process for 2 minutes, until thoroughly blended.
With the machine running, slowly add half of the coconut oil, then half of the lemon juice, then the remaining half of each. Continue processing until the mixture is smoothly blended.
Pour the mixture into a nonreactive bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the frosting has firmed up enough to be spreadable, about 6 hours.
For the cupcakes, set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the cups of 2 standard-sized 12-cup muffin tins or 4 standard-sized 6-cup muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, potato starch, cocoa powder, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. Stir well with a wire whisk until thoroughly blended.
In a separate bowl, combine the hot coffee, coconut oil, agave nectar, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir with a whisk until blended.
Add the wet ingredient mixture all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir with a whisk until a smooth batter forms.
Pour or spoon 1/3 cup of the batter into each paper-lined cup, almost filling it. Bake the cupcakes on the middle rack of the preheated oven. After 15 minutes, rotate the baking tins front to back. Close the oven again and continue baking until the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed at their centers, about 7 minutes longer.
Remove the cupcake tins from the oven and leave them at the tins at room temperature for 20 minutes. Then, remove the cupcakes from the tins and leave upright on wire racks to cool completely.
When the cupcakes have cooled, use a frosting knife or spatula to spread about 1 tablespoon of the frosting over the top of each cupcake. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator until serving time, up to 3 days.
