Academy Awards Party Recipes: True Grits (Individual Three Cheese Grit Casseroles)

TRUE GRITS: MARTIE'S THREE CHEESE GRITS

2 cups Quick cooking grits; make according to the package directions for 6 servings (you can use regular or gourmet stone-ground grits if you have them but the cooking time on the stone ground grits is much longer) 

Photo: Tamika Moore/The Birmingham News2 tablespoons butter 

Kosher salt to package directions

Fresh cracked pepper to taste

1/4 cup heavy cream or whipping cream (use what's in the fridge, even milk will work) 

1/2 cup Gouda, coarsely grated 

1/2 cup Gruyere, coarsely grated 

1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled 

Dash cayenne pepper (optional) 

Smoked paprika (optional, to lightly sprinkle on top) 

Butter 12 ramekins and place on baking sheet. Make grits according to package directions. Stir in pepper, heavy cream and 1 tablespoon butter as the grits are almost done. Stir in the cheeses, reserving a bit of each for the top. Stir until the cheese is melted and pour into the buttered dishes. 

Bake at 425 for 9 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Martie's Super Southern Sliders

MARTIE’S SUPER SOUTHERN SLIDERS

My spin on Wolfgang’s extravagant Oscar sliders. It’s hardly worth firing up the grill for these. A griddle, cast iron skillet, or grill pan works even better.

Serves 8

Photo: Tamika Moore/The Birmingham NewsIngredients

1 ½ pounds ground beef 

 Pinch each, Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to season

4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Slider buns or any mini buns; rolls or bread will do

Butter

Super Fast Remoulade Sauce (recipe below)

Condiments

Cherry tomatoes, sliced

Aged cheddar cheese, sliced

Red onion, sliced ultra thin

Dill pickles, sliced thin

Put the ground beef in a bowl and add salt and pepper. Use your hands to combine. Form into patties using about 2-3 tablespoons of the beef for each one. Drizzle the patties with olive oil and season with a bit more salt and pepper. Set aside.

Make the Remoulade. Then, prepare the buns by slicing them in half and lightly buttering each side.

Heat your pan or pre-heat your griddle to 400 degrees. Put patties on the grill; cook 3 minutes on the first side. Flip, and top with the cheese, allowing it to melt. While the patties are cooking, lightly brown the buns by toasting them on the grill.

Top each bun with a little of the Remoulade, a burger, red onion slice, arugula leaves, tomato, and a slice of pickle.

 SUPER FAST REMOULADE SAUCE

 Ingredients

¾ cup mayonnaise

1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon minced garlic

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon sweet relish (I used Wickle’s relish and it was delicious!)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together to blend. Chill until needed. Makes enough for about 24 sliders. Will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Host an Academy Awards Party!

Fresh from our article in the Birmingham News with writer Chanda Temple, here's the full party plan for hosting your own Oscar Night Awards Party! Read The News article...

Inspiration: Think Wolfgang Puck meets Rachael Ray. Incorporate all of the signature items Wolfgang includes in his Oscar party menu but with easy, make-ahead and purchase options to make your party prep a breeze!

Set the Stage

Whether you want the party to be casual or glitz and glam, let your invitation set the tone. Ask guests to come dressed red carpet ready or low key casual. Let the party reflect your personality. Evite has several "Oscar" and "Red Carpet" type of invitations to select from and you can get them out fast.

Decorations

Oscar is gold so I used gold for the main design element. I always like to use what I have paired with a few easy to find items to anchor the décor. If your china has a gold band, start there. I found a few inexpensive mix and match items to round out my supplies including some gold plastic platters from Party City; under $3.00. Mixed in with some of your nicer pieces, these look great and won’t break the bank. I got gold stars and helium-filled balloons from Wal-Mart. I tied the stars to the balloons and they looked like they were floating.  

Photo: Tamika Moore/The Birmingham NewsSignature Cocktails

Have a signature cocktail ready to welcome guests as they arrive. A tray of drinks at the door or self-serve pitchers or containers will alleviate bartending duties. I made several, including The King's Peach, in honor of The King's Speech, nominated for best picture. Get the recipe...

Entertainment

Offering entertainment outside of the broadcast is essential... you know how looonnnggg those shows can be.

Download the list of Academy Awards nominees and ask guests to vote before the show starts. Here's the official ballot. Oscar also has fun party games you can print for your party; a bingo game and crossword puzzle you can download. They also have 83^rd Annual Academy Awards posters you can download, too.

I like to create a slideshow of stars photos from past award shows and do a little “Joan Rivers” critique session with friends during the commercials…. It’s always fun to dis the fashion! 

Create your own movie quote trivia game. Match the quote to the film. "Ditto" (Ghost), "You had me at hello" (Jerry Maguire), "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" (Gone With the Wind)... you get the picture. Or you can download my Movie Quote game, complete with instructions.

Create a party mix of tunes from your favorite Oscar winning movies….  Most are available on iTunes or you can get a soundtrack CD.

Martie's Oscar Night Party Menu

I wanted to try to recreate Wolfgang Puck's Oscar party menu. I was able to get a preview of everything he was offering guests at the Academy's Governor's Ball. Wolfgang was doing lots of elegant bites set up in stations, perfect for a viewing party since guests will be camped out in front of the TV. You want guests to be able to mix, mingle, and graze easily. I've included lots of make-ahead or purchase options so your party prep will be simple. If you don't want to cook, you don't have to... all of this can be found at the store or by calling your favorite take-out spot. If someone else can make it better than I can, that's what I want to serve!

Make sure to create visual interest by using plates, platters, and pedestals in a variety of sizes and heights.

Photo: Tamika Moore/BHM NewsSushi Station: Sushi is a staple at the Oscar parties and Wolfgang always has a lavish assortment. I am not even going to TRY to make sushi… but everyone loves it! Get high quality take out from a favorite restaurant  or quality grocery store. Arrange on a platter and chill until serving time,

Photo: Tamika Moore/BHM NewsPizza Station:Wolfgang Puck is famous for his pizza! Supplement Puck’s frozen pizza from the store with fresh items like arugula, prosciutto, and shaved Parmigianino-Reggiano, etc. A drizzle of good olive oil and some salt and pepper is essential; bake on the wire rack of your oven or on a pizza stone for a crispy crust.

Slider Station: Get slider buns at Whole Foods or cut brioche with a circle cutter to fit. Cut the buns open and spread with a little butter. Then grill the bread. To serve Wolfgang-style, make a remoulade sauce and top with a cherry tomato slice, some arugula, and a cornichon… which is simply the French world for gherkin…. Pickle. Here's the Wolfgang recipe...

Dessert Station:Chocolate Pots de Crème (pronounced po' du cream) is deep, dark, and decadent so it reminded me of the film, The Black Swan. It’s also an easy and elegant dessert to make ahead so it’s perfect for a party. Make a “Faux de Cream” using any store bought chocolate mousse or pudding. But the original is worth the effort. For the Oscar Governor’s Ball, Wolfgang’s pastry chef Sherry Yard is planning a tower of French Macarons. It’s the newest trend for weddings and big events. Sticky, sweet, and delicious! 

Another must is my Double Drizzle Kettle Corn. Dark and white chocolate make kettle corn Oscar-worthy! Get the recipe...

RECIPES

True Grits: Individual Three Cheese Grits Ramekins

Black Swan: Deep Chocolate Pots de Crème with Cookie Stars

The King’s Speech: The King’s Peach Cocktail

Martie's Super Southern Sliders and Remoulade Sauce Recipe

Double Drizzle Kettle Corn 

FOLLOW MARTIE ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE RECIPES, IDEAS, CONTESTS, AND FUN!

Academy Awards Party: Movie Quote Trivia Game

Hosting an Academy Awards party or movie night party? My movie trivia game will keep the fun going through the commercials!

MARTIE'S MOVIE NIGHT TRIVIA GAME

It's easy to play. Just match the movie to quote. Award one point for the correct movie. Award another point for the actor responsible for the quote, and a third point for the name of the character for a total of 3 possible points per quote. You can play as teams or as individuals.

How-to: Put the quotes on index cards, or print out the PDF, cut out the questions, and put them in a bowl. Team A will draw a quote for Team B and read it out to them. The Team B can collaborate on their answer. They have to get the movie correct to answer the second and third parts of the question. If they miss the movie, they lose all three points. If you have more than two teams or players, you can have a "steal" option. For example, if Team B misses their question, Team C may "steal" the question and answer for the points. The team or person with the most points wins. Start with easy quotes and move into more difficult and obscure quotes as the night goes on.

 For example:

QUOTE: "Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get."

MOVIE: Forrest Gump (1 point) ACTOR: Tom Hanks CHARACTER: Forrest Gump (1) = 3 possible points

Need help? Download this PDF with favorite movie quotes from our favorite Facebook friends!

Weekend Cocktail Recipe: Jamaican Breeze

Well, like the song says, it's 5:00 Somewhere and it's time to get the weekend started! On our Facebook page today, Jessica wanted ginger. Jodi wanted island breezes, and Robert wanted rum. I thought we'd mix it all up with one of my favorite drinks from one of my favorite places, Jamaica! I was introduced to Appleton Rum a number of years ago by some crazy Jamaican polo players... and let's just say that it really left a mark on me:)

Go to the islands this weekend with this Jamaican Breeze! Happy Friday, happy weekend!!

JAMAICAN BREEZE

1.5 oz. Appleton Estate Reserve Rum

1 Slice Fresh Ginger ( you can find fresh ginger in most grocery stores these days- peel and slice)

0.5 oz. Simple Syrup (1 to 1 Water to Sugar ratio- see below)

Dash of Angostura Bitters ( look where the drink mixes are sold in the grocery store)

Garnish with a lime.

Muddle the ginger with a wooden spoon in a cocktail shaker. (To muddle means to bruise it up a little to release the juice) Add ice and the remaining ingredients. Shake until the shaker is frosty. Strain and pour over ice. Serve with a lime for garnish.

How to Make Simple Syrup

It's simple:)

One part sugar to one part water. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the sugar. When the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. You can store it in the fridge for up to a week. Use it for sweetening tea, for cocktails, or cooking.