From Hocus Pocus to Hamilton, These 17 Movie-Themed Dinner Menus Sound Perfectly Delicious - POPSUGAR
From Hocus Pocus to Hamilton, These 17 Movie-Themed Dinner Menus Sound Perfectly Delicious - POPSUGAR |
- From Hocus Pocus to Hamilton, These 17 Movie-Themed Dinner Menus Sound Perfectly Delicious - POPSUGAR
- Grocery store junk food dinner ideas that satisfy cravings without cooking - CNN
- Giada De Laurentiis’ No-Cook Dinner Idea Is Easy, Cheesy & Delicious - SheKnows
| Posted: 06 Aug 2020 02:40 PM PDT  Hunkering down at home with some blankets, snacks, and classic movies is the best. From traveling to Hogwarts and getting lost in the world of Harry Potter to cracking up at Monsters, Inc.'s Mike Wazowski or tearing up while singing along to Coco's "Remember Me," good movies always make you feel something. But what if there was a way to bring that magic into your real life? Good news — there is! Movie-themed dinners are the perfect thing to take your at-home dining experience up a notch, and it all starts with a menu. Rachel Friedman and Kelle Rhodes from Friend Like Me Travel Co. are behind these incredible themed dinner ideas that are the perfect excuse to spend more time at home. They started making the menus while social distancing "as a way to provide something fun and unique" to their travel agency clients who were choosing not to travel, they told POPSUGAR. While their goal is always to offer knowledge of the locations they specialize in, they love "finding ways to bring the magic of those places home" — and this proved to be a fantastic way of doing that. Each menu is carefully crafted and includes so many movie nods and details that any fan will appreciate. And the best part? The themed meals let you travel around the world to breathtaking places without leaving home. So, whether you're craving a Timon and Pumbahama Mama for The Lion King, a Jurassic Park-themed Welcome to Jurassic Par-tichokes appetizer, a Stormgrouper fish entree inspired by Star Wars, or an I'm So Fluffy I'm Gonna Die marshmallow dessert à la Despicable Me, everything is super fun and delicious. Apart from their travel agency, Rachel and Kelle are also full-time teachers and use these menus and their podcast, The Vacation Podcast With Character, as a way to stay connected after they made the switch to remote learning. All of us can use some extra just-because celebrations, and these menus are a way to bring family, your roommates, or close friends (safely) together for a fun dinner. What's not to love? Keep reading to see some of their movie-themed dishes, and feel free to reach out to Rachel (rachel@friendlikemetravel.com) or Kelle (kelle@friendlikemetravel.com) with any questions about their menus or business.  |
| Grocery store junk food dinner ideas that satisfy cravings without cooking - CNN Posted: 24 Jul 2020 12:00 AM PDT Of course, you know a kale salad topped with a healthy protein and loaded with veggies is what you should be eating for dinner tonight. But as the Covid-19 pandemic still has us socially isolated, concerned about the health of our loved ones and worrying about cutting expenses to stay financially stable in these uncertain times, what we want is something affordable — and preferably cheesy — that can pretty much cook itself. Stress makes us want junk foodMarket research company IRI Worldwide reported in April that frozen food spending was up 31% over a year ago, while packaged food purchases were up 21%. Dr. Alison Mitzner, a family wellness expert, says — no surprise here — stress can lead to emotional eating. "Stress also causes an increase in hormones such as cortisol, which can in turn increase cravings for sugar, salt and fatty foods," she says. "Also, in times of stress, many people eat comfort foods and have unhealthier food cravings, as they are often associated with positive memories such as holidays." In fact, according to a 2015 Harris Poll, 67% of Americans say they turn to comfort food as a pick-me-up. Their faves? Pizza, followed by chocolate and ice cream tying for second and mac and cheese coming in third. And a study from Cornell Food and Brand Lab found when an environment is cluttered and chaotic, it can lead to choosing more indulgent food. So, we're bound to cave to cravings occasionally, and especially during times like these. Should the urge for those frozen pizzas, lasagnas or pot pies you gobbled down as a kid suddenly strike, just remember moderation is key. Mitzner says, "It is normal and OK to want the occasional extra snack or unhealthier option, but you don't want it to become a way to deal with your emotions or a way to cope." Sure, we try to fill our virtual grocery carts with mostly healthy options, but here are a few frozen comfort foods we're not ashamed to admit to snagging as well. All in moderation, of course. 18 frozen junk food dinners we're cravingMarie Callender's Vermont Macaroni and Cheese (prices vary by location; instacart.com)  Marie Callender's Vermont Macaroni And Cheese Peanut butter and jelly. Bacon and eggs. Macaroni and cheese. We'll take the latter when it comes to the world's greatest food pairings. We're not alone: A 2018 survey by Annie's found one-third of Americans say mac and cheese is their go-to comfort food. But how do you eat the dish? Of those polled, 71% of Americans use a fork, while 25% use a spoon. One thing not up for dispute: This bowl of comfort is delicious no matter which utensil you use. ______________________________________________________________________ State Fair Beef Corn Dogs (prices vary by location; target.com)  State Fair Beef Corn Dogs - 5pk/13.35oz If you can't get out to the boardwalk and don't feel like trying a corn dog recipe at home, then nuke up a couple of these nostalgic and satisfying corn pups in the microwave in less than one minute, literally. ______________________________________________________________________ Evol Frozen Truffle Parmesan Macaroni and Cheese Bowl (prices vary by location; target.com)  Evol Frozen Truffle Parmesan Macaroni and Cheese Bowl - 8oz We could honestly do a whole story on just mac and cheese, but we're listing a few options here that are so unique they don't feel repetitive. Like this truffle and Parmesan number that is a bestseller at Target. You know, to help you feel a little bit fancier when you transfer this from the microwave to a real bowl. ______________________________________________________________________ DiGiorno Rising Crust Pepperoni Pizza (prices vary by location; instacart.com)  DiGiorno Original Rising Crust Pepperoni Frozen Pizza Some say it can make you more productive at work. Some even say it may prevent illness and death. And it also ranks as the most addictive food. No wonder we could eat pizza — frozen, delivered or homemade — every day of the week. ______________________________________________________________________ Caribbean Frozen Foods Jamaican Style Beef Patties — Mild (prices vary by location; target.com)  Caribbean Frozen Foods Jamaican Style Beef Patties - Mild - 9oz There's something about the distinct combination of jerk spices and flaky crust in a Jamaican beef patty that we can't help but crave. It doesn't hurt that they're ready after just two minutes in the microwave. ______________________________________________________________________ Stouffer's Classics Party Size Lasagna With Meat & Sauce (prices vary by location; instacart.com)  Stouffer's CLASSICS Party Size Lasagna with Meat & Sauce If Stouffer's is good enough for NASA, it's good enough for us during quarantine. According to parent company Nestlé, astronauts were fed frozen meals from the brand upon the 1969 moon landing, and Tektite 2 marine research aquanauts were served Stouffer's in 1970 while in the Atlantic. ______________________________________________________________________ Tyson All Natural Crispy Frozen Chicken Strips (prices vary by location; target.com)  Tyson All Natural Crispy Frozen Chicken Strips - 25oz Strips, fingers, nuggets, dinosaur-shaped — who cares? As long as it's breaded and easy to pop in the oven, some oil, a microwave or an air fryer, we're in. Add a little ketchup, ranch or barbecue sauce for dipping and dinner is served. ______________________________________________________________________ Ore-Ida Golden Tater Tots (prices vary by location; instacart.com)  Ore-Ida Golden Tater Tots You can have your french fries. Take your onion rings. When it comes to indulgent side dishes, we're all about the classic tater tot. Invented in the 1950s by the Oregon-based Grigg brothers, who founded Ore-Ida, tater tots not only work as a yummy side dish but are the stuff of legend when used in a casserole. Just ask Napoleon Dynamite. ______________________________________________________________________ Bertolli Frozen Chicken Florentine & Farfalle (prices vary by location; target.com)  Bertolli Frozen Chicken Florentine & Farfalle - 22oz Creamy pasta is on the table and ready to satisfy your taste buds in minutes with the ready-made chicken Florentine from Bertolli. There's spinach in it, so it's healthy — right? ______________________________________________________________________ El Monterey Steak & Three-Cheese Burritos (prices vary by location; instacart.com)  El Monterey Shredded Steak & Three-Cheese Burritos Shredded steak. Cheddar, mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheeses. Mexican spices. Tortilla. Really, do you need anything else? ______________________________________________________________________ Mrs. T's Mini Classic Cheddar Pierogies (prices vary by location; instacart.com)  Mrs. T's Mini Classic Cheddar Pierogies Comfort food doesn't get a whole lot more comforting than pierogies. Little dough pockets stuffed with whipped potatoes and aged cheddar cheese, Mrs. T's versions work as an appetizer, entree or snack. Or, in our case, all of the above. ______________________________________________________________________ Mrs. Paul's Xtra Large Crunchy Fish Sticks ($5.99; amazon.com)  Mrs. Paul's Xtra Large Crunchy Fish Sticks, Frozen Seafood, 30 Count Popular since the 1950s, fish sticks are generally made from cod, then battered, deep-fried and frozen. "They are especially popular with children, who eat them with ketchup, tartar sauce or other flavorful dips," writes Sherri Machlin in "American Food by the Decades." She goes on to write that parents love the food because it saves time and their kids devour them. "In fact, children who do not like to eat fish usually like fish sticks." Was she spying on our childhood? ______________________________________________________________________ Totino's Pepperoni Pizza Rolls (prices vary by location; instacart.com)  Totino's Pizza Rolls, Pepperoni Their website claims that they're the nation's top-selling hot snack and who are we to argue? Totino's Pizza Rolls are notorious for burning the roof of your mouth because no one can wait for them to cool down before cramming them in. OK, maybe that's just our shame to live with. Either way, these pizza bites are a snack food that just about any '80s, '90s and even '00s kid has satisfyingly called dinner. ______________________________________________________________________ Frozen Beef & Cheese Mini Tacos (prices vary by location; target.com)  T.G.I. Fridays Cheddar & Bacon Loaded Potato Skins Taco night is a comfort all its own, but sometimes we just don't feel like putting in even that amount of minimal effort. These cute little mini tacos go straight from the microwave to your plate. Just add hot sauce, and dinner is fun and done! ______________________________________________________________________ TGI Fridays Cheddar & Bacon Loaded Potato Skins (prices vary by location; instacart.com)  T.G.I. Fridays Cheddar & Bacon Loaded Potato Skins Craving your favorite bar snack but can't go to the bar? Here's the next best thing. According to the Idaho Potato Commission, potato skins debuted as an appetizer in the mid-1960s and "came from a radio story about sailors eating the vitamin-rich skins to ward off illness." ______________________________________________________________________ Mrs. Budd's Shepherd's Pie (prices vary by location; instacart.com)  Mrs Budd's Mrs. Budd's Shepherd's Pie This meat and mashed potato classic may be high in calories and sodium but man does it taste good. ______________________________________________________________________ Hot Pockets Garlic Buttery Crust Pepperoni Pizza Sandwiches (prices vary by location; target.com)  Hot Pockets Garlic Buttery Crust Pepperoni Pizza Sandwiches - 9oz/2ct Another pizza-like creation that we gravitate toward when we need a nostalgic trip down Junk Food Dinner Lane is pepperoni pizza Hot Pockets. They're kind of like the middle child between DiGiorno and Totino's, but we love them all the same. ______________________________________________________________________ Devour Buffalo Frozen Chicken Mac & Cheese (prices vary by location; target.com)  Devour Buffalo Frozen Chicken Mac & Cheese - 12oz The final mac and cheese variation on our list is this intensely satisfying combination of buffalo chicken wings and macaroni and cheese. A match made in comfort food heaven. It packs an impressive 29 grams of protein too. Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed prices at the time of publication.  |
| Giada De Laurentiis’ No-Cook Dinner Idea Is Easy, Cheesy & Delicious - SheKnows Posted: 06 Aug 2020 12:35 PM PDT Y'all, it's hot. And in an effort to keep our homes as cool as possible this summer, we've basically vetoed all meals that require the oven (or, on particularly scorching-hot days, even the stovetop, for that matter!). Since the temperature started soaring, we've collected a handful of solid no-cook recipes and no-bake recipes, many of which come straight from everyone's favorite Food Network star, Giada De Laurentiis. Her latest no-cook dinner idea? Oh, you better believe it's *chef's kiss*.  Related story 56 Costco Products With a Cult Following for a Good Reason"When it's too hot to cook (or we just don't feel like it) we turn to the cheese board dinner," De Laurentiis writes on Instagram alongside a drool worthy image of her cheese and charcuterie board, chock full of all the best accoutrements, like figs, prosciutto, honey, and more. Because who doesn't want cheese for dinner? Before you sprint over to Trader Joe's for their impeccable selection of reasonably priced cheeses and other cheese board essentials, grab a pen and a piece of paper and get ready to take some notes. De Laurentiis has just the pairings to consider based on your favorite go-to cheeses, as well as one very important piece of advice while shopping: Keep it simple — "because simple is still totally gorgeous," she writes on her website Giadzy. If you're more of a brie person, pick up sweet accoutrements, like figs or apple butter. It also pairs well with candied walnuts and pecans. Sharp cheddar fiends have a bit more flexibility as this type of super-snackable cheese can pair with both sweet and savory goodies, like apples and Calabrese. If you're like De Laurentiis and love you some salty Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, she recommends pairing it with mild honey, whole grain mustard, and tapenades. And the pairing recommendations don't end there! From gouda and burrata to mozzarella, gorgonzola and more, De Laurentiis breaks down not only what to pair these cheeses with but also how to cut them. So, bookmark the article, and don't forget to dig out that pretty cheese board you used over the holidays. Or, you know, you could buy a new one, like this gorgeous marble and acacia wood cheese paddle at Sur La Table:  Image: Sur La Table. Or this sleek, circular serving tray at Target:  Image: Target. In search of more summer recipes? Giada De Laurentiis has plenty:
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