Oscar Party Recipes

And the Best Oscar Entree goes to...YOU! Come and accept your award winning chow and pass it around to your Oscar party guests.

Starting with my recipe for "The Martian" Shepherd's Pie, it will send your guests taste buds into a delicious orbit with the first spoonful. In the Oscar nominated movie The Martian, a stranded astronaut survives on spuds (called one the most nutritiously complete foods.) This hearty dish is a baked veggie stew with meat that is topped with creamy mashed potatoes. So get your Best Cook award speech ready, and you can give this Cheap$kate Cuisinier an honorable mention if you want! Just click here to blast off.

The Revenant is a brutal masterpiece of the big screen. The pivital scene involves actor Leonardo DiCaprio's mauling by a bear. It's graphic flaying of flesh may turn your stomach, but if you can stand the bloodletting then you can watch my "Revenant" BBO Pulled Pork video, that involves a whole raw fleshy pork shoulder.

The time frame of the movie is colonial America, and my "Revenant" BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe will bring out the animal in your invitees. So step up to the BBQ grill and get some vittles.You'll get raucous whoopin' and hollerin' when you set out a platter of my "Revenant" BBQ Pulled Pork. The heck with movie star dieting -- as you watch these anorexics amble to the stage to accept an award, you can kick back with a brewski and indulge a plate of meaty smoked pork sliders, with a side of coleslaw. Just click here to get a gander at all the recipe details.



My video recipe above uses hamburger buns, but get more of a spread with smaller dinner rolls to make BBQ Pork Sliders. The Revenant trailer is here.

Hollywood is known as a den of iniquity, and this live-and-let-live Film Making Chef would not have it any other way.  The Best Picture nominated Carol explores a lesbian love story set in conservative1950's NYC. This is also a great example of classic Hollywood direction by Tod Haynes, made with subtly and good taste. Of all the nominated Best Picture films, I like this one the best. Go ahead and call me old fashioned, just not intolerant. The artful movie trailer is here.

I live on the Left Coast and we were the first to legalize gay marriage in the U.S. in 2008, until a Mormon-backed (and funded) bill eventually overturned it -- then just last year the Supreme Court fully legalized gay marriage in this Land of the Free.

My next Oscar themed recipe is "Carol" Rainbow Sprinkles Cupcakes, mixed with mulit-colored sprinkles and topped with a sweet cherry. So heat up the oven and dust off the cupcake pan for my colorful just desserts.

If your Oscar party revelers are religious fundamentalist,  just skip the recipe video below for now - you wouldn't want them to see that same sex couples are really just like them. Get all the sweet recipe directions here.



Hey, wealth-extracting Wall Street fat cats, come and get it. If you're like the predatory slime depicted in the The Big Short, I have a way you can redeem yourselves at your Oscar Party. Put on the Ritz and serve up some "The Big Short" Portabella Crab Rockefeller. The recipe is so easy even a hedge fund manger can make it! 

I created this recipe using a Tiffany tinned bauble of canned crab, but if your stock dividend just spit and the government bailed you out...again, then get expensive fresh crab from your fave seafood market. For the rest of us in the cheap seats, fake krab is a tasty budget-wise substitution.

I often find expensive portabella mushrooms at my local 99c only Store. The other ingredients of cream, spinach and cheese are cheap enough. So click here to get the recipe and serve up my Big Short Portabella Crab Rockefeller and watch as your guest swing from the chandelier with delight after a few flutes of champagne and this rich tasting entree. The Big Short trailer is here.

The Best Picture nominee Spotlight exposes clerical child abuse in the Boston Catholic Church Archdiocese. This is heavy stuff but well done. I like activist films that pull no punches and tell truth to power. Just check out the trailer here, for a taste.

As a child I was a Catholic alter boy. Between service, I would stare up at the sheet of weekly film ratings in the church lobby to check out what I was allowed to see at the local movie house. If it was an Elvis Presley movie, I knew it was would be confession-time for me the next Sunday, as the singer's musical movies were usually rated "B" for bad - man, how I loved Elvis movies as a kid.

Maybe one day the Catholic Church will join the 21 Century, allowing all it's clergy to marry, even same sex, and put women in positions of power as priests. I have faith that one day the Vatican will see the light.

My Oscar entree of "Spotlight" Clam Chowder is perfect for dipping your communion wafer. A creamy bowl of  the Heretic Chef's Boston-style clam chowder is a beatific vision of deliciousness. After tasting one spoonful, you'll think you've died and gone to heaven! And get the recipe here.

"The Hateful Eight" Black-eyed Peas is a knockout dish, just like Jennifer Jason Lee's Oscar worthy Supporting Actress performance. Director Quentin Tarantino is a sometime ham-fisted film maker you love to hate. While indulgent, over the top, and profane, he can sure deliver a mouthful of spicy dialogue.

The most controversial part of The Hateful Eight belongs to the character of Daisy Domergue played by Jennifer Jason Lee. Throughout the movie she is literally beat over the head with dialogue (thus my black-eyed recipe.) Not a pretty sight, but eventually the tables are turned. If you can take the heat, then do check out the movie trailer here.

This pot of goodness will have your Oscar party guest scraping the plate for every tender legume. And, man is this entree cheap. By the sweat of your brow, you'll get enough food to feed your captive Oscar audience. My recipe is here.

So try out any of my Oscar Party dishes. You're sure to get a standing O. So have your acceptance speech ready because the golden statuette for Best Entree at an Oscar Party will be yours.

And as a special bonus, here is my Oscar Special video from a few years ago -- just check out the Cheap$kate Thespian hamming it up.

Oscar Party Entree Winners are...

And the Best Oscar Entree goes to...YOU! Come and accept your award winning chow and pass it around to your Oscar party guests.

Start with a dish straight from the American heartland, Nebraska Roasted Cream Corn. In the movie Bruce Dern plays a crotchety old coot on a journey to collect his (imaginary) sweepstakes winnings. And this dish from the Cheap$kate Critic is perfect to serve retirees in an old folks' home. Chowing down on the tender kernels of smokey corn (slow-cooked in half and half) the seniors can leave out the dentures, turn up their hearing aids, and enjoy the Oscar telecast.

For my Nebraska Roasted Cream Corn recipe click here, and the trailer is here.

Belly up to the BBQ grill and get some vittles.You'll get raucous whoopin' and hollerin' when you bring out a platter of my  Dallas Buyers Club BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders. The heck with movie star dieting -- as you watch these anorexics amble to the stage to accept an award, you can kick back with a brewski and indulge in meaty smoked pork sliders, with a side of coleslaw. Just click here to get a gander at all the recipe details.



My video recipe above uses hamburger buns, but get more of a spread with smaller dinner rolls to make BBQ Pork Sliders. The Dallas Buyers Club trailer is here.

My East Coast-style American Hustle Clam Dip will have your guests doing the Bump in no time. While the movie is just warmed-over and microwaved Scorsese-lite, it's still a good-time confection. Made with drained canned clams and sour cream, this pungent white dip is as classic as a disco leisure suit. Use low fat sour cream, so you can bust a move while tripping the light fantastic on the dance floor. It's time to adjust your comb over and get to mixing up my tasty appetizer by clicking here.

To see what I'm rapping about, click here and watch the American Hustle trailer.

One bite of my Gravity Lighter Than Air Meatballs and your party  will float on cloud nine with pleasure.

I make my meatballs with ground turkey or chicken, and toss in some cooked spinach and toasted bread crumbs, along with an egg. This cuts down on the fat, so you can fit into any cramped quarters. And I guarantee no leftover debris on the plate. Click here for the recipe, while the movie trailer is here.

In the Best Actress nominated Philomena, Judi Dench gives up her conceived-out-of-wedlocked child. Well, just place a large luscious plate of Philomena Irish Shephards Pie and I guarantee orphans from everywhere will beat a path to your Oscar dinner table. An if your a man of the cloth, then you'll hold your head up again if you spoon out extra large servings. And the recipe is just a click away here.

To see the Philomena trailer just click here.

Hey, wealth-extracting Wall Street fat cats, come and get it. If you're like the predatory slime depicted in the Wolf of Wall Street, I have a way you can redeem yourselves at your Oscar Party. Put on the Ritz and serve up some Wolf of Wall Street Portabella Crab Rockefeller. The recipe is so easy even a hedge fund manger can make it! 

I created this recipe using a Tiffany tinned bauble of canned crab, but if your stock just spit then get expensive fresh crab from your fave seafood market. For the rest of us in the cheap seats, fake krab is a tasty budget-wise substitution. I often find expensive portabella mushrooms at my local 99c only Store. The other ingredients of cream, spinach and cheese are cheap enough. So click here to get the recipe and serve up my Wolf of Wall Street Portabella Crab Rockefeller and watch as your guest swing from the chandelier with delight after a few flutes of champagne and this rich tasting entree. The Wolf of Wall Street trailer is here.

Throw off the chains of haute cuisine and dish up my Southern comfort entree, 12 Years a Slave Black-eyed Peas.

This pot of goodness will have your Oscar party guest scraping the plate for every tender legume. And, man is this entree cheap. From the sweat of your brow, you'll get enough food to feed your captive Oscar audience. My recipe is here, and the 12 Years a Slave trailer is here.

Hmmm...don't quite know how Her made it into the Oscar category amongst such heavy hitters. With a limp biscuit of a character that even Jaoquin Phoenix can't leaven, this fattened souffle of a flick left me starved for entertainment. 

But my Her LA Street Hot Dog is a perfect contrast to the bland flavors delivered by that milktoast movie. A LA Street Dog is wrapped in bacon and topped with grilled onion and bell pepper - it's one delish hot mess your guest will fall-head-over-heals for. Just check out my recipe video below, and click here to see the Her trailer.



So try out any of my Oscar-themed recipes. You're sure to get a standing O, and have your acceptance speech ready because the golden statuette for Best Entree at an Oscar Party will be yours.

And as a special bonus here is my Oscar Special video from a few years ago -- just check out the Cheap$kate Thespian hamming it up.

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Pita

Picnic in a cemetery? Heck yeah! Especially when Shampoo, Warren Beatty's quintessential randy satire of L.A. couplings is projected outdoors during a scorching summer night on a mausoleum white wall (interred inside is cinema's original male sex symbol, silent movie star

Rudolph Valentino.) Cinespia's outdoor summer film series in Hollywood Forever Cemetery is off to a steamy start, and for $10 (plus $5 for parking with a carload of friends - locals park off site and hoof it), it is on The 99 Cent Chef's summer must-do list.
Coming this Saturday is Easy Rider - a movie that launched a thousand spliffs and one of the first great rock movie soundtracks in the Chef's high school daze, where the accompanying dance was to turn on the bedroom fan toward an open window, stuff towels under the door, put on headphones and spark up a doobie. The sound system is kickin' for these summer screenings with a smokin' DJ before and after the movie. Now is the time for all good picnickers to come together. So load up the picnic basket, arrive early

and get your appetite and buzz on.

For your picnic pleasure, The Chef creates a chicken pita delight stuffed with shredded chicken, lettuce, tomato, onion and avocado. The chicken is 99c only Store canned; of course, if you want fresh chicken use the Chef's film - themed "Russ Meyer Lemon Chicken" recipe. 99c only Stores are carrying tomato (black cherry), lettuce or spinach (organic baby arugula blend, too), and pita bread; don't forget to bring a few bottles of fine kosher Argentina Malbec red wine from the Hollywood 99c only Store.

Ingredients (serves 2)
6 oz. can chicken meat
99 cent package of pita bread
Sliced tomato, lettuce, pickle, onion and avocado
Mustard and/or mayo - add garlic powder to mayo and honey to mustard for extra flavor



Directions
Drain and break apart canned chicken and store in a container. Slice lettuce and tomato and store in separate containers as well. Slice pita in halves. Open and slice avocado at cemetery. Bring plenty of wine.

Russ Meyer Lemon Chicken

The Chef went out Friday night to his new favorite cinema house, The Silent Movie Theatre, for the sold out double feature of "Faster Pussycat, Kill! Kill!" and "Motor Psycho," which closed out their Russ Meyer film series. Some movies are only meant to be seen on the big screen, like "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Faster Pussycat, Kill! Kill!" (click on a title to see the movie trailer.)

While parking around the corner off Fairfax Avenue, the Chef noticed a lemon tree with its plump, ripened fruit dangling seductively within grasping distance, over the sidewalk. Go ahead and pick away, it is legal, according to the website "Fallen Fruit." It provides city map locations for all sorts of fruit trees that share our public spaces, throughout Los Angeles. See the website link on the right, under "Blogs for Foodies."

Chicken is the cheapest protein that costs way below 99 cents per pound.  You can slide lemon slices into leg quarters or whole chicken breast, too.

The Chef would like to share a simply delicious recipe based on the fruits of his labor:  Russ Meyer Lemon Roasted Chicken.

Ingredients

• 4 - 5 lemon lemon - slice one lemon to put under the chicken skin.  
• 1 whole chicken - okay to use leg quarters or whole chicken breast. 
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions
Juice 3-4 lemons and slice one lemon. Loosen skin of breast and thigh meat by inserting your finger under the skin. Be careful not to tear the skin too much. 

Brush lemon juice over and under the skin. Insert slices of lemon under the skin: four slices for the breast and two slices for each thigh (kind of tricky but work a slice around to the outer thigh and place one slice on the inner thigh.) Salt and pepper to taste. If you have time, let chicken marinate covered, for a few hours in the refrigerator.

Bake chicken at 350 degrees, basting with lemon juice a few times, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours; done when juices run clear by piercing the lower thigh meat with a fork. Cover the breast meat with a small piece of foil for the first hour to keep the breast from drying out. 

This recipe works well with packaged whole chicken breast or leg quarters, just cut cooking time in half (no foil).

"Faster Pussycat, Kill! Kill!" movie trailer:

This coming Tuesday, the Chef presents a new video, "My 99 Cent Dinner With Nuno," starring his neighbor Nuno Pinheira (co-star of "The 99 Cent Mojito" video.)

And The Best Picture Entree Oscar Goes To...

The Chef has counted the Oscar ballots from comments and tallied your emails.
And the winner of the
Best Picture Entree is......
the Tex-Mex Taco from
"No Country For Old Men!"

To review The Best Picture Entrees and watch The 99 Cent Chef's Oscar Special video click here.

Congratulations and here is the recipe.



Ingredients (3 to 4 tacos)
1 large russet potato, skin on
1/2 onion
1/2 bell pepper
2 cloves garlic
2 slices of bacon
salt & pepper to taste
corn or flour tortillas
99 cent jar of Picante sauce




















Directions
Brown bacon in pan. Saute chopped potato, bell pepper, onion and garlic covered for 10 minutes, stir potatoes to cook thoroughly. Finish cooking uncovered an additional 5 minutes. Heat corn or flour tortillas. Top taco with Picante sauce.

The 99 Cent Chef's Oscar Special - Video Short

In The Chef's latest video, he has created an Oscar worthy entree for each Best Picture Nominee. Which entree is deserving of a Golden Whisk? You do not have to be an Academy member to cast a ballot -- just vote in the "comments" section.

Oscar Video

Play it here. The video runs 3 minutes.

Some 99 Cent Best Picture Entree ingredients:

The Chef is a bit of a trickster, but the Oscar he is holding in the video is real. If you are in L.A., the Oscar is yours to hold, too. On level 4 at the Hollywood & Highland Central Courtyard (click here for info) actual Oscars are on display until February 23rd, and a special photo op area is set up for the public; so bring your camera, get your acceptance speech ready and hoist the Golden Boy high.
Last year The Chef made the pilgrimage and shot a "Real People and Oscar" video (click here) that you can check out. "Real People and Oscar 2008" is here.

To refamilarize yourself with the Best Picture nominees, click on a title to view the trailers of:
"Atonement," "Michael Clayton," "Juno,"There Will Be Blood," and "No Country For Old Men."

And the Golden Whisk goes to: Tex-Mex Taco, Baloney Sandwich, Hot Dog, Turkey Chili, or British Baked Beans on Toast? Vote in comments!

99 thanks to Pete Handelman for his direction, camerawork and voiceovers.
Click here to see Pete's hilarious videos.
To embed or view the Chef's video from youtube, click here.
..

Coming Soon, The 99 Cent Chef's Oscar Special

Coming soon, "The 99 Cent Chef's Oscar Special" video! Vote for a "Best Entree," based on the 5 Best Picture nominees and you do not have to be an Academy member to cast a ballot -- just a 99 Cent Chef blogspot "comments" member. Which entree is deserving of The Golden Whisk? Stay tuned...

"A Free Lunch" Video Short - Part 2

The 99 Cent Chef brings sloganeering to new highs and lows
on the WGA picket lines. Even power lunchers across LA are
not safe from The Chef, who gleefully disses movie moguls and calls out
The Iron Chef Mario Batali, at his Hollywood restaurant, Mozza.

Play it here. A video in 2 parts; this is part 2 and is 3 1/2 minutes.

99 thanks to the WGA strikers at Paramount for allowing the Chef to walk the picket line. Click here to see "A Free Lunch, Part 1"

99 thanks to Pete Handelman for his quips, camerawork and for walking in Mario Batali's Crocs. Click here to see Pete's hilarious videos.

To embed or view the Chef's video from youtube, click here.
...

Power to the Screenwriters!

"A Free Lunch" - Video Teaser with Dave Chappelle

Comedian Dave Chappelle gives The 99 Cent Chef props.

Play it here. The video is 31 seconds

Next up, in Part 2: the screenwriters are fed, media moguls
are dissed and Iron Chef Mario Batali is called out!

99 thanks to Pete Handelman for his camerawork.
Click here to see Pete's hilarious videos.
To embed or view the Chef's video from youtube, click here.

"A Free Lunch" - Video Short, Part 1

The 99 Cent Chef makes lunch for WGA picketers

at the Paramount Pictures movie studio in Hollywood, CA.

Play it here. A video in 2 parts; this is part 1 and is 2 1/2 minutes.

Turkey & Cranberry Sandwich

2 slices sourdough bread
3 slices honey roasted smoked turkey
1/2 leaf romaine lettuce
Sliced jellied cranberry sauce
"Rosemary mayonnaise"

To make rosemary mayonnaise, chop 1 tablespoon
of the herb rosemary, per 1/4 cup of mayonnaise. Best
to let rosemary/mayo mixture refrigerate an hour, or longer.

99 thanks to the WGA strikers for allowing the Chef to walk the picket line and Pete Handelman for his quips, camerawork and for walking in Mario Batali's Crocs.
Click here to see Pete's hilarious videos.

Coming soon, part 2 of "A Free Lunch", where The 99 Cent Chef disses movie moguls
and The Iron Chef, Mario Batali, at Mozza . Hear sloganeering brought to new high/lows
on the WGA strike line, by The 99 Cent Chef.

To embed or view the Chef's video from youtube, click here.
...

Blueberry Pancakes & the WGA Picket Line

Welcome to my foodblog. I'll get right to a recipe.
Before hitting the Paramount Studios WGA picket line, The 99 Cent Chef carbo-loaded on blueberry pancakes. My local 99c only Store is carrying a pancake mix and fresh blueberries, a perfect combination.

Directions
Just add a 4.4oz container of blueberries, when mixing up the pancake batter, per box instructions.








Finding a decent 99 cent syrup can be difficult; if you do, let me know.

See you on the picket line!
Coming soon, a video from the Paramount Pictures picket line.

Photo by Pete Handelman