While I chose not to watch the Super Bowl this year, I am excited, as always to watch Hollywood’s glamorous stars grace the red carpet at Sunday’s Academy Awards. Beautiful dresses, touching acceptance speeches, and getting to cheer for my favorite films all make the Oscars a night of excitement that I look forward to every year. It is a wonderful time to scout for prom dress inspiration, have a festive night in with the people you love, and to remember that even celebrities depend on their friends and families to achieve their success.
This year, along with standbys like popcorn and pizza, my family and I are cooking up an array of appetizers and desserts inspired by this year’s best picture nominees. I’ve been having tons of fun getting started in the kitchen with my amazing mom and little sisters, because although I stuck with mostly simple recipes, making nine dishes of any sort is always a challenge. The crab cakes, lollipops, and keys for the cupcakes can all be made in advance to lessen your kitchen time on Oscar weekend.
Here are my Best-Picture inspired recipes to jazz up any Oscar party!
- Tree of Life: Crudite Platter
Beautiful crudite platter from With Style and Grace
- The Artist: Black and White Stars with Smoked Salmon for a Pop of Color
I'm using this recipe from HerlandNet sans caviar
- War Horse: Salad with English Cucumbers
English cucumbers and "horse food" vegetables combine in this beautiful recipe from IHave
- The Descendants: Hawaiian Crab Cakes
Coconut Crusted Crab Cakes from the Food Network
- The Help: Self-Serve Chocolate Pies
Adorable Minny's chocolate pie with a chocolate surprise in the middle
- Hugo: Petite Chocolate Croissants
Mini chocolate croissants from Remodelaholic
- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: Red Velvet Cupcakes with Key Toppers
Follow this tutorial from Sweetopia for making gold keys, and then add them to the top of your favorite cupcake recipe
- Moneyball: Baseball Rice Krispies
Cookies and Cream Rice Krispy Treats from Cookies and Cups
- Midnight in Paris: Chocolate Eiffel Tower Lollipops
Follow these instructions to make chocolate lollipops using an Eiffel Tower mold, or any other oscar-related shape you choose. These make an adorable and affordable party favor too!
Modern Alice 
Ohhhh, this is soooooo cooooool!!!!! Everything looks fantastic. How fun! Yes, I’m looking forward to hearing how everything went too. You are amazing!
Thank you so much! I will be sure to let you know:)
Love the food idea that you came up with. Can I get the recipe for the salmon stars, and the crab cakes?
YUMMY!!!!!!!
Absolutely, I will post those recipes next! Or if you click on the links it will take you right to the website where I found the recipes in the first place.
Thanks so much for featuring my recipe! There are some really fun ideas in this post for a perfect Oscar party! Hubby and I will probably be watching alone in our pajamas, but that actually sounds fantastic to me!
Ooh, sounds like a wonderful cozy night Erin! There is no reason not to make a special dish or two to make you and your hubby’s night in a little extra special:)
Thanks for including my keys! Congrats to you on your blog btw.; I’m impressed you’re only a senior (sorry hope I’m not sounding condescending!). I tell my high school students about blogging all the time – I think it’s such a great way of expressing oneself – in any topic which interests you! All the best to you in school now, and in school later (architecture – coool!), and have fun blogging!
Thank you so much Marian! Your blog has always been such an inspiration to me. It’s amazing to me how when you were faced with an obstacle you rechaneled your time into becoming such a fabulous baker!
This is such a unique and festive idea for Oscar followers! I applaud your creativity and especially love the menu options for Moneyball, Hugo and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
Thank you so much Dandy Lion! I’m a little nervous about making the royal icing keys, but hopefully it will al turn out!
Oh the potential that you’ll completely fail is what makes the whole endeavour exciting! But I’m sure they’ll be delicious and theatrical!
Ohm, I want one of those chocolate pies! They look so good!
Thanks Anastasia! I will let you know how they turn out:)