Harry Potter Movie Marathon!

So I wrote a bunch of stuff...it got deleted...because technology suuuuuuucks sometimes...and I have been waiting for the gumption to rewrite this. And it hasn't come. It's not even May anymore, which is when this ACTUALLY happened (for the Battle of Hogwarts, of course) and so I am just all grumpy about the timing being ruined. lame sauce. And my photos keep disappearing! AUGH. 

So have a look at all our fun budget decorations and my cousins yummy themed treats! There were chocolate frogs, crunchy cockroaches, white chocolate wands, every flavor beans, lemon drops, all kinds of yumminess! 

Dinner and a Movie: The Goonies

“I will never betray my goon dock friends,
We will stick together until the whole world ends,
Through heaven and hell, and nuclear war,
Good pals like us, will stick like tar,
In the city, or the country, or the forest, or the boonies,
I am proudly declared a fellow Goonie!”

— The Goonie Pledge

My cousin has set up a theatre in her basement and it's pretty fun I have to say. Put that together with our mutual geekiness and I think you can expect a few more Dinner Movie things to come along. 

Sorry the photo is not the best, it was dark down there! :) 

We didn't get very elaborate with our dinner and a movie this time. Since pizza played the main food role in the movie, that was an easy decision (and we helped celebrate the anniversary of a local pizza place, its a win-win). The "Brown Water" the boys get served in the movie was incorporated via some iced tea. I tried out a new popcorn recipe (it's a movie, there has to be popcorn!) and then of course Baby Ruth had to be worked in. My cousin made some very tasty Gooey Baby Ruth Brownies (which were dubbed Goonie Baby Ruth Brownies instead!). 

One Eyed Willie Pirate Popcorn

Coconut Oil
Popcorn Seeds


1 tsp Bragg's Sea Kelp Delight Seasoning 
*(grind it down more if you can) 
1/2 tsp Turmeric (to make it golden like treasure!)
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Garlic Salt
1 tsp Sea Salt


Butter


Cook the popcorn over the stove using a heavy metal pot. First, place the oil in the pot and let it melt down, then pour in as many seeds as you need depending on your party size (About 1/2 a cup for two people, if this new for you entirely). Because the flavors are pretty powerful, I'd say start off minimal and work up, trying some and seeing how it strick you. Because this was new, I set aside half the popcorn, flavored it (ended up over flavoring because I had to keep tweaking it) and then combined it with the other half and it came out perfect!

This (I believe) is the recipe for the brownies...they sure look the same! They were super good!:

Gooey Baby Ruth Brownies

Estimated Times

Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 35 mins
Cooling Time: 20 mins cooling

Servings: 24 brownies

Ingredients

1 package (18.25 ounces) chocolate brownie mix 

3 (2.1 ounces each) NESTLÉ BABY RUTH Candy Bars, chopped 

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature 

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

1 large egg 

2 teaspoons milk 

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

PREPARE brownie batter according to package directions; stir in chopped Baby Ruth. Pour into prepared pan.

BEAT cream cheese and sugar in small mixer bowl until smooth. Beat in egg and milk. Using knife or spatula, swirl cream cheese mixture into brownie batter to create a marbling effect.

BAKE for 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars using wet knife

Dinner and a Movie: How To Train Your Dragon

Tomorrow we have our first dinner and a movie experience with my parents, his parents and his sister. Its kind of exciting since we rarely have a time when both of our dad's have the same night off!

I am pretty excited to be playing hostess, even if it is at my parents house. Its the kind of thing I really love to do! I already told you my popcorn idea and now you get to find out about my dinner menu. (I went to this website for my inspiration. Who knew there was a Viking Answer Lady?! Pretty darn cool if you ask me!) My menu....Behold:

-Side: Dill Rye Toast with Salted Butter (easy enough, I just bought it.)
-Main Course: Chicken Stew with Beer (Viking Answer Lady posted this recipe but I changed it a smidge)

• 3 lbs chicken thighs
• 6 carrots
• 3 yellow onions
• 2 turnips
• 1/8 c. chopped Thyme
• 1/8 c. chopped Parsley
• 2 Tbsp Garlic minced
• 2 bottles of dark gluten free beer

Directions: Chop the chicken into 8 pieces.  Peel and cut the vegetables into pieces.  Fry the chicken in butter, about 5 minutes on each side.  Season with salt and pepper and place in a pot.  Add the vegetables, thyme, allspice and beer.  Let boil for about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Serve the dish with bread. (Note: I am using the crock pot, on low 6-8 hours)

-Dessert: "Skyr" (Ok it's not really Skyr but Skyr sure sounded a lot like this so I made it up. If I had time to stay home and make Skyr then I totally would have given it a shot, but I work...sad face. Still, i tried to stay true to the flavors that the Viking Lady had explained)

• 18 ounces whipped cream cheese
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 1/2 cup of honey (or to taste....the hubby worked on this, i dunno how much honey he ended up using in the end)
• 4 (I know it shows six but four was enough) fuji apples sliced, tossed with butter and cinnamon, and baked in the oven until soft