Creative Family Movie Night Recipes from FamilyFun

When I was a kid, movie night in our house was a big deal. We gathered all our blankets and pillows, made “nests” on the floor, and got more and more excited as the popcorn smell filled the family room.  My Mom always put ranch seasoning (the powder) and a dash of parmesan cheese (with butter and salt of course) on our popcorn and it was like so good my mouth would rejoice. These memories are why we love coming up with fun things for you to do as a family, so we wanted to follow the footsteps of Family Fun Magazine and suggest fun food for your family night in because Twin Cities Kids Club loves families, movies, and we love creative ideas for making family movie night even more special!

FamilyFun magazine has some cute twists on classic theater treats. These simple and fun recipes are the perfect way to get kids excited about helping in the kitchen before a fun family movie night!

What are your favorite movie night snacks and recipes?

BLUE RASPBERRY SLUSHIE

Little movie critics will slurp this super slushie right up.

Makes 2 servings

2 cups cream soda
½ tsp. Kool-Aid Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade powdered mix
3 cups crushed ice
2 drops blue food coloring
2 Rainbow Twizzlers

1. Help your child measure the cream soda and Kool-Aid into a blender. Add ice and food coloring, and blend until smooth.
2. Cut the ends off Rainbow Twizzlers, stick them in the drinks as straws, and all the kiddos will have to worry about is brain freeze!

TINY STROMBOLI

This pizza-parlor staple goes mini—turning it into the perfect food for your viewing party.

Makes 5 servings

2 cans refrigerated small biscuit dough
60 slices pepperoni (about half a 6-oz. package)
20 one-inch cubes of mozzarella cheese, cut from cheese sticks
1 Tbs. olive oil
¼ tsp. dried Italian seasoning
⅛ tsp. garlic powder
1 jar (14 oz.) pizza sauce, warmed

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
2. Help your kids roll out each biscuit to ⅛-inch thick. Place 3 slices pepperoni and 1 cube cheese on each round. Pull the edges up around the filling, and pinch dough together at the top. Place in the pan, with the seam side down.
3. Repeat with all the dough rounds, slice two vents in the top of each, and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with dried herbs and garlic powder.
4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with pizza sauce.

POPCORN CRUNCH

Sweet! Salty! Crunchy! This pumped-up popcorn is a winner.

Makes 5 servings

10 cups popped popcorn
1 cup broken pecans
1 cup chopped dried apricots
2 cups thin pretzel knots, broken into pieces
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
¾ cup butter
½ cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda

1. Heat oven to 250°F. Line two baking sheets with nonstick foil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the popcorn, pecans, apricots, and pretzels.
3. In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt (an adult’s job). Cook over medium heat until it boils. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and baking soda.
4. Pour caramel over popcorn, stirring. Spread onto baking sheets. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring twice. Remove from oven and cool completely. Break into chunks and serve.