My favorite holiday movies and munchies!
I LOVE the holidays…and I especially love snuggling up on the couch and watching a classic holiday movie. There are so many amazing choices: A Christmas Story, The Polar Express, Miracle on 34th Street, and, even Die Hard (yes, it’s a Christmas movie in my house!). And of course, you can’t watch a holiday movie without yummy—and festive—fare, so I’ve created palate-pleasing pairings for each of my favorite flicks to keep you energized as you’re entertained. Happy Holidays, everyone!
My favorite holiday movies and munchies!
I LOVE the holidays…and I especially love snuggling up on the couch and watching a classic holiday movie. There are so many amazing choices: A Christmas Story, The Polar Express, Miracle on 34th Street, and, even Die Hard (yes, it’s a Christmas movie in my house!). And of course, you can’t watch a holiday movie without yummy—and festive—fare, so I’ve created palate-pleasing pairings for each of my favorite flicks to keep you energized as you’re entertained. Happy Holidays, everyone!
My favorite holiday movies and munchies: Home Alone
Home Alone
There’s so much to love about this one. The soundtrack is great—you can’t help but sing along. Kevin’s aftershave “scream” is unforgettable. The surprising friendship that forms between Kevin and his elderly neighbor, Old Man Marley is touching. Kevin’s creativity in outsmarting the Wet Bandits—from setting up a fake party that looked like quite the bash to rigging the ultimate obstacle course of booby traps—is beyond entertaining, haha. The emotional reunion at the end highlights the true value of family, a nice reminder around the holidays. And of course, we can’t forget the Little Nero’s pizza delivery scene, where Kevin uses the movie “Angels with Dirty Faces” to project the famous line, “keep the change, ya filthy animal.” This was the inspiration for my food pick: my Tortilla Pizza. It’s simple to make, satisfying and easy to personalize with your favorite toppings, from veggies to extra cheese to BBQ chicken to leafy greens. “A lovely cheese pizza. Just for me—or you!”
My favorite holiday movies and munchies: How the Grinch Stole Christmas
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch. Throughout the movie, the grumpy Grinch looks to ruin Christmas for the Whos in Whoville. The reason: He has a heart that’s two-sizes-too-small, the result of an unhappy and lonely childhood. Sigh. He steals every present and decoration, but he soon learns that he cannot steal the spirit of the holiday. Precious Cindy Loo is able to break through to the cold-hearted Grinch, helping to actually grow his heart and overcome his loneliness. Ultimately, he learns that kindness and love is what we need the most. I whipped up these adorable “Grinch Sticks,” which will bring a huge smile to your face and hopefully expand your heart. Simply place on a toothpick a green grape (your Grinch) a banana slice, strawberry and mini marshmallow (for his hat), and you’ve got one yummy Grinch.
My favorite holiday movies and munchies: Elf
Elf
Get ready to laugh until it hurts! A baby from an orphanage gets taken back to the North Pole by mistake after crawling into Santa’s sack. The baby, whom we come to know as Buddy, eventually grows to at least twice the size of a normal elf and lacks all elven talents, but he’s still accepted and loved by everyone at the North Pole. However, once Buddy comes to learn that he’s not a real elf (the height difference didn’t give it away LOL), he decides to travel back to New York to find his birth father. Buddy struggles to fit into the human world and to gain the acceptance of his new family. He eventually helps his dad, his stepmom, his brother and a lot of cynical New Yorkers believe in the magic of Christmas again. One of the funniest parts of the movie, especially for a nutritionist (ahem), is Buddy’s diet: anything and everything sweet! According to Buddy, the four main Elf food groups are: Candy, candy canes, candy corn and sugary syrups. (Somebody call a dentist!). He even indulges in a plate of spaghetti topped with maple syrup, chocolate syrup, M&Ms, marshmallows and a chocolate Pop Tart. With this in mind… and a bit of nutrition magic…I whipped up this Elf-inspired “Pancake Spaghetti” with peanut butter-maple swirls. It is fun to make and even more fun to devour. You need a condiment plastic bottle to form the strands…and then feel free to add your favorite toppings (candy optional).
My favorite holiday movies and munchies: Christmas with the Kranks
Christmas with the Kranks
This one is surprisingly sweet. Recent empty nesters Luther and Nora Krank decide to forego the usual stressful holidays and all that comes with it—pricey decorations, gifts and hosting—when their daughter leaves for the Peace Corp. This year, they decide to take a relaxing, tropical getaway instead (Tropical being the operative word here. This will make sense when you get to my food pairing). But it seems everyone is on a mission to make sure the Kranks stay home and celebrate the traditional way, including their pushy neighbors, the local newspaper, co-workers and more. When their daughter calls them on Christmas Eve to let them know (surprise!) she’d be home tomorrow for Christmas, the Kranks are forced to give up their vacation and pull a holiday together in no time, which goes about as well as you’d expect. The neighbors rally to make sure the holiday comes together for the family, and without giving too much away, the final lesson is it is indeed better to give than to receive. With their (almost) tropical cruise as my inspiration, I whipped up this Beach Plum Party Punch, which is light, refreshing and will definitely get you in the party mood!
My favorite holiday movies and munchies: It’s a Wonderful Life
It’s a Wonderful Life
This 1946 movie is enduring—it offers an invaluable lesson of perspective and the meaning of a life. It reinforces that we touch countless people throughout the course of our lives, in ways both big and small, and yet we rarely reflect on the positive effect we have on them. Instead, we too often focus on the negative moments, a lost love, a missed opportunity, a mistake we can’t let go. We meet George Bailey, the film’s main character, on a bridge, as he debates the value of his own life and whether it’s worth living after hitting a particularly rough patch. His guardian angel reminds him just how vital he is to his wife, Mary, his family, his former boss, the townspeople and everyone else around him. In the end, George decides to live, and he returns home to embrace his family—and a house filled with friends and neighbors. Christmas bells ring and his daughter explains what the chiming means—“every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” Do you have the chills? I do! Inspired by the wonderful feelings this movie invokes, I whipped up this wonderful Hummus Wreath, which is as scrumptious as it is stunning.
My favorite holiday movies and munchies: Family Stone
Family Stone
A more modern take on the holidays, this one is set in present-day New England and it features the lively Stone family, their son Everett and his new girlfriend, Meredith (with an all-star cast). Everett plans to propose but first, he must introduce the uptight Meredith to his liberal, laidback family. If you think meeting the future in-laws was stressful, try meeting them during the holidays, LOL. To help break the tension, Meredith invites her sister Julie to join in on the festivities, but all that does is add another layer of confusion, as the more outgoing Julie seems to click with Everett and the family, pushing Meredith closer to Everett’s brother Ben, the only Stone on Meredith’s side. A sick relative only elevates the stress (and brings a wedge between the lovebirds). Oh, and there’s the unforgettable scene when Meredith flies her “freak flag” in the bar and dances to Right Back Where We Started From, haha. The movie reaches a fevered pitch in the kitchen when Meredith spills her Strata (an egg dish she whipped up to impress the family) and confronts Everett’s mom and sister as the two brothers fight. It’s pure chaos and fun! I chose this Apple, Sausage and Caramelized Onion Frittata—another egg dish—in the spirit of the Stone family. Plus, I love that it features unexpected ingredients that typically wouldn’t come together in a frittata, but they blend beautifully and work to create a delicious marriage of flavors just like the Stone family.
My favorite holiday movies and munchies: The Holiday
The Holiday
Two women in different countries—one in America, one in the UK—decide to swap homes for the holidays after suffering respective heartbreaks. Amanda, a movie trailer producer in LA heads to cozy cottage outside of London and Iris, a society columnist for The Daily Telegraph, stays at a luxurious LA mansion to get a change of scenery. The two find a new lease on life…and unexpected love, but not without a few snags. It’s a lighthearted and fun movie that will have you laughing and believing in love again. The scenes in London had me inspired to whip up my Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie, a typical British dish often referred to as “cottage pie.” It’s pure comfort food, with layers of creamy sweet potatoes, hearty ground turkey, and yummy veggies that will fill your belly and warm your heart. Who’s ready to dig in?
