Mrs. Doubtfire
Culinary Movie Night Guide
Difficulty Level: Medium
Table of Contents
Equipment
Here is a list (with links) of all the equipment and decorations I used for my Mrs. Doubtfire Culinary Movie Night. I would be incredibly grateful if you used my links. I will make a little commission, and that would really help with the cost of the website and related expenses. You can find my full Amazon List here!
Tips
- Personalizing the Menu– When planning your menu for your movie night, don’t feel pressured to serve exactly what I chose to serve. Feel free to remove/add/replace dishes so it makes sense for you and your guests. I’ve included an editable menu in this guide to make it your own!
- Managing Your Time– These movie nights can take a lot of time to prepare, especially if you plan on doing everything yourself. If you are planning a culinary movie night with a group, I suggest doing a potluck style. Have each person contribute a dish or two, and it’ll be very manageable. If you are planning on preparing everything yourself, here are some things I’ve learned while doing these often:
- Make A To-Do List– I can’t stress this enough! It’s very easy to forget simple things like opening a bottle of prosecco before you start the movie, so you aren’t fumbling with the seal before serving. I have done this so many times! Your to-do list should include absolutely everything you need to do leading up to pressing play.
- Start Early– I learned this after a few very long days of trying to cook, prepare, and host all on the same day. Anything that can be done in advance should be done during the days leading up to the movie night. Some examples include pre-mixing cocktails, making desserts and other foods like soup that hold up well in the refrigerator, and pre-making any handmade decorations. Hosting is stressful enough without having to make a multi-course meal in one day, so get as much done as possible before.
- No Pausing– The question I get asked the most is “Do you pause the movie to bring out the next dish?”. It’s important to me that I don’t disrupt the flow of the movie, so I do not pause. It’s also important to me to enjoy the movie with my guests. Setting up everything I need before the movie helps me bring out each dish efficiently. The setup usually includes plating each dish and storing it in the refrigerator, so all I have to do is quickly microwave it before serving. I set out any garnish or decoration on my kitchen counter so it’s easily accessible. I even pour the cocktails into their cups and store them in the refrigerator, so all I have to do is add ice and any finishing touches before serving. Always think about how you can do the bare minimum during the film. I always include the setup in my to-do list as well, so I don’t forget about any aspect of the preparation.
- Optional– If your budget permits, I recommend ordering food that you may not be confident in cooking or food that may take a lot of time to cook. I do this occasionally, and it helps cut down the preparation time and supports local businesses. Win Win!
- Decorations- Have fun and decorate your space and serving tray! Add elements from the theme of the movie, but make a budget and stick to it! I usually use things I already own because these movie nights are DIY, and I don’t need to spend a fortune to make it fun. If I do buy decorations for the movie night, I try to find cheap or reusable things. If you are curious about some of the things I’ve used during the movie nights, here is a link to my Amazon List. All these items are things I bought with my own money and enjoyed using.
- Manage Stress- Culinary Movie Nights are fun and a great way to show your friends and family you love them. Sometimes, things you envision in your head will not come out perfectly. When this happens to me, it can be discouraging and stressful, but the people I do these for have NEVER expressed anything but appreciation. Go easy on yourself and remember that your guests are just happy to be there and to experience something you put so much thought and time into making.
Menu
I have created a free, editable, and printable menu for all the dishes I served for this Culinary Movie Night! Feel free to change it to what will work for you and your guests.
Cues
These are the cues I used during the movie night so I knew when I had to get the next dish ready to serve.
Please note: Each cue describes a scene that happens a few minutes before I have to serve the dish. It does not describe the scene the dish is based on. Some people get confused with that, so I thought I should specify. Because the cues only give you a few minutes to prepare the dish, it’s very important to have everything cooked and set up before the film starts. Review the “Tips” section above for ways to make this seamless.
I often get asked why I don’t use time stamps to keep track of when to serve the next dish and the simple answer is, I don’t find those helpful. If I used timestamps, I would have to have a separate timer going or keep disrupting the movie to check the timestamp. It makes much more sense to have cues to indicate when the next scene is about to happen. This allows me to enjoy watching the film with my guests.
Below is the link to the cues I used. This document is editable, so you can make updates if you decide to take out or change dishes.
Recipes
A FOWL Way to Die
Blackened Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe
I personally do not own a grill or smoker, so I ordered my wings from a local BBQ Joint. Another option would be slow-roasting your wings in the oven. I have made chicken wings like this countless times, and they always come out so good. They just won’t have that smoky flavor. To add a smoky flavor, you can add a dash of liquid smoke to your seasoning.
To slow roast, I cook the wings, covered, for about an hour and a half at 275 degrees F. Then I uncover the wings, remove any liquid from my pan, and cook for another 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Dinner with Dad
This is an easy one to serve! Order your favorite Chinese food and serve 🙂
Dude Looks like a Lady
For this transformation scene, I wanted to serve something fit for a lady. I decided to serve a Pink Lady because of the cute name and pretty pink color.
Serving tips: I didn’t want to waste a lot of time making the drink, so I prepped all of it before, so it was easy to serve. This drink has foam, created by a pasturized eggwhites. Don’t worry, it’s safe to consume. Pasteurized eggs have gone through a heating process that kills all the harmful bacteria.
I added my two egg whites to a jar with a lid and stored it in my refrigerator. I did the same with the other ingredients in a separate jar. When it was time to serve, I poured the ingredients into the jar of egg whites, secured the lid, and shook well. Evenly pour into your martini glasses and serve. I wanted to make the drink even more girly, so I added edible glitter on top of the foam and rose petals. This is optional.
A Little Cuppaccino
For this scene, I served English tea (you can serve caffeinated or decaf) with a dollop of whipped cream and mini cakes.
To set up these ingredients before the movie, I had the mugs with the tea bag sitting on my kitchen counter and the water already in the kettle. When it was my cue to get up and start prepping to serve, I just had to turn the kettle on and then let the tea steep for a few minutes.
I also had the little cakes already plated before starting the movie, so I didn’t have to mess with that. I bought them from my grocery store’s bakery. When the tea is ready, squirt the canned whipped cream on top of the tea, and serve!
Dinner is Served
Serving tips: I cooked each separate portion of this meal before starting the film. Then, I reheated the ingredients and assembled the plate before serving.
For the flower, I wanted to serve an edible one, but I usually purchase edible flowers from Whole Foods, and they didn’t have them. I settled for a plastic one I already owned. Make sure you either use a fake flower or one you know is edible, as some flowers can be toxic.
Run by Fruiting
This is an easy one to serve. The most important aspect of this scene is the lime garnish because it ties in the funny run by fruiting joke. Feel free to serve whatever poolside beverage you enjoy. I served a crisp cider for myself and a light beer for my husband.
To save time, I suggest cutting the lime garnish before the movie. That way, you can just pour the can and quickly add the lime.
Aged to Pearly-fection
Another easy one to serve and it was a HUGE hit! LMAO! All you need is a chadonnay and these Denture Gummies.
The gummy teeth in the wine glass were a little unsettling, but they actually tasted so good! And it was the perfect texture. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the gummy considering I just bought them for the bit. LOL! I couldn’t stop eating them.
Almost Krilled the Man
For this spicy seafood jambalaya, I kindof frankenstiened the dish with multiple different recipes. I don’t really like seafood jambalaya. They rely heavily on tomatoes, and I prefer them without. I made my favorite meaty jambalaya and then used the spicy shrimp from “Dinner is Served” and a white wine mussel recipe to assemble the dish. Here are all the recipes I used:
Spicy Shrimp Recipe(only make the shrimp portion or use leftovers from “Dinner is Served”)
Serving tips: To save time, I cooked all these recipes before the movie. You can even cook them the day before. When it was time to serve, I assembled the bowl to look like the one from the movie and reheated it in the microwave. Then, sprinkle a bit of cayenne pepper on top, or you can use smoked paprika if you don’t like too much spice.
