Snacks are definitely synonymous with movies! Can you even imagine watching a movie without popcorn and candy? I don’t think so. Growing up I loved M & M’s slightly melted in warm buttery popcorn with a soda, I never really had to have anything else.
For a creative outdoor entertainment, how about an outdoor movie night? I teamed up with Callie Harris to create the perfect snacks, with “usual” movie fare and a few twists. 
I knew the kiddos would be satisfied with popcorn and an abundance of sugary sweets, so I set up a small self-serve table with popcorn, boxed candies, candy kabobs and movie candy bark. The candy kabobs were so much fun to put together and looked so cute popping out of the popcorn. I decided to add movie candy bark for a little something special, both were so easy and yummy! Since our little friends were going to let their parents tag along, I decided to make a few snacks just for the moms and dads, even though I knew
that they might nibble from the kid’s table! I decided on Parmesan, truffle oil popcorn and puff pastry jalapeño sausage bites. Truffle oil has been one of my latest obsessions – the earthy, complex flavor was spot on for freshly popped popcorn and who doesn’t love anything with puff pastry? 
To round out the savory bites, I created a sweet treat of Sumatra oranges dipped in dark chocolate with flaky salt. If you haven’t given these strange looking oranges a try, you must! The flavor is a combination of various oranges and other citrus flavors-sweet, tangy, and tart all in the same piece of fruit.
As the days get longer and the temperature begins to rise, I hope you’ll think about having an outdoor movie with your family and friends. And, don’t forget the snacks! These recipes are all super simple and basically start with store bought ingredients. If I had to choose one to highly recommend it would be the Parmesan Truffle Popcorn: it smells heavenly and is delicious! Enjoy!
For the Kids:
INGREDIENTS:
• Gummy peach rings
• Gummy Ribbons – variety of colors
• Gummy hot dogs and hamburgers (Five Below has some fun colors and shapes)
• Skewers (rinse with water & dry so that the candy won’t stick to the stick as much)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Layer the skewers with different gummy candies and marshmallows.
2. Make sure that the one on the top covers up the sharp end of the skewer.
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 package of almond bark, melting chocolate or chocolate chips
• M & Ms
• Pretzels
• Crumbled popcorn pieces (no kernels)
• Nuts – your favorite
DIRECTIONS:
1. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Melt chocolate (white, dark or milk chocolate) for 1 minute, then for 20 seconds at a time until melted.
3. Pour melted chocolate on to parchment lined baking tray.
4. Sprinkle your favorite movie candies, nuts, pretzels, crumbled popcorn over the melted chocolate.
5. Chill in the refrigerator until set. Break into small pieces.
For the adults:
Truffle Parmesan Popcorn
This may become your new favorite!
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 bag of microwave popcorn
• 2 TBS salted butter
• 2 TBS truffle oil
• 2 TBS Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1. Pop 1 bag of microwave popcorn. You can use fresh popped popcorn if you prefer.
2. Melt 2 TBS of butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and stir in 1 TBS of truffle oil. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and salt flakes and toss more. This smells heavenly!
Jalapeño Cheddar Puffs
An upgrade to a movie hot dog!
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 sheet of puff pastry
• 4 jalapeño cheddar sausages (your favorite brand)
• 1 beaten egg yolk
DIRECTIONS:
1. Grill 4 of your favorite brand jalapeño sausages. Allow to cool.
2. Roll each sausage (whole) in puff pastry. Chill about 30 minutes before slicing into bite size pieces.
3. Brush each piece with egg wash.
4. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown.
5. Serve with a variety of mustards.
By Nancy Roberts
Photograpy By Shayli Anne Photography
