5 easy ways to create the perfect, cozy movie night at home
(BPT) -
A cozy movie night at home is a fool-proof way to warm up and shake off the winter blues, but not every movie night is created equal. Preparing for a cozy movie marathon or for a binge-watching session is the key to successful night in, and that means choosing the perfect foods to pair with the evening’s entertainment. Make the most of your movie night at home by following these tips.
Pick your flicks the night before.
Romantic comedy or drama? Sci-fi or documentary? The hardest part of hosting a movie night is often choosing and agreeing on the entertainment. Save valuable binge-watching time by selecting your lineup in advance. This allows for the movie marathon to begin right away and eliminates the chance of wasting precious time reading descriptions and watching trailers.
Pair with the perfect meal.
What’s a cozy night in without your favorite winter comfort food? Before indulging in a movie night, fire up the oven and create your own Snowman Pizza. This fun recipe only takes 20 minutes to prep, and the dough can even be prepared and refrigerated the night before with Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast to save time on meal prep. This recipe is so tasty, you’ll be glad you skipped delivery!
Ingredients:
CRUST
* 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 envelope Fleischmann's® Pizza Crust Yeast OR Fleischmann's® RapidRise Yeast
* 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 2/3 cup very warm water (120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit)
* 3 tablespoons oil
* 1/2 to 1 cup Alfredo sauce
* 1 to 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
* Snowman decorations: a piece of carrot or orange bell pepper for the nose, halved cherry tomatoes or olives for buttons and eyes, and onion, peppers or pepperoni for the mouth
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add very warm water and oil; mix until well blended, about 1 minute. Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Dough should form a ball and will be slightly sticky. Knead on a floured surface, adding additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. (If using RapidRise OR Quick Rise Yeast, let dough rest at this point for 10 minutes.)
Divide dough in half. Pat or roll one section of dough into an 8 to 9-inch circle. Place on the bottom edge of a large greased baking sheet. Take 2/3 of the remaining dough and roll into a 6-inch circle and place atop the first dough circle. Pat remaining dough into a 4-inch circle and add to snowman as the head. Form a rim by pinching the edge of the dough.
Spread with Alfredo sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Use your creativity to decorate the snowman. All types of vegetables, olives or pepperoni can be used to make the snowman's face, scarf and buttons.
Bake on lowest oven rack for 12 to 15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned.
Comfort is key.
Before the movie starts, set up your space for maximum comfort. Prepare for an extended cozy evening on the couch by replacing the regular throw blankets with an extra duvet and plush pillows. For a fun family-friendly setup, enlist the kids to help build a fort the whole family can enjoy.
Put down electronics and enjoy quality time.
A cozy movie night at home is a great chance to unplug and unwind. Make the most of your evening by powering down electronics and disconnecting from social media.
Don’t forget dessert!
Somewhere between movies two and three, a craving for something sweet is bound to surface. Trade in the candy for a dessert you can really dig into, like this Cinnamon Pull-Apart Loaf — which is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients:
* 2-1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 1 packet Fleischmann's® RapidRise Yeast
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup water
* 3 tablespoons butter OR margarine
* 1 egg
FILLING
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Ground Saigon Cinnamon
* 2 tablespoons butter OR margarine, very soft
* 1/4 cup butter OR margarine, melted, divided
VANILLA ICING
* 2 cups powdered sugar
* 2 tablespoons butter OR margarine, very soft
* 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
* 1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
Directions:
Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, dry yeast and salt in a large mixer bowl and stir until blended. Place water and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH in 15 second increments until very warm (120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit). Add to flour mixture with egg.
Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in just enough remaining flour so that the dough will form into a ball.
Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic — about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover with a towel; let rest for 10 minutes.
For filling, combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Measure 1/4 cup of sugar/cinnamon mixture and set aside.
Roll dough into a 7 x 24-inch long, narrow rectangle using a rolling pin. Spread 2 tablespoons very soft butter over dough, stopping at least 1/2-inch from the edges on the long sides. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup of the reserved cinnamon sugar mixture. Beginning at long end of the rectangle, roll up tightly. Pinch seams to seal. Cut into 24 equal slices. Dip each roll in melted butter and remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. Place in greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
Cover with towel; let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Bake in preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until bread is golden brown. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.
Combine all Vanilla Icing ingredients in a medium bowl and beat until creamy. Drizzle icing over warm loaf.
