Celebrate like the stars on Hollywood's biggest night with a red carpet-worthy fare and fun in your own home when watching the Oscars.
Chef and author Mary Giuliani joined "Good Morning America" to share budget-friendly tips to create a glamorous viewing party without a lofty price tag.
A cocktail inspired by best picture nominee "Parasite," a cheese board ready for "Knives Out" and a sweet treat that looks just like the golden award statue, are among her options.
Giuliani said the number one mistake a host can make is having a sit-down meal, especially at an Oscars watch party. With people moving around, chatting and playing games throughout the show, it's best to serve food that people can graze on throughout the evening and serve themselves, she explained.
How to Create a Grazing Board
Lay out and style simple bites on a large sheet of parchment paper which makes cleanup a breeze. Just wrap up the paper and toss it in the recycling when you're done.
Foods to lay out:
Parmesan cheese, crumbles of gorgonzola, mini brie wheels, assorted cubed cheese, prosciutto, dried cured meats and dried fruits, grapes, strawberries, figs, fresh vegetables, hummus, breadsticks, crackers and crostinis.
Create a Grilled Cheese Station
Giulliani suggests using the food as a way to keep track of the categories.
As a nomination comes up guests can go to the Oscar-statue sized sandwich bar and take a bite when the corresponding category is announced.
Keep it Simple with Chips and Dips
Use a big clear bowl for any variety of chips and medium clear bowls for various dips like guacamole, hummus or salsa. Then, use the smallest-sized clear bowl for toppings like crumbled bacon, shredded chicken, beef or pork and let guests get creative with their concoctions.
Black Tie Tower with Champagne
Stack glasses to create a stunning statement piece for your table setting and as the champagne (or your favorite non-alcoholic sparkling beverage) flows down, use a ladle to serve the drinks.
Chef George Duran's Oscars Food and Drinks
Pear-asite Mocktail
Ingredients:
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/2 lime, cut into wedges
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup ice
1/2 cup pear juice
Lemon sparkling water
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker add loose mint leaves, reserving some for garnish.
Add lime and sugar and muddle until ground up with sugar. Add ice, pear juice and shake.
Pour everything into chilled glass and top with sparkling water.
Garnish with more mint.
Cheese Knives Out
Tips:
Always go with the equal number of cheeses vs. charcuterie/dried fruit. In other words, if you have five kinds of cheeses, showcase five different meats and/or dried fruit.
Serve cheeses at room temperature.
Pair aged, saltier cheeses with sweeter accompaniments like dried fruits and jams.
Pair creamier and younger cheeses with charcuterie meats like salami and prosciutto.
Oscar Twinkie Statue
Ingredients:
8 ounces strawberries, stems removed and quartered
1 tablespoon sugar
6 Hostess Twinkies
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Stir together strawberries and sugar in a medium bowl and allow to stand 4 to 6 hours or overnight in refrigerator.
Whip heavy cream with a hand mixer with vanilla until you have stiff peaks.
Lay out three Twinkies together on a dish horizontally and drizzle half of the strawberry juices from the macerated strawberries throughout the top of the Twinkies, until absorbed.
Spread half of the whipped cream evenly and top with half of the quartered strawberries.
Place three more Twinkies vertically on top of the layer and drizzle with remaining juices. Top with whipped cream and strawberries and serve.
Tune into the Oscars Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. And check back on goodmorningamerica.com for full coverage from the red carpet to the complete list of the night's big winners. Plus, join us on Monday morning for our "GMA" Oscars After Party live from Hollywood.
