Edward Scissorhands
In Tim Burton’s 1990 film, a scientist builds an animated human being—the gentle Edward. The scientist dies before he can finish assembling Edward, though, leaving the young man with a freakish appearance accentuated by the scissor blades he has instead of hands. Loving suburban saleswoman Peg discovers Edward and takes him home, where he falls for Peg's teen daughter. However, despite his kindness and artistic talent, Edward's hands make him an outcast.
Food in the movie often depicts Edward’s struggle with assimilating into the cookie-cutter 1960’s suburbia world. There are endearing moments (carving the roast beef), funny moments (Edward uses his hands for kabobs), and sad moments (when Peg uses a can opener it bring Edward back into deep memories of his home and creator).
“OK everybody grab your plates, soups on!
“I thought this was shish kabobs”
“What”
“I thought this was shish kabobs”
“Yea it is shish kabob, it was a figure of speech, Ed. You gotta learn not to take things so literally.”
The Scene: As Edward is introduced to the neighborhood at a backyard barbecue, Bill has him full at work using his metal hands as shish kabab skewer in an attempt to assimilate Edward into the party and turn his otherwise scary features to good use.
Fun Fact: To construct the scissor hands, FX artist Stan Winston and his team searched for every different kind of pruning shear and scissor ever made. If viewers look at Edwards hands, notice that each finger looks much different from the next. Once the final design was established, many sets of the scissor hands were then made. Most of these were very safe, lightweight resin blades, vacumetalized to give them the appearance of metal, but there were in fact a few real ones constructed for insert shots.
Image and Recipe Source
Today we will be making:
Shish Kababs
Beef shish kabobs are the ultimate summer grilling recipe. Juicy and tender sirloin steak is soaked in the best beef marinade, then threaded on skewers with onion, bell peppers, and mushrooms before being tossed on a hot grill for a quick 15 minutes until perfectly browned.
Ingredients
For the marinade:
¼ cup low-sodium tamari soy sauce
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the skewers:
2 pounds top sirloin steak, cubed
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 bell peppers (any color), cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces baby bell mushrooms, halved
Directions
For the marinade:
Add all of the marinade ingredients to a mixing bowl, then stir to combine
For the skewers:
Marinate steak. Add the steak pieces to the marinade. Stir to coat. Cover the bowl and marinate in the fridge for at least an hour, and up to 24 hours
Soak the skewers in water for 1 hour, this prevents them from burning
Thread skewers. Thread the beef, onions, and peppers onto skewers. You can alternate the order of ingredients on the skewers. Season each shish kabob with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Grill. Heat an outdoor or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Place the shish kabobs on the grill and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until nicely browned throughout, about 15 minutes
Rest. Allow skewers to rest for a couple of minutes before serving
Why This Recipe Works
Hello, summer cookouts and dinner parties! This is a fun and easy way to impress your guests with these colorful and delicious skewers
The acids in marinades, like vinegar, wine, or citrus, can break down the meat's tough fibers, resulting in a more tender and juicy steak. Marinades can also help add moisture to leaner cuts of beef that might dry out while cooking
Resting meat after cooking allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat and helps retain flavor
Pro Tips
Use sirloin steak for quality meat that’s also affordable. Plus, it lends a lot of flavor no matter how you cook it
Start the day before! The meat is best if you marinate it 24 hours, though 1 hour is fine if needed
No grill? Preheat your oven to 375F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup. Place the kabobs on the baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven, making sure to flip the kabobs halfway through
“My name’s Joyce and I noticed that you have not tasted any of the ambrosia salad.”
The Scene: During the backyard barbecue, the neighborhood cougar, Joyce, corners Edward and has him try her ambrosia salad with a giant spoonful straight to the mouth.
Fun Fact: Ambrosia salad is an American fruit salad that may have originated in the US in the 1800s. The earliest written recipe is from Maria Massey Barringer's 1867 cookbook, Dixie Cookery, which calls for grated coconut, sugar, and pulped oranges layered in a glass bowl. The salad's name comes from the food of the Greek and Roman gods, ambrosia, which was said to grant immortality to the gods on Mount Olympus.
Image and Recipe Source
Today we will be making:
Perfect Summer Salad
This fruit salad is perfect for a backyard bbq or any occasion. I couldn’t bring it to myself to put a recipe for real ambrosia salad up here for readers as it is pretty gross IMO
Ingredients
For the sauce:
⅔ cup fresh orange juice
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon grated orange zest
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the salad:
2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
3 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
3 bananas, sliced
2 oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 cup seedless grapes
2 cups blueberries
Directions
For the sauce:
Bring orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, orange zest, and lemon zest to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside to cool
For the salad:
Cut up pineapple up into 1 inch “chunks”
Slice strawberries
Slice kiwis
Slice bananas
Layer fruit in a large, clear glass bowl in this order: pineapple, strawberries, kiwi fruit, bananas, oranges, grapes, and blueberries
Pour cooled sauce over fruit; cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours before serving
Why This Recipe Works
This is a super customizable recipe — you can omit certain fruits or add other fruits to suit your taste and what you have on hand!
Pro Tips:
Give yourself a few hours or the day before eating to make this
This salad is tastier the longer you can let it soak in its juices. Place in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours before serving it
Fruit salad is actually a great make-ahead recipe, as the flavors need time to meld in the fridge before serving. Make the dish the day before, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve it
“Here, this will straighten that out.”
“What is it?”
“Lemonade.”
The Scene: After Edward is surprised by Kim’s unexpected return home, he accidentally pierces her waterbed, and she runs away screaming. Bill take Edward downstairs to set him up on the pull out couch and makes him a stiff drink (presumably scotch or whiskey). Edward struggles to grab his glass. Bill gives Edward a straw, and Edward drinks the entire glass in one gulp, which knocks him to the floor.
Fun Fact: Johnny Depp almost walked away from even auditioning for the film with Hollywood heavyweights Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, and even Michael Jackson vying for the lead role. Source
Image and Recipe Source
Today we will be making:
Whiskey Lemonade Cocktail
A classic whiskey lemonade is the perfect, no-fuss summer drink. It’s simple to make, requiring just whiskey and lemonade, and has a delightful blend of sweet and tart.
Ingredients
1 ounce whiskey
3 ounces lemonade, pink or regular
1/2 cup ice
Directions
Fill a short glass with ice
Pour 3 ounces of lemonade over the ice.
Add 1 ounce of whiskey.
Stir to combine
Why This Recipe Works
A quick and delightful summer drink with just two ingredients
Bourbon’s rich vanilla notes complement the zesty punch of lemonade, making it an excellent choice as a year-round beverage
Pro Tips
Use pink lemonade for a fun twist, or stick with classic lemonade
No need to make fresh lemonade, just use store-bought lemonade
A few fresh herbs (fresh mint, basil, or rosemary), a lemon slice, and maybe a dash of lemon zest will make the perfect finishing touch
You can make a nonalcoholic version by switching out a nonalcoholic mixer
