We are consuming a lot of pop culture during our COVID-19 quarantine. We’re also consuming a lot of meals. In fact, we’ve never cooked so much in our lives. It’s why we keep looking for fun new dishes to try. And all of those movies and TV shows we’re watching right now are a good place to find some. Here are some pop culture inspired recipes—some kid-friendly and some just for grownups—that you can make right now with ingredients you (mostly) already have in your kitchen.
Sansa’s Lemon Cakes – Game of Thrones
You really shouldn’t watch Game of Thrones with your little ones, but you can make this easy Sansa Stark Lemon Cakes recipe with your kids. The Queen in the North’s favorite dessert only requires common ingredients. You likely have everything you need already. And if you plan ahead and make the candied lemon slices in advance, the cakes won’t take long to make.
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
Green eggs and ham might be the most famous fictional food in history. Which is why so many have come up with ways to really make it. But we’re all about authenticity, and Dr. Seuss’s book clearly shows green ham served with white eggs that have green yolks. This bizarre recipe, which involves dying boiled ham green, looks most like that version. But if you want something that looks more delectable while still keeping the spirit of Green Eggs and Ham, you can go with this one that only dyes the yolks green. Either way, your kids will get a kick out of it.
Scooby Snacks (For People) – Scooby Doo
In the cartoon world of Scooby Doo, Scooby Snacks are for lovable dogs who can speak. But you can make a delicious human version with ingredients you already have. They are easy to customize for you own particular tastes too. If you like peanut butter or Nutella you can add it to these delicious-looking, easy to make bars that also double as a fun activity. But please don’t give these to your own dogs. The chocolate would kill them. Instead, make them these canine-safe Scooby Snacks that can be enjoyed by humans and puppers alike.
Turkish Delight – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Every kid who read The Chronicles of Narnia expected Turkish Delight (also known as lokum) to be the greatest thing in the world. They were all massively disappointed when it wasn’t. But just because C.S. Lewis overhyped the sweet gelatinous dessert doesn’t mean it’s not excellent. It’s fantastic! Plus it’s easy to make and highly adaptable. Traditional recipes call for rosewater, but you can use almost any flavoring you like. There are hundreds of variations, including some with nuts, so make it the way you’ll most enjoy. Just don’t betray your family to an evil queen after eating it.
Rey’s Portion Bread – The Force Awakens
We don’t envy Rey’s life on Jakku, especially her food options there. Star Wars Portion Bread, powder that turns into a small loaf when added to water, might have looked cool but it didn’t look tasty. But that memorable foodstuff from the galaxy far, far away is a lot more appetizing with a twist. The only problem is you might not have matcha powder on hand. Use the Force or the Internet to get some though and you’ll be able to easily whip up this fun recipe.
Lembas Bread – The Lord of the Rings
In Middle Earth, sweet Lemnas bread (also known as Elven bread or Waybread) could “keep a traveler on his feet for a day of long labour.” Just a nibble went a long way…unless you were a hobbit. Here on Regular Earth, the lack of specifics about how it was made offers a lot of leeway to make Lembas bread however you like. There are vegan options and versions made with very different ingredients. We love this particular recipe, which is like a shortbread, because we have everything we need and it ends with a little arts and crafts project so you can keep your Elven bread “wrapped up.”
Butterbeer – Harry Potter
J.K. Rowling never truly specified what goes into making “real” butterbeer, but that didn’t stop it from sounding like the most magical drink ever created. You can find lots of different takes on it, which is why we’re big fans of this version which includes four different ways to make it. If you’re looking for a more adult version this recipe calls for actual beer and this one calls for ginger beer and Amaretto. Our advice? Make them all. Think of it as practicing for Potions class.
Remy’s Ratatouille – Ratatouille
Only Pixar could have an animated rat make a dish most of us can’t even pronounce (confit byaldi) and have it be absolutely mouthwatering. But sacre bleu, they did it! We have we wanted to try Remy’s gorgeous take on ratatouille for years. We would have already if we realized it’s not that hard to make. And as this video shows, the format of the little rodent chef’s dish works perfectly for plenty of other variations. You can have Remy-inspired meals all week.
Klingon Gagh – Star Trek
With all due respect to Worf, we do not want to eat the Klingon delicacy gagh. We like explore strange new dishes, but we’re gonna pass on fresh blood worms. Fortunately, we can try this vegetarian version inspired by the Star Trek dish instead. (Accompanied by our favorite “Blood Wine.”) You don’t have to make your own pasta like they do in this video (featuring Enterprise actress Gen Anderson). But if you do, you can make your macaroni look more like worms. And if you don’t like beets and are looking for something even weirder you can try making this gelatinous-like take on gah instead.
Hopefully we won’t be in quarantine long enough for actual blood worms to seem enticing.
Featured Image: New Line/Disney/Warner Bros.