Great Party Dishes for Oscar Night

The Academy Awards are this Sunday, which means it's not too late to start planning your party.

"Early Show" contributor Katie Lee shared a few simple and fun ideas to make your Oscar party a winner.

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RECIPES:

Pretzel Dogs with Sweet Curry Mayo

I can't walk past the pretzel stand at the mall without stopping for a pretzel dog. These are delish with this spicy and sweet curry mayo. If you're a traditionalist, serve them with mustard and ketchup as well.

INGREDIENTS:
10 mini hot dogs
Refrigerated pretzel dough or breadstick dough, cut into 3-inch strips
1 egg, lightly beaten
Pretzel salt

For mayo:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon curry powder
Squeeze of honey (to taste)

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 400 F.

Prick hot dogs with a fork. Twist dough around each hot dog. Brush with egg and sprinkle with salt. Bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix mayo, curry powder, and honey.

Cheeseburger Sliders
These mini-burgers go fast -- you may want to double the recipe for a hungry group!

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 slices American cheese, cut into quarters
8 slider-sized hamburger buns

Special sauce:
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish

Toppings: lettuce, thinly-sliced Roma tomatoes

METHOD:
Preheat grill pan over medium-high heat.

In a bowl, combine beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Shape meat into eight small patties of equal size.

Cook burgers about 2 minutes, flip and top with cheese. Cook about 2 more minutes. Transfer burgers to buns and top with special sauce, lettuce, and sliced Roma tomatoes.

Special sauce:
Combine all ingredients.

For more recipes, go to Page 2.

Smoked Salmon Pizza

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces prepared pizza dough
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt
1/2 cup crème fraiche
8 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
1 tablespoon minced chives

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 500 F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 10 inch circle. Transfer dough to a baking sheet and brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes.

Transfer crust to a cutting board. Spread with crème fraiche, leaving a one inch border, and top with salmon. Cut into eight pieces and top each slice with a garnish with chives.

Double Chocolate Kettle Corn

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup popcorn kernels
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons 5 spice powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 ounces dark chocolate, melted
3 ounces white chocolate, melted

METHOD:
In a pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat, combine popcorn, oil, sugar, 5 Spice powder, and salt. Shake constantly. When popcorn begins to pop, lower heat to medium-low. Continue to shake until popping begins to slow and transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with melted butter, toss.

Spread kettle corn onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with dark chocolate and white chocolate. Let cool completely.

Eleni's Oscar Themed Cookies
Assorted Oscar themed cookies are available from Eleni's bakery. It's not too late to order; they can be shipped overnight to anywhere in the country from Elenis.com.