Lord of the Rings Movie Marathon Weekend

I have a secret to admit: I have never seen Lord of the Rings. This statement is typically met by audible gasps and insistence that I need to watch the movies immediately- extended edition included. It is not that I am against reading or watching the series, it is more I have been wrapped up in so many other fantasy lands that it is hard to get to all of them. Sometimes it’s hard keeping Narnia, The Wizarding World, Middle Earth, and a Galaxy Far Far Away apart! A few weekends ago, I was finally able to set aside the time to watch this award winning trilogy, but you didn’t think I was going to casually view them did you!? This glorious weekend was filled with themed food on a Hobbit’s eating schedule, and I am so excited to share the menu and a few recipes with you!

I originally made a schedule that outlined watching all six movies: the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit. However, I quickly realized that this was wishful thinking. First off, the movies are extremely dense and I found myself pausing them multiple times in order to ask questions to my Tolkein- expert friends and husband. I also did not factor in the time it would take to make all of the Lord of the Rings inspired dishes, so when it was all said and done we ended up watching just the Lord of the Rings trilogy. At least it leaves room for a Hobbit weekend and more movie inspired recipes!

I set the schedule based on the Hobbit’s eating pattern. For those of you who are Lord of the Rings newbies like myself, Hobbits are a fictional creatures who are described as half the heights of humans, have large hairy feet, are good listeners, and live a relaxed lifestyle. Hobbits have the tendency to eat seven times a day! They live in The Shire, a rural area where their houses are built in the sides of rolling grassy hills. Hobbits are known to be more of homebodies, but also like to celebrate within the community. Honestly, the older I get, the more appealing the Hobbit lifestyle sounds. 

Menu

First Breakfast- banana muffins and coffee

A Hobbit must start the day off with a healthy and hearty breakfast. Even though this first breakfast was not as large because a mere mortal like myself could not handle seven Hobbit sized meals, I figured homemade banana muffins were a delicious start. Other fantastic options could include a quiche, biscuits, or other delectable pastries. 

Second Breakfast- Hobbit hash

During the beginning of their journey to destroy the ring, one of the Hobbits named Pippin is very discouraged about their food situation. “What about second breakfast?” was one of his well known questions throughout the series. Well Pippin, this party did make sure to pack for second breakfast. I decided to make a delightful hash with hashbrowns, eggs, cheese, peppers, onions, and ham. Of course it had to be thematic so Hobbit hash it is!

Elevenses- berries with honey whipped mascarpone and charcuterie

I have to admit that elevenses is one of my favorite Hobbit meals. This meal is designed to be a “lighter” snack that can hold the Hobbits over until lunchtime. One of my favorite snacks is fruit and dip, but of course I needed to make it fancy for this occasion. Whipping mascarpone with local honey made for a delicious berry treat paired with crackers, meats, and cheeses. Basically, we had adult lunchables.

Luncheon- olive oil braised beans on toast, ricotta pesto toast with roasted garlic and tomatoes

Beans on toast is a big breakfast tradition in the United Kingdom, so I wanted to make sure to include a nod to this British cuisine. I made a Half Baked Harvest recipe for olive oil braised beans, and they were absolutely delicious. We had plenty of leftovers that we ended up eating over the next few days. In addition, as I was scrolling on Instagram, I found a ricotta pesto toast with roasted garlic and tomatoes. I love anything with roasted garlic, and the flavors of this toast were savory perfection.

Afternoon Tea- blueberry lemon scones and tea

Keeping with the British theme since Lord of the Rings author J.R.R Tolkein is from there, I knew scones had to be included in the mix. A while back, I found a go-to scone recipe, and I use this base every time I make scones. The trick to getting the right texture is to shave cold butter. This gets that desired fluffy and flaky texture you are going for. These scones toasted and served with chai made for such a cozy afternoon while watching The Two Towers.

Dinner- Po-Tay-Toe soup

During one of the movies, Frodo’s trusty friend Sam has an interaction with Gollum that just cracked me up.

Gollum: “What’s taters precious? What’s tater’s eh?”

Sam: “Po-tay-toes! Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew. Lovely big golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish.”

While dinner is typically the largest meal in The Shire, in order to follow the schedule I ended up making dinner and supper more of a coursed-meal situation. This creamy po-tay-toe soup was a delicious start and is a recipe from my grandmother. I specifically remember having loads of this soup when I got my tonsils taken out. I hope you all enjoy it as well.

Po-Tay-Toe Soup

6 russet potatoes, baked and peeled (can halfway peel if want some potato skins in the soup)

9 cups milk

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup plain flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 teaspoons pepper

1 1/2 cups diced onion

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled

Optional: chives

Cook and cube potatoes and set aside. You can bake in the oven or microwave. In a large, heavy saucepan melt butter and saute onions on medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes until smooth. Add milk and stir often. When mixture is slightly thickened, add spices and cheese along with potatoes. Cook until thick and cheese melts. If want thicker, can mash cubed potatoes a bit. Garnish with additional cheese, bacon, and chives.

Supper- Parmesan crusted salmon with radish goat cheese salad

Supper is the final meal of the day for the Hobbits and is just as hearty as the rest of their diet in order to tie them over until first breakfast. I decided to do a parmesan crusted salmon with radish goat cheese salad because it was filling but did not make us feel stuffed. I also made a simple homemade vinaigrette with olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and spices to go with the salad. Other great ideas for supper could include roasted chicken, beef stew, or chicken pot pie.

If you made it to the end, I hope I have thoroughly convinced you to become a Hobbit and have a Lord of the Rings movie marathon weekend. May I leave you with the words of Bilbo to inspire your weekend: “I don't want any adventures, thank you. Not Today. Good morning! But please come to tea any time you like!”