Geek-Themed Food & A Free Giveaway

Happy May, Everyone!  The first week of May is generally a happy time for geeks.  During that week there are at least 2 fantastic happenings to celebrate, and look forward to: Free Comic Book Day, and Star Wars Day.  This year, they just happened to fall on the same day...

I know, right?  For those of you not up on your geek history, it's ok, I can help.  Free Comic Book Day started in 2002 as a promotional event to introduce new readers to the wonderful world of comics.  It's main purpose today is the same, to get new readers into independent comic shops, to say thank you to repeated customers, and to bring back any wayward souls who lost interest in comics somewhere along the way.  And for those of us who have been in all 3 of those categories at one time or another, I can tell you that Free Comic Book Day is an event to look forward to!  You get up in the morning (yes, I said morning...on a Saturday, even though FCBD morning doesn't actually start until 9:30 or 10am for me), gear up with your best or cleanest geek gear, and get to your local comic book shops right when they open.  Some even line up a bit before opening, but I haven't done that yet.

I am fortunate enough to have 2 local comic book shops left in Norman that I go to, and even though some of the chain stores participate, I don't go to them for this day - it just doesn't feel right.  Some stores not only give away free comics, but also free swag of some sort: buttons, posters, back issues, key chains, and other promotional items.  Sometimes you will even find comic book authors and artists at these events to sign or draw something for you.  Talk to them, ask questions, say "Thanks for adding to the creative force," or whatever, they would love to visit with you.  I look forward to Free Comic Book Day every year!  Here's Hugh Jackman, encouraging you to go...and plugging his movie...

Now, you are probably asking yourself why is May 4th also known as Star Wars day? even though technically May 25th is actually Star Wars Day Well, maybe this will help:

Ha! Get it?  It's punny.  No?  Ok then, if you're still confused go here and read all about it.  There's also this for the day after...

"Ok, come on, Jen, what's this have to do with food?"

(See, I knew what you were thinking.  I used the fourth force.)

Alright, well, I LOVE Star Wars and all things geek, and I LOVE hosting parties for whatever reason.  So I thought that I might try and see what kinds of foods I could come up with for next year's May 4th celebration, if I should decide to host one.  Now, if you do an internet search for things like "Star Wars themed foods" or "Star Wars party ideas" you will find lots and lots of creative names and foods related to Star Wars.  I wrote many of them down as well as came up with a few of my own.

Yoda-dillas: Chicken quesadillas made with spinach tortillas cut into Yoda shapes using one of these nifty Yoda pancake molds.

Boba Fettuccine: Fettuccine Alfredo 

Coruscant Crescents: Ham and cheese sandwiches on crescent rolls

Padawan-tons: Cream cheese wantons

Padme Popcorn: Different flavors of popcorn

Snips' Chips: (an homage to the Clone Wars) Different types of chips tossed together in a bowl

Skywalker Scones: Homemade scones

Corellian Calzones: Homemade pizza pockets

Gaffi Taffy:  Different flavors of taffy

So, I made a few different dishes this weekend to get some tested ideas out...well, more into my belly.  Friday night I made Han Burgers, Vater Taters, Mon Mac N' Chesse, and Aurra Sing Green Beans.  Other people came up with Han Burgers and Vater Taters, but the rest of the names, I thought fit the bill.  Everything turned out wonderful except I tried to cut the Han Burgers in the shape of a Millenium Falcon with one of these sandwich cutters:

Yeah, mine did NOT look like that.  However, I'm pretty sure they were meant more for the PB&J type of thinness, as opposed to my 1/4 pound stacked and dressed burger patty on a dense bun.  I meant to get a pic of them, but was so hungry I forgot :/  Even though the Han Burgers were not picture-perfect, they were still good.  For the Mon Mac N' Cheese, I just took a box of Kraft Three Cheese something or other, and added some pepper jack, colby jack, and American cheese to it with some half-n-half.  I know, all of my recipes are super good for watching your weight! I obviously know nothing about dieting.  And the Aurra Sing Green Beans, are just seasoned French cut green beans.

Saturday, I tried the Corellian Calzones.  I got frustrated with trying to manipulate the pizza dough and smashed the first one up.  Then I realized that a floured surface makes all the difference in the world, and the rest were made with happy feelings of accomplishment.

Sunday, I spent the afternoon roasting a Bantha in the crock-pot   Ok, it wasn't really Bantha, I mean, they aren't even in season right now.  It was just a pork roast with some seasonings.  When it was cooked I pulled the pork apart then put it back in the crock-pot with BBQ sauce for another half and hour and called it BBQ Bantha.  By the way, this recipe can be found under the title of "Sooner Sliders" on page 27 of the University of Oklahoma Cookbook, if you would like the full details.  

And for dessert, I made Thermal Detonators, which were really just Oreo Truffles.

And now for the... 

***FREE GIVEAWAY!***

Here is the challenge: you have until May 25th (The Original Star Wars Day) to come up with an original recipe that has a geek-related theme.  REMEMBER - IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE STAR WARS...It doesn't matter what genre it comes from, as long as it is geeky and fun.  If you need some ideas about what would fit into that category, just go to ThinkGeek and get your creativity flowing!  Post your entries below in the comments and a winner will be chosen next month to receive a free signed copy of my University of Oklahoma Cookbook!

Good luck!  And may the force be with you!