Family Movie Night: Hairspray
Tonight's movie night is Hairspray! This has been one of my favorite movie musicals since it came out while I was in high school. Between the unforgettable soundtrack, colorful characters, and message of kindness, acceptance, and standing up for what's right, it's a movie I never seem to get tired of.
Over the years, I've happily passed my love for Hairspray on to AG. She knows many of the songs by heart, so naturally there was plenty of singing (and maybe a little dancing) happening throughout the movie. Erik, on the other hand, had never seen Hairspray before and didn't know the story or the music at all. Watching it through his eyes made it feel brand new again, and we did our very best not to spoil every scene by singing along... although I'm not sure we were very successful.
As always, no movie night is complete without a themed dinner. One of my favorite parts of these evenings is finding fun ways to tie the menu into the movie. It doesn't have to be fancy, just a little creativity makes dinner feel like part of the experience.
Tonight's Menu
Tracy's Baltimore Crab Cakes
"Link, Your Pork (Steaks) Is Ready!"
Motormouth Maybelle's Mac & Cheese
Corny Collins' Corn on the Cob
Hefty Hideaway Hot Fudge Sundaes
Big, Blonde, & Beautiful Summer Ale
For dessert, we're keeping it classic with ice cream sundaes piled high with rich, homemade hot fudge. If you've never made hot fudge from scratch, you're in for a treat. It's silky, deeply chocolatey, and comes together with simple pantry ingredients. We love it spooned over vanilla ice cream, but it's just as delicious drizzled over brownies, stirred into homemade ice cream, spread between cookies, or, if we're being honest, enjoyed straight from the spoon.
Today's recipe is my homemade hot fudge sauce, and I have a feeling it'll become a staple in your kitchen just like it has in ours.
Now grab a plate, turn up the music, and don't be afraid to sing along. We certainly couldn't help ourselves.
Homemade Hot Fudge
Rich, smooth, and perfectly chocolatey, this homemade hot fudge comes together in just a few minutes with simple pantry staples. Pour it over ice cream, drizzle it on brownies, swirl it into milkshakes, or keep a jar in the refrigerator for whenever a chocolate craving strikes.
Ingredients
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
⅓ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, butter, and salt. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
Continue whisking frequently until the mixture comes to a gentle boil.
Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will seem thin at this stage—don't worry! It will thicken as it cools.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Let the hot fudge cool for a few minutes before serving warm over your favorite desserts.
Storage
Store any leftover hot fudge in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Reheat gently in the microwave in 15–20 second intervals or warm it on the stovetop over low heat until smooth and pourable.
