Need ideas on throwing a bang-up Oscars bash? Celebrity caterer Mary Giuliani shared her secrets with GlamNest here. For some recommended recipes, see below.

Gold Dusted Black Licorice Martini
2 parts Vanilla Vodka
1 part Black Sambuca
Shake with lots of ice and Serve
Garnish with Black Licorice and Gold Dust
(Gold Dust can be found at any craft store in the baking section)

Curry Rice Recipe

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup uncooked rice
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions:

Cook onion and green peppers in butter in large pan until tender. Add rice, pepper, turmeric and curry; brown slightly. Add chicken broth; stir well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; stir in parsley.

Mini Espresso Brownies (Presented with Vanilla Bean Milkshakes Optional)

1 teaspoon salt
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons instant espresso
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Melt chocolates and butter, stir until smooth and remove from heat.
In a large bowl, mix together baking powder, flour, cocoa powder,  salt and espresso. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat vanilla, sugar & egg on medium high for about 2 minutes.
Beat in chocolate until well mixed. Add flour mixture slowly until well blended.

Pour mixture into a 11 x 7-inch non stick baking pan and bake for 35—40 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into 1″x1″ squares.

Caterer to the stars, Mary Giuliani, knows a thing or two about what celebrities like to eat as she’s the “go to” girl in NYC for many of their big premieres and screenings. She’s pleased the palettes of Sheryl Crow, Gwen Stefani, Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman and Debra Messing, who all splurge on her shrunken indulgences like mac n cheese and her decadent espresso milk shakes. For more on Mary, please see her website.

– Sarah Karl, Lifestyle Editor-at-Large

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Photo Credits: iStockPhoto, Ryan Giuliani, Elizabeth Lippman