Nowadays, pinching every penny, coupon clipping and seeking out values has been the norm. I’ve always been a supporter of saving and finding deals but the one area that I find difficult to follow this trend is having fun. I know that staying in costs less than going out. That’s a no brainer. However as someone with a short attention span, I find it harder and harder to find creative & low price ways of having fun.
Enter girls night in. Rather than going out like we do almost every weekend, this night was a nice refreshing change. We came up with a menu based off Giada de Laurentiis’ show, Giada at Home. Making the food felt like iron chef without the pressure, or the time limit and was actually rather fun. For me, having someone other than my husband try my food was also nice. Especially since I’ve been scared to cook for a crowd. At least cooking for one friend got me a little out of my comfort zone.
Penne in Almond Sauce is a quick, easy, & versatile dish
I made Penne in Almond Sauce which turned out pretty well. It was a rather quick and easy dish in itself. I liked how the recipe called for store-bought cooked chicken. It definitely sped things up. Leftovers could also be used in the recipe to make the dish even more versatile.
Turkey Milanese & Small Salad
My friend made Turkey Milanese along with a small salad. The cutlets came out golden brown, it looked like a cookbook picture. I think I need to take some lessons from my friend!
Next up was a Roasted Eggplant Hummus that I made. I always feel like I’m eating healthy when I make hummus since the ingredients are vegetables. The eggplant added a nice touch to the dip.
Lastly was a Peach and Strawberry Crumble. It was enough to serve a crowd but turned out very well. Sugary & sweet, it was a nice way to cap off the night. I can see many of these girls nights in the future. They’re a lot of fun.
We enjoyed our three course meal without the pomp and circumstance of the restaurant, or restaurant prices either. Good friends, good home cooked food and a laid back atmosphere was priceless.
What do you do for extra value fun?
Want the recipes for the girl’s night out? See below!
What a great idea! Girls night in – so much more fun – that way you dont have to worry about people booting you out of their restaurant for being too loud or silly. The food looks yummy.