This post has been sponsored by Canada Dry®. All thoughts, opinions and recipes are my own.
Grab a bag and your comfy PJ's, girls. Messy hair don't care. It's time for a Girls Night IN! So text your girls and make plans for a fun + relaxing night in. Nothing fussy, just close friends and delicious food and drinks. That's right, we've got refreshments planned for this night at home. You knew we would, right?
If you can't remember the last time you hung out with your BFF's, then it has been way too long. This post is for you. We are talking about a night at home. No boys allowed. This is a night for laughing out loud, sharing old pictures, and catching up on all the gossip.
You know those nights when you just stay in with your girls? Staying up way too late watching sappy movies. You laugh so hard it hurts. You swap stories, rehash old memories...aren't those the best nights ever?
In my book, a Girls Night In is 10x better than going out on the town.
Plus you can relax. We ALL need more of that.
So let's make a pact. Let's celebrate friends MORE. Let's spend more quality time together. There's no better time than right now to send your besties a text saying "Girls Night In?".
Our goal is to get you and your squad inspired to throw the best Girls Night In party. No stress, no worries.
You ready? I am.
Girls Night In - The Drinks
Keep it mild or a little wild for Girls Night In. Either way, you’ve got to check out the NEW Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade. Lightly sweet, crisp and refreshing, it is a flavor combination made in heaven.
Not sure about you, but I’ve been mixing ginger ale and lemonade for years. Great call on putting it together in one delicious drink, Canada Dry. Click here to add it to your Kroger Click List.
NEW Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade is great party beverage to serve chilled or over ice. My new fave.
Oh, and did we mention there is a SWEEPSTAKES? Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade is giving away fun prizes including: a corn hole set, a BBQ set, a bicycle, Adirondack chairs, thermoses and glassware sets. Hello, Winners. Click here to Enter for a Chance to Win.
Here are some tips to make your girls night stress free:
- Serve drinks in fun glassware for a fancy twist.
- Freeze fruit slices and pieces for fun ice cubes and garnishes.
- Take advantage of Kroger's great selection of beverages like Canada Dry.
- Straws. Ladies like straws.
Girls Night In - The Food
I am about to let you in on the biggest secret of all time. When you eat food with your best friends, it has no calories and no carbs. All the more reason to get together for girls night in, right?
Right.
We have a couple of recipe ideas that are delicious and easy to make. Crave-worthy Spinach Artichoke Dip Tortilla Cups and Melon Mozzarella Bites.
Spinach Artichoke Dip Tortilla Cups
Spinach Artichoke Dip Tortilla Cups are toasted tortillas filled with warm + cheesy dip that everyone loves. Get the ingredient list at the bottom of this post.
First make the filling. Ours is made with parmesan cheese and Monterey jack cheese for all that nom-nom flavor. Stir in chopped spinach and artichokes and you are on your way to snack happiness.
Cut the tortillas into circle shapes. I used a big biscuit cutter. Oh, and I used low-carb tortillas. (Not that anyone is counting on girls night in.)
Press them into a lightly greased muffin tin and bake until golden and crisp. Fill each with spinach artichoke dip, sprinkle with cheese and return to the oven for just a few minutes to get all golden and divine. Yum City, ya'll.
Melon Mozzarella Bites
For a fun and light refreshing snack idea, we made Melon Mozzarella Bites.
How cute, right? Mix them up with your favorite berries and melon for a pretty appetizer your friends will love. (We have the complete how-to at the bottom of this post.)
Super simple to make. First use a melon baller to scoop out your favorite melon into ball shapes. We used watermelon and cantaloupe. (Honey dew would be perfect.)
Using picks or small skewers, start with fresh sweet blackberries or raspberries. Then add a piece of melon, and top with a basil leaf and mozzarella bite.
That's it. Fancy with no fuss. Plus they taste delish. You get the salty fresh mozzarella and the bite of basil. Then the mildly sweet melon followed by the tart pop of berry.
The best part? These take about 15 minutes to assemble, and your gals are going to love you for it.
Girls Night In - The Fun
Drinks, check. Food, check. Now, time for the fun and games for your night at home with the girls.
No one knows your group of friends better than you. You know what will be a hit, and what just won't fly with your crew. Here are some ideas that we love.
What's in Your Phone?
Remember that old party game, what's in your purse? Where everyone gets points for certain items that are in their purse. How about this game of What's in Your Phone?
Print out one of these point sheets for every person playing. Each person puts in points for the items on their phone. The gal with the most points wins...but the fun part? They have to prove it by showing everyone.
You should give away cute prizes like a bottle of great nail polish, a must-read book, or any prize you think the group will love.
Make your own sheet, or download ours for free. Click here or on the picture below.
Not So Chick Flicks
Ok, so we've all seen chick flicks. You know what they are and can probably recite every single line by heart.
How about mixing up your Girls Night In and watch some ....Not So Chick Flicks? Turn on the 'Flix, and pick a crazy title you have never heard of in a genre you usually don't pick from. Trust me, this will be hilarious watching the looks on everyone's faces.
Recipe Swap
Everyone brings 2 of their favorite recipes written out and copied for everyone. This way your friends each leave with lots of new meal ideas for the next few weeks. Yay!
Closet Raiders
If you and your friends are similar sizes, or anyone is up a few sizes or down a few sizes lately, play closet raiders. Every lady invited has to raid their own closet for items in good condition that they can't wear anymore.
Toss the items on the couch and have a free for all. Try on, swap and shop, everyone wins.
Ladies: Next time you’re at your local Kroger, don’t forget to grab the NEW Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade, and let’s make Girls Night In happen. Don’t forget, Enter the Canada Dry Sweepstakes for your chance to win cool prizes and swag.
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📖 Recipe
Spinach Artichoke Dip Tortilla Cups
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups 2% milk divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ cups Monterey jack cheese shredded, divided
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 14 ounces artichoke hearts drained, chopped
- 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed, drained
- 8 flour tortillas 8 inch, low carb
Instructions
- Heat butter over medium low heat in a medium sized sauce pan. Whisk in the flour and whisk and cook until smooth and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in one cup of milk, slowly. Add the salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.
- Remove from heat and stir in the two types of cheese. Combine until melted. Stir in the artichokes and spinach. Add the additional milk and return to heat and warm through.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a muffin pan with non stick spray.
- Cut 3 circles out of each tortilla. Press each circle into the bottom of each muffin cup. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes until the cups are golden and slightly crisp.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Fill each cup with a generous portion of spinach artichoke dip. Sprinkle with additional Monterey jack cheese. Return to the oven and broil for 2 - 3 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Transfer the tortilla cups to a wire rack. Repeat with the process with another 12 cups. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
📖 Recipe
Melon Mozzarella Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup blackberries large, about 24
- 1 ½ cups melon balls any variety, about 24 pieces
- ½ cup basil leaves about 24
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella bites about 24 pieces
- 24 wooden picks
Instructions
- Assemble each pick with 1 blackberry, 1 melon ball, 1 basil leaf, and 1 mozzarella bite.
- Serve immediately or chill before.
Caroline
How do you think the spinach artichoke bites would do in a wonton cup?
Teri
I bet they will be crispier than using a tortilla shell. Which isn’t a bad thing. Let me know how they turn out. 🙂