I had the privilege of being invited to the home of my 86 year old neighbor. Her objective was to teach me how to make her delicious Scottish shortbread cookies. What fun we had measuring, stirring, chatting and baking. She is an incredible woman and I discovered that night that it doesn't take a lot of effort to plan an enjoyable girls' night in.
In this fast paced world, we often forget just how amazing simplicity can be. Some of the best moments in life are remembered fondly because they were spent building relationships, enjoying each other's company, and discovering the histories that shaped us and the dreams that propel us forward.
So, the next time you're searching for the perfect activity to share with your friends, why not keep it simple and invite them over for an evening of baking, cooking, scrapbooking or any other activity or hobby you all enjoy. Learn from each other and enhance the depth of your friendships.
I wish you could all meet my 86 year old neighbor, but since you can't, I'll share with you what she shared with me... her recipe for Scottish shortbread cookies.
Ingredients: 1/2 pound butter (room temperature) 1/2 cup fruit sugar 1/2 cup rice flour 2 cups sifted all purpose flour
Instructions:
Cream butter and sugar together.
Add rice flour and stir to a creamy consistency.
Gradually work in the flour (using a sifter).
Knead the mixture till smooth.
Note: You may not need all of the flour. When there is about 1/4 of a cup of flour left, start kneading the mixture so that you will be able to feel when the dough changes from too wet to just right.
Heat the oven to 300 degrees.
Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and pat each piece into its own 8 inch foil pie plate.
Run a knife around the edge of the dough about an eighth of an inch from the sides.
Precut the dough into the number of slices/pieces you would like to have upon completion (You will use these same lines to cut the cookies out after baking.
Prick each piece several times with a fork.
Bake for 20 minutes and then turn the oven down to 275 degrees.
Bake for 25-40 minutes to complete (depending on your baking pans and oven).
Remove from oven, cut, cool and enjoy with a hot beverage and good friends.
Note: You can make these cookies in other pans and cut them into different shapes and sizes. What you MUST get right is the texture of the dough and the pierce marks before baking. Also, be careful not to overbake.
Keep it Simple! Make it Fun!
So why not stay at home and invite your girlfriends around? It's nowhere near the effort of getting all dressed up, catching a cab, sitting in a smoked filled room and then catching a cab home again.
So just how do you make it a great night to remember. The first step is to get rid of the males in the house. This should be easy as most men, if they are anything like the men in my house, will be only too happy to go to the football or local bar. Fishing is also a pastime which can get the boys out of your hair for the entire weekend.
Now the trick here girls is to make out that you are doing something for them, they don't need to know you have an ulterior motive. After all, you want them to give you something nice in return for letting them loose.
Now that the boys are taken care of let's do some preparation. You don't want to make too much work for yourself.
Dinner is a good start. Dinner can be either takeaway, where you all chip in and get a mixed bag of really interesting exotic foods such as Taiwanese, Indian or Turkish are great ways to explore your culinary desires and your guests will feel like they have experienced something just a little different.
Pot luck is another option which can be alot of fun. This is where each guest is asked to contribute either a main meal or dessert. If your friends come from different backgrounds you can get some very interesting dishes indeed and every good cook always has at least one favorite dish they know how to prepare that goes down well.
You can of course cook the entire meal yourself but that does not lend to you having an overly relaxing evening yourself.
Now if you are like me and you want to relax too, then you will want to make it very informal which for me means movies. Of course you will be needing some snacks, which guests that can't cook can bring as their contribution.
If movies aren't your thing you can have some great fun using your computer.
Joining into chat rooms is really fun as you can make up a person, join the chat and have everyone input into what you want to say and respond with. There are many different chat programs out there, but another great option is playing bingo online. Online bingo offers chat so that you can chat with others while you play. Once again, sign up with an alias and have all your girlfriends join in with the bingo games and chat.
Other games or just plenty of nice wine are great relaxing ways you can spend the night in with the girls. If you are drinking then having your friends stay over is the safe option and this way you will have help cleaning up the next morning.
Remember the more relaxed you are and the more fun you have, the more likely it is your girlfriends will host the same great night in.
Both Wendy Legendre & Sam Wolfe are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Wendy Legendre has sinced written about articles on various topics from Women, Thanksgiving and Parties. Wendy LegendreThe author has hosted hundreds of kid's and youth programs and events, ladies events, community events, showers, birthday parties, slumber parties, and camps over the last 25 years. She also directs local theater productions. Wendy Legendre's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.
Sam Wolfe has sinced written about articles on various topics from Women, Recreation and Sports and Entertainment Guide. Sam Wolfe has been involved in the online bingo industry for over 10 years - as a player, employee and now consultant. She runs informative UK bingo portals located at