I know that travel and adventure and generally leaving the house has been much more difficult over the past year, but instead of being discouraged, get inspired! I absolutely love throwing dinner parties — both small and intimate, or large and loud. It’s a great excuse to decorate, throw together a new outfit, and cook food that I wouldn’t normally experience. It’s an at-home staycation that feels like you walked into another world, what’s not to love?

So throw yourself and your family a Moroccan dinner party inspired by the colors, flavors, and cultures in Northern Africa. After all, you’re all overdue for a much-needed vacation at home. It doesn’t have to be super fancy or expensive, just a small but special dinner party with all the magnificence of the Sahara or the beauty of the Mediterranean Sea.

What to Serve at Your Moroccan Dinner Party

Morocco is known for so much great food! Beef, lamb and chicken are all fairly common and usually roasted or cooked in a tagine. And for a side dish, you have to serve couscous — everything in Morocco, it seems, is served with these little round grains.

Here are a few key flavors to look out for when deciding on your Moroccan dinner party menu:

• Use fun spices and herbs.

• Nuts and dried fruit are common additives.

• You can’t go wrong with a great mezze board to snack on all night.

• You should definitely have a batch (or several) of Harissa olives.

• Homemade flatbread and naan are staples!

• Plums, boiled eggs, dates and lemon are all common ingredients in Moroccan food.

• Spiced orange is a popular treat! Consider serving my Spiced Honey Orange Cocktail with dinner.

Whatever you choose, the exotic flavors are sure to please both the pickiest and most adventurous of eaters.

How to Make Your Moroccan Dinner Party Happen

At the end of the day, you really only need three things for a great dinner party: food, atmosphere, and fun. Here are a few of my Moroccan dinner party essentials — they’ll ensure you have less stress and more fun when planning your at-home vacation!

Cooking with a Tagine

A Moroccan tagine is a cone-shaped, ceramic cooking vessel that has been traditionally used in North Africa for generations. A traditional tagine is cone-shaped and sits on top of a round base. When cooking, the lid traps the heat and steam, which then allows the liquid to return to the pot. This leads to an incredibly moist dish packed with amazing flavors.

Protein dishes, slow-cooked stews, and other savory dishes are commonly cooked in a tagine.

The Perfect Decor

When decorating your home or yard, you’ll want to keep a few aesthetics in mind:

• Aim for an indigo-colored tablescape to showcase the beautiful beaches.

• Think intricate carvings and colorful mosaic tiles!

• Moroccan fabrics are rich in color and often feature busy patterns and detailed textures.

• Food is generally eaten family-style in Moroccan homes, so a similar setup will help your dinner party feel more authentic.

If you have a beautiful tapestry, velvets, or silks, now is your opportunity to showcase them!

Final Tips for Your Moroccan Dinner Party

• Start with mint tea. Most authentic Moroccan meals being with a refreshing mug of hot mint tea steeped with fresh mint leaves. It’s the perfect way to put your guests in the right atmosphere as soon as they walk in the door! I like to use green tea as a base, but you can also use black tea if you’d like something stronger.

• Buy a lot of olives. I guarantee you will go through tons of green Harissa olives. Even without a Moroccan theme, they’re delicious, but they’re also perfect for snacking on, adding to hummus and veggie platters, or garnishing your dishes.

• Don’t forget the wine. A nice Cabernet (red) or Sauvignon Blanc (white) both pair perfectly with the flavors of Morocco.

• Atmosphere. Remember that for any dinner party, it’s up to the host to fully commit to the atmosphere — the sounds, the smells, the decor, AND the outfit. Keep it simple with a few candles and Moroccan music, or go all out with jewel tones, bright colors, and long flowing clothes.

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Whether you’re throwing a sushi tasting dinner or a sushi-making party, you can’t go wrong with hosting your very own sushi night at home. Easy to throw together by ordering in or a fun learning experience with family and friends, this kid-friendly dinner party will become an annual event in no time!

All you need to host sushi night is the atmosphere, food, and fun — and there are so many possibilities in the mix. Create a casual dining experience in your living room by arranging the beautiful sushi rolls on a coffee table. Then sit around with your guests and learn about Chinese culture, the history of sushi, or just catch up on life in general! Good food and good company are all you need for sushi night to be an absolute success.

Why You’ll Love Sushi Night

• It brings the restaurant home. Why go out when you can stay in? I’m all about small, intimate and casual dinner parties these days. Gather with your closest family or friends and host a sushi night complete with sake, maki, and all your favorite sides!

• It’s super easy to put together. Sushi night can be as simple or elaborate as you’d like! Go all the way and learn how to make your own sushi, or order in different types of sushi rolls from your favorite local restaurant. Just set the mood and welcome the guests for a fun-filled dinner party.

• It serves different dietary needs. Whether you’re making your own sushi or ordering in, sushi can be made with all types of ingredients. If you’re hosting guests with different dietary needs, you can easily accommodate by specifying which types of rolls are which.

• It’s perfect for any season. Maybe it’s just me, but I crave sushi all year long. It can be freezing outside or a sunny summer day, I’ll still crave a delicious sushi roll with some comforting miso soup. Keep sushi night in mind whenever you’re craving a fun dinner party with close family and friends!

What You Need for Sushi Night

Food: Obviously, you can’t have a dinner party — regardless of the theme — without tons of delicious food! For sushi night, you should focus on serving different types of sushi, like nigiri, sashimi, and maki. If you’re making your own homemade sushi rolls, I’d recommend trying a type of maki roll, which is when the filling is wrapped in rice and seaweed. Regardless, it wouldn’t be sushi night without an array of colorful options!

Drinks: Sushi pairs well with so many different drinks. Green tea or matcha would definitely add a flair of authenticity to your sushi dinner party, plus hot sake and beer for the adults.

Fun: I’m always a fan of having an activity or two planned for my dinner parties. Whether that means conversation starters, fun facts about sushi history, or learning how to make sushi rice or sushi rolls from scratch, it’s always a good idea to have a crowd-pleasing game in your back pocket.

How to Make Sushi Night Happen

First things first, you need to decide what kind of sushi night you want to have! Are you hosting a sushi tasting dinner or planning a sushi-making party?

Sushi Making Tips:

• Keep it simple! Aim for making maki with a few, simple ingredients.

• Watch lots of videos. The Internet can teach you so many things. Having a good idea of the process before you try to make your own sushi rolls will be a huge lifesaver!

• Invest in a good sushi roller. Yes, it really is worth it, especially if you or your guests are first-time sushi makers.

Sushi Tasting Tips:

• Variety is key. Vary the types of sushi rolls you serve, from spice level to ingredients.

• Label everything. Because there are so many levels of heat and different possible ingredients, it’s always a good idea to label each roll so your guests know exactly what they’re in for.

• Don’t overdo it. How many leftovers do you really want? Make sure you get a mixture of familiar and new so you don’t end up with crazy amounts of leftover rolls.

How to Throw the Best Sushi Night

Set the scene.

Think about your favorite sushi restaurant and try to recreate the overall vibe! Dim the lights, play soothing background music and make the environment comfortable. Consider presenting your sushi rolls on a coffee table and turning the space into a small, intimate gathering space.

Focus on the food.

We’ve already covered diversifying the sushi rolls served, but there are so many other side options! Grab or prepare fun pre-made snacks and sides, like some of these favorites:

• Mochi
• Miso soup
• Edamame
• Matcha tiramisu

Don’t forget the drinks.

I’m always a fan of hot sake! Serve alongside your favorite beer and have green tea on hand to cleanse the pallet.

Final Tips for Sushi Night

Make it kid-friendly.

Make sure the kiddos are included in the sushi fun! Order or prepare special kid-friendly maki rolls made of avocado, cucumber, or sweet potato. You can even make a few kid-friendly chopsticks with a little rolled paper and a rubber band — and hey, maybe a few adults will need some too.

Recycle your chopsticks.

Keep things green either by using reusable chopsticks or finding a creative way to recycle wooden ones! You can reuse wooden chopsticks as stirrers or even for homemade popsicles. Some cities even have recycling programs that specifically search for chopsticks! See if there’s one near you.

Prepare for leftovers.

I don’t know about you, but every time I throw a dinner party, no matter how well I plan and portion, I always end up with tons of extra food. Save yourself some time (and cleanup) and plan ahead! Buy a few Chinese-style take-out boxes and let your guests create their own take-out meals to enjoy later.

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There is no reason you need to wait until June to throw a s’mores party with your close family and friends! Bring the fire (safely) inside with an indoor fire burner and have the same marshmallow-roasting fun you’ve enjoyed since childhood.

While I was definitely skeptical of an indoor fire burner when they first started getting popular, much research and a little experience of my own made me a convert. As long as you are not using your burner in a small or enclosed space and your home is properly ventilated, you’re good to go! I’d recommend keeping a window open to let out smoke and welcome in the fresh air.

With s’mores, it’s all about the toppings.

You can’t have an indoor s’mores party without a huge spread of different toppings and ingredients. We all know the basics — chocolate, crackers, and marshmallows — but how much are you willing to change it up?

Try a new s’mores flavor with some of these sweet add ons:

• Fruits: Cold or cooked, you really can’t go wrong with sweet strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries as a nice topping to your rich s’mores. Think your favorite pie filling, but a dollop added to freshly roasted s’mores.

• Spreads: An easy add on, especially for the kids, is to have bowls of chocolate spread, peanut butter, Nutella, and any other favorites to spread onto the crackers either before or after roasting.

• Bacon: Hear me out, I had never heard of this until recently, but you can cook small strips of candied bacon and then put them between the chocolate and marshmallow — THEN you melt it all together. If you’re a bacon lover, you are going to have to try this combination.

How to make your Indoor S’mores Party happen:

• Set a warm and cozy atmosphere. You all know I love decorating, and over the past year, I have perfected my recipe for the warmest, coziest, most work-from-home friendly atmosphere. That being said, it’s important not to go too crazy for your indoor s’mores party — remember, there’s going to be an indoor fire burner at the center of attention.

Hang a few strands of twinkle lights, dim the lights, open a window, put on some campfire music, and enjoy the feeling of the fireside right in your living room.

• Have beer ready for the adults at your Indoor S’mores Party. If you were having an outdoor s’mores party, you would likely serve beer, right? So you have to do the same indoors to keep the s’mores party truly authentic. Try a refreshing brew to fully embrace the summer s’mores atmosphere from your living room in the middle of winter.

Final tips for throwing an Indoor S’mores Party:

• Smart decor: Use different sized glass jars and containers to hold different types of chocolate and various sizes of marshmallows. Not only does it make for a really quick and easy decoration, but it’s also easy to personalize your s’mores with everything organized.

• Cleanliness is key: With hands in jars and marshmallows being popped into mouths, I always make sure to have plenty of wet wipes nearby. After all, there’s nothing worse than gooey marshmallow hands getting stuck on your living room furniture!

The post Stay Warm While Throwing an Indoor S’mores Night appeared first on The Inspired Home.

We are living in a beautiful day and age where women are celebrating other women more than ever and I am HERE for it.

I feel so good inside when I watch women bring each other up. While there is always room for improvement, I think now more than ever women are starting to celebrate each other and their achievements.

Now, more than ever, I make it apparent to compliment someone when I love something about them. When one of my ladies has a great achievement I make more of an effort to celebrate them and their success. Small gestures and compliments go such a long way and can really make a person’s day.

Having a Galentine’s Day Brunch or celebration is the perfect way to continue to celebrate women and spread the love!

Set the Scene:

Grab a bar cart, kitchen cart, or table to set up your spread. I wanted everything to feel extra bubbly so we put together a small balloon arch.

To make a balloon arch at home:

Simply grab different sizes and colors of balloons (I used roughly 30-40) and stagger them on top of each other with clear wrapping tape. Try and cover as many gaps as you can to get that professional balloon arch look that we know and love. For an extra festive touch. add in some flowers or streamers between the balloons.

The “bubbly bar” sign and confetti tied everything together. I know I’ll be re-using this sign for plenty of parties in the future.

Sips and Bites:

First things first, you’ll need plenty of chilled champagne.

I always try and keep my friends busy when they first arrive and having an array of fresh citrus to juice was the perfect activity, plus their mimosas would be extra delicious.

I put out a small, low profile juicer with blood oranges, grapefruits, and oranges with a few carafes and plenty of glasses to catch the juice.

I had everyone bring over a brunch dish but I put out a small stand of cookies and fruit to nibble on with their mimosas.

Fresh Flowers:

It is Valentine’s Day after all! Fresh flowers are one of my favorite gifts to give people “just because” and Valentine’s Day is an especially great reason. I put tons of fresh blooms into smaller vases and at the end of the party, I’ll send one home with each of my ladies as a small party token.

A few fresh roses also make for easy and beautiful mimosa toppers.

Happy Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s Day!

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I’m not as diehard as most but I recently made a discovery that all of my closest girlfriends are obsessed. Anyone in my close circle of friends will tell you that I’m almost always looking for a reason to throw a party.

This year I made a pact with my girls that once a month we are going to get together for a movie/lazy night at each other’s houses and I figured a juicy night of The Bachelor would be a good first choice.

Will you accept this rosé? Hands down the most important question you need to ask during your Bachelor viewing party. Any good viewing party with your pals starts with lots of wine, and we all know that a few glasses of wine are totally and utterly necessary during Bachelor Mondays.

Not only is it Monday (reason enough!) but also now your Monday is filled with the juiciest gossip on TV. Stock up your living room with a few of your favorite bottles and tell your pals to bring one of their favorite wines.

With a small coffee table get together like this, a little bit of décor goes along way. I picked up a few bunches of roses from the grocery store and tied them together with some fishing line. This took about 10 minutes to tie together and instantly gave the room a Bachelor-themed feel.

I took the remaining roses and scattered petals on the surfaces of the living room. Your living room will instantly go from simple Bachelor night to ultimate viewing party with some pillar candles.

I broke out my Design Ideas lantern and filled it up with some tea lights and roses to set the mood. My living room is on the smaller side so I like to put out some comfy cushions on the floor for people to get cozy on.

When it comes to food, don’t worry about going overboard! Nothing pairs better with wine, than cheese!

Small bites and a fun pink dessert will totally suffice. If The Bachelor isn’t cheesy enough, your cheeseboard will be

The post The Ultimate Bachelor Watch Party appeared first on The Inspired Home.

I love spending weekends in the winter curled up being cozy, which almost always includes some good comfort food. When I think of quintessential comfort food it always leads me back to grilled cheese! My Cuisinart Griddle and Press make grilled cheese sandwiches a breeze to make for everyone. The clean up is as fast as a non-stick pan and cooks sandwiches so evenly! The best part about this grilled cheese and tomato soup bar is that the whole set up can be customizable to what your guests like! There are three main categories that you need to fill your bar up with and you will be good to go!

Breads

I like to choose three to five different breads for my bar! My standard go to’s are sourdough and French bread. These are great classics that work for most sandwiches. I like to pick one funky bread, like asiago cheese, sesame or pumpernickel for some fun flavor! Keep a small dish of softened butter close by your bread!

Cheeses

My favorite part! Honestly, the more the merrier. Be sure to have your main cheeses like cheddar, Swiss and pepper jack. Then fill out your bar with fun flavors like blue cheese, goat cheese and Gouda!

Fillings

When picking out fillings I used Subway as my guideline. Think of all the fun veggies and sauces that you love to pick and choose from and load your bar up! Great basics to deck your grilled cheese bar with our slices tomatoes, red onion, avocado and fresh basil!

Next to the sandwich station I set out a big pot of tomato soup! I love using a cast iron pot like my BergHOFF saucepan for the tomato soup. The cast iron retains lots of heat so it keeps the soup warm while everyone has time to make their grilled cheese!

Next to the soup area I like to put out small bowls of croutons and Parmesan cheese for topping! Anything you can do to make your bar more customizable, the better!

The post Put Together a Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Bar for a Toasty Winter Party appeared first on The Inspired Home.

This time of year I love transforming my house into a cozy safe haven. This means overly sized chunky blankets, too many candles, and the softest lounge clothes I can find. Luckily, all of these play into the perfect Netflix and chill afternoon. The first thing you need to do is establish your set up! This can mean on the couch, your bed or even a cozy spot on the floor! Deck out your area with plenty of blankets, soft furry pillows and maybe even some twinkly lights!

You can use your laptop or just your TV, whichever you prefer! Some days I’ll go for a movie marathon afternoon but today I’m opting for some good old Grey’s Anatomy. If I’m watching rom coms, I usually have some champagne on hand but I’m sticking to herbal tea, popcorn and chocolate to get me through Meredith and Derek’s steamy on-again-off-again season two romance.

To really set the ambiance, I always opt for a few seasonal candles. I am loving Hyggelight candles. Not only do them smell amazing but each label is filled with a few seeds to regrow into your candle’s vessel after it’s been burned off. I never know what to do with candle holders so I love the multifunctional use from this clever brand!

I never start a long cozy afternoon without plenty of snacks! Today I went for kettle corn and chocolate. Luckily Rascal loves to snack on popcorn with me so he was there to keep my cozy!

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Now that I am adulting it up myself, Jared and I have started a few new traditions. The night we decorate the tree, we drink lots of red wine, make lasagna and then end it off with a game of Scrabble. Every few months, I still get together with my parents and grandparents for dinner and a poker game. Once in a while we head up to the mountains with friends and always break out a round of Old Fashioneds and Monopoly.

Some of my best memories around the holidays are staying up far too late playing poker and new board games. My parents taught us how to play lots of card games at a young age and I am so happy they did! Now that we are adults and carrying out our own traditions, I still think that nights like these where everyone is huddled around drinking whiskey, sharing stories and playing cards are so good for the soul. We can really engage with one another and totally put our phones down for the evening.

To turn your dining table into a poker night, be sure to grab yourself a good poker set. I love this True Brands Poker and Liquor Box Set because it’s very chic and looks great in my living room when we’re not using it. The box also carries our Fred Bottled Up Hooch Decanter full of whiskey… because no poker night is complete without whiskey!

This poker set makes for such a great holiday gift for the gamer in your life! Be sure to stock up on plenty of snacks like popcorn, pistachios and pretzels to nibble on throughout the night. For extra ambiance turn on some old school tunes like earth, wind and fire or some Fleetwood Mac for a cozy, late night feel.

The post Poker Night at Home: A Favorite Holiday Tradition appeared first on The Inspired Home.

Next month I am turning 26, and I can only imagine what a weird milestone getting to thirty must be like. Lauren said she was feeling like a ‘moody’ but sophisticated theme would fit the bill. We ran with this yin and yang theme and also thought that the aesthetic would match great with fall, and it totally did!

One of my favorite ways to theme out a ‘birthday’ party is with lots of cakes. It’s an easy way that gives the whole party a birthday celebration feel without breaking out any cheesy decors. To keep these cake ideas simple, pick your three favorite cake flavors and make one big batch of buttercream to frost with. Naked cakes frost up in just a few minutes (they don’t have to be perfect!). Naked cakes are generally pretty simple so I love giving them a dramatic topper! To keep the cakes ‘moody and fall’ I went with dark burgundy dahlias, blackberries and black figs!

The backyard was decked out with a nice long dinner table to fit all of her guests and a fun buffet table for drinks and desserts! The buffet table was stocked with plenty of cold wine and beer in my super elegant, copper ice bucket. I’ve always shied away from ice buckets because I thought they could feel distracting but this hammered copper fits the bill!

After a quick cocktail hour, everyone sat down for a family-style pasta dinner. Lauren brought a delicious brown butter sage bow tie pasta, a hearty kale salad and roasted butternut squash. If you’re looking for a great fall dinner give these menu ideas a go!

Afterwards we drank more wine and took lots of silly photos in the photo booth area. We finished everything off by lighting up Lauren’s trio of naked cakes and singing her happy birthday.

Happy birthday Lauren, thank you for letting us be a part of your special day!

The post This Moody Fall Dinner Party Is a Total Vibe appeared first on The Inspired Home.

Grab my go-to list for fall worthy activities below. Each item is comprised of fun fall things that will surely leaving like you did the season right!

1. Go Apple Picking

Head to your nearest apple picking orchard and spend a day in your coziest flannel picking out all sorts of apples. I always kick off the season with this day trip. Most places sell homemade apple cider and apple spiced donuts.

Pro tip: bring home a gallon of fresh apple juice/cider and top it off with prosecco for all ultimate fallmosa!

2. Bake a Pumpkin Pie… from scratch

Pick out a slow Sunday and bake yourself a pumpkin pie… from scratch! Yes, I’m talking roasting small sugar pumpkins and fresh homemade crust. If you’re really pressed for time you can use canned puree… your secret is safe with me sister!

3. Have an Afternoon Picnic

Fall is my favorite season to have a picnic. I love being outdoors during any season but there is certain ‘briskness’ in the air that makes me love having a picnic that much more in the fall. Grab a picnic basket, a few cozy blankets, all of the fixins for a cheeseboard and lots of wine to keep warm!

4. Make Spiked Apple Cider

Simply put, besides pumpkin spice lattes, spiced apple cider is my favorite drink of Fall! Spike off your favorite homemade apple cider recipe with a really great bourbon!

5. Throw a Halloween Costume Party

If you love entertaining like I do, throw a super fun costume party this Halloween! If you’re really into dressing up, pick a theme for your party! Have everyone come dressed in a period piece outfit! Maybe a western theme? Or a crowd favorite…celebrities!

6. Plan or Attend a Friendsgiving

Whether you love to cook or not, find a way to go to a Friendsgiving this year. I thought that Thanksgiving was my favorite holiday until I threw a Friendsgiving. They are much less formal than a traditional Thanksgiving and unconventional. Grab your closest friend group for cocktails, food and get sappy and tell everyone what you’re grateful for!

7. Visit a Pumpkin Patch

Grab a cozy beverage, your favorite sweater and head to the pumpkin patch for an afternoon of Instagram content and a classic October tradition.

8. Have an Ultimate Cozy Day at Home

Fall is the kick off of the cozy seasons and I take being cozy seriously! Clear your schedule on a weekend and pencil in ‘cozy’ for the entire day. I’m talking movie marathons, yoga pants and even a hot toddy or two.

9. Carve a Pumpkin

For the last few year my family has gotten together and carved pumpkins the weekend before Halloween. This is easily becoming one of my favorite traditions. We all choose a design that is way to ambitious and watch each other struggle through the evening. It’s honestly one of the best nights of the season. Pro tip, pick up a good knife from Home Depot before digging in.

10. Try a New Chili Recipe

If you’re family is anything like mine then I’m guessing you have a few Sunday football days in your future. While I don’t like football, I LOVE making chili and cornbread for game day. I’m determined to try and make a new pumpkin chili this year!

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