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Everything you need to host this can be found here.

Recipes: Violet Witchel’s DBS, Toscano’s Table GCE, Defined Dish’s BBCT.

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I hosted this dinner party last July and just posted a rerun on my Instagram; you can watch it here. This was one of my smaller parties, but the menu was perfection and the night was so enjoyable, so I’m sharing the details in case you’d like to steal it this month.

The Menu:

This was truly a perfectly balanced menu & it was so easy to prep and serve the same day!

Blueberry basil lemonade: from the Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook

Summer skewers:

• Cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.

• Cantaloupe balls, prosciutto, basil, olive oil, and flaky salt.

New England Style Lobster Rolls: Recipe here

• Trader Joe’s has the best bread rolls for this

• I couldn’t bring myself to k*ll a lobster - I think I would have started crying, so earlier in the day I picked up already prepared lobster at Reading Terminal Market, and I think there’s no shame in that if lobster intimidates you.

Zucchini Carpaccio: Recipe here

Peach Cobbler: I wouldn’t recommend the recipe that I used, so use the best one you can find.

The Tablescape:

I wanted to focus on all the “natural” and beachy elements Nantucket offers, so I got a white tablecloth from Homegoods, blue and white striped napkins from Homegoods, lobster napkin rings, woven chargers, and a blue vase to hold hydrangeas.

The menus & placecards were custom-made by WedWest! They added so much character and color to the table, and you can find them and customize them here on her Etsy shop.

Amaranth and light blue candles tied the bar together perfectly!!

The Playlist:

All of my favorite Spotify playlists linked here.

If you do steal this idea, tag me!

I’d love to see your take on it.

xx,

Mel

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Usually, when I make these, I freeze half of the cookie dough. I like to keep preshaped cookie dough balls in the freezer, so I am always ready for last-minute hosting, a host gift for a friend, a freshly baked cookie at midnight, or last-minute cookies for book club or a friend who really needs a pick-me-up.

I shape and freeze for 20 minutes on a small baking sheet, and then when they are frozen enough to hold their shape, I transfer them to a gallon freezer bag. When you bake from frozen, bake at 350 degrees for about 16-18 minutes. My recommendation is to keep an eye on the oven starting at 15 minutes.

I keep boxes and ribbons on hand to package the cookies like this:

If you’re on the chewy side of the cookie debate - I hope this recipe converts you.

xx,

Mel

1. It has been a Christmas morning tradition in my family for YEARS! (shoutout to my mom for starting that)

2. It gets made on every group trip I go on.

Those are the only two occasions we make it - because we like to keep it special.

It’s easy to prep and can go from casserole to soufflé with a couple of minor tweaks. If you try it, let me know which style you decide on.

soufflé version - pictured here

Famous French Toast Casserole/ Soufflé

Tools:

9x13 - inch baking dish

Large Mixing Bowl

Whisk

Notes:

This must soak overnight, so prepare it the night before you need to serve it. My mom usually prepares it on Christmas Eve and puts it in the oven as everyone starts to open presents on Christmas morning.

Ingredients:

1 loaf of challah bread (If you’d rather this be more soufflé-like, or if you can’t find challah, use 1½ loaves of brioche)

18 eggs

4 cups of milk

1/4 cup of maple syrup

2.5 teaspoons vanilla

1.5 teaspoons almond extract

2 tbsp of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 block of cream cheese

Blueberries (measure with your heart - reserve some for serving)

Powdered sugar (for serving)

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

• Make the custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, almond extract, nutmeg, and vanilla until fully combined.

• Prepare the bread: Grease the baking dish, tear the Challah bread into small pieces, and spread them evenly on the dish.

• Add the cream cheese: Scatter pieces of cream cheese throughout the bread.

• Pour and assemble: Pour the egg mixture over the bread so everything is well coated. Sprinkle blueberries evenly throughout and don’t forget to tuck them into the bread layers.

• Refrigerate overnight: Cover with tinfoil and refrigerate overnight so the bread fully soaks up the custard.

• Bake: Lightly tent the casserole with foil and bake at 350°F for 40–45 minutes, and then bake uncovered for 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

  *If using brioche, it may take about 30 minutes longer, so start checking every 10 minutes after the initial 40-minute mark.

• Serve: Dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup on the side, plus crispy bacon and fruit salad.

xx,

Mel

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This lasagna was the main dish at my first-ever Dinner Club Diaries dinner party back in January of 2025- how sweet. It’s so approachable, can be prepped ahead of time or made on the day of, and I now pull this recipe out for any bachelorette party or girls’ trip I go on. It’s amazing for serving a large group, and because there are so many layers, it can be a fun group activity that gets everyone in the kitchen.

Girls Trip Lasagna

Tools:

9x13- inch baking dish

Medium Sauce Pot

Medium Sauté Pan

Mixing Bowls

Whisk

Ingredients:

1 package of lasagna sheets

2.5 cups Rao’s tomato basil sauce

1 lb ground beef

2.5 cups of Ricotta

3 eggs

2-3 tbsp Italian parsley (plus more for serving)

5 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups whole milk

Pinch of nutmeg

3 cups shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

Salt & Pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

• Do not cook the lasagna before assembling!!

• Make the bechamel sauce: In a small pot, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. When the butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth (this took me 2 min). Slowly add 2.5 cups of milk and don’t stop whisking until the sauce is thick and smooth (this took me 10 min). Remove from heat and add nutmeg, a splash of Roa’s sauce, and salt. Set aside, then before assembling the pasta mix, add the remaining .5 cup of milk.

• Make the ricotta mixture: Thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs in a medium-sized bowl. Add chopped Italian parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

• Make the meat sauce: In a sauté pan, heat olive oil and brown the meat until fully cooked. Season with salt and pepper and break down any large lumps. Drain excess fat. Add Rao’s sauce.

• Assemble the lasagna: spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce, then arrange a layer of pasta sheets, evenly spread all of the ricotta mixture, arrange another layer of pasta sheets, spread all of the meat sauce, sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella, spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce, arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with the remaining bechamel sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan.

• Bake: Cover the lasagna with greased tin foil and place on the middle rack in the oven, bake until the top of the lasagna is bubbling (this took about 30 min for me). Once bubbling, remove the cover and bake for about 20 minutes.

• Finish & serve: Top with chopped parsley and serve with a simple mixed greens salad

xx,

Mel

Click here for all of the gifts for the host links

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Click here to shop stocking stuffers for her

Click here to shop stocking stuffers for him

Click here to shop the gift guide for her

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Click here to shop Christmas crackers and pajamas

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• 2lbs ground beef

• 2 cans of kidney beans

• 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz

• 2 sweet onions

• 2 green peppers

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 2 small cans of green chilies, mild

• 1 can of tomato sauce, 15 oz

• 1 can of tomato paste, 6oz

• 4 tbsp chili powder

• 1 tbsp kosher salt

• 1 tbsp pepper

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

• 1 tbsp onion powder

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2-3 tbsp cocoa powder

• Greek yogurt

• Shredded cheddar cheese

Start by chopping the onions and peppers, and mincing the garlic.
In a large pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil, then add the onions, peppers, and garlic. Sauté until soft and fragrant, about 5–10 minutes.

Next, stir in the chili powder, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and onion powder. Once everything is well coated, add the tomato paste and mix until combined.

Add the ground beef and cook until fully browned. Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and green chilies, and give everything a good stir.

Drain and rinse the kidney beans, then add them to the pot. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and let the chili simmer gently for at least an hour.

When it’s nearly done, stir in the cocoa powder. I promise, it won’t make it taste like chocolate !! It simply balances the acidity.

To serve, top each bowl with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. Pair with corn chip dippers or a slice of cornbread.

Enjoy, and let me know if you try it!

xx,

Mel

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Squid Ink Pasta

Punch Bowl, Potion bottles

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Cardigans & Coffee Playlist

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Jesha’s Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels

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Overalls linked here

Night on Nantucket Vlog , Cinnamon Rolls Recipe , WedWest Menu

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Gingham Top, Gingham Pants are sold out

Tamarindo Straws

Prickly Pear Syrup

Napkin Rings (linked here)

Cast Iron Skillet (linked here)

Napkin rings, deodorant, workout set, skin tint (all linked here)

Straws, flower frogs, deli containers (all linked here)

Outfits (linked here)

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Theme: Happy Hours (a girl dinner happy hour)

As soon as the weather started warming up, all I could think about for dinner was a happy hour al fresco—light bites, a great cocktail, fresh air, and catching up with friends. Naturally, the theme for my March dinner party became Happy Hours.

I’ve been so excited to share this one with you because it truly felt like me. Maybe it’s because I come alive in the spring and summer, but this dinner had all the vibes I love most. If you haven’t watched my Dinner Club Diaries vlog yet, you can catch it on Instagram and TikTok.

Now, let’s dive into the details!

Invitation & Menu:

Created these on Canva, of course! It’s my go-to for designing all of the graphics I use for dinner parties & I have them printed at FedEx.

Welcome Drink: Cherry Lemonade wildwonder Mocktail

When I host, I usually keep things on the healthier side, but not this time! That’s why I decided to kick things off with a light, flavorful, and healthy mocktail to welcome everyone in. wildwonder is a prebiotic soda that’s packed with flavor, and the cans are so cute! But of course, I wanted to make them even cuter. Enter my new favorite hosting gadget: a topless can opener (get it here). It let me pop the tops off the cans, so I could add ice and a pretty lemon garnish. Easy & affordable hosting upgrade!

The Table:

Since the theme was Happy Hours, I wanted the table to feel like a restaurant—but not just any restaurant, my restaurant. I found the most beautiful hot pink peonies at Whole Foods and knew they had to be part of the tablescape. But honestly, the star of the show was the tiny restaurant-style table lamp. It gave off the perfect warm glow while staying on theme, and it even has three light settings (shop it here).

I also felt inspired to incorporate my dachshund, Pippa, into the theme. One fun and affordable touch was using a silicone butter mold to create Pippa-shaped butter pats for the table (because if I owned a restaurant, only Pippa-shaped butter would be acceptable). To me, it’s always about the small details because those are the things that make people smile.

For place cards, I usually design them on Canva and print them at FedEx on nicer paper, but this time, I wanted something more playful. I served Aperol Spritzes at each place setting and clipped a small Polaroid of Pippa to the glass, with the guest's name written at the bottom of the photo. It felt personal, creative, and definitely on theme!

I’m such a bow girl, so these napkin rings are everything. They were thrifted and gifted to me by my sister-in-law (she knows me so well), but I’ve seen some thrifters selling them online, too. They’re so cute, so I’ll link them here. I really wanted the napkin rings to have their moment, so I kept the rest of the table simple with white plates, a white tablecloth, natural chargers, and vintage thrifted white napkins. It all came together so effortlessly and let the bows shine!

The Vibe:

When I was creating the mood board, I had Sex and the City in mind, so I planned my outfit with that vibe in mind too. It was the perfect excuse to wear this cute set—it felt so on-theme. You can check it out here. The hosting vibe is about so much more than just the outfit or the food—it’s the music, the lighting, and all the little details that engage the senses. I opened the windows to let in a nice al fresco breeze and played a Sex and the City playlist on Spotify to set the tone. It made the whole evening feel effortlessly chic.

The Menu:

Welcome Drink:

wildwonder Cherry Lemonade Mocktail garnished with lemon

Cocktail:

Aperol Spritz : 3oz Prosecco, 2oz Aperol, 1oz Sparkling Water

Appetizers:

Shrimp Cocktail: I picked up some jumbo cooked shrimp from the seafood counter at Whole Foods, and it did not disappoint! Fresh and such an easy addition to the menu.

Caesar Salad: I followed the instructions from this Caesar dressing video, and it turned out great! This was my first time making Caesar dressing from scratch, and while I loved the recipe, I’m already excited to tweak it a bit and make it my own next time.

Main Dishes:

Cheeseburger sliders: I wanted something flavorful and easy since my main concern was making sure I didn’t mess up the sweet potato fries. I went with a recipe I knew I wouldn’t have to stress over, and I was so happy with how these turned out!

Sweet Potato Fries: (Have some grace because I’m new to writing out my recipes) I had never fried anything before, so I did a lot of research to get it right. The key, I learned, is consistent slicing, so I made sure all my sweet potatoes were cut into even, fry-shaped pieces. One large sweet potato was all I needed.

After cutting them, I placed the pieces in an ice bath to help them crisp up, then parboiled them. From what I read, creating a batter with seltzer water and cornstarch was crucial, so I dipped each fry in the batter before frying.

I used canola oil and heated it to 350°F. I fried the sweet potatoes in batches, cooking them for about six minutes until they softened slightly. Then I increased the oil temperature to 375°F and fried them again until they were perfectly crispy.

Once they were done, I tossed the fries in Maldon salt and parsley. They turned out perfect!!! Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and so flavorful!

Dessert:

Key Lime Pie: I picked this one up at Whole Foods, but someday I’d love to create my own recipe. Growing up in Florida, Key Lime Pie was always the go-to dessert after a heavy meal. It’s so light and tart with just the right amount of sweetness. It felt like the perfect way to wrap up the night!

I had so much fun hosting this happy hour-inspired dinner party, and I’m so glad I could share the details with you! It’s always about the little touches that make the night feel special—whether it’s the music, the menu, or the personal details that make it your own. I hope this gives you some inspiration for your next gathering! What should I host next month?

xx,

Mel

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Expect my survival guide on moving to a new city and making friends in your 20s, Philly and travel itineraries, monthly favorites, entertaining tips, complete breakdowns of my Dinner Club Diaries series, and everything that makes After Hours the best hours. Subscribe to stay inspired and make the best hours even better!

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