Whether planned in advance to watch the latest TV series or spur of the moment to celebrate the highs and comfort the lows, nothing soothes the soul quite like a girls night in.

One of the things I miss most about moving away from Texas are my Girls’ Nights In. My best friends are amazing at accepting me as I am, supporting my crazy ideas and, most importantly, picking up exactly where we left off every time I’m in town. I love them to pieces and cherish our girls’ nights now more than ever. The key element to a successful Girls’ Night In is to keep the planning stress free and to focus on the company.

MY RECIPE FOR A GIRLS’ NIGHT IN SUCCESS:

• Choose recipes that can be made ahead of time. Nobody wants to be the host who never gets to sit down and join the party. Keep items that have to be heated to a minimum and focus your energy on cut veggies, dips and bite sized sweets.
• Stick to a few simple drink options. A signature mixed drink, a bottle of wine and some chilled water is all you need. Throw some fresh fruit into your water if you want to get fancy and remember to drink responsibly.
• Stick to small bite snacks. This allows guests to comfortably snack throughout the night without having to worry about keeping up with complicated dishes and utensils. Plus, you’ll have less to clean up when everyone leaves.
• Have both sweet and savory options. One cannot live off of chocolate alone. (Okay, yes they can!)
• Know your guests dietary needs. If you don’t know, just ask! You don’t want to serve an ice cream sundae bar if your bestie is lactose intolerant.
• Keep it simple. Girls’ nights should focus on the time spent with each other – save the elaborate themes and decorations for another occasion.
• Keep it casual. The whole point of staying in is to create a comfortable judgement free zone. Kick off your heels, throw on some jeans and bonus points for showing up in your pajamas!

To help ensure the culinary success of your next Girls’ Night In, I have curated a collection of 15 Mouth-Watering Sips and Eats guaranteed to leave you the star of your social circle – just click on the slideshow above to get the recipes for some of my favorite treats. Trop50 is the perfect base for making signature cocktails with 50% less calories and sugar without the addition of artificial sweeteners. For additional inspiration, check out the Trop50 Collection on Foodie.com.