Girl Dinner, But Make It Fancy(ish)

A handful of Triscuits, some sliced aged cheddar, and a few grapes have served as my dinner more times than I’m comfortable admitting. Who knew a lazy slide of the finger through a bowl of leftover mashed potatoes lingering in the fridge and an errant bite of cold rotisserie chicken had a name?

The viral TikTok trend of women eating snack-y foods like charcuterie or creating snack boards of seemingly random items rather than cohesive entrees has officially been given a name.

Girl dinner.

As with most trends, the concept of girl dinner has sparked debate over whether or not the term is offensive or, moreover, if it glorifies disordered eating. No matter your stance on the matter, most will agree that meal planning and prep can be stressful. Mealtimes often focus on fellowship through food, and extravagant meals are one of the ways we tend to celebrate or show love. The beauty of girl dinner is doing away with grand menus and offering the ability to downsize our meals. Besides, these snacks and bites serve up flavors so big, your mealtimes won’t feel lacking.

Budget-friendly girl dinner recipes

Usually, grand meals start off with an appetizer or two. Nuts, fruit, and charcuterie boards are ideal for serving, and an overhauled menu of bite-sized starters is light enough to feel satisfied without feeling gluttonous. 

Slow-Cooker Spiced Nuts

Nuts of all varieties have long been associated with the season. When pagan holidays were integrated into Christian Christmas traditions, so were many food symbolisms. The shell, skin, and kernel of nuts were thought to represent the holy trinity or the bones, skin, and soul of Christ; even contemporary holiday meals incorporate nuts into dishes. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups almonds, raw
• 1 cup pecans, raw
• 1 cup cashews, raw
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ cup water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Spray the pan or bowl of your slow-cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, and chilli powder.
3. Add nuts to the slow cooker and sprinkle the sugar and spices over them.
4. Add water and stir until fully combined.
5. Place a paper towel (or however many are needed to cover the slow-cooker’s pot) over the top of the slow-cooker pot and then place the lid on it. This keeps the condensation that gathers on the glass lid from falling back into the pot and making the nuts soggy.
6. Set the slow cooker to LOW and the cooking time to 3 hours, and press START. Stir the nuts every 30 minutes.
7. When the cooking time is complete, remove the nuts from the slow cooker and spread them out in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Let the nuts cool completely.
8. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

French Dip Squares

Serving miniature versions of classic dishes and incorporating some of their elements is an ideal way to pack seasonal flavors into scaled-down bites. Sandwiches, buns, pasties, sliders, and even muffins are lovely vehicles for seasonal delights.

Like many iconic foods, the French Dip is of disputed origin. Substantial evidence supports the famed Los Angeles restaurant Philippe’s claim as the sandwich’s original vendor. Legend states that, while making a sandwich, restaurateur Philippe Mathieu accidentally dropped the sliced French roll into a pan of hot jus and decided to serve the wet sandwich anyway. Origin story aside, the French Dip’s reputation as one of the world’s best sandwiches has been firmly cemented in the annals of culinary history. This version of the famous sandwich may be pint-sized, but it is rich and filling (thanks in part to a generous heap of caramelized onions).

INGREDIENTS

• Cooking spray
• 2 (8-ounce) tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, divided
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup whole-grain mustard
• ½ pound deli roast beef, patted dry
• 9 slices provolone
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9″-x-13″ baking sheet with cooking spray. Place one unrolled can of crescent dough on a prepared baking sheet and pinch together seams.
2. Bake until edges are slightly golden, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, caramelise onions by heating a large skillet over medium heat; melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion and 2 sprigs thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to soften and turn slightly golden. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and caramelised, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Build squares: spread an even layer of mustard onto the prepared crescent, leaving a 1/2″ border clear on all edges. Top with a layer of roast beef and a layer of provolone. Top with caramelised onions.
5. Unroll the remaining tube of crescent rolls and place on top of the onion layer. Press seam into the bottom crust to seal all edges. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and brush all over the top of crescent dough, then sprinkle with parsley and salt. 
6. Bake until dough is golden and cooked through, about 35 minutes. (If the dough is browning too quickly, cover with kitchen foil.)
7. Let cool 15 minutes before slicing into squares.
8. Meanwhile, make jus by melting the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant. Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining 2 sprigs thyme, stripped from stem. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until reduced slightly. 
9. Serve squares with au jus on the side for dipping. 

Olive Tapenade and Polenta Napoleons

One of the most beloved aspects of holiday dining is the special nature of mealtimes. With foods that aren’t typically enjoyed every day, celebratory dinners simply feel different. One way to preserve a bit of that luxuriousness is by creating elevated small bites. Downsizing dishes allows for less usage of costly ingredients and is a cost-effective way to add a touch a richness without breaking the bank. A wee dollop of caviar, a slight shaving of truffles, or similar, catapults small bites to an otherworldly level. Even though these polenta bites use less costly ingredients, they still feel indulgent enough for the occasion.

INGREDIENTS

• 1-inch ring mold (or cookie cutter)
• cooking spray 
• 2 16 to 18-ounce tube prepared polenta, ends trimmed and cut into 12 1-inch slices
• ⅔ cup soft sun-dried tomatoes (drained, if packed in oil)
• 1 15-ounce jar prepared olive tapenade
• 1 small package microgreens

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat broiler. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. 
2. Use the ring mould to press out circle shapes in each polenta slice.
3. Place polenta slices on the prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Broil in upper third of oven until starting to brown, 8 to 12 minutes. Turn and broil until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes more.
4. Transfer the polenta slices to a clean cutting board and cut each into quarters. Top each wedge of polenta with 1 sun-dried tomato about 1 teaspoon of the tapenade. Garnish with microgreens.

Mistletoe Mule

Nothing says ‘Happy Holidays’ like celebrating with a signature drink. This spiced mocktail gets a lift from warming ingredients like ginger and cardamom, and is perfect for imbibing without the consequences of a holiday hangover.

INGREDIENTS

(This is an ‘eyeball recipe’ and doesn’t have measured ingredients; make according to taste.)

• 4 Copper Moscow Mule mugs
• Crushed ice
• Club soda
• Ginger beer
• Ground cardamom
• Small piece of fresh ginger, peeled
• 4 Lemon wedges
• 4 Cinnamon sticks, for garnish
• 4 Sprigs of rosemary, for garnish
• 4 Curled lemon peels, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fill 4 chilled copper mugs halfway with crushed ice. Combine remaining ingredients in a shaker and divide evenly among the mugs; garnish with rosemary sprigs, cinnamon sticks, and lemon peels.