After weeks of limiting your time “out and about” and spending more hours at home with your family, you may be exhausted just trying to think of new and imaginative “Safer At Home” activities. Ladies, I got you. Just keeping it real here, I’m really good at browsing and taking screenshots of creative and interactive things to do with my kids at home. I’ve easily saved over 50 things on my Pinterest board and have way too many pictures of ideas I’ve seen from friends, Facebook, and wherever else. Yep, my phone storage has to be maxing out one of these days.
To continue on with complete honesty, I also have to admit we’ve barely made a dent in my “Quarantine Bucketlist”. I’m talking in the single digits, people. Maybe 10 if you count my daughter snagging some craft scissors for her own DIY haircut, including bangs. I prefer to keep things simple (Easy Prep and Clean-Up) and wanted to share an idea you can try at home that we at the Anstey house call…drumroll please…Italian Night!
My husband and I first started doing this before we ever had kids. These days we have two more cooks in the kitchen, but we still have the best time. Whether your kids are itty bitty, toddlers, teenagers, or anywhere in between you have to set aside a night and give it a shot.
Here are some suggestions for hosting your first inaugural Italian Night:
- Choose a recipe. It could be something you’ve never made before or possibly never attempted to make from scratch. Try browsing Pinterest for a chef-inspired recipe or even a copycat recipe from one of your favorite restaurants you’ve been craving.
- “Alexa, play Italian Dinner Party Playlist” Create a music playlist to kick things up a notch. We love Louis Prima and Frank Sinatra, they pair quite well with a glass of Chianti or Sparkling Soda.
- All hands on deck. Try your best to keep everyone involved, whether they are shredding cheese, boiling the pasta, or just waving around a whisk in their highchair, there is a job for everyone.
- Bon Appetit. Set the table with the “fancy” plates and light a few candles. You’ve all put in the work and now its time to ditch the electronics and enjoy the delicious food and conversation.
So there you go friends. Take these suggestions and make it your own. We call it Italian night because we typically do Italian food. Maybe your family prefers a different style of food or music, YOU do YOU! Heavy metal and a Build Your Own Hamburger Competition? No judgment here. It’s about bringing the family together, trying some delicious recipes, turning on some good music and making memories. That’s Amore!
