Met a new guy and im having him over for dinner?!
Answers: Im a decent cook, but any ideas on what to make? He wont eat anything spicy. I need dinner and desert! Thank you!!
Steak & potatoes
I always think pasta is good and impressive. Here are a few pasta recipes:
This is a really easy, wonderful alfredo recipe. You could add steamed broccoli and/or chicken breast, even sauted shrimp to make it more elegant:
Creamy Alfredo Sauce
8 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a medium saucepan, combine cream cheese, Parmesan, margarine, milk, garlic powder and basil and stir over low heat until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 minutes. Toss sauce with pasta and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve.
Fettuccini Carbonara
1/2 pound bacon
1/4 cup whipping cream
4 beaten eggs
1 pound fettuccini, cooked
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup snipped parsley
Heat oven-proof serving dish in 250 degree
oven. In skillet cook bacon till crisp. Drain; crumble. Heat cream till just warm. Remove from heat; beat in eggs. Toss pasta with butter. Pour egg mixture atop. Toss till well-coated. Add bacon, cheese, and parsley; toss to mix.
Sprinkle with pepper. Serves 6.
Chicken Scampi
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced lengthwise into thirds
In a skillet heat the butter and olive oil on medium high heat until butter is melted. Add parsley, basil, oregano, garlic and salt and mix together. Stir in lemon juice.
Then add chicken pieces and sauté for 3 minutes or until white. Lower the heat and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. More butter can be added if needed. Serve chicken over hot angel hair, or other pasta and pour some of the sauce over it all.
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
2 servings 25 min 10 min prep
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
4 ounces linguine, cooked al dente
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
1 thinly sliced green onion
1-2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss to coat.
In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté chicken in butter or margarine until chicken is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Reduce heat add green onion, heavy cream, tomatoes, basil, salt, garlic powder, black pepper and heat through.
Pour over hot linguine and toss, with Parmesan cheese.
Traditional Shrimp Scampi
Preparation time: 30-35 minutes but if you purchase your shrimp already peeled and de-veined the prep time should be reduced to about 15 minutes. Serves 6-8.
Ingredients:
2 pounds medium-size fresh shrimp (either 16-20 count or smaller ones), peeled and de-veined or unpeeled and un-deveined
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup dry white wine (chardonnay or pinot grigio)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions:
Peel and de-vein shrimp unless you purchased P & D shrimp. You may choose to butterfly the shrimp as well (see note below)
Sauté green onions, parsley, and garlic in butter until onions are tender
Reset heat to low and add shrimp. The shrimp should be added in a single layer on the pan (cook two batches if necessary or use two pans).
Continue cooking, stirring frequently for 4 to 5 minutes
Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon to a serving dish and keep warm
Add remaining ingredients to butter mixture and simmer for 2 minutes
Pour butter mixture over shrimp
Serve this shrimp recipe over linguine or Angel Hair pasta. If you wish to do likewise, cook about 1 pound of the pasta of your choice. She then adds freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.
These shrimp are also excellent when served over rice.
Spicy Shrimp Scampi
Preparation time: 20 minutes. Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 pounds of scampi (shrimp) Use P & D shrimp (peeled and deveined) or clean, peel and de-vein the shrimp yourself
Flour
4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves of finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 ounce Brandy (you can buy a 1 ounce bottle of brandy at most liquor outlets)
1 cup of tomato sauce
Pinch of salt
2 ounces of butter
Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions:
Lightly coat the shrimp with flour
Heat the oil oil in a large skillet over medium heat
Add the shrimp, garlic, crushed red pepper and sauté
Pour brandy into pan and ignite with a long lighter (stand back as it will flare up and do not flame the pan under cupboards or near other flammables)
Add the tomato sauce, a pinch of salt and simmer for 2 minutes
Add the butter to thicken and shake the pan to combine
Add salt if needed
Sprinkle with parsley before serving and Parmesan cheese if you wish.
And you have to have the best sides. Here are my favorites:
Homemade garlic bread:
1 cube real butter
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
Sauté together about 5 minutes.
Spread on fresh sliced french bread with a pastry brush. Heat under the broiler until light brown. Yummy!!
Caesar Coleslaw
1 pkg pre-made coleslaw
1/4-1/2 cup shredded parmesean cheese
1/2 pkg caesar croutons
1 bottle creamy caesar dressing
Toss first three ingredients together. Add enough dressing to coat. It's even good the next day
Hope you enjoy!
Chris
Steak, baked potato, salad, and brownies and ice cream for dessert
Baked Ziti, salad, garlic bread, and ice cream for dessert
Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and apple pie & ice cream for dessert
i like the first answer. pasta is always a good choice. especially if u r trying to set the mood.
Perfect Roast Chicken The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
Olive oil
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.
Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and this for dessert
Tiramisu
6 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature*
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup good dark rum, divided
1 1/2 cups brewed espresso, divided
16 to 17 ounces mascarpone cheese
30 Italian ladyfingers, or savoiardi
Bittersweet chocolate, shaved or grated
Confectioners' sugar (optional)
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until very thick and light yellow. Lower the speed to medium and add 1/4 cup rum, 1/4 cup espresso, and the mascarpone. Whisk until smooth.
Combine the remaining 1/4 cup rum and 1 1/4 cups espresso in a shallow bowl. Dip 1 side of each ladyfinger in the espresso/rum mixture and line the bottom of a 9 by 12 by 2-inch dish. Pour half the espresso cream mixture evenly on top. Dip 1 side of the remaining ladyfingers in the espresso/rum mixture and place them in a second layer in the dish. Pour the rest of the espresso cream over the top. Smooth the top and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
Before serving, sprinkle the top with shaved chocolate and dust lightly with confectioners' sugar, if desired.
I would do a classic meal like meatloaf, chicken parmesean or spaghetti with meat sauce and for dessert I'd have a apple or cherry pie or lemon cake or chacolate cake.
Are you sure it is wise and safe to have this new guy over to your house? Wouldn't it be better for you to dine at a restaurant or other public place, until you know him better? If you insist on having him to your place, you might like to consider having another couple or two join you.
As for food choice, meatloaf is always good. So is lasagna and other pasta dishes. I wouldn't try out new recipes or complicated things for this meal. You are already stressed enough about trying to make a good impression. You don't want the added stress of not knowing if your meal will turn out proper.
Roast chicken is great for date night.
First of all you will need to preheat the oven to a temperature of 450.
Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. . Brush the outside of the chicken with butter and sprinkle with McCormick's Rotisserie Chicken seasoning. S & P inside the cavity and fill with 1/2 lemon, 2 cloves of garlic, fresh rosemary, and 1/2 onion.
Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Roast the chicken for 20 minutes at 450. Then reduce heat to 350 and roast for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken to a platter. Cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve..This is delicious served with mashed potatoes and a green salad.
As a general rule, calculate a cooking time of 20 minutes per pound of meat plus an additional 10 - 20 minutes at a temperature of 350oF (176oC). Therefore, a 5 lb chicken will need to be roasting in the oven for at least 1h 50 mins. A 5 lb bird will serve between 4 - 5 people.
.For dessert--A trifle. Layer pound cake that has been cut into cubes with vanilla pudding and sliced fresh fruit of your choice. Strawberries, kiwi and bananas are my favs. Squirt a little lemon or lime juice on cut bananas to keep them from getting brown.--Chocolate pudding and strawberries is great, too.
the jello instant banana cream pie filling, with sliced bananas in graham cracker or shortbread crust with cool whip on top!!
Its hard to beat steak and potatoes. Grill a nice cut of meat and bake some spuds, serve a huge salad with great dressing and have some yummy ice cream in the freezer for dessert. Its easy and this will give you plenty of time to get all pretty for your date. Don't forget the candles and music and of course a nice bottle of red wine.