Cooking problems....... help!!?!
I could whip up please tell me and if you wanted to tell me to look at the food channel I have already done that thank you very much. But they didn't have anything good that I could make them.So help please. (:P)
Answers: Ok so my parents are having their aniversary in a week and I wanted to make them a special dinner beacause they arent going anywhere so I wanted them to have a good time without leaving the house.So if anyone has any special dishes that
I could whip up please tell me and if you wanted to tell me to look at the food channel I have already done that thank you very much. But they didn't have anything good that I could make them.So help please. (:P)
you dont say much about what kind of food they like or how much cooking experience you have...but...i would suggest doing three courses to make it special...
for first course i suggest something light...such as seafood (if they like it) a good idea is to get some smoked salmon...put a few slices on a plate ...place a nice spoon of cream cheese on top and drizzle with a dressing made with thinly sliced red onion (1/2 of a med sized one or a small one) a tbs of french capers, 1 tbs of lemon juice and 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil...serve with lightly toasted rye crouton on the side.
for main i would make a roast...its easy and always impressive...if its just for the two of them i suggest a small boned piece of lamb...stud with garlic cloves and some rosemary and massage in some olive oil...cook in a hot over for first ten mins to seal and then the rest of cooking time (depending on size) on a mod over...serve with roast potatoes best done by peeling and par boiling in salted water until almost cooked...toss in HOT oil and put in the over with the meat...also place some thinly sliced unpeeled pumkin in with the meat for the whole cooking time.
make peas the french way by slicing a cup of lettuce and adding a cup of frozen peas to a small saucepan with a big dob of butter and just enough chicken stock to cover...boil peas without the lid so all the moisture evaporates leaving you with awesome and shiney butter glazed peas...serve all of this with gravy of course!
and for desert ...chocoate and berries...and easy way is to get two wine glasses fill with fresh berries of your choice top with ice cream and pour on hot choc sauce ....make the choc sauce by melting equal amounts of chocolate and double cream in the microwave and stirring.
hope it goes well. :)
Don't know what your limitations are, but this dish I've been making for many years... always a hit.
Pasta with Roasted Bell Peppers and Basil
1 pound Penne or other short pasta
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
? teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 ? ounce) can whole tomatoes, un-drained and chopped
3 pounds (6 large) bell peppers, roasted & peeled (red & yellow work the best)
? tsp salt
? tsp freshly ground pepper
? cup thinly sliced fresh basil
? cup fresh ground Parmesan cheese (or more to taste)
? Cook pasta per package instructions and drain. Keep warm.
? Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium low heat. Add onion, fennel seeds and garlic, cover and cook 10 minutes (stirring occasionally) or until onion is tender.
? Add tomatoes and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
? Meanwhile, cut roasted peppers into Julienne strips. Add pepper strips, salt and pepper to tomato mixture and heat for 3 minutes.
? Combine pasta, tomato mixture and basil into a large bowl, sprinkle with Parmesan at the table.
In case you don’t know how to roast bell peppers:
? Halve, seed and remove the membranes and stems from the bell peppers
? Flatten, skin side up, onto a vegetable sprayed foil on a cookie sheet
? Place under broiler for 10-15 minutes, watching very closely
? When skin is mostly black, remove to a paper bag and refrigerate
? After cooling 15 minutes or so, remove and discard the blackened skin
Make a soup! They are always special and easy. Unfortunately, I don't have my 500 Soups cookbook by me, butI'm sure you can find something on the internet.
Hey!! Don't worry!! You have to do is buy food, as a turkey, but if you do not know bake it, can buy a big chicken or salads or make you some food or Italian or somewhere else and recalls: be creative.
Good luck!! greetings!! ; )
This may be something to your liking. It's very simple, yet elegant. Not a tone of ingredients and sounds delicious.
***Herbed Chicken in Pastry***
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 tbsp. butter OR margarine
1/2 pkg. Pepperidge Farm? Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
1 container (4 oz.) garlic & herb spreadable cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley DirectionsSEASON chicken with salt and pepper if desired. Melt butter in skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned. Remove chicken. Cover and refrigerate 15 min. or up to 24 hours.
THAW pastry sheet at room temperature 30 min. Mix egg and water. Preheat oven to 400°F.
UNFOLD pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll into 14" square and cut into 4 (7") squares. Spread about 2 tbsp. of the cheese spread in center of each square. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp. parsley and top with cooled chicken. Brush edges of squares with egg mixture. Fold each corner to center on top of chicken and seal edges. Place seam-side down on baking sheet. Brush with egg mixture.
BAKE 25 min. or until golden.
I've also discovered panko breadcrums, and if you haven't tried them, they're so yummy:
**Mustard Seed and Panko-Crusted Pork Tenderloin**
2 tablespoons brown mustard seeds
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
1 cup Progresso? Panko Bread Crumbs or Progresso? Bread
Crumbs
2 pork tenderloins (1 to 1 1/4 lb each)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Dash coarse sea salt (gray salt)
Dash freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
Heat oven to 400°F. In large skillet, toast mustard seeds over medium-high heat until fragrant. With mortar and pestle, coffee grinder or spice mill, lightly crush mustard seeds. In small bowl, mix mustard seeds and bread crumbs; set aside.
Rub pork tenderloins with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil; sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper. Brush pork with mustard; roll in bread crumb mixture to completely coat.
In 12-inch ovenproof skillet, heat remaining tablespoon oil until hot but not smoking. Add pork to skillet; cook on all sides until brown, about 5 minutes.
Place skillet with pork in oven; roast 8 to 10 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in center reads 155°F. Remove pork from skillet to cutting board; let stand about 5 minutes. Slice pork diagonally against the grain.
4 servings
Starters:
Why not start with prawns and avocado mixed in a simple sauce (tomato ketchup & mayonnaise mixed together season with ground black pepper) served on bed of lettuce with tomato, cucumber and thinly sliced onion.
Main course:
Roast lamb or beef served with fresh veg, roast potatoes, creamed potatoes and gravy.
Dessert:
Apple pie and cream or fresh fruit salad with blob of whipped cream on top.
Nice cream liquer to finish off.
Enjoy and hope the anniversary party goes well
Perfect Roast Chicken
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.
--Ina Garten
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Sinful Potatoes
1 (26 oz.) bag frozen hash brown potatoes
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese (I like sharp)
1 (10 ? oz) can Cream of Celery soup
1 (10 ? oz) can Cream of Chicken soup
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream (can use lowfat)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Combine all ingredients, place in a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350oF for 45-60 minutes until lightly browned and bubbly.
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Greek Salad
1 head romaine lettuce- rinsed, dried and chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 (6 ounce) can pitted black olives
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, sliced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 lemon, juiced
ground black pepper to taste
In a large salad bowl, combine the Romaine, onion, olives, bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and cheese.
Whisk together the olive oil, oregano, lemon juice and black pepper. Pour dressing over salad, toss and serve.
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Blueberrry Delight
Crust:
2 cups flour
2 sticks butter,melted
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Mix together and press into a 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until slightly brown. Let cool completely.
Filling:
1 8 oz. cream cheese,softened
1 8 oz. cool whip
1 box powdered sugar
Mix together and spread on top of crust. Top with 1 can of blueberry pie filling. (Can use any type of pie filling you like.)
CHICKEN WITH CUCUMBERS
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp butter
3-4 chicken breasts, cubed
1 large cucumber
1 onion, sliced thin
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground mustard
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken stock ( 1 cup water and 1 chicken boullion cube works too)
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2-2 cups cooked rice
Heat oil and butter in skillet. Add chicken to pan, cook thoroughly. Take cucumber and peel, slice in half, seed with a spoon and dice small. When chicken is cooked golden brown, remove from pan. Add onion and cucumber. Cover and cook 1-2 minutes. Add chicken stock, garlic, cumin and mustard. Cook 5-7 minutes more until onion and cucumber are tender. Stir in sour cream. Return chicken to pan, stir. Serve cucumber and chicken sauce over rice.
Serve with a nice salad and breadsticks.