What should I make my boyfriend for dinner?!
What should I make my boyfriend for dinner?
He's a chef... and I suck at cooking. I want to make him something awesome, yet simple since I'm not too talented. Any suggestions? Appetizers, main course, dessert...? Help!
Answers:
I have a no fail appetizer recipe. Stuffed mushrooms. Just buy button mushooms, clean them off, place them on a pan, stuff them with bleu cheese and pop them in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes. They will get golden brown on the top. They are delish. Now you can make this better by adding a little surprise in the mushroom. I have placed a smoked almond in the middle, as well as a small piece of date. They both went over really well, but I don't like dates so I didn't like that bunch. Also, buy a better cheese. You don't need that much. If you don't have a cheese shop near you just go to one of the larger supermarkets. Generally by the deli there is a small cheese counter.
For dinner make fish pouches. They too are a piece of cake! Get some fresh veggies - I generally use asparagus, zucchini, onions and carrots - but I expect that you can use any veggies you like with good results. If you have a supermarket with a salad bar, you can get just enough there. Also get a good two good pieces of fish. I like tilapia because it has a mild flavor, but any white mild fish will do. As at the supermarket for a mild white fish, they will be able to tell you. You will also need parchment paper (its next to plastic wrap) and a lemon.
Rip off a piece of parchment paper about two inches longer than what you would consider a square. Mix the veggies up with a little olive oil salt and pepper. You can mix them all together, but it looks fancier if you do it separately. Just enough olive oil to make the salt and pepper stick to veggies. Put that in the middle of the parchment paper. Then salt and pepper the fish and lay that on top of the veggies. Thinly slice the lemon and put two slices on top of each piece of fish. Drizzle a little olive oil on top of the fish, I also like to drizzle a little dry white wine on top, but you don't need to. Fold up the veggies and fish in the parchment paper like a little package. They go in the oven on 400 for about 15 depending on the thickness of the fish. Ask whoever you buy the fish from what the recommended cooking time is per pound for the fish you chose. Serve this with fresh crusy bread and butter. It's a nice light meal with a great presetation. When the pouches are opened they smell and look wonderful.
If you want to get fancy with it buy an extra lemon slice it in half. Sautee it in butter until they are golden brown. It's great to squeeze on top of the fish. If you want to get really fancy you can make this sauce. Let me just remind you that this sauce has to be made right before you are going to eat. Take about 2 cups of white wine and put it in a sautee pan with one shallot, although a small piece of sweet onion would do. Let this simmer down until you have about half the amount. I never cut the onion or shallot because I don't like to strain them out, but you could. When you are at half take out the shallot. Once you are at half stir in a whole stick of cold butter. Make sure that you cut the butter up into relatively small pieces, about 1/2 tbsp. a piece and add them in one at a time. It will get really creamy. Make sure you serve it right away.
For dessert I suggest you buy it. But if you insist on making your own dessert I would suggest buying a puff pastry. Follow the directions on the package. Top it with berries that you have let sit in some sugar for about 2 hours. Just enough to make them juicy. Or you could buy them frozen, they are probably right next to the puff pastry. Then top them with whipped cream. Again, if you want to go fancy make your own whipped cream with heavy whipping cream and add some orange zest.
Good luck!
lobster or crab---boiling is sooo easy
salad---easy
pie or chocolate pudding/moose---easy :)
Appt: salad with nuts and fuit. meal: stemmed chicken with veggies. des.: ice cream
something easy and yummy
salad for appetizer
chicken cutlets
grill any veggie on the side(zucchini or potobello mushroom works well)
toast some Italian bread and put a little garlic powder and olive oil on it
and for dessert buy a pound cake, slice it up and put strawberries and whipped cream on it.
From www.foodnetwork.com
the presentation looks great and ANYONE could make it!
Salmon with Puff Pastry and Pesto Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Show: Everyday Italian
Episode: Ingredients in 15 Minutes
4 pieces of purchased puff pastry, each cut to be just larger than a piece of salmon
4 (4 to 6-ounce) pieces salmon
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup purchased pesto
2 tomatoes, sliced
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
On a foil-lined baking sheet, place the 4 pieces of puff pastry. Also place the 4 pieces of salmon, being careful to make sure they are not touching. Sprinkle each piece of salmon with 1 tablespoon of the sliced almonds. Bake for 10 minutes.
To serve, place each piece of puff pastry on a plate. Top each puff pastry with 1 tablespoon of pesto. Top the pesto with 2 slices of tomatoes each. Top the tomatoes with the salmon and serve.
Just keep it fun. What is his favorites? Mac and Cheese? Pizza or ? The idea here is your being sweet making him dinner and if you ask what his favorites are it is very thoughtful :) Just have fun!!!
Steak, baked potatoes, tossed green salad...
Dessert can be a simple sorbet (fruit ice)...don't need appetizers with all this good food.
Simple is elegant.
For your salad include mandarin orange slices, sliced almonds, shredded carrots, celery and red and orange peppers. The colors will make it a beautiful salad. You can make a nice basalmic vinegrette - add some olive oil and pepper to give it a zing.
Marinate the steaks with a dash of olive oil, rosemary, garlic, sea salt and black pepper.
For the potatoes, bake some whole garlic cloves. You can put these in the baked potatoes with butter (and whatever else you like on your spud!)
How To: Fruit Sorbet in 3 Easy Steps
Step 1: Make the basic sugar syrup
Combine 2/3 cup of superfine sugar with 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat and bring to a boil; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Step 2: Make the fruit purée in a food processor or blender
For a Raspberry Sorbet: Purée 23 oz. raspberries with 1/4 cup lime juice.
For a Peach Sorbet: Purée 1-3/4 lb. chopped peach flesh with 1/3 cup lemon juice.
For a Mango Sorbet: Purée 2 lbs. chopped mango flesh with 1/2 cup lime juice.
Add the purée of your choice to the cooled sugar syrup and stir to combine.
Step 3: Place the purée/sugar mixture into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to manfacturer's instructions.
Don't Have an Ice Cream Maker? Follow steps 1 & 2 above, then:
Place the purée/sugar syrup in a metal bowl or cake pan and freeze for 1 hour. Remove from freezer and beat with an electric mixer or whisk; return to the freezer. Repeat at hourly intervals 3 more times.
Hope this helps
Get a tin of hot dog sausages drain and chop in to slices. Add to shredded lettuce, cubed yellow pepper, quartered baby tomatoes and slices spring onions. Mix with a little vinegar, a tsp mixed herbs and some salt and pepper. There's starters.
Dinner is a tin of tuna drained and broken up with a fork. Add a couple tablespoons of salted peanuts. Chop an apple into cubes and mix all together with a couple of tablespoons of mayonaise and a little water.
For desert - Strawberries.
Oh and a nice bottle of wine........... and some after dinner mints!
Why Don't you try making something together. Let him show you how to make certain dishes and it will turn into a fun date and you will be learning how to cook.
Pesto Tuna Melts
INGREDIENTS
2 slices Italian bread (1 inch thick)
2 tablespoons prepared pesto
1-1/2 teaspoons mayonnaise
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
1 pouch (3 ounces) tuna
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 slices (1 ounce each) part-skim mozzarella cheese, halved
DIRECTIONS
Place bread on an ungreased baking sheet. Broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Turn and broil 2 minutes longer or until golden brown.
Combine pesto and mayonnaise; spread over toasted bread. Top with tomato, tuna, pepper and cheese. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: 2 servings.
Serve with this yummy soup
Smooth Carrot Soup
From Cooking for 2
INGREDIENTS
2 cups chopped carrots
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup buttermilk
DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan, saute carrots and onion in butter until crisp-tender. Add broth and ginger. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until carrots are very tender. Cool slightly.
Puree soup in a blender; return to the pan. Stir in buttermilk; heat through (do not boil). Yield: 2-1/2 cups.
or this Super tasty Salad
Almond Strawberry Salad
From Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious
INGREDIENTS
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/4 cup sliced honey-roasted almonds
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the vinegar, honey and sugar; shake well. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.
Go for something Italian......
For appetizers make a salad.... Put it in a bowl and share it with the two of you.... Also make some bread sticks..... Like the ones they have at the olive garden... If you wanted you could just take out order of salad and bread sticks there....
Main course- You said you wanted it to be simple? Try Spaghetti.... That stuff is good... Or to change it up a little make fettuccine Alfredo.... Which is just noddles with melted cheese on them... If you want you could add shrimp of chicken to your Alfredo dish....
Dessert- why don't you just have ice cream? Like you know how in Italy Geloto (ice cream) is made... Or you could have your boyfriends favorite dessert which would be cute<33
Lastly, I thought Italian was a simple thing and romantic food to make... After all what did Lady and the Tramp have on there first date?
Answer- Spaghetti.
Good luck!
Smoked Kielbasi, fried
fried taters w/onions garlic/onion powders salt/pepper
frozen corn
Canada Dry ginger ale
Chocolate/Vanilla Ice Cream
These are easy and they taste great.
Good cooking is not a question of elaborate recipes or lots of frills. The best cooking is simple food that is made using the freshest ingredients.
Cantaloupe and prosciutto
Dijon Fish with green beans
Fresh figs in cream
Start the dessert and then do the rest of the dinner, because the dessert needs time to chill.
Appetizer - Prosciutto and Melon
1 dozen chunks of cantaloupe and 1 dozen strips of prosciutto and long toothpicks
Cut the cantaloupe into cubes (or buy it that way) and pull the prosciutto into narrow strips (Prosciutto is a thin Italian cured meat you can find at the deli counter. Have them slice it paper thin.)
Wrap the cantaloupe with the prosciutto and secure it by spearing it with a toothpick. Chill till serving time. Serve on a cute little plate with some white wine - Pinot Grigio or Gewurtztraminer
Main course - Dijon Fish (this is so easy and it knocks people out.)
Two filets of cod or snapper (about 8 oz apiece)
2 tablespoons melted butter (not margarine)
2 teaspoons each of lemon juice, worcestershire sauce and dijon mustard
3/4 c. bread crumbs
glass baking dish
-Preheat the oven to 425F
-Wash the filets and put them in a shallow glass baking dish - don't let them overlap.
-In a small bowl mix all the other ingredients except the bread crumbs. Cover the fish with the sauce and top with bread crumbs.
-Bake the fish for 10 minutes or until the fish is done. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork and is solid white throughout
Haricots Verts (Green Beans)
Fresh green beans, about 1/2 pound, with ends snapped off
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs butter
1/2 cup water
1 package slivered almonds (in the baking section), toasted
Saucepan with lid
Melt the butter and add the garlic. Stir for about 2 minutes. Add the green beans and water and cover. Simmer for about 8 minutes or until the beans are bright green and tender enough to eat. Don't overcook them. If the liquid starts to evaporate too fast, add a little water.
Fresh figs in cream
12 fresh figs (NOT dried)
1 cup kummel (a sweet colorless liqueur)
2 tablespoons of sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped
Rinse the figs. Marinate the figs in a bowl with the kummel for two hours. Drain them, pick off the stems and arrange in a dish. Sprinkle them with the sugar and a little bit of the kummel. Serve figs topped with whipped cream.
If you can't get kummel, marinate them in sweet wine instead, like port.
If there are no fresh figs where you are, use a boxed chocolate mousse and follow the directions, and serve with strawberries and whipped cream.
start with a small salad and garlic bread and wine.next make some simple pasta with garlic and tomatos.and 4 desert...buy something PUBLIX COOCKIES,CAKES,ect. it dosent need to be fancy
Fried chicken,sour cream potatoes, and apple pie topped with ice cream.
This menu is SURE to impress him..........and it's EASY!:
http://www.gourmet-food-revolution.com/r...
chicken fried steak poatoes peas
nothing with garlic or green M&M's if you know what I mean