Double dinner date, im cooking, what to make?!
Double dinner date, im cooking, what to make?
a couple we just met is coming for dinner this week. looking for something kind of basic, no onions, no grill.....
any suggestions?
ill probably fall back on spaghetti with a salad and bread.
Answers:
Make carbonara. Basically spaghetti in a white sauce with bacon. Very good, and a little classier than spaghetti.
chicken alferdo
How about pasta with shrimp and vegetables. Maybe you can use either alfredo or pesto sauce.
Make your salad and garlic bread and add a nice bottle of wine.
One reason why I don't like spaghetti on a dinner date is that the sauce can stain someones shirt or dress.
Good luck.
Here's a couple different recipes I've used when people come over. Everyone loves them and I do too because they're so easy :) good luck!
Spinach Artichoke Ravioli Lasgana
1 (10-ounce) packages chopped frozen spinach
1/4 stick butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 quart milk
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Salt and pepper
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 packages large fresh ravioli cheese, wild mushroom or spinach stuffed varieties
2 (15-ounce) cans artichoke hearts in water, drained and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta.
Place oven rack in middle of oven and preheat broiler or oven to 425 degrees F.
Defrost the spinach in the microwave for 10 minutes on high.
While spinach defrosts, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Cut butter into small pieces and melt. Whisk in flour and cook a minute or 2 then whisk in milk. Bring sauce to a bubble, as it begins to thicken, drop heat to low and season it with nutmeg, salt and pepper, to your taste.
Combine ricotta cheese, a little salt and pepper, lemon zest and garlic in a bowl.
Cook pasta to al dente, 5 to 6 minutes in salted water.
Remove spinach from the microwave and wring it completely dry in a kitchen towel. Open the towel and separate the spinach with your fingers. Pile up the sliced artichokes on your cutting board.
Drain pasta well. Ladle just enough white sauce in the bottom of a lasagna dish to lightly coat it. Top with 1/3 of the pasta. Top the pasta with a layer of half of the ricotta cheese dotted with half of the spinach and artichokes. Thinly cover the veggies with more white sauce then top liberally with grated cheese. Repeat these layers then top your lasagna with the remaining 1/3 of the cooked ravioli, the last of the white sauce and some grated cheese.
Place under hot broiler or into a preheated 425 degree F oven until sauce browns and bubbles, 3 minutes
Orange Scented Broccoli
1 head broccoli, cut into florets (save those stems for soup!)
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (think soup!)
1 navel orange, rind removed and reserved
Salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 orange, juiced
Pepper
2 scallions, sliced
Bring a couple inches of water to boil in a large skillet and add the florets, orange rind and salt. Cover and simmer until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain broccoli and cauliflower, remove rind and transfer to a platter or bowl. Return pan to heat, add extra-virgin olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add broccoli and cauliflower and turn to coat. Squeeze the orange juice over the pan and toss veggies again. Season the orange scented broccoli and cauliflower with salt and pepper, to your taste. Garnish with sliced scallions.
Apricot Chicken
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
2 pounds chicken tenderloins, cut in 1/2 across on an angle
Salt and pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar
12 dried pitted apricots, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup apricot all fruit spread or apricot preserves
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Heat a large skillet with a lid over medium high heat. Add oil and chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly brown the chicken a few minutes on each side, add onions. Cook 5 minutes. Add vinegar to the pan and let it evaporate. Add apricots and stock. When stock comes to a bubble, add preserves and stir to combine. Cover pan, reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Serve chicken with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Potato and Carrot Latkes
1 (24-ounce) bag shredded potatoes for hash browns
1 large carrot, peeled
1 medium onion, peeled
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons matzo meal, cracker meal or all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 cups chunky apple sauce
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup sour cream
Heat 1/2-inch oil in a large skillet over medium to medium high heat. To test oil, add a piece of bread to the pan. It should turn golden brown in a ten-count. Adjust heat, as necessary.
Place potatoes in a large bowl. Using a hand grater, grate the carrot and onion into the bowl. Add eggs to the bowl. Add salt and baking powder, then sprinkle in meal or flour. Combine vegetables and meal with a wooden spoon.
Drop mixture into oil in 3-inch mounds, press down gently with spatula to form patties. Fry in batches of 4 to 6 patties depending on the size of your skillet, 1-inch apart, until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Put chunky applesauce and the cinnamon stick in a saucepan over medium heat and warm for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain latkes on paper towels or parchment lined tray. Serve with warm applesauce and sour cream.
Chicken with Mushroom Basalmic Sauce
Salt
1/2 pound orzo pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6 ounces
Pepper
2 tablespoons butter
12 cremini or baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
12 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
12 white mushrooms, sliced
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, a couple of sprigs, chopped
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, eyeball it
3 tablespoons heavy cream or half-and-half, a couple turns of the pan
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, a generous handful
Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add orzo pasta. Cook to al dente.
Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper and add to the hot skillet. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.
Return the skillet to the heat, turn heat back a bit, and add the butter. Once the butter melts add the mushrooms and brown stirring occasionally for about 4 to 5 minutes. Once the mushrooms are brown season with salt and pepper then add the garlic, thyme and shallots. Cook stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes or until the shallots are wilted. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook 2 minutes more. Whisk in the stock, balsamic vinegar and the cream. Turn the heat up to high and simmer for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice the chicken on an angle. Add the parsley and the chicken back to the skillet to heat up, about 1 minute.
To serve, pile orzo on dinner plates and top with the sliced chicken and sauce.
Romaine Salad with Red Onions and Walnuts
1 cup walnut pieces
1 sack pre-washed chopped romaine or 2 hearts, chopped, about 6 cups
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon orange marmalade
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 small sprig rosemary, stripped and finely chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
Salt
Toast nuts over low heat in a small skillet until crisp and fragrant. Place romaine in salad bowl and scatter the red onions down over the greens. In a small bowl, combine the marmalade, red pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar and fresh or dried rosemary using a fork or small whisk. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil into the dressing until combined. Season the dressing with salt, to taste. Dress and toss salad and adjust seasoning.
spaghetti? yuck..that is the ultimate lazy dinner!
get out the cook book, and try something new, fun and different.
make shrimp
or chicken fried steak with some downhome southern cooking, like greens, and biscuits, and homemade mashed potaotes.
make anything but spaghetti! that would make you my first and LAST date if you made me that!
Fried Calamari appetizer, Caesar Salad, Veal Piccata and Bananas Foster for dessert.
Chicken parmesan, or eggplant parmesan if you think they might be "vegs". Easy as hell, and usually always a hit. Everyone likes Italian. Salad, garlic bread or bruschetta...check some food websites. And get a good red wine for it. Cabernet, Merlot, etc.
Lasagne and salad.
Rice:
1 1/3 cup uncooked white rice
2 2/3 cup water
3 chicken flavored bullion cubes
2 T garlic powder
Chicken and sauce:
4 cups orange juice
4 T soy sauce
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 2 lbs, sliced into thin strips (Easier if they are slightly frozen)
Vegetable:
1 pound fresh green beans (or other green vegetable)
Combine rice, water, bullion cubes and garlic powder in a covered 2 qt pot. Bring water to boil. As soon as water begins to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in deep skillet or wok, combine orange juice, ginger, salt & pepper. Bring to a low boil over medium heat. Add chicken and cover. Let cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Remove chicken from liquid. Bring liquid to boil on high heat. Stirring constantly, reduce to about 1-1 ? cups.
Steam green beans about seven minutes. (Other vegetables cook at different times, just make sure they are still a little crisp, not musht.)
Place 1 cup of rice on each plate. Top each with one-fourth of the cooked chicken. Place ? green beans on each plate. Top all with orange glaze.
Serves 4.
This is a little spicy, not real hot, but a little kick. Omit the ginger if you don't want the heat at all.
If you don't like this, go to http://www.kraftfoods.com
They have some great, simple recipies.
You cna do a fish dish with Orange Ruffy if you can find some, Jasmine rice and a veggie mix from the frozen food isle.
During the week, pasta works the best, it's quick and easy. Heat up the sauce in a pan, add some Nature's Seasoning seasoning blend, and a little extra virgin olive oil, simmer and stir often.
Add about 2-3 tbs butter to the noodles after cooking, let it melt in and mix around.
Desert? A decaf moca flavored coffee drink, coupled with a nice tiramasu, it's light and goes with the Italian theme.
Do something different with your spaghetti....you want basic so no fuss (that doesn't mean lazy) Try changing the kind of pasta...how about gnocci (sp?) instead...only need to cook in boiling water for a couple of minutes (but eat it right away) pick up a couple jars of different white sauces (to forgo any messes and stains). If you really want basic but a step up from sliced bread...pick up a couple bags of Crazy Bread from Little Cesaers Pizza ($1.50/bag + tax) and a bottle of inexpensive wine. Throw away the commercial packaging and it looks like you cooked it all yourself.
manacoti is always a crowd pleaser it goes great with garlic bread sticks and Cesar salad. if you want to give it a little extra flare add artichoke hearts and crab meat to the ricotta cheese and use a white sauce instead of a red. It is fun and not as involved as people will think.
how about a nice salad then serve some french bread pizza slices and then serve spaghetti with chicken parm or meat balls or grilled italian sausage in sauce and mozzerella
soup or pastas steak pizza
Spaghetti sounds good or for something really easy pick up a roasted chicken from the supermarket and some instant mashed potatoes. Make a pan gravy from the juices in the chicken and prepare a salad.
i always think spahetti is great with a salad also - but, why not add some chicken. you can bread and bake your chicken early in the day, when you are almost ready to serve dinner, put cooked breaded chicken cutlets in pan with gravy top with gravy and mozerella and grated cheese, baked in over until cheese melts and serve with your pasta and side salad and bread (make it garlic bread, just spread butter on italian bread and sprinkle with garlic powder and toss in broiler until lightly brown and crusty). whatever you decide have a great dinner date!