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I don't think you have to worry about going all-out with a show-stopper meal. That you have an interest and are willing to cook is the big thing, so do what your comfortable with.
The first meal I cooked for my wife (3rd date) was pan cooked chicken breast over egg noodles with a packet of Alfredo sauce and a side of steamed broccoli. Simple salt and pepper to season, nothing fancy but it's good. I still make essentialy the same meal now, 2 decades later, though I brine the chicken, make my Alfredo from scratch and use some sort of "vegetable noodle" (spaghetti squash, zucchini/squash through a "zoodler", etc..) since we transitioned off processed carbs about 15 years ago.
Want a simple show-stopper? Steak and potato (russet or yam/sweet). The only tricky part is finding a good cut of meat, which means finding an independent butcher. Beyond that, it's simple faith that you're not going to mess up the meat (you won't so long as you take its temperature/don't overcook it). No real skill involved. Maybe some tricks (let it come to room temp for an hour before cooking, salt it heavily for that hour then rinse and pat dry before cooking), but a pan seared steak only takes a pan, heat source, steak and courage.
But if you want the easiest of all meals, make a soup. So long as you pick one without pasta, it is IMPOSSIBLE to over-cook. Ground beef chili is basically a soup, so that's usually a great option. Add in a boxed cornbread (one of those "just add milk" type deals), and you have a meal.
I will caution you about the One thing that seems to make the biggest difference in meal quality. Garbage in, garbage out ~ by which I mean if you use low quality ingredients, your finished product will reflect that. I splurge on the protein portion (meats, fish, etc...), go out of my way (but spend less, oddly) to buy fresh spices, and the rest I get at a discount grocer or grow myself when possible. When I'm doing something to impress others, then I'll source the best, at all costs, of Every ingredient. It makes a difference.
Location: As of 2022….back to SoCal. OC this time!
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Originally Posted by evening sun
Is he a beef, chicken or seafood person? I would try & find out which protein he prefers & go from there, but of course any dish made with love, should be well received.
Thank you...he likes all 3, but maybe seafood & chicken are his favorites. I'm going with the shrimp scampi idea, salad, bread & wine! I've never made it before...so...fingers crossed!
Location: As of 2022….back to SoCal. OC this time!
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Thank you to everyone for sharing really *good* ideas.......the man I'm dating is really special & so I'm excited to try some new recipes & dishes for him.
Thank you...he likes all 3, but maybe seafood & chicken are his favorites. I'm going with the shrimp scampi idea, salad, bread & wine! I've never made it before...so...fingers crossed!
I am sure he will love it, but crossing my fingers anyhow
Take care not to overcook the shrimp and I'm sure it will be delicious!
Don't forget dessert! There are lots of lovely ready made options out there. Sara Lee cheesecake comes to mind.
Let us know how it all turns out and how he liked it!
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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One last thing to remember: HAVE FUN! Nothing is more of a bummer than when your host(ess) is stressed out by the meal preparation. Even if everything goes wrong (it won't), laugh -- you'll order a pizza and laugh together.
Thank you to everyone for sharing really *good* ideas.......the man I'm dating is really special & so I'm excited to try some new recipes & dishes for him.
You sound like a nice girl so anything you cook he’d better appreciate
My easiest and quickest go to dinner that is also good enough to serve to company is fresh pesto tossed with the pasta of your choice, topped with grilled chicken, fresh chopped tomatoes and parmesan shaved all over the top.
Homemade pesto is very easy to make and totally worth it. I grow a ton of basil and make it all summer. You can take the prepared pesto and freeze it in ice cube trays, so it's ready to eat all year. Pine nuts can be spendy, but I buy a bag at Costco or Sam's and keep it in the fridge. You need a 1/3 of a cup for one batch, so a Costco sized bag will make you numerous servings. Here are a couple of recipes: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/best-pesto and this one https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/classic-pesto-sauce
You can grill up chicken breasts or pan sear them in a cast iron pan. A great marinade for chicken is a good Italian dressing. It is super easy to make your own also, but you can buy a bottle too and it will make your chicken taste awesome. Or you can even get a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and shred it all up instead of preparing the grilled chicken.
I always keep a good block of parmesan in the fridge. The great thing about it is it keeps for a very long time and you don't need much to add lovely flavor to your food. If you don't want a block you can buy a container with just the needed amount of freshly grated parmesan (not the powdery stuff) to make this dinner. I don't know where you are, but it's porch sitting weather here and a plate of this with a glass of wine on the screened porch (mine is set as an outdoor dining room) is heavenly. Enjoy!
Ok, and couple more suggestions because I want you to ROCK this. First, this is an absolutely beautiful recipe and my current favorite thing. The only change I made to this is I added a second lemon because, well, it's lemon and, in my very humble opinion, lemon, chicken and tarragon are one of the perfect food combinations of the universe. If you don't have one of the pots like is used in the pictures and suggested in the recipe, it's ok, you can use a large casserole dish also. And since you are wanting to cook more, take a stroll around TJ Maxx Home Goods or Marshalls or Ross if you need to add a piece or two to your cooking supplies. The stuff in those stores is deeply discounted over straight retail. Here is the recipe:
And finally, the easiest and tastiest dessert you can make yourself is Mark Bittman's fruit gratin. You can use any fruit you wish as long is it's nice and ripe. Here is the recipe:
Location: As of 2022….back to SoCal. OC this time!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Senior7
You sound like a nice girl so anything you cook he’d better appreciate
Thank you...he loved it or at least he said he did..Lol.
Thank you again to *everyone* who gave me really good ideas....for future dinners, too!
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