Friday, August 21, 2009

Dinner and a Question

Last night's dinner was plain and simple: baked ham with a honey glaze - just honey - and party rice. It's not called party rice because it's exciting; it's called party rice because one of my daughters, when she was about 10, declared, "It looks like a party in the house!" For party rice, use white rice, one chicken bouillon cube for each cup or fraction of a cup of water added, 1 grated carrot, 1 minced onion, 1/2 cup each diced tomatoes, shredded zucchini and chopped green things (spinach, kale, chard and parsley all work fine). I didn't have much green thing to chop because it was raining in my garden. But isn't it pretty?

And an orange almond salad. Red leaf lettuce (any dark colored lettuce or spinach will work) with canned mandarin oranges and slivered almonds. Top it with a vinaigrette dressing made from 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp orange juice, 1/2 cup oil, 1 tbsp chopped chives and a touch each of oregano and garlic powder. Easy and festive looking.
Now the question for all of you: My eldest son read my cookbook. He wants me to put in a "Date Night Cooking" section; says dummies like him want to impress girls, and Cheerios don't cut it. Now, I never had any man cook me dinner. So, tell me, what suggestions should I make for him? Remember, this is cooking for the person who barely knows a skillet from a baking pan. Ladies, what memorable dinners have your dates cooked? Gents? What do you cook to impress a date?

I'm spending the weekend in "Textile Therapy"; explanations to follow!

15 comments:

veedogknitter said...

Penne with Vodka Sauce! It's easy, and tastes wonderful!

imjacobsmom said...

How about homemade pizza? With either a homemade crust or store-bought crust. You can make it as easy or as difficult as you want it to be, and it can be made ahead of time or together as a date. ~ Robyn

The Blonde Duck said...

Chicken Parmesean is easy and simple...or maybe something grilled..wait, he'll burn the dorm down...Pasta is always easy. Or he could do a breakfast dinner, like pancakes and omelets. Ben made me an omelet every night while we were dating...it stopped when we got married.

Pam said...

The party rice looks so good - actually the whole meal does. Love the orange balsamic dressing on the salad.

In regards to dinners for dates - any pasta dish would be simple enough for guys to make but still impressive for girls. Italian food is always a sure hit.

tavolini said...

Something that isn't too messy! Pasta can be a poor choice for date night due to orange lips ;)

A good burger and a milkshake might be fun.

If he is planning on entertaining--do an oven dish. Lasagna or casserole. Make it up before the date, pop in the oven and chat while it cooks. Serve with a salad. Easy!

tavolini said...

Enchiladas are another easy pre-make deal.

For all the guys I've known, though, something instant is key. Teach him how to cook burgers from their frozen state.

Unknown said...

I had baked ham with "roasted fingerling potatoes" and steamed green beans (from the garden) last night. Great minds?

Why are people so surprised that I cook dinner after being away from home at work for 10+ hours? g

buffalodick said...

I ask what they like and haven't had in a while- I'm pretty sure I can cook it!

Paula said...

I asked my soon to be 14 year old daughter what she would like to eat if a future boyfriend (way farrrr into the future, that is) cooked dinner for her. She thought for just a second and then said Chicken Parmesan with a side of buttered pasta. I second that. It's super easy to make, but looks like it takes lots of skill to pull off! Throw in some warm bread and he'll have girls lining up outside his door! :-)

Your ham dimmer sounds so good to me right now. I haven't had ham in a long while, but I just love it. That party rice is awesome, too. I should jazz my rice up like that.

My lettuce in the garden is pretty much spent now, so it's back to store bought lettuce. Sob.

pam said...

On a date you want something easy to eat, that you don't slurp or spill all over yourself. Something easy that roasts in the oven, like chicken breast or fish, and veggies.

Anonymous said...

My question is; why couldn't I have found a man that wanted to cook for me;) Pasta..........it's fast and easy and there are so many ways to do it.

SissySees said...

When I worked at the firehouse, several of the bachelors swore by their date-night menus. Pastas seem to be very popular.

The Knight is a master on the grill, from baked potatoes to the best filet ever.

Since I was taught to cook at the firehouse, I've had a lot of men cook for me. Crabcakes, eggplant parm., hungarian chicken, stuffed shells, shrimp scampi... Those are the ones I got the recipe for and/or asked the cook to teach me how to make it.

Amy Bailes said...

Marji, Do you cook anything special for breakfast and lunch?

Amy Bailes said...

Oops, I meant to ask if you cook anything at all for breakfast and lunch. Please give me some ideas!

grace said...

yeah, a bowl of kix isn’t terribly impressive. the best meal a fella cooked for me was on the grill, but that’s all i can say on the subject--the men in my life and the kitchen don’t mix well. :)