any good homemade dishes to impress the ladies?

[nuxnamon]

ok, I am pretty sure we got a talented bunch here in the forum, so I am hoping some of you may share some of your secrets

1. I can't cook and rarely do I go near the fruit/produce area of the market. It's only recently that i found out the difference between lettuce and cabbage.. But I follow directions pretty well so a recipe in laymen's term would be ideal.. Sometimes i try to read cookbooks and can't understand some of the kitchen lingo..
2. Looking for something quick to prepare without slaving for hours in the kitchen.. Like programming synths, I have no patience or no skill in making a sound from scratch.. give me a preset and I'll go from there.. so basically, canned goods and seasoned packets, sauces, marinades etc.. are all fair game..
3. I actually have a Slap Chop so I can cut vegetables if I have to..
4. she likes most dishes but can't eat anything too spicy.
5. my kitchen is pretty small so I only have the bare essentials like oven, microwave, pots, etc.. no fancy mixers (the food kind) or anything like that..

just need something to show the lady that i can put forth the effort and cook for her once in a while instead of taking her out.. I have a Safeway (american grocery) and a asian market near my place..

thanks in advance

[12 Theory]

Haha... I can't tell you what will impress the ladies, but I will tell you that processed food will NOT.

If I were you, I would start here:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Everyday- ... /Main.aspx

Find something there and make your grocery list from it. I found some really good Thai recipes online and they go well with most white wines, but Thai food can be spicy, so be careful with that if you don't want spicy. Anyway, I remember being in your situation not long ago, living on frozen pizzas, Top Ramen, canned ravioli, etc., but after a few attempts at cooking, I now love doing it, so maybe you'll get into it as well.

Hope that helps and good luck to you!

[Aeroplay]

I recomend grilled vegetables (potatoes, onions, aubergines, mushrooms,...) with at least two different dips - very easy, tasty and healthy!


Don't ask hundreads of questions about it, just try something out, you can't make too much wrong here...

Be creative, so you have fun doing it... That's the key - in general accely!




best Greeshes,

Felix

[stjohn]

lakeshore pork..pretty easy too! and WOW.

Lakeshore Pork; Avoca Cafe cookbook


1.3kg/3lb diced leg of pork, well trimmed - fillet is even better
Seasoned flour:flour, salt, pepper,mustard powder and brown sugar
olive oil
600ml/1 pint apple juice
300ml/half a pint of chicken stock
2 tablespoons of Lakeshore or any other wholegrain mustard
30ml/ half a pint of cream

Toss the pork in the seasoned flour then brown it in the olive oil in batches.Place in a flameproof casserole dish and cover with the apple juice and stock. Add the mustard and bring to the boil, then transfer to an oven preheated to 180C/350F/gas 4 for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir in the cream and return to the oven for 10 minutes.
If the sauce is too thin, remove the meat and keep warm. Put the casserole dish over a medium heat and simmer until the sauce reduces and thickens. Return the meat to the pan.


id serve it with some rice, or some asparagus, or both. and loads of wine, if you want to get some lovin

[contakt321]

What's her favorite cuisine or favorite dish? I wont send you a recipe for that but it would be good to have an idea of her preferred palate.

[b0unce]

just need something to show the lady that i can put forth the effort and cook for her once in a while instead of taking her out..

[ThrowAway]

How long have you been seeing this girl?

[nuxnamon]

she has a taste for asian dishes.

.

lakeshore pork..pretty easy too! and WOW.

Lakeshore Pork; Avoca Cafe cookbook


1.3kg/3lb diced leg of pork, well trimmed - fillet is even better
Seasoned flour:flour, salt, pepper,mustard powder and brown sugar
olive oil
600ml/1 pint apple juice
300ml/half a pint of chicken stock
2 tablespoons of Lakeshore or any other wholegrain mustard
30ml/ half a pint of cream

Toss the pork in the seasoned flour then brown it in the olive oil in batches.Place in a flameproof casserole dish and cover with the apple juice and stock. Add the mustard and bring to the boil, then transfer to an oven preheated to 180C/350F/gas 4 for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir in the cream and return to the oven for 10 minutes.
If the sauce is too thin, remove the meat and keep warm. Put the casserole dish over a medium heat and simmer until the sauce reduces and thickens. Return the meat to the pan.


id serve it with some rice, or some asparagus, or both. and loads of wine, if you want to get some lovin

holy crap!! That's some Max/Msp kinda cooking.. looking more for a Fruity loops kinda deal.. I've tried cooking dishes like that and my kitchen just ends up like a mess and it never turns out that well.. Anything more simple guys? the last time I tried cooking I swear I followed the directions to the dot but the shit tasted like well.. shit.. I felt so bad and I told her she didn't have to eat it cuz I wasn't gonna eat it.. I tried to cover it up with soy sauce and Mrs. Dash but made it worse.. It was a Cuban Chicken Jerky but turned out too salty and hella dry.. The picture in the cookbook looked hella good but it never turns out the same for me..

just FYI, she prefers asian and mexican food..

Haha... I can't tell you what will impress the ladies, but I will tell you that processed food will NOT.

If I were you, I would start here:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Everyday- ... /Main.aspx

Find something there and make your grocery list from it. I found some really good Thai recipes online and they go well with most white wines, but Thai food can be spicy, so be careful with that if you don't want spicy. Anyway, I remember being in your situation not long ago, living on frozen pizzas, Top Ramen, canned ravioli, etc., but after a few attempts at cooking, I now love doing it, so maybe you'll get into it as well.

Hope that helps and good luck to you!

thanks for the link.. BTW, did you know canned Ravioli now has a whole serving of vegetables.. Chef Boyardee is a genius!! anyways, I'll search for a recipe that suits my skills.. I've got a few days to prepare and marinade meat if needed.. If all else fails, and run out of time, they got some EZ bake stuff at trader joe's as a backup plan.. followed w/ flowers.. it will more than make up for the food.. I think this all started a couple days ago cuz she's on her period and always gets emotional and needs attention.. oh yeah, been seeing her for 2 years..

[abort]

cook half pound of beef
mix one can of cream of mushroom

serve over mash potato's

Don't expect to get laid that night but at least your fed.

[Tone Deft]

I can't cook but this is an easy one for Mexican food. fajitas.

marinate chicken breasts for a few hours, massage the breasts (the chicken's not just the chick's) until the meat falls apart into strands. BBQ that shit, cooks very quick.

on the BBQ throw down red, green, orange and yellow peppers (for color) and onions.

beans, cheese, salsa, guacamole can be store bought or you can make them yourself. guac is pretty easy to make, avacado, lime juice a little cumin, diced tomato, cilantro...

homemade tortillas are butt simple to make, just get 'masa harina' which is basically just Mexican flour. add water and then press them. a tortilla press is like $5 or use a rolling pin and figure it out. (two rulers spread ~6 inches apart, put the dough between them, roll it out.) put those on the BBQ too, damn tasty.

[3dot...]

nice roast fish...
nice pasta/baked potatoes...
nice bread...
nice wine..
nice music..
I can't stress this enough - TINY PORTIONS... don't get bloated...

[hangar17]

fish and wine sir and you will never go wrong =)

[Homebelly]

fish and wine sir and you will never go wrong =)

I have been a chef for 25ish years.
Cooked all over every where.
My CV/Resume would dazzle the bejebus out of you
It is from this highly experienced and authoritative position that i will back up this suggestion.
I will only add this.
Get your self a couple of fillets of some nice but firm fish.
Fry it in a little oil and butter.
It is cooked when it is firm to the touch but a little flaky.
The fish will be white and opaque.
At this point squeeze quarter of a lemon per person on to the fish and then take it out of the pan.
Make a little salad with tomato,Olives, capers and mixed leaves.
You should be able to buy mixed leaves at any good super market.
The capers will be in jars, buy the ones in brine.
If you want to you could cook some rice.
Cous Cous is easier.
Buy the instant cous-cous.
You can add some nuts and dried fruit to it.
Boil some water, pour it over the cous-cous, cover the cous-cous and let it stand for five minutes.
Uncover it and mix it up, add some butter to it if you want, or, if your feeling really
dangerous, chop up some celantro/corriander and mix that in.
Salad, fried fish, cous cous, wine. Its all very simple and Dude, you are sooo gnna get laid!!

[dhilsabeck]

^^^
+1 on the cous cous with nuts and dried fruit. A can of garbanzos and some raisins (sultanas) and some veggie stock is really all you need. This you can do to completion in under 10 minutes. And it will most certainly get you laid.

Homebelly: chef for 25 years...That's pretty cool.

We need more food threads.

[Geebag]

Order a curry, loads of wine and a slap on the arse does the trick.