Calling All Chefs

[LoganSnake]

Okay, so February 14th is my girlfriend and I second anniversary (yeah, yeah) and I've decided that instead of going to a restaurant like half of Chicago is going to do on that day, I'll cook dinner myself. So, what I'm asking for are recipes that are easy to cook and with little chance of messing up (I make eggs once in a blue moon).

She likes chicken, pork, shrimp, spaghetti, salads...

Help a fellow TFPer not poison his girlfriend!

[allaboutmusic]

Spaghetti with meatballs is pretty hard to screw up as long as you follow a recipe, and the meatballs can be made in advance to save you panic. You can serve it with a salad on the side (again, hard to screw up)... hell you can even make the dressing which will impress her. Again, can be made in advance. For extra romance points you can tell her it reminds you of that cute scene you saw in Lady and The Tramp.

[Baraka_Guru]

Originally Posted by LoganSnake

She likes chicken, pork, shrimp, spaghetti, salads...

Jambalaya, with a salad starter. A simple tossed salad using spring mix and a few julienned veggies will do. Use a balsamic vinaigrette or Italian dressing. It shouldn't be too hard for you, and it will make you look adventurous. *Shrug*

[Taja]

I have found this is fairly easy to put together and impresses to boot!

If you don't cook much, and you're cooking for two, here's what I would do:

Quickly saute some precooked shrimp in butter, green onions, garlic and white wine. Just enough to heat them up and add a bit of flavor. Depending on their size, I'd say 6-10 shrimps.

Remove the shrimp to a cutting board and cut into pea-sized pieces.

In a bowl, bring about half a "bar" of cream cheese to room temp. Add about 4 tablespoons of green onions, a teaspoon of pepper and about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix well.

Take four slices of french bread (preferrably a loaf that you've cut about 1" thick). Spread the cream cheese mixture on the bread. Spoon the shrimp over the cream cheese and top each piece with swiss or pepperjack cheese. My preference is pepperjack, but some like swiss as well.

Place in a toaster or regular oven on a high heat, around 375-400. Bake just long enough to see the cheese melt and bubble.

Don't know what they're called, but they are VERY good little shrimp sandwiches!

[LoganSnake]

That sounds pretty good. I'll have to try making one before serving it to her.

Anybody have any good spaghetti sauce recipes? Preferably something thick and meaty.

[spindles]

Originally Posted by LoganSnake

That sounds pretty good. I'll have to try making one before serving it to her.

Anybody have any good spaghetti sauce recipes? Preferably something thick and meaty.

I just added my generic beef recipe here:
http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthr...42#post2393842

I would serve this, spaghetti and fresh parmesan grated on top.

[allaboutmusic]

Another really impressive option - teriyaki chicken. This is ridiculously easy to make as well. Marinade is very simple (lots of recipes on the web), simply marinade the night before and grill or pan fry the next day. Makes a fantastic salad with the unused marinade (unused meaning you DIDN'T put in with the raw chicken).

[Willravel]

Shaghetti and seafood dinner? Dude, google "Spaghetti al Cartoccio". I've used this recipe dozens of times, always to great success (in my pants). It's easy, it's delicious, and it seems really fancy. I swear by it.

[spindles]

Originally Posted by allaboutmusic

Another really impressive option - teriyaki chicken. This is ridiculously easy to make as well. Marinade is very simple (lots of recipes on the web), simply marinade the night before and grill or pan fry the next day. Makes a fantastic salad with the unused marinade (unused meaning you DIDN'T put in with the raw chicken).

Personally, I'd avoid cooking chicken if you are unsure. IMO - it is really easy to undercook (and poison you and your guest) or overcook (in which case the chicken ends up dry and not so edible).

[LoganSnake]

I see a couple of things I like already and they don't seem to be difficult. A couple more recipes would be great. She knows I don't cook, so me whipping up a dinner would be a pretty shocking turn of events. At least that's what I'm hoping for.

[shakran]

appetizer: French bread, diagonal-cut into 1/2-3/4 inch slices. Won't need much. . 3 slices per person. 4 if you have healthy appetites.

melt some butter and about a teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet (the olive oil keeps the butter from burning). Saute several cloves of finely minced garlic in the butter until golden.

Brush both sides of the bread with the garlic butter, place on large cookie sheet. Toast one side in the oven. Remove, turn over, and place 1/4 inch thick slice of feta cheese on the slices. Turn the oven to low broil and toast until just golden. Watch it carefully - this crap'll burn very quickly. Serve immediately.


Main course: Garlic Chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces.
2-3 tablespoons butter
10 large cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth.
2 tablespoons italian flat leaf parsley (yes, there is a difference between this and normal parsley. Get the good stuff!)
black pepper
hot cooked angel hair pasta
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Brown chicken in butter. Add garlic. Saute until garlic is golden. Add wine, broth, parsley and pepper to taste (grind twice around the skillet should do). Cook on medium for 20-30 minutes. Remove the chicken (keep it warm in the oven) and reduce sauce slightly to thicken. Place chicken over pasta and ladle sauce over all. Sprinkle parm. cheese over all.

Dessert: Chocolate mousse. (yes, you CAN make this!)

1 tablespoon butter
3 squares (1 oz. each) of unsweetened chocolate (get it in the baking aisle, not the candy aisle)
2 eggs, divided (easy - crack 'em, hold 'em in your hand, let the white drain thru. Put the yolks in a separate dish. If the yolk breaks, toss all out - there can be no protein in the whites.)
1/4 cup of sugar (times two)
2 tsp. dark rum
1 tsp cold, strong coffee.
1 cup heavy cream, whipped. (hope you can get a mixer or your arm's gonna be tired)

In a small heavy saucepan over low heat melt butter and chocolate. Stir until smooth, then set aside.
In another bowl beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar till stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In yet another large bowl, beat egg yolks with another 1/4 cup of sugar till lemon colored and light. Beat in rum and coffee. With rubber spatula, fold in egg whites and whipped cream, just to blend. Spoon into individual serving dishes (serves 4). Chill in fridge several hours or preferably overnight.




Make all that, and she'll be forever impressed.

[Charlatan]

Chocolate Mousse is dead easy. Go for it.

[allaboutmusic]

Originally Posted by spindles

Personally, I'd avoid cooking chicken if you are unsure. IMO - it is really easy to undercook (and poison you and your guest) or overcook (in which case the chicken ends up dry and not so edible).

This is true - the way to check if it's cooked is to pierce the meat to the bone and ensure the juices run clear.

My secret trick is to bake chicken - wrap in foil and it will stay moist even if you overcook it.

[Taja]

Here's another quick & super easy one. I have fixed this for a lot of people. There are never any leftovers and most want the recipe because they enjoy it so much. Also, whip up some Rice a'Roni Rice Pilaf and a prepared green salad. (Just be sure to throw away all the boxes and wrappings, she'll be VERY impressed!)


Almond-Topped Fish
Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 20 min Ready In: 30 min

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine
1 small onion, thinly sliced
4 (6 ounce) fillets fresh or frozen cod or haddock, thawed
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated fresh (not canned) Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (dried works too)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place butter in a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish; place in a 400 degrees F oven until melted. Spread butter over bottom of dish; cover with onion. Arrange fish over onion; sprinkle with salt, dill and pepper. Combine the Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, parsley and lemon juice; spread over fish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Sprinkle with almonds.

[vanblah]

You want an impressive, meaty tomato-based sauce? I made this last night (for a party of 8) ... it was incredible. Be prepared to spend several hours with it. The website belongs to a friend of mine.

http://edibletherapy.typepad.com/edi...nd-sweet-.html

Beef and Sweet Italian Sausage Ragu
serves ten

3 pounds sirloin top round steak, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 bay leaf
1 bottle red wine (we used a 2004 Cotes du Ventoux Rouge), for marinating and also for the sauce
2 pounds sweet italian sausage, removed from its casings
6 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
5 ribs celery, cut to a small dice
2 white onions, diced small
3 carrots, peeled and diced small
5 T butter
3 T olive oil
2 t salt
1 t crushed red pepper flakes
3 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes

Marinate the beef in the bay leaf and red wine just to cover for one hour.

Saute the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and sausage in olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat until the vegetables are soft, about fifteen minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage while it is cooking. Season with the salt and crushed red pepper.

Remove the beef from the red wine and discard the wine. Add the beef and bay leaf to the pot and cook over medium-high heat until all of the natural juices have evaporated from the pan. Add the rest of the wine, and cook until the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally to ensure that the mixture is not burning to the bottom of the pan.

Add the tomatoes, turn the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until all of the flavors have concentrated and melded together. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary. Serve over polenta or thick pasta, such as pappardelle.

You'll probably want to cut everything in half since there's only two of you. Also you might want to get organic whole, canned tomatoes as well as free-range or "40-acre" beef. I'm sure there's a high end market in Chicago somewhere ... we use a place called The Fresh Market ... but they don't have any stores in Chicago yet.

[LoganSnake]

Originally Posted by vanblah

You want an impressive, meaty tomato-based sauce? I made this last night (for a party of 8) ... it was incredible. Be prepared to spend several hours with it. The website belongs to a friend of mine.

http://edibletherapy.typepad.com/edi...nd-sweet-.html

You'll probably want to cut everything in half since there's only two of you. Also you might want to get organic whole, canned tomatoes as well as free-range or "40-acre" beef. I'm sure there's a high end market in Chicago somewhere ... we use a place called The Fresh Market ... but they don't have any stores in Chicago yet.

We've got Whole Foods. I like to shop there. That sauce looks delicious. If I don't make it for the 14th, I'll be sure to try it out another day.

Oh, while you guys are giving out the recipes, anybody have any tasty cocktails recipes? My girlfriend is a sucker for something sweet, fruity and alcoholic.

[Kaimi]

I was wondering how your dinner turned out and what you had decided to prepare.

On another note I came across this recipe that seemed suitable for a bachelor.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci..._19480,00.html

Read Instruction manual below before continuing

Dishwasher Salmon
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Piquant Dill Sauce, recipe follows

Cut 2 (12-inch) square sheets of aluminum foil. Place 2 fillets side by side on each square and fold up the outer edges. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of lemon juice over each fillet. Season with salt and pepper.

Fold and pinch the aluminum foil extra tightly to create a watertight seal around each pair of fillets. Make sure the packet is airtight by pressing down on it gently with your hand. If air escapes easily, rewrap.

Place foil packets on the top rack of the dishwasher. Run dishwasher for the entire "normal" cycle. When cycle is complete, take out salmon, discard foil, place 1 fillet on each plate, and spoon a generous serving of dill sauce overtop.

Don't have a dishwasher? Bake foil-wrapped packets in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 12 minutes.

The Instruction Manual: 1. Seal individual-size fillets in aluminum foil. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO COOK A WHOLE FISH. 2. Place fish packets on the top rack. 3. Add dirty dishes and lemon-scented soap. This optional step is not recommended for novices. However, as long as the salmon is tightly sealed in the aluminum foil, it will not absorb any soapy taste or smell. 4. Set the dishwasher to the "normal" cycle. Modern dishwashers have "economy" and "cool dry" settings, which are undesirable because they conserve heat. However, on the other end of the spectrum, the "pots and pans" setting tends to overcook the fish. 5. Run salmon through the entire wash-and-dry cycle: approximately 50 minutes for most models. I have poached salmon in almost every make and model, and although the temperatures and duration of the cycles vary with each machine, a little more or less "washing" will not affect it greatly because salmon is extremely forgiving. 6. To heighten the drama for your disbelieving guests, and to prove that you have nothing up your sleeve, let them crowd around the dishwasher when you load the salmon. When the cycle is complete, invite them back to witness the unloading. 7. Troubleshoot. The only time I ever had a problem was on live national TV. Five minutes before going on the air I learned that the heating element in the on-camera dishwasher was broken. After a quick huddle with the producer, I was forced to make the most of the situation by baking the salmon in the (gasp!) oven. To avoid this pedestrian fate, ask yourself the million-dollar question: When your dishwasher last completed its cycle, were the dishes hot? As long as the answer is yes, you are ready to poach.

Piquant Dill Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 leeks, white part only, finely chopped, then thoroughly washed
1 jalapeno chile, seeds and membranes removed, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 1/2 cups lightly packed fresh dill, stems removed before measuring
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

Melt the butter over medium heat in a saute pan. Add the leek, jalapeno, and garlic and saute until the leeks are translucent but not brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add the stock. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. (Adjust heat as required to maintain simmer.) The liquid should reduce by half. Remove from heat and let cool.

Transfer to a blender or food processor and add the dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Puree until smooth. Reserve and reheat just before serving. Stir in the sour cream at the last minute.

I chuckled a bit when I saw this. Recalling an episode of Home Improvement where Tim attempted the same thing. I do not not think I could bring myself to toss a nice salmon in the dishwasher myself.

[Tully Mars]

Originally Posted by Kaimi

I was wondering how your dinner turned out and what you had decided to prepare.

On another note I came across this recipe that seemed suitable for a bachelor.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci..._19480,00.html



I chuckled a bit when I saw this. Recalling an episode of Home Improvement where Tim attempted the same thing. I do not not think I could bring myself to toss a nice salmon in the dishwasher myself.

Well I used to take a potato, some carrots, cube steak throw in some seasoning, wrap it in foil and put it next to my exhaust manifold of my truck before driving out to go bow hunting. An hour or so drive to the hunt site and then move the truck once or twice and it's a surprisingly warm and tasty meal.

[Kaimi]

Originally Posted by Tully Mars

Well I used to take a potato, some carrots, cube steak throw in some seasoning, wrap it in foil and put it next to my exhaust manifold of my truck before driving out to go bow hunting. An hour or so drive to the hunt site and then move the truck once or twice and it's a surprisingly warm and tasty meal.

Well then, I should go ahead and sell that pesky oven. Can always use more space in the kitchen.

[Tully Mars]

Originally Posted by Kaimi

Well then, I should go ahead and sell that pesky oven. Can always use more space in the kitchen.

Hey, if you're driving your vehicle anyway why not? The heat coming off the manifold is mostly wasted energy.

Works better when hunting and fishing and not so well for dinner parties. I don't think people would be impressed if you went out, popped the hood and pulled the evenings turkey out of your motor.

[allaboutmusic]

Originally Posted by Tully Mars

Works better when hunting and fishing and not so well for dinner parties. I don't think people would be impressed if you went out, popped the hood and pulled the evenings turkey out of your motor.

How cool would that be though!

I never thought of a dishwasher as a cooking device. Genius!

[LoganSnake]

Whoops, forgot to update!

For the main course, I made this http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci..._30144,00.html

It came out fantastic!

For appetizers, my mom helped me make baked shrimp in sour cream that came out great as well. Also, I bought one of those dough rolls with vegetables and cream cheese inside from Sam's Club (I don't know what they're called, but they come pre-cut).

Due to the lack of red wine in the house (wtf) and my laziness to get it, we used Asti sparkling wine instead and emptied the whole bottle together.

For desert I made us strawberry sundae (her favorite ice cream) and then we went to bed.

Oh, and I was playing rock love songs the whole time (hence the thread I made in Music some time ago).

All in all she was very surprised and totally didn't expect me to cook. Also, she said that she doesn't think I can top it next year. We'll see...

[vanblah]

Originally Posted by Tully Mars

Hey, if you're driving your vehicle anyway why not? The heat coming off the manifold is mostly wasted energy.

Works better when hunting and fishing and not so well for dinner parties. I don't think people would be impressed if you went out, popped the hood and pulled the evenings turkey out of your motor.

There used to be a cook-book with recipes for stuff like this. I remember Engine-Block Chicken ...

[lagoonguy]

glad it worked out! While cooking is a romantic way to do a v-day to avoid crowds. if cooking isn't your thing, try this: for the last several years, we have our v-day dinner a day or two BEFORE valentine's day. the prices aren't jacked higher, there are ZERO crowds, and by default i believe you get better service. Plus it's always a little quieter and romantic.

[Tully Mars]

Originally Posted by vanblah

There used to be a cook-book with recipes for stuff like this. I remember Engine-Block Chicken ...

Yeah, not an original idea of mine. I saw it on some local morning show years ago. Some guy was talking about the many ways to save money. Baking soda tooth paste, reusing tin foil etc... I thought his engine block cooking would work well for hunting and fishing trips. It does. Figure if you spend a couple hours driving to your favorite fishing hole and then a couple hours fishing your meal will still be warm by the time you have lunch.