First meal date - ideas please



I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
way of doing it!
 
[email protected] wrote:
> I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
> shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
> The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
> about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
> will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
> my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
> like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
> any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
> to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
> way of doing it!


Under the circumstances I'd recommend you cook something you already
have experience with and concentrate your efforts on presentation.
Think about how you're going to serve the meal, table decorations,
plate arrangements, a special dessert (even if it's bought). It's just
too chancy to try to cook something new and fancy. -aem
 
[email protected] wrote:
> I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
> shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
> The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
> about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
> will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
> my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
> like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
> any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
> to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
> way of doing it!


Champagne
Salad
Champagne
Porterhouse
Baked potato
Champagne
Pistachios
Chocolate
Champagne


Sheldon
 
Sheldon wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
> > shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
> > The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
> > about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
> > will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
> > my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
> > like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
> > any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
> > to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
> > way of doing it!

>
> Champagne
> Salad
> Champagne
> Porterhouse
> Baked potato
> Champagne
> Pistachios
> Chocolate
> Champagne
>
>
> Sheldon


LOL. Great menu :)

Cheers
Cathy(xyz)
 
"Sheldon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> [email protected] wrote:
> > I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
> > shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
> > The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
> > about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
> > will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
> > my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
> > like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
> > any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
> > to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
> > way of doing it!

>
> Champagne
> Salad
> Champagne
> Porterhouse
> Baked potato
> Champagne
> Pistachios
> Chocolate
> Champagne
>
>
> Sheldon
>


I like your menu Sheldon, but somewhere in there you should open up a bottle
of champagne!

kili
 
On 28 Sep 2005 10:59:28 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

>I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
>shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
>The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
>about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
>will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
>my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
>like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
>any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
>to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
>way of doing it!

Well for starters, you can stop shooting yourself in the foot before
you even get started. If she wants originality, she can buy a one of a
kind painting. Make something easy. I would suggest:

Surf n Turf

Steak and some type of sea food
salad
Crusty bread
string beans or a baked potato
some red or white wine

Follow this up with a few hours of soft dance music on the radio while
sitting on cushions eating cooled seedless grapes and strawberries
dipped in chocolate or whipped cream by candle light in the living
room.

Trust me on this.
 
kilikini wrote:
> "Sheldon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > [email protected] wrote:
> > > I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
> > > shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
> > > The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
> > > about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
> > > will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
> > > my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
> > > like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
> > > any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
> > > to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
> > > way of doing it!

> >
> > Champagne
> > Salad
> > Champagne
> > Porterhouse
> > Baked potato
> > Champagne
> > Pistachios
> > Chocolate
> > Champagne
> >
> >
> > Sheldon
> >

>
> I like your menu Sheldon, but somewhere in there you should open up a bottle
> of champagne!
>
> kili


Hehe, you gotta pop my cork. ;)

Sheldon
 
www. ttdown. com wrote:
> On 28 Sep 2005 10:59:28 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
>
> >I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
> >shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
> >The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
> >about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
> >will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
> >my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
> >like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
> >any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
> >to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
> >way of doing it!

> Well for starters, you can stop shooting yourself in the foot before
> you even get started. If she wants originality, she can buy a one of a
> kind painting. Make something easy. I would suggest:
>
> Surf n Turf
>
> Steak and some type of sea food


Never serve seafood on a first date... just give her lots of beef.

Sheldon
 
[email protected] wrote:
> I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
> shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
> The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
> about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
> will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
> my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
> like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
> any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
> to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
> way of doing it!
>


I'll echo something that you do and do well and concentrate on the
setting. Whether or not champaign works with it is your call.


jim
 
"Sheldon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> kilikini wrote:
> > "Sheldon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > >
> > > [email protected] wrote:
> > > > I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
> > > > shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special

lady.
> > > > The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no

idea
> > > > about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy"

and
> > > > will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly

in
> > > > my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something

uninteresting
> > > > like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
> > > > any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
> > > > to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the

bachelor
> > > > way of doing it!
> > >
> > > Champagne
> > > Salad
> > > Champagne
> > > Porterhouse
> > > Baked potato
> > > Champagne
> > > Pistachios
> > > Chocolate
> > > Champagne
> > >
> > >
> > > Sheldon
> > >

> >
> > I like your menu Sheldon, but somewhere in there you should open up a

bottle
> > of champagne!
> >
> > kili

>
> Hehe, you gotta pop my cork. ;)
>
> Sheldon
>


ROFL - Damn, I should have thought of that first! :~)

kili
 
[email protected] wrote:

> I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
> shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
> The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
> about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
> will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
> my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
> like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
> any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
> to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
> way of doing it!
>

Whatever you dom, chocolate mousse for dessert. store bought is fine as
long as you get a qualtiy brand (maybe try it first). Do serve it such a
way that you can't tell it was fro the store.

Do keep things easy for yourself. I've been known to get tto ambitious
and awanting to impress through my cooking that I became bvad at
conversation and being attentive (which is they key, really).


And I'd stay away for very heavy meals, she might be watching het diet
(,lotsa women do). So maybe an easy salad with vainaigrette (oil +
vingar+ a touch of mustard), steak and bread or potatoes. I'd get easy
starters form the storem, too. Marinated artichoeks, olives, sun blushed
tomatoes, things like that.

If you find getting all the foods reay at the same time complivated,
consider baked dishes. Maybe lasagne and salad?
 
In article <[email protected]>,
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
>shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
>The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea


If your expertise is so low that this is your first-ever cooking
experience, then I suggest you see a professional and have a dinner
catered in -- at least the more challenging parts.

-A
 
On 28 Sep 2005 10:59:28 -0700, in rec.food.cooking,
[email protected] hit the crackpipe and declared:
>I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
>shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
>The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
>about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
>will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
>my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
>like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
>any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
>to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
>way of doing it!


Lean back from the table, pull out your **** and slap it on the table.
Yell "IT'S DINNERTIME, *****!"....then get up and shove it into the
shocked "O" of her mouth.
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"Sheldon" <[email protected]> wrote:

> www. ttdown. com wrote:
> > On 28 Sep 2005 10:59:28 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
> >
> > >I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
> > >shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
> > >The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
> > >about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
> > >will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
> > >my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
> > >like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
> > >any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
> > >to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
> > >way of doing it!

> > Well for starters, you can stop shooting yourself in the foot before
> > you even get started. If she wants originality, she can buy a one of a
> > kind painting. Make something easy. I would suggest:
> >
> > Surf n Turf
> >
> > Steak and some type of sea food

>
> Never serve seafood on a first date... just give her lots of beef.
>
> Sheldon
>


<snort>
You are SO bad Shel'! ;-)
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-*****." -Jack Nicholson
 
In article <[email protected]>,
jake <[email protected]> wrote:

> [email protected] wrote:
>
> > I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
> > shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
> > The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
> > about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
> > will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
> > my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
> > like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
> > any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
> > to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
> > way of doing it!
> >

> Whatever you dom, chocolate mousse for dessert. store bought is fine as
> long as you get a qualtiy brand (maybe try it first). Do serve it such a
> way that you can't tell it was fro the store.
>
> Do keep things easy for yourself. I've been known to get tto ambitious
> and awanting to impress through my cooking that I became bvad at
> conversation and being attentive (which is they key, really).
>
>
> And I'd stay away for very heavy meals, she might be watching het diet
> (,lotsa women do). So maybe an easy salad with vainaigrette (oil +
> vingar+ a touch of mustard), steak and bread or potatoes. I'd get easy
> starters form the storem, too. Marinated artichoeks, olives, sun blushed
> tomatoes, things like that.
>
> If you find getting all the foods reay at the same time complivated,
> consider baked dishes. Maybe lasagne and salad?


Chocolate is an aphrodesiac..... (sp?)
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-*****." -Jack Nicholson
 
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
> shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
> The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
> about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
> will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
> my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
> like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
> any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
> to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
> way of doing it!
>
>Man, pick up a six pack of Lone Star beer and a couple of Big Mac's. She'll
>love you for it! ... No seriously, there are a lot of really amazingly good
>recipes that are very simple. Quality ingredients are essential:


Appetizers:
1) 1 block of cream cheese with a bottle of Pick-A-Peppa sauce poured over
it with crackers. You will be surprised at how good that is.
2) 1 Bag of tortilla chips with a quality salsa and slices of cheddar cheese
3) 1 port wine cheese log with crackers. I like whole wheat crackers for
that one. If you don't like port wine cheese logs, just set out some
crackers with a nice Havarti or a nice Cheddar, or both.
4) 1 bag tortilla chips - 2 Avocados smashed up with salsa and lime juice to
taste

Salad:
1) Chopped Lettuce, grated Carrots, fresh Spinach and/or Arugula, sprouts,
chopped Apples, chopped walnuts and red wine or balsamic vinaigrette
2) Cottage cheese with cling peaches on top with black pepper
3) Chunks of mixed types of fruit cut up into a bowl with chopped walnuts
and a lime squeezed over it

Main course:

Red Meat -
1) Get two well marbled Rib Eye steaks 1.5 inches thick, dump worsteshire
sauce on them and then dust them with course black pepper, Broil for 6
minutes each side. While they are broiling, steam some asparagus, and melt
some butter in a pan with a half a lemon squeezed in it. Pour the lemon
butter on the asparagus when served. Baked potatoes with butter and sour
cream go well with this.
2) Take a glass baking dish and pour a beer in it. dump in a teaspoon of
worsteshire and 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce. Add three or four GOOD Quality
sausages and bake for 20 minutes at 350 (cheap sausage would be a mistake).
Serve with good mustard and kraut. (find out if she likes kraut first) If
she doesn't like kraut, scratch it and the mustard and serve with bar-b-que
sauce. That goes well with store bought potato salad and steamed green beans
with butter and black pepper.
3) Take some butterflied pork loin chops and put cooked stove top cornbread
stuffing in the middle of them and tie them up with bakers string. Bake in a
covered dish at 325 for 20 minutes. Paint them with bar-b-cue sauce and bake
them for another ten minutes uncovered. While they are cooking, quarter some
small new potatoes and boil them until soft. drain them and dust them with
Cajun Seasoning or Seasoned Salt. Serve with Cheddar and French bread.

Chicken-
1) Take some chicken breasts and marinade them in your refrigerator over
night in Italian dressing. Bake them until white all the way through (20 or
30 minutes at 350) and serve them over buttered rice with peas mixed into
it. While they are cooking, steam some carrots until they are soft and drain
them. Add some butter, some maple syrup and some black pepper to the carrots
and stir them up. Fry some Zucchini or Squash slices in Italian dressing
until done.
2) Take a whole chicken and put it in a glass baking dish with a lid. Cover
it with Tamari sauce until it is about 1/2 inch deep in the dish. Cover the
chicken with lots of Rosemary and bake for 50 minutes at 350. Serve with the
Cornbread you can buy in the tubes that pop open from your grocery store and
fresh peas with butter and pepper.

Fish-
1) Mix 1/4 cup melted butter, 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and 1 and 1/2
tablespoons honey and spread it all over a nice 1/2 pound Salmon filet. Next
take a 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs, and four
teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley mixed up and sprinkle liberally over
the salmon. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 or 15 minutes until flaky. This one
is an amazingly tasty recipe! Serve with vegetable of choice and fresh
bread.
2) If you have access to an outdoor cooker/burner, this is a simple and very
tasty meal neither of you will soon forget. You will need to get a couple of
Dungeness crabs (any crab works, but Dungeness is the best if you can get
them, King Crab or Snow Crab is good too) and 1/2 pound of fresh shrimp. Put
a couple of gallons of water in a big pot and throw in a bunch of new
potatoes, 6 half ears of corn, 1/2 pound of sliced Andouille sausage (if you
can get it, if not any GOOD quality sausage will work) and a bag of good,
spicy crab boil. Boil it until the potatoes are soft and then toss in the
crabs. Boil for one minute and then toss in the shrimp. Boil for another
three minutes and turn off the fire. You will have boiled the crabs for a
total of 4 minutes, that is important. Drain it all and then dump it in the
middle of the table on butcher paper. Put out some cocktail sauce and melted
butter and enjoy! I use a rolling pin to break up the crabs.

Dessert-
1) Get some of those Nestle toll house cookies they sell in the refrigerated
section of your grocery store. You can make them any time and they are easy,
fast, and tasty!
2) Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream! The premier, frozen dairy
confection (although I have to admit, some of this Gelato stuff that has
been showing up lately is mighty god!)
 
projectile vomit chick wrote:
> On 28 Sep 2005 10:59:28 -0700, in rec.food.cooking,
> [email protected] hit the crackpipe and declared:
> >I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
> >shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
> >The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
> >about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
> >will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
> >my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
> >like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
> >any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
> >to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
> >way of doing it!

>
> Lean back from the table, pull out your **** and slap it on the table.
> Yell "IT'S DINNERTIME, *****!"....then get up and shove it into the
> shocked "O" of her mouth.


I left an impression, eh?

Sheldon
 
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] wrote:

> my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
> like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality.


Save originality for your bedroom adventures. Make something tasty that
you're comfortable cooking. If she's worth the effort and you hit it
off, there'll be time enough for originality. I'd love a well-prepared
pasta dish. Something that's not too messy to eat, perhaps. JMO. A
nice green salad, good bread. Good dessert. Enjoy the evening.
--
-Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 9-26-05
 
Sheldon wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > I was wondering whether anybody can help me. In the near future, I
> > shall be cooking a meal (for the first time) for a very special lady.
> > The thing is, I am no expert at this type of thing, and I have no idea
> > about what to cook for her. She tells me that she is "not fussy" and
> > will eat "just about anything" - which leaves the ball very firmly in
> > my court. However, I'm sure that if I provide something uninteresting
> > like pasta, she'll think I'm devoid of originality. Have any of you
> > any suggestions as to what I can cook - or more importantly what not
> > to? I can do my bit in the kitchen, but sadly I'm used to the bachelor
> > way of doing it!

>
> Champagne
> Salad
> Champagne
> Porterhouse
> Baked potato
> Champagne
> Pistachios
> Chocolate
> Champagne
>
>
> Sheldon