Originally posted by mokkoI'd recommend a simple pasta dish:
So I have just made plans for tomorrow night to have a really cute guy over for supper. It's been awhile since I've had to cook for anyone, especially someone that I'm hoping to make a very good impression with.
Should I make spaghetti or leg of lamb?
He doesn't like mushrooms, which I love in my spaghetti, and I'm all out of parmesan cheese.
If I g ...[text shortened]...
But spaghetti isn't really all that impressive of a meal 🙁
ARGH! Too much pressure!
Egg Noodles
Butter
Garlic Salt
Pepper
A very small amount of rosemary may be added as it will help to accent the lamb. You may just want to keep it simple though.
Lamb can be difficult to cook, you may want to try a pot roast as its just fire and forget. You'll need:
3lbs of beef suitable for a roast. Brown on all sides.
8 ounce jar of horseradish (Boars head is great). Coat the browned roast on all sides.
Add salt and pepper as desired.
Add one cup of water and bring to a boil - reduce to a simmer and cook for about an hour.
Add potatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms and some garlic cloves and cook for another hour. The roast should pretty much fall apart at this point.
Presto you're done. You can make a simple gravy by adding flour and a little water after your remove the roast and the vegatables.
Spaghetti is a messy meal to eat... I like to stay away from this an soups if I'm trying to impress.
Here's a recipe for Potatoes Au Gratin that's simple and will probably go well with pretty much any meat:
Slice 6 - 8 medium potatoes into 1/8" slices and spread into a glass baking pan.
Throw a chopped up medium onion and a clove of chopped garlic into a sauce pan and cook for a couple of minutes with a 1/4" stick of butter.
Add 2 cups of milk (homogonized.. 2% is for losers) and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and add 2 or so cups of cheddar cheese stir until melted completely (heat over medium heat if necessary).
Poor the sauce over the potatoes and bake at 375F for 1 hour. Add another cup of cheese to the top (add bread crumbs if you like or some of those dried onion rings from French's) bake for another 15-25minutes.
Keep it simple and try not to get yourself knocked up on the first date.
I'm sure you will impress him with this recipe.
Rosemary and garlic-roasted leg of lamb.
Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time 1 to 2 hours
Ingredients
1 leg of lamb, bone in, approximately 2kg/4½lb
4-5 garlic cloves, peeled
rosemary, freshly picked
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
For the roast potatoes
1-1½kg/2-3lb roasting potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
For the coriander pesto
large bunch of fresh coriander
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1-2 anchovies, in oil
½oz pine nuts, toasted
½oz parmesan cheese, grated
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Using a sharp knife, prick the leg of lamb all over, about 20 times and about 2cm/1in deep.
3. Cut the garlic cloves into thin strips and place one slice of garlic into each hole with a few rosemary leaves. Continue until all the holes are full. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with oil.
4. Place the lamb directly onto the oven rack and place a roasting tray directly underneath on the rack below. This is to catch the fat as it drips from the lamb. Roast in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour 15 minutes or until cooked to taste, basting frequently.
5. Par-boil the potatoes. Drain them, then return them to the pan and shake to roughen the edges.
6. After the first 15-20 minutes of cooking the lamb, carefully tip the potatoes into the roasting tray underneath the lamb, which will now contain the hot fat from the lamb above.
7. Coat the potatoes in the fat then roast with the lamb until golden and cooked through, turning once or twice.
8. To make the pesto, put all the ingredients for the coriander pesto, except the oil and seasoning, into a food processor. Blend, gradually adding oil until you reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with the lamb and roast potatoes.
You can serve this dish with steamed carrots, it gives a nice color on your plate
Originally posted by wormwoodNot very romantic, are you?
is there really 100+ messages on this subject?? I skipped everything after few pages.
there's no way it will make any difference what the food is, if the guy just has even half of a demented brain. it's not a deal breaker.
this may come as a shocker, but food is not what's gonna be in his mind.
Originally posted by wormwoodMaybe you could sing a serenade for Mokko and her guest while they have their romantic dinner ...
not really, no.
well, I'll write poems, a song, sing for her, play for her, whisper sweet nothings into her ear. but I'll never open a door or bring dead flowers to her.