What can I cook to impress my girlfriend?

Question

Something fairly simple as I am not the greatest chef.
And we eat pretty much anything (except brussel sprouts).

Answer 1

This can't really go wrong. How about soup for a starter (can buy tinned and heat up), spaghettin bolognese with side salad and garlic bread for main (use a sauce for the spaghetti and buy the garlic bread to stick in the oven) followed by a nice dessert ( meringue nest (bought) with a dollop of good quality vanilla ice cream and strawberries with some cream as an optional extra. All you need to go with it is wine. A nice, simple meal that I think can't really go wrong. She will be impressed that you cooked for her. Good luck!

Answer 2

Get some fresh chicken breasts, cut it up. Coat it with an egg/water mixture, roll in bread crumbs and bake 30 minutes at 325 degrees.

If you're real lazy, get some shake n bake type coating, and coat the fresh chicken with that mixture. Tastes just as good.

While the chicken is baking, make some fresh mashed potatoes.
If you have a microwave its super easy.
In a microwave safe bowl, add 2 potatoes, washed and cut. Peel if you wish. Poke a few holes in it with a fork.
Fill the bowl with water, put in microwave, cover with saran wrap or waxed paper, microwave on high for 8 minutes.

When the potatoes are done (fork should slide easily into it), carefully drain the water. If you do not have a potato masher, use the fork and break the potatoes down until you can mash it. Add a splash of milk, a gob of butter and a dash of salt. Mix well. For creamier potatoes, add more milk... but not too much milk or it'll turn mushy. Let the potatoes sit 5 minutes before serving.

Then for veggies, you can serve fresh veggies (ie: corn on the cob, carrots) or frozen or canned.. whichever you prefer

For a salad try this
MEXICAN CHICKEN SALAD

1/2 lb chicken breasts, cooked (ie: boil or grilled), boned and skin removed, and chilled. Or 2 boneless breasts.
1 avocado, ripe, peeled and diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely diced
1 large tomato diced
1/2 cabbage, sliced and diced
1/4 c diced celery
1/2 brown onion, diced
1 fresh jalapeno, seeds removed then diced
Mayo
salt/pepper to taste


Pull apart the chicken breast and shred or dice. Put aside.
In a large bowl - Add the cabbage, then the cilantro, tomato, celery / onion, jalapeno and a dash of salt/pepper.
Add the avocado then 2 -3 tbsp of mayo or just enough to moisten to your taste. Mix well.
Chill for 1 hour and serve cold, topped with the chicken or, mix the chicken into the salad before serving.

Answer 3

Coq au vin - it's a winner. Read on...

Cut up BACON (streaky is good) into not-too-small pieces and fry them. Use about one slice of bacon for one-two pieces of chicken. When the bacon is almost cooked, and has produced some fat, add the SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS -- which can either have the bones in or out. It doesn't matter. Fry them a little bit, just to use up the fat and brown them some. If there wasn't much bacon fat, add some olive oil.

At this point, if you're going to do it all on the stovetop in a big kettle, just proceed to add MUSHROOMS (either sliced or, if they're small, whole) and SHALLOTS (again, whole if they're small, but cut in two if they are large). The quantity is up to you -- whatever you like, it will taste great. Season it all with SALT and PEPPER, and I add 'FINES HERBS' or some other herb mixture. Then add RED WINE -- it doesn't have to be great stuff, obviously. One or two CHICKEN STOCK CUBES will give it more flavour, but this is optional. If it's a fairly large batch, it will probably take up to two hours of simmering (low boil) to get done. Leave the cover off so that the alcohol burns off the wine, and the sauce reduces to become nice and rich.

If you're going to cook it in the oven in a casserole, then transfer the meat in first, and then brown the mushrooms and shallots in a bit of olive oil before adding that, too, to the meat. Salt and pepper everything, add the herbs, the wine, and the stock cube. It will take 2 hours in the oven (about 325F or 170C).

Answer 4

To really impress her, make a lasagne. Buy some pasta strips (they come in a box about the size of a dvd case) some mince meat and 2 pots of lasagne sauce (dolmio do a great set - you will need 1 white sauce, and 1 red sauce) then cook your mince in the red sauce, and just layer in all ingredients to the top of an over proof dish. It may sound more complicated than it is, but it is a sure bet wow factor, expecially if you serve it up with some garlic bread and a green salad. Finish up with some strawberries and melted dark chocolate. She'll be putty in your hands !! Good luck.

Answer 5

Tthis is the easiest thing:
This is a very moist and light angel food. A family favorite at my house."
Original recipe yield: 1 - 10 inch tube cake.

Prep Time:
30 Minutes
Cook Time:
1 Hour
Ready In:
1 Hour 30 Minutes
Servings:
14 (change)

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 cups egg whites
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
* 1 1/4 cups white sugar
* 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1 1/4 cups cake flour
* 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, mix confectioners' sugar, cake flour, and cocoa. Sift together 2 times, and set aside.
3. In a clean large bowl, whip egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar with an electric mixer on high speed until very stiff. Fold in white sugar 2 tablespoons at a time while continuing to mix. Fold in flour mixture, a little at a time, until fully incorporated. Stir in vanilla. Pour into a 10 inch tube pan.
4. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for approximately 1 hour, or until cake springs back when touched.

Answer 6

Cook ice-cream!!! She'll love you for it!!!

Okay, here's how you do it:

You first beat 3 egg yolks and 5 tblspoons caster sugar in a heatproof bowl OVER a saucepan of simmering water until pale and thick.

Gently fold in 320 grams of whipped double cream and mix for a while. Set aside until it is cool.

Meanwhile choose a fruity combination you want to serve in ice-cream (mixed berries, mango and passionfruit or chocolate)

For mixed berries, you blend some apple juice with a couple of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.

Carefully fold this into the cream mixture until combined, mix it up, and place in the freezer for half an hour.

After half an hour, mix it again so the consistency is smooth. Then freeze it for another hour.

Then serve with some fresh berries! Voila!!! Bon apetit!!!

Answer 7

How about chicken w/ bacon and cheese as it can look pretty impressive?:

Wrap the bacon round chicken breasts, and bake until the chicken is done (when you put a knife in, clear juice comes out).

While this is doing, cook some broccoli and cauliflower and put it in the bottom of an oven dish. cover this with the bacon, then the chicken and finally cheese. It tastes brilliant, but I had to give this up when becoming a veggie.

Serve with roast potatoes and white wine.

Answer 8

Ever try grilled haddock over basmati rice, or any kind of rice with a salad of some sort? Sounds exotic, but really easy and is pretty to look at.

or for something from a can,
brown chicken in oil with onions...make sure it's cooked through, and golden brown

pour in a can of mushroom soup

stir in water...let simmer till thick

serve over pasta, like penne (not spaghetti...too messy)

Answer 9

It really depends on what she likes. I like salads. Bob Evan's had a great salad a couple years back that I make at home. Grilled Chicken breast (I use my George Forman Grill) or you could broil it. I marinate the boneless/skinless chicken in a Mesquite seasoning. I use romaine lettuce (you can buy a salad by Dole) fresh strawberries, fresh pineapple, bacon bits, and blue cheese. Top with a Raspberry Vinaigrette.

Answer 10

This not hard to do if you follow these instructions.
This is for a tikka salad with potato salad (my way)

For the tikka you need.
3 tbsp Tikka masala ( available from asda and most ethnic shops)
3 tbsp plain yoghurt
3 tbsp veg oil
2 tbsp lemon juice (any type will do)
Pack of turkey steaks (cooks easier and has less fat than chicken)

Mix ingredients in a bowl, cut turkey into 50ml wide strips (length not important).
Mix in bowl ensuring each piece is coated and leave covered in fridge overnight.
Cook on a baking tray in center of oven for 15 mins at 170 degrees c. Cut a piece open to check if cooked right through (meat will be white all through when cooked) if not extend cooking times but check a different piece for cooked.
When cooked put to one side and if not using immeadiately put in fridge.

Potato salad.
1 kilo salad potatos
1 50ml long piece peeled and diced cucumber
4 sliced spring onions (use the white and just up to where the leave splits) (wash well!)
2 diced tomatos
2 rashers of smocked back bacon cut into 1 centimeter squares fried till light brown.
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp mayonaise

Cut potatos into pieces about 1 centimeter square (with most salad potatos this is cut in half then each piece in half and again)
Put potatos in a pan and add cold water NOT HOT. Add half a tsp of salt to taste, Bring to the boil with lid on. When boiling turn down to simmer so water just bubbles Cook for about 16 mins when they should cut with no pressure. Drain and let go cool.
When cool mix with other ingredients, being careful not to mash the potatos in the process.

Serve tikka on the plate (cold) and put potato salad in a bowl in centre of table. Cut iceberg lettuce into thin strips, shred the strips and mix with slices of cucumber and tomato in another bowl.

Enjoy. Any questions email me.
Dave B