Any good ideas for first impression dinners?

Answer 1

Try this one - I got really good reviews on this one. If you don't like the tomatillo sauce - then you can substitute it for spaghetti sauce, add some mozzarella and spaghetti and voila! You have chicken parmesean :) Wine (red, or a lighter version - chianti) would go nice with the chicken parmesean and sangria will be amazing with the chicken and tomatillo sauce.

Salsa:
2 quarts water
1/2 pound tomatillos (about 10 small), husks and stems removed
1 garlic clove
1/2 to 1 serrano chile
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Chicken:
3 (1-ounce) slices white bread
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco cheese
Cilantro sprigs (optional)
Lime wedges (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare salsa, bring water to a boil. Add tomatillos, garlic, and chile; cook 7 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Combine tomatillos, garlic, chile, chopped cilantro, onion, lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender; pulse 4 to 5 times or until coarsely chopped. Set aside.

To prepare chicken, place bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 1/2 cups. Arrange crumbs on a baking sheet; bake at 350° for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, cumin, and red pepper; sprinkle evenly over chicken.

Place breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Place egg in another shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg; dredge in breadcrumbs.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Top chicken with salsa, and sprinkle with queso fresco cheese. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges, if desired.

Answer 2

I assume that you want to impress someone. You have to practice a few times first. Go to the fish store and ask for a choice piece of salmon. Take two sprigs of garlic, half lemon and one tablespoon of all purpose seasoning with salt, two leafs of parsley, one whole onion and chop the onion, garlic and parsley very fine and mix together with the lemon. Get a deep frying pan, preferably Teflon non stick. Wrap the fish in a foil paper for about half hour so that the seasoning soaks through. Take a new small paint brush and daub a touch of olive oil in the pan and begin to heat the pan under a moderate flame. Just before it steams off, place the fish with all of the seasoning in the pan. Take a spatula and press down slightly. Do not let the fish burn. As soon as it changes colour completely, flip it over and do the same thing to the other side. The same white wine that you intend to serve, make sure that you either have another small bottle so that you can sprinkle half a teacup full on both sides of the fish as you turn it over to spike it with the wine-flavoured taste. it doesn't hurt to keep one of those little bottles of wine they serve on aircrafts. Always ask for white wine and keep your little bottle.
Take a fork and pinch a small piece. If it impresses you it will impress your date. Serve the white wine chilled with nice jazz in the background. The only thing you are to say yes to is a marriage proposal.
By the way, if your date is allergic to fish, use the same formula for steak except no lemon; use red wine and add bar-B-Q sause to the finished product. Serve with either a bed of rice or a lovely fresh salad.

Boaz.

Answer 3

ALWAYS make something that you have made before. Don't try new things on a first impression. Go for easy recipes that turn out good, and don't need much work. Your first impression should be of you, not the food. So spend your time with the person you are trying to make an impression on.

Answer 4

I was just wondering if it's a major dinner for guests or for a new family member.

You could try a roast ( either leg of lamb or chicken) . Slice part of it before serving . Leave the slices around the the rest of the chicken or lamb. You can serve mash potatoes, Brussels sprout and other veggies. Depends on what you think most people will like to eat. You could also make some stuffing too. Stuffing in chicken always works well for guests.

For desert you could have a fruit jelly and custard trifle made with crushed biscuits or just gelatin fruit salad dishes.

Answer 5

Spaghetti. Everyone loves it and it can't fail. Cook the sauce ahead of time and make the salad. Leave out some anti-pasto or broshetta. When the guests arrive and dinnertime approaches, you can put in the garlic bread and start boiling the pasta. Some nice Parmesan cheese, and maybe a special dessert. Plenty of wine.

Doesn't get any easier than that.

Answer 6

any thing spicy or with 3 dimensional flavor

Answer 7

fried or baked chicken, with mashed potatoes and green beans. butter and bread or biscuits. chicken gravy yum!!!

Answer 8

make something that belongs to your family. like something that has gotten pasted down. its classy and you probably won't mess it up.