Cooking Up Some Love

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Hi H,

I'm cooking dinner for the first time for the girl I've been dating and I want to impress her with my cooking skills, but I also need something that's easy and I can make in my tiny kitchen.  Any ideas?  

Thanks!

Kitchen Conundrum

K,

What a lucky girl, to have a man cook her dinner!! I hope you'll be doing the dishes too. :)

I think the key here is to impress her with "manly" cooking, of which the manliest is...

steak. 

(Note:  you should probably check to make sure she isn't a vegetarian or on the latest apple diet before you invest in an expensive cut).  I appreciate a man that can cook a good steak, especially one who can grill.*  It sounds like, in your tiny kitchen, grilling may not be an option, but you can come close:  buy a stovetop grill pan if you don't have one. 

The key here, other than not messing up the steak, is to put some thought into the side dishes and condiments.  A tangy blue cheese sauce or a nice red wine mushroom reduction would be a great topping for the steak itself. As far as sides, I would skip the "meat and potatoes" toward which most guys tend to gravitate, and lighten up the fixings for your woman.  Most girls will love a well-prepared salad, especially to go with a rich steak.  A warm, crusty baguette should suffice for a starch, and serve with roasted garlic rather than butter for spreading. 

Dessert shouldn't be skipped, but keep it light:  a nice parfait with vanilla gelato and fresh fruit would be a great finishing touch. 

*Disclaimer:  I've known some girls that are very good at grilling too, I'm just not one of them!!

Bon Appetit!

H*

Any other suggestions for a home-cooked meal to delight a date? Leave a comment.

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