The Go-To Meal to Impress Your Lady

Women love a man who can cook. This doesn’t have to be difficult. You only need one go-to dinner to wow that special woman in your life. Here are a few ideas even the most cooking-adverse among you can master with ease to dazzle even the most devout female foodie.

Appetizer

You can never go wrong with cheese and crackers, but there’s an easy way to take it from a kid’s snack to its rightful position as a sensual preface to dinner.

Sun-Dried Tomato & Cheese Spread

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Place a brick of brie cheese (the ones that come in the round cardboard containers work perfectly) on an oven-safe plate and put in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. You’re not actually baking it, you just want the cheese to warm and get soft in the middle (you can touch the top to test). Remove from oven and pour sun-dried tomato paste over the top. Sun-dried tomato paste is available at most grocery stores and you can usually find jars of it in the produce section on a display near the tomatoes.

Place dinner crackers around the cheese on the plate, set out a knife to spread it and you have an appetizer that is not only incredibly tasty, but easy and sure to impress your girl.

Main Course

This doesn’t have to be daunting.  Simplicity done right can be just as impressive as a gourmet meal.

Dust off that old crock pot you’ve had since college – you know, the one your mom gave you in her desperate attempt to get you do eat something besides fast food? Crock pot recipes are by far the easiest to prepare (typically you just throw ingredients in the pot and go on with your day) and the most difficult to mess up (i.e. burn or undercook). And, one of the best parts, your house will smell warm and inviting – something she will definitely notice.

Chicken Bow Tie Pasta

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 jar four cheese alfredo sauce
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 3/4 pkg. bacon bits
• 1 pkg. fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 pkg. of dry Italian Dressing Mix
• 1 cup Swiss cheese, cubed
• 1/4 stick of butter, melted
• Salt and pepper to taste

Literally just put all the ingredients in the crock pot and close the lid.  Cook it on slow for 6 to 7 hours, stirring occasionally.

Note: Cubed Swiss cheese can be replaced with shredded cheese and the mushrooms can be left out. Just give your salt and pepper shakers a shake or two and you’ll be set. If you want to be ambitious, shred the chicken about an hour before it is finished, otherwise you can just serve the breasts.

Follow package directions to cook the bow tie pasta (but don’t worry, all you have to do is put water in a pot and let it boil).

When it comes time to serve the main course, place the bow tie past a on the plate, then spread the crock pot mixture over the top. It not only smells (and tastes) great, it will look fantastic too!

All you need for a side dish is a tossed salad and you can buy those prepackaged.

Dessert

Dessert is the easiest part. It just needs to be something simple and sweet, but with a little effort you can make it something that she’ll remember for a long time. There’s the standard ice cream and sauce, or you can do a twist on an old favorite.

Chocolate Pudding Parfait

Make instant chocolate pudding (follow directions on a large Jell-O instant pudding box. Basically, all you’ll do is stir milk into the contents of the package and put it in the refrigerator to set). If you really want it easy, just buy a bunch of single serving Handisnack chocolate pudding cups. Have cool whip handy.

Get a large wine glass. Fill about 1/3 of it with pudding, then add a small layer of Cool Whip, then another thick layer of pudding (repeat as needed to fill the glass). Garnish the top with a dollop or two more of Cool Whip, two Oreo cookies and a cherry. Bring it out to her, with of course, two spoons.

The dessert is tasty and simple, but oh-so-fun because you’ll be eating it together and she’s not going to expect chocolate pudding.

This whole meal is designed to impress, but with as little effort for you as possible. Your number one objective is, of course, to impress her, but a great bonus?  You’ll have leftovers you can later eat on paper plates, while sitting on the couch with the TV on – it might even taste better that way.

Why do you need a go-to dinner?  Read “The Kitchen:  The New Room Every Woman Wants a Man to Know His Way Around.”