Makin' Dinner as a firs date

[GMUBunny]

Originally posted by Optimist Prime
Try seafood. Shrimp pasta might work well.

If you decide to go with a shrimp or crab dish, make sure she isn't allergic to seafood first (like me...). You could end up spending the whole first date in the ER (been there, done that, and it was really embarrassing)

[axotiger]

Actually, I was just cooked for [as a first date thing] on Tuesday.

He was REALLY smooth. He had vacumed [probably a good idea], cleared out the main area sorta and set up a table with a white tablecloth on it. Had candles [all same color] all around the room. Jazz /dinner music playing in the background. He poured me a glass of wine as I walked in, and he was finishing up dinner. He made Chicken Marsella [sp?], and some cooked peppers to go along with it [i dont usually like them, but they were good]. Then for dessert was strawberries [sprinkled with suga] and coolwhip... with Champagne. Overall it was a HUGE success!

You may not want to go THAT far with it... but maybe some other time!

GOOD LUCK.

[AlphaSigOU]

Surprisingly, if you're into seafood, the recipes on the backs of the foil pouches of tuna and salmon are pretty tasty and also quick and painless to make.

Here's one of my favorites:

SALMON OR TUNA CAKES WITH LEMON HERB SAUCE

• 1 7.1-oz. pouch Chicken of the Sea Pink Salmon or Albacore Tuna
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper and green onion (I don't like it, but it's entirely optional - I usually leave it out.)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise (regular, low cal or light)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tbsp seasoned salt (Old Bay seasoning will work just as well.)
• Cayenne pepper to taste (Old Bay already has cayenne pepper in it, so son't go overboard!)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs (Progresso makes decent bread crumbs, but if you can find the coarse Japanese bread crumbs, better still! Or mix 'em half and half. )
• 3 tbsps butter or margarine

In a medium bowl, flake and combine the salmon/tuna, red pepper, onion, mayonnaise, lemon juice, seasoned salt and cayenne pepper. Stir in egg and 4 tbsps of the bread crumbs into the mix. Divide and form the mix into eight balls, then roll the balls in a plate containing the remaining bread crumbs. Once breaded, flatten the balls into patties about 1/2" thick. In a medium skillet, melt the butter/margarine and fry the cakes until golden brown on both sides. Serve immediately with Lemon Herb Sauce (recipe below). Makes four servings of two cakes each.

LEMON HERB SAUCE

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (regular, light or low cal)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp horseradish
• 2-1/2 tsp fresh or 1 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Chill until ready to serve. Makes 1 cup.

Some interesting experimentations with the recipe:

Use the seasoned tuna pouches from StarKist (theres a red pepper and also a lemon pepper tuna). However, these pouches are smaller (5 oz instead of the 7 oz.).

Use dijon mustard instead of the seasoned salt.

Be creative!

[CarolinaCutie]

OK so a question for those who have responded:

Do you think it's OK to tell the person in advance what you're cooking, or do you think it is more romantic to have it be a surprise?

I was going to suggest telling her what he was going to make, because I am soooo picky and I would hate for someone to spend a lot of time making something for me that I wouldn't eat. But then I thought that maybe I am just weird and other girls might eat it anyway?

[phi sig girly]

awww...i think makin dinner for someone will always be one of the cutest things ever...i just made dinner for my boyfriend twice this past week and he really liked it even though it was just lemon herb chicken breasts, whole white potatos and green beans lol i think no matter what you make it'll be the work and thought that count whch will get you far

your salad sounds really good - fruit vinegarettes are soooo good..i had this cranberry one once with craisins sprinkled on it which was realllly good

[MattUMASSD]

alright so after a lot of suggestions im going to go with seafood pasta with a white wine lemon sauce. Im going to use fettucine pasta with chrimp, scallops, and muscles along with other summer vegetables. For dessert puff pastry with vanilla ice cream with fresh blueberries and raspberries or whatever looks good at the grocery store. So that sums up the menu I think. This will all take place tomorrow night.

[AlphaSigOU]

It wouldn't hurt to discreetly ask what your date's preferences and possible allergies are. As mentioned before, you don't need to have a date end in the ER because of an untold or unknown allergy!

[AlphaSigOU]

Originally posted by MattUMASSD
alright so after a lot of suggestions im going to go with seafood pasta with a white wine lemon sauce. Im going to use fettucine pasta with chrimp, scallops, and muscles along with other summer vegetables. For dessert puff pastry with vanilla ice cream with fresh blueberries and raspberries or whatever looks good at the grocery store. So that sums up the menu I think. This will all take place tomorrow night.

Sounds like it'll taste good... but chrimp and muscles? You mean shrimp and mussels! If you're choosing shrimp and other seafood BE SURE they are the freshest available.

[greeklawgirl]

You must really like this girl, because fresh shrimp, scallops, and mussels are going to cost a small fortune for one meal, lol!

Good luck! The meal sounds delicious.

[MattUMASSD]

my dads a chef and he knows this guy in the seafood imdustry so we get it at a fraction of the cost in the grocery store.

[GMUBunny]

Your dinner sounds great Matt!!! I wish I could eat seafood. I used to love crab and scallops when I was like 6... oh well. Maybe you can make me a seafood-free pasta dish one time

[MattUMASSD]

anytime meg, just let me know.

[Sistermadly]

Find out if she has any food allergies /dietary restrictions before you go any further.

[MattUMASSD]

yeah she isnt allergic to anything.

[GMUBunny]

Originally posted by MattUMASSD
anytime meg, just let me know.

Woohoo!!!