HELP! Never really cooked before, but I need ideas for a special dinner!

[Soccer Princess]

I have never really cooked before, but I want to surprise my boyfriend with a special home cooked dinner. Does anyone have any ideas? My usual "cooking" can be microwaved or is pre-made and just needs to be thrown in the oven. He has been super great with me lately and I really want to surprise him. We are not the most adventurous eaters, so I was thinking some sort of chicken or pasta dish. Thanks in advance!

 

[perpetualplanner]

It's really easy to roast a chicken or turkey with pop-up timers. Just follow the directions and baste with some butter. My family loves it and thinks I've slaved all day but you really just put it in the oven and wait.

You could also marinate chicken breasts in italian salad dressing for an hour (or all day) and grill it. I like the sun-dried tomato italian dressing for this.

 

[MandM-Mom]

Classico makes a great spicey tomato sauce that I like to serve over pasta. Saute some shrimp add to the spicey sauce... add a green salad and garlic bread dinners done in 1/2 hour don't forget a nice bottle of wine or his favorite beer....and candles!!!

 

[goofymom/pop]

I have a daughter (24) who cannot boil water....I swear she can't but she makes a great chicken parmsean. And its a quick version

By already breaded frozen chicken breasts. Bake according to directions.

While baking chicken warm a jar or two of Ragu chunky garden style sauce, doctored with a bit of garlic powder, some oregano, a 1/2 cup of parmesean cheese, some black pepper and a little salt....also my daughter loves the 5 brothers sauces, she says there great right from the jar, no extras needed.

While baking chicken and warming sauce boil some water for pasta. When pasta is about 5 minutes from done....top baked chicken with some sauce and mozerella cheese. Place back in oven until pasta is done.

Drain pasta, top with sauce, place chicken on side. Serve with fresh italian bread, and a ceaser salad...(buy ceaser salad in a bag....dress right before serving.)

He'll think you slaved all day. Good luck!

Here is another good one.....not chicken though

Buy smoked sausage or kelbasi, cut into 2 inch pieces and place in casserole dish. Wash, peel and cut up 4=5 medium potatoes, place on top of kelbasi. Add a chopped onion and green pepper to the top. Place one stick of butter on the top cut into pieces. Cover and bake 45 minutes on 375 or until potatoes are cooked through. Stir once during baking to mix the ingredients together. Serve with biscuits and applesauce...yummy and quick!!!

 

[yummy72]

Here are a few suggestions that are all pretty simple. Get a salad in a bag, a loaf of good french bread, and you'll be all set. I've included my recipe for chocolate souffles at the bottom. Don't be intimidated, they are easier than making a batch of cookies. If you don't want to try dessert, and you have a Wal-Mart or Sam's near you, in the freezer section they have these great Chocolate Lava Cakes that you just microwave for a minute. Have fun! If you can read the recipe, you can make it! PS: I made the Easy Chicken Marsala for my boyfriend in college for Valentine's Day. He's now my husband and we've been married 11 years.

Easy Chicken Marsala

3 chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons Marsala
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 large clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon paprika
dash pepper

Slowly cook chicken in butter until done. Stir in remaining ingredients stirring occasionally until thick and hot.
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Chicken Spaghetti

1 onion, chopped
4-5 stalks celery, sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 stick butter or margarine
one small jar pimiento
1 lb. block Velveeta
2 cups cooked, diced chicken
chicken broth, optional
1 package spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

Sauté onion, celery, and green pepper in butter. Mix all ingredients together, adding chicken broth if mixture appears too dry. Bake at 350 degrees, in casserole dish until hot and cheese is melted. This freezes well too.
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Easy Chocolate Soufflés

¼ cup butter or margarine
5 ounces semisweet chocolate (5 squares), chopped
3 large eggs at room temperature, separated
½ cup sugar
¼ cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup heavy or whipping cream, whipped

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Microwave butter and chocolate in a large bowl 1-1 ½ minutes. Stir until smooth; set aside. Beat egg whites in a small mixer bowl on medium speed until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Stir egg yolks, flour, cocoa, and vanilla into chocolate mixture. With rubber spatula, gently fold in one third of whites to lighten, and then fold in remaining whites. Spoon batter into four 6-ounce individual baking dishes; place on jellyroll pan. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until tops are puffed and barely set in center. Serve immediately with whipped cream.

 

[kittychatalot]

This is an incredible recipe variation of chicken champignon, which is just chicken in a mushroom sherry sauce:

[font=Verdana,Arial,MS Sans Serif]Southern Pecan Chicken Champignon[/font]​

[font=Verdana,Arial,MS Sans Serif]with Pecan Butter[/font]



[font=MS Sans Serif,Verdana,Arial]

[font=Verdana,Arial,MS Sans Serif]Recipe from: Fine Dining Louisiana Style[/font][font=Verdana,Arial,MS Sans Serif] by John M. Bailey[/font]


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[font=Verdana,Arial,MS Sans Serif]Cookbook Heaven[/font][font=Verdana,Arial,MS Sans Serif][font=Verdana,Arial,MS Sans Serif] at [/font][font=Verdana,Arial,MS Sans Serif]Recipelink.com[/font][/font][/font]

This dish is excellent with your favorite stuffing or wild rice dish. For a more formal presentation serve this sauce with game hens, quail or duck.



Servings: 4

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast
• 4 ounces Southern Comfort whiskey
• 4 tablespoons diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• Juice of 1/2 orange, seeds removed
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour (seasoned to taste)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons roasted pecan pieces
• 8 tablespoons pecan butter (see recipe below)
• 12 ounces whipping cream
• 4 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Salt & pepper to taste

Pecan Butter

• 8 ounces sweet butter
• 3 basil leaves diced or 3 tablespoons dry basil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 pinch cayenne
• 1 pinch blackening seasoning
• 1/2 cup pecans

1. Mix all pecan butter ingredients together in a food processor. Roll in log shape in wax paper and refrigerate or freeze for future use.
2. Marinate the chicken breast in 2 ounces Southern Comfort, diced onions, garlic and orange juice for 1 hour.
3. Dredge in seasoned flour and pan fry in olive oil and butter mixture. After golden brown remove from skillet, finish cooking in oven then hold warm.
4. Discard most of the oil from the skillet and deglaze with the marinade. Reduce for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add mushrooms, roasted pecan pieces and pecan butter. Saute mushrooms for 3 to 4 minutes; add additional 2 ounces of Southern Comfort and flame off.
6. Add whipping cream and reduce to coat a spoon. Salt & pepper to taste.
7. Fold in fresh parsley and spoon over panned chicken

 

[christinadei]

I forgot to thaw something last night, so I threw some frozen chicken breasts on the george forman, boiled bowtie pasta noodles and warmed up some of the Ragu roasted garlic alfredo type sauce. topped noodles with sauce and grilled chicken added a little black pepper and parm cheese, threw together a salad and added some garlic bread. Dinner in an instant. It was good too.

 

[popeyeohoh]

Steak Carpaccio

Red Wine Risotto with Peas

Raspberry Cream Cupcakes
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_28066,00.html

This tilapia recipe is easy and tastes great. My husband loves the sauce. I have not tried the Carpaccio but Giada recommends this for a romantic meal. Good Luck