Critique my “cooking dinner for a date” menu please

[Rosencrantzandchums]

Hello -

Been seeing a nice man for 7 weeks and all going well, we’ve been out lots and he’s cooked at his for valentines (made good effort though we might have skipped dessert)

I’m pencilled in to be hosting him this weekend now. Catch is I really can’t cook so can only do basic stuff.

I’ve planned:

-smoked salmon starter - get the gravaldax from Aldi/Lidl and divide between two plates, with slice of lemon?

• Main: I’m thinking of doing a pesto chicken pasta bake? Cook/roast chicken thighs then shred off chicken. Boil pasta. Stir chicken and pasta and some pesto together. Put slices of mozzarella and tomato and maybe some breadcrumbs on top and bake (advantage of this scheme is I can pre-prepare this and put in fridge then it just needs to go in oven when he gets here and we’ve had a bit of a cuddle?) Put some basil on top to look fancy.

For drinks he’s doing some sort of abstinence due to an injury so was thinking elderflower cordial with sparkling water and a slice of lemon and mint on top?

No pudding as he’s not really a pudding guy but proper coffee to finish.

I did a trial run of the chicken pasta thing and it was good and idiot proof but wonder if I could jazz it up in any way?

Sounds nice! I don't eat meat or fish really so not up my street but love a good pasta bake! Garlic bread?

At the end of the day you want something you're comfortable cooking and won't take up your time when he's there so prepping before hand and just chucking in the oven is great!

What's the coffee you're doing? I love black coffee

I’d add a Greek salad as a side. Cherry tomatoes, chunks of cucumber, olives, chunks of bell pepper, feta cheese crumbles tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. Colourful, fresh and tasty also easy to prepare in advance and you could even buy a balsamic vinaigrette dressing to make it even easier.

hi

As the starter I'd have the tomato and mozzarella sliced on a dish covered with quite a lot of good olive oil and some good vinegar (not too sour). You could also scatter some finely chopped onion onto that. If you make it about an hour in advance the oil/vinegar mixture tastes fabulous. Scatter some basil leaves on top. Then some warmed ciabatta to dip into the oil. On second thoughts because of the nature of this visit you might want to forget the raw onion bit! I'd have it on one communal plate so you both help yourself to the tomatoes and mozzarella and dip into the communal plate for the oil.

Forgot to say you'd also need some nice tomatoes for that and not some of the orange cardboards things.

Definitely a salad to go with the pasta bake. I like the earlier idea of a Greek salad and very simple to prepare. Otherwise just a garden salad. How about some nice cheese to finish off the meal if he doesn't have a sweet tooth?

As long as you know he likes those things. Imagine if he didn't.

(Don't ever invite me for dinner, I dislike so many things)

I would not go for pesto. A minority of people do not like it, not just a dislike but really cannot stand it. I am one, and it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth and weird sensation in my nose for days. It can cause odd reactions in some people.

Thanks everyone - dinner was lovely and ran smoothly, but hardly touched the food and we’re actually no longer dating.............

(asked me to be his girlfriend ).

Ah that's lovely. I hope you are very happy

😁😁😁 lovely thread! Congrats

Yay, what a great update ☺️♥️

Sounds like a good plan.