Dinner date, I'm cooking, need assistance please

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If you're going to get her involved in cooking the meal, you'd better have an apron for her to wear. If you had one on as well, that wouldn't be a bad thing.

Well, given that I ruined two very nice and at the time brand new Nightmare Before Christmas shirts with EVOO splatter… I should probably invest in one. :( That's probably the best advice in the whole thread. :ROFLMAO:
 
Well, given that I ruined two very nice and at the time brand new Nightmare Before Christmas shirts with EVOO splatter… I should probably invest in one. :( That's probably the best advice in the whole thread. :ROFLMAO:

I have a wonderful apron collection. They can be quite the statement.
 
You're on the right track.

I'm more of a wine guy myself, but I can certainly appreciate a good beer. If you're into craft brew, that's probably what you should serve with your meal. I think the Ommegang Witbier is a great choice with your meal. Wheat beers are unpretentious, light, refreshing, and not bitter. They go good with food, without getting in the way.

If you do decide on wine, I'd probably serve either a "new world" (US/Aussie) Sauvignon Blanc or a Riesling. Just like the beer above, they are also light and refreshing, and tend to be good food wines.
Hmm, as a wine drinking woman, I'd like to suggest that it might be a good idea to have a bottle if wine in reserve so you can give her the choice of beer or wine. Just in case she doesn't like beer with food and, of course, you will earn Brownie points for being an extra considerate host:).

Incidentally, I think you had a lucky escape with the young lady who took exception to you having a child. The most important rule of first dates is "Don't be rude to the man who's feeding you" :LOL:
 
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Apparently, there are wineries in MN. With the year MN has had I wouldn't be surprised if they are all of the ice wine variety! However, it is possible to make the wine in a state that doesn't have vineyards. All the vintner has to do is bring in the grapes from elsewhere and then turn them into wine. I purchased a few bottles of very good wine from a winery in Indianapolis, IN (of all places!) but they had their vineyard in CA. They also bought additional grapes from other CA vineyards.
 
Apparently, there are wineries in MN. With the year MN has had I wouldn't be surprised if they are all of the ice wine variety! However, it is possible to make the wine in a state that doesn't have vineyards. All the vintner has to do is bring in the grapes from elsewhere and then turn them into wine. I purchased a few bottles of very good wine from a winery in Indianapolis, IN (of all places!) but they had their vineyard in CA. They also bought additional grapes from other CA vineyards.
Ah. I hadn't thought about the grapes being grown elsewhere. Silly me!
 
Gosh, do they make wine in Minnesota? I would have thought the winters would be too cold for vine growing in that area?
Steve certainly does. There's a picture somewhere here of him and friends with a load of grapes they had brought in. ;)
 
Gosh, do they make wine in Minnesota? I would have thought the winters would be too cold for vine growing in that area?

I most likely would not have mentioned it if I didn't know that Steve is a wine maker. He's even won awards for his wines.
 
Hmm, as a wine drinking woman, I'd like to suggest that it might be a good idea to have a bottle if wine in reserve so you can give her the choice of beer or wine. Just in case she doesn't like beer with food and, of course, you will earn Brownie points for being an extra considerate host:).

Incidentally, I think you had a lucky escape with the young lady who took exception to you having a child. The most important rule of first dates is "Don't be rude to the man who's feeding you" :LOL:

Yeah, I actually asked Jenna if she preferred wine over beer. She stated that she doesn't really like beer.

And I was a bit nervous to tell her about my son, but at the same time, we're a package deal. If I am going to be a part of your life, eventually my son will be as well and my time with my son needs to be respected, which this young lady certainly does. This genuinely surprises me from a 23 year old, especially after the one who didn't pay attention to my profile… I don't get to see my son as often as I like, but my weekends with him, I'm with him. Nothing else. Which inevitably, until I get a different job, makes all my weekends off limits. I work 17 hour shifts on my weekend on (every other weekend) and then the remaining weekends I spend the day with my son.

When is the big day?

Unfortunately it seems like the date is going to be a bust, for now. My roommate lost his job and has to move back in with his family and I don't make enough to keep the apartment by myself, so looks like I'm heading home as well. I've been thinking I can just make the meal in advance at home, this way I don't have to worry about juggling cooking and entertaining, although I was really looking forward to making it a couples cooking thing.

Then again, I don't wanna bring it there and have to microwave it either… Maybe I can find a way to put it all together and bake it. I can use the stove/oven at work. I very much dislike cooking on electric, even though I learned and cooked on electric for years. I've become accustomed to gas and do not like the idea of going back. Upside would be, I could impress her and show off in front of her friends as well. :cool: :chef:
 
Well, I hope I'm not too late and if I am, I hope your date went well ... :) for potatoes I'd slice them in thin rolls and fry the slowly on a fan with olive oil "suited garlic" and rosemary. Simplicity in itself... But so tasty! And goes perfectly together with the chicken. Also, u can do it in advance and heat them before serving.
 
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You can make small red potatoes or small white potatoes. Boil water and boil until the potatoes are easily stuck with a fork. Drain in colander and place in crockery, ( microwave safe) Use extra virgin olive oil to garnish. If you like you can also smooth them with a wooden spoon or potato masher just enough to flatten slightly. I also use Sea Salt and fresh crushed black pepper. You can also season with some garlic powder or anything else you may like. This a great side dish with beef, pork or chicken and can easily be made without an oven. Hope you enjoy this recipe as i use this as an easy backup or for unexpected company......
 
Anthony, I'd bag the cooking until you can do it right. Meanwhile, take her to dinner or a movie, etc. A date at work could get awkward and might embarrass her.
 
Sorry about your situation with the roommate, etc. That's a downer for sure, but you'll bounce back.

Instead of a dinner, see if you can discover some activity she enjoys and do that. Can't really tell what your actual geographical location is so I would have a difficult time suggesting something. Still, in many areas where it's not cold, there are places like skating rinks that would offer an opportunity for both of you to enjoy something together. Even if neither of you skate, think of all the laughs you could have at learning.

I'm with Andy. Ditch the cooking plan until you can do it in a better environment. You can have fun plenty of other ways and get to know each other better as well.

I agree with your attitude about you and your son being a package deal. I've been there. Many, many moons ago I was a single mother of three, and we were a package deal, too. Fortunately, I met someone who appreciated that and it worked out wonderfully.

Good luck and don't lose sight of the potential.
 
Gosh, do they make wine in Minnesota? I would have thought the winters would be too cold for vine growing in that area?
Believe it or not, there are wineries in every state in the US. We have something like 30 in Minnesota (I think).

There are several grape varieties that do well in Minnesota. All are specially bred to survive winters as cold as -40 degrees. I have 30 such vines in my backyard.

I still import most of my wine grapes from California and Washington, though.
 
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I'm glad I came back to check on all the great dinner date tips. Sorry it fell through.

However, I can report that the meal that impressed me was a Supreme burger and fries at one place and then a big fat hot fudge sundae in another place. 57 years later, I still ask him when he plans to take me out for Supreme burger. The problem with that scheme is that there's a medical center in that location now.
On the other topic, there could be wineries in all the other states. Our wine grapes are packed and shipped. One year they went to the Azores but usually the end up in New York or Pennsylvania.
 
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