Newie looking to impress the wife :)

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she was very pleased she said they were the best burgers she had had :):):)
 
I have just one word for you, Phil: SALT

Salt makes food taste better. I would highly suggest adding at least a t of salt to the meat. The taters and salad dressing both need salt, too -- esp. the dressing. At least a generous pinch each.

Also, IMO the taters do not need that much oil.

Glad she liked it and that you are up for trying again! :chef:
 
i have taken all the comments on board and will use these i am making shepherd's pie tonight so expect pic's and recipe either tonight or tomorrow.
 
If you want to impress someone but you have minimal cooking ability, the best bets are generally something that involves a bunch of ingredients together in one pot. Preparation is generally simple but the result often tastes impressive.

Coq Au Vin is a good example, Bouillabase is another, Cassoulet is a little more involved and pricey but still not awful. All are impressive on the palate but none involve precise searing or crazy knife skills or anything that you couldn't learn the actual execution of in an hour or so.
 
When I was first learning to cook I used to watch a certain TV cooking show and, while the recipes looked (and were) good, I got as much out of the chef's presentation as anything else. He would often finely chop something green (parsley or chives or something) and scatter it across the entire meal after it's plated the way you want it. It just adds that 'finish' to the presentation. You can do the same with paprika to add some red color... or both. Powdered sugar over everything works for a lot of desserts. Use moderation. Don't let the flavors of the decoration interfere with the food. A little bit goes a long way.

Have fun!
 
A good impressive and easy-as-heck dish is chicken fajitas. Just saute some vegetables--onions, garlic, etc--in a skillet, add some chicken and some taco seasoning (or your own blend of spices, if you're so inclined--and cook til it's all mixed. Present still sizzling with tortillas for roll-ups as well as shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, refried beans, cheese, and some guacamole.

Or whip up some vodka pasta with proscuitto and vegetables.

Glad you're impressing your wife!
 
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