Help me with a knock his socks off dish

[HeatherFL]

SO is coming back from Costa Rica tomorrow night and we eat out way too much. I do cook LOL, but have only cooked for him once (the other times we grill). I'd like to have a meal made that will knock his socks off (and want him to take everything else off too LOL ;) ).

So what do you make that your SO just absolutely LOVES?

BTW, SO is not too picky. He can't have ultra-spicy food, but he pretty much eats everything.

Thanks in advance,

~H.

[Reenie]

I don't know if you are worried about calories and fat, but if you're not (hey, it's just one meal! ;) ), my DH RAVES about my Chicken Scampi (I'm allergic to shellfish, so it's not really scampi... :( ).

Chicken Scampi (modified from this (http://chicken.allrecipes.com/az/ChickenScampiII.asp) recipe from www.allrecipes.com )

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 each of red, yellow, and green bell peppers, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 box of cooked rotini pasta
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella

1) In a skillet heat the butter or margarine and oil over medium high until the butter/margarine melts. Add the parsley, basil, oregano and garlic and salt and mix together in the skillet. Stir in lemon juice.
2) Then add the chicken and saute for about 3 minutes or until white. Lower the heat, add the peppers, and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.
3) Pour over cooked pasta and stir in cheeses. Serve with a nice green salad.

[Pineknot]

I dont' know what your budget is or how weight conscious he is, but if neither one of these play into what you fix, why not go for what a man loves best? Ribeye steak, barbecued, with grilled onions and mushrooms. Put a baked potato on the side, with some fresh steamed broccoli or asparagus. Follow that up with a decadent piece of cheesecake with raspberry sauce puree drizzled across it and you should have one happy man.

Plus, nothing like a hearty meal to sustain him for whatever else you have planned for the night. :D

[HeatherFL]

Thanks to both of you for the idea. Budget isn't a concern and a "bad for you" meal is okay for the night. ;)


Plus, nothing like a hearty meal to sustain him for whatever else you have planned for the night.
Right on!

They both sound wonderful I want to make them just to have them myself!

~H.

[mom_to_zoe]

I think, for a special dinner, there's nothing like beef tenderloin. Barefoot Contessa has a great recipe for beef tenderloin with a bleu cheese sauce. Delish! Serve with roasted cherry tomatoes, a gorgeous salad and a romantic dessert like coeur a la creme. Or a chocolate cake.

[ee_chick]

I think, for a special dinner, there's nothing like beef tenderloin. Barefoot Contessa has a great recipe for beef tenderloin with a bleu cheese sauce. Delish!


I love that! I serve it for Thanksgiving every year for those who don't like turkey (me). :D

[mom_to_zoe]

I made it for a special dinner party celebrating a friend's engagement and people are still talking about it years later. Of course, buying beef tenderloin for 10 people caused us to take out a second mortgage. ;)

[bea_mama]

Mmmmm. I love beef tenderloin.

A variation that we've made for dinner parties that has always been a huge hit is to cut thick (~1 inch) slices of beef tenderloin, wrap each slice in bacon, and grill until medium rare.

Absolutely delicious!

[laura]

Martha Stewart also has a good recipe for a pan seared filet mignon w/ a really good mustard sauce. Neither my husband or I usually care for sauces w/ steak, but this one is *really* good. I made it a couple of years ago for Valentine's Day and my husband is still raving about it. I made a meal that was several courses, but this will pair well with pretty much anything; I would recommend baked potatoes and roasted veggies.

Here's the recipe - so easy and tastes like you slaved over it:

Beef Tenderloins with Mustard Sauce

http://a444.g.akamai.net/7/444/703/20010810215304/www.marthastewart.com/images/content/recipe/main_00513_t.jpg

Serves 6
Serve the steaks with an assortment of red and green lettuces dressed with a simple vinaigrette.

4 tenderloin steaks, 4 ounces each
3 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper, or to taste
2 shallots, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup brandy
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup heavy cream
Salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat steaks with pepper on both sides. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until very hot. Sear steaks for 5 minutes on each side, then transfer to oven to finish cooking, about 8 minutes for medium rare. Transfer to a plate to rest while you make the sauce.

2. In the same skillet that steaks were cooked in, cook shallots in oil over medium heat until translucent, 6 minutes. Add brandy, and cook, stirring constantly, until reduced to 1 tablespoon, 1 minute. Stir in mustard and cream. Bring to a simmer and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve sauce alongside the steaks.

[Rose]

DH likes anything in Puff Pastry & we both like this one. I can't remember if you're a vegetarian Heather, but you could always put some veggies/grilled mushrooms in puff pastry.

CHICKEN WELLINGTON

6 4 oz. Chicken Breast (grilled almost done)
6 slices Provolone Cheese
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
12 Mushrooms Sliced
3 Thin Slices of Prosciutto (cut across into thin strips)
pinch Salt
pinch Black Pepper
pinch Italian Seasoning
2 Sheets Puff Pastry (most gourmet stores will carry)
1 Egg (beaten with water or milk)

To Make the Wellington’s;

Season the chicken breasts (almost any kind of seasoning will do) and grill or
sauté until almost completely cooked. Chill in refrigerator until completely
cold.
Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms in the oil until soft. Add the Prosciutto salt,
pepper and Italian seasoning, toss together.
Chill with chicken breasts. It is important that chicken and mushroom mixture
are cold so the puff pastry doesn’t get warm until you cook it. It is also
important that the puff pastry is cold when you start rolling it out.
Cut the puff pastry into 6 rectangles and roll out so that it is about 2-3
inches bigger than the chicken breast. Lightly flour them as you go so they
don’t stick together.
Lay one rectangle on work surface and center the Provolone cheese, mushroom
mixture and the chicken breast in that order.
Fold up puff pastry around the breast as you would close a box.
Turn over and brush with the egg and water.
When you have finished all the Wellington’s cut thin strips off of the other
sheet and Criss-cross on top.
Brush again with egg and water and place all on a cookie sheet and refrigerate
until you are going to cook them.

Pre-heat oven to 425*. Place Wellington’s in the center rack and cook until
golden brown. This should take about 15 – 20 minutes.

[HeatherFL]

Thanks again, everyone. Of course he came home a day early and surprised me...we plan to cook this weekend, so I think I'll go with the Tenderloin. :) Thanks again!

~H.

[shopaholic]

Glamour once posted a receipe for "engagement chicken". They claim that whoever makes it gets engaged immediately/soon afterwards....


First comes chicken, then comes marriage? Be skeptical if you must, but this recipe may be charmed. It all began 22 years ago, when then-Glamourfashion editor Kim Bonnell gave the recipe to her assistant, Kathy Suder, who made the chicken for her boyfriend, who, a month later, asked her to marry him. "It's a meal your wife would make. It got me thinking," says Jon Suder, who now has three children with Kathy. Details of the simple dish passed from assistant to assistant like a culinary chain letter. When Bonnell heard that her recipe had inspired three weddings, she dubbed it Engagement Chicken. Try the recipe, give it to a friend— oh, and let us know when it works!

(Adapted from Mercella Hazan's More Classic Italian Cooking)
1 whole chicken (approx. 3 lb.)
2 medium lemons
Fresh lemon juice (1/2 cup)
Kosher or sea salt
Ground black pepper


Place rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Wash chicken inside and out with cold water, remove the giblets, then let the chicken drain, cavity down, in a colander until it reaches room temp (about 15 minutes). Pat dry with paper towels. Pour lemon juice all over the chicken (inside and outside). Season with salt and pepper. Prick the whole lemons three times with a fork and place deep inside the cavity. (Tip: If lemons are hard, roll on countertop with your palm to get juices flowing.) Place the bird breast-side down on a rack in a roasting pan, lower heat to 350 degrees and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and turn it breast-side up (use wooden spoons!); return it to oven for 35 minutes more. Test for doneness—a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh should read 180 degrees, or juices should run clear when chicken is pricked with a fork. Continue baking if necessary. Let chicken cool for a few minutes before carving. Serve with juices.

[amew]

I agree that beef tenderloin is the ultimate in special occassion dining. This is my DH's favorite tenderloin recipe -- it's soooo good.

Peppercorn Steaks with Bourbon Sauce (from March 2002 Bon Appetit)

4 teaspoons four-peppercorn spice mix or whole black peppercorns
6 6- to 8-ounce beef tenderloin steaks
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2/3 cup bourbon
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
2/3 cup beef stock or canned beef broth

Coarsely crush peppercorns in mortar with pestle. Season steaks with salt. Sprinkle peppercorns over both sides of steaks, pressing to adhere. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare.
Meanwhile, heat bourbon in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until warm. Remove from heat; carefully ignite with match. Let burn 30 seconds, then cover to extinguish flame.

Transfer steaks to plates; tent with foil to keep warm. Add 1 tablespoon butter and shallots to drippings in skillet; sauté 2 minutes. Add stock and bourbon; boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add remaining 5 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking just until melted. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve.

[HeatherFL]

LOL I've read that engagement chicken recipe. My divorced was just finalized in April, so I am in NO rush to re-marry. I think I'll wait on that one. ;)

Thanks again for all the recipes. Oh my gosh, we are going to have to make one of each!

H.

[shopaholic]

LOL I've read that engagement chicken recipe. My divorced was just finalized in April, so I am in NO rush to re-marry. I think I'll wait on that one. ;)

Thanks again for all the recipes. Oh my gosh, we are going to have to make one of each!

H.
I think I should try the engagement chicken...god knows I have been waiting long enough...but I really don't want to go through the hassle of cooking a full chicken & cleaning up afterwards...lol :)

[singerwife]

I second anything beef. If you want to go really decadent, mix some gorgonzola cheese and soft butter together and spread on top of the steaks just before serving.

Have you thought about dessert? A homemade apple pie or chocolate cake would be terrific!

[singerwife]

Oh forgot this...if you can get good scallops, maybe a coquilles st. jacques? (essentially scallops with mushrooms in a swiss cheese/cream sauce)

Or mussels steamed in marsala sauce. Delicious.

[laurenc]

i can't recommend any specific recipes (there are too many to choose from!) but i can recommend "intercourses: an aphrodisiac cookbook" (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0965327507/qid=1125504871/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-1468728-2411203?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) -- lots of recipes that are MEANT to knock your husband's socks (and shirt, and pants, and...) off :)