but I can't cook. Suggestions?

5/8/2006 5:14:59 PM

spaghetti. easy as hell to make most sauces, toss in some pan-fried shrimp or grilled chicken (really, anything you want), and serve with some white wine and garlic bread.

5/8/2006 5:16:33 PM

order out from a restaurant, keep in oven until she gets there and say you've been keeping it warm

5/8/2006 5:17:12 PM

belowme you are a genius

5/8/2006 5:21:28 PM

yeah do pasta dude it's impossible to screw that up. get some chicken breast , alfredo sauce and broccili ...she'll love it.

5/8/2006 5:22:43 PM

You can get preseasoned meat and fish at whole foods that is the bomb diggity. I bought some bacon wrapped salmon there that was awesom. Basically you just take it out of the packaging and put it in the oven. She'll think you're a cook with skillz.

5/8/2006 5:23:17 PM

Quote :

"She'll think you're a cook with skillz."

yeah unless she actually wants to have a conversation and asked how you made it - everytime i've cooked for anyone they have been there either part of the time or the entire time - they've never shown up right as it's coming out of the oven

5/8/2006 5:30:35 PM

3 Meal options...

If you want to grill and stay a little healthy:

Sesame-Grilled Asparagus
* 1 lb of asparagus
* 2 Tbsp sesame oil
* 1 Tbsp soy sauce
* 1 clove of garlic, minced
* 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
* Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, and garlic, then stir and brush the mixture onto the asparagus spears. Let marinate 5-10 minutes.

Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Salt and pepper to taste. Grill over direct heat for 2 to 4 minutes, until brown on both sides. Optionally, the spears can be skewered to form “rafts” to make cooking on the grill easier.

Chicken Under a Brick
* 2 Large boneless, skinless whole chicken breasts
* 1 tsp coarse salt
* 1 tsp cracked black pepper
* ½ tsp hot red pepper flakes
* 1 Tbsp minced garlic
* 1 Tbsp chopped Rosemary
* 1 large lemon, juiced
* ¼ c extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 clean bricks (not really necessary)

Rinse and dry the breasts, then sprinkle them with the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic, and rosemary. Place the chicken in a baking dish, pour on lemon juice and olive oil, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.

Wrap each of the bricks in Aluminum foil. Place chicken on grill with brick on top. Cook over high heat for 4 to 6 minutes per side.

Have the carb of your choice (a wild grain rice, some rolls, whatever)


If you want something a little more fancy:

Balsamic-Mustard Chicken
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp brown mustard
2-3 tsp various dry herbs (oregano, thyme)
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
salt & pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine the ingredients and marinate for 45 minutes to an hour.
Grill over Medium-High heat, 5 minutes per side.

Basil Pesto
2 c fresh basil
¼ c pine nuts
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp Parmigiano Regiano
½ c extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste (roughly ¼ tsp)
lemon juice, dash

Toast the pine nuts over Medium-Low heat until lightly browned.
Combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt& pepper, and Parmigiano in a blender.
Slowly add in the evoo while blending to smoothly emulsify.

You can also just go somewhere and buy a decent pre-done basil pesto.

Serve the pesto over cheese-filled raviolli or tortellini.


If you want simple but good:

Classic Tomato Sauce
½ c evoo
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 stalk of celery, finely minced in processor
1 carrot, finely minced in processor
64 oz crushed tomatoes (Italian plum tomatoes, preferred)
4-6 leaves of fresh basil, chiffonade
2 bay leaves
salt & pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp dry thyme
4 Tbsp butter, for adjusting

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter 1 Tbsp at a time to soften it. Put the sauce into a food processor and blend until desired smoothness. Can freeze up to 6 months.

Season some chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and italian seasoning then pan fry or grill for 5 minutes a side. Top them with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese then put under hte brolier for a minute until the cheese melts. Serve over spaghetti for a basic chicken parm.

5/8/2006 5:34:03 PM

there is no such thing as "cant" cook

only never tried

if you really try and pay attention, then nobody is ever worse than a mediocre cook. recipes generally give step by step directions.

5/8/2006 5:45:14 PM

if she likes shrimp, it takes 5 mins to cook. Corn on the cob and maybe a box of Pasta Sides. Maybe 15 mins.

Another good idea os to go to the grocery store and pick up a box of the Pasta or Rice Sides and see the meal idea's that they give. Often those are really easy and make nice presentation. If you've never cooked before she doesn't have high expectations anyway, so you're in the clear!

5/8/2006 5:49:44 PM

Since, I am nice, I volunteer to present your girlfriend with free desserts

5/8/2006 10:26:57 PM

nigga if you have a george foreman it shouldnt be that damn hard

5/8/2006 11:22:14 PM

Cooking wins some SERIOUS points with the girlfriend.

Plus, learning how to cook means you get to have kick-ass food for dinner without having to go out and pay an arm and a leg. For example the other night my fiancee and I were pressed for time and had to do some quick and easy cooking so we through some steaks on the grill (knowing how to properly cook a steak seems to be a lost art, by the way... watch Good Eats), sauteed some asparagus with garlic and red pepper flakes, then had a side of pasta tossed with a garlic, butter, fresh parsley, oregano and basil. It seriously took us like 20 minutes total and we had everything on hand.

Oh, and if you want the complete easy out... fondue. You just have to cut stuff up and know how to measure out the ingredients for the dipping recipes. I suggest:
Traditional cheese: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_10245,00.html
Beef Broth: http://www.txbeef.org/recipe.php3?107521923 (I just hate the oil fondues)
Chocolate Fondue: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_10244,00.html

5/8/2006 11:30:57 PM

take her to quizno's and go dutch!

5/8/2006 11:32:52 PM

you cant cook.. send the bitch my way.. I'll cook and fuck her silly.. then send her wore ass back to you.

5/8/2006 11:33:48 PM

no you wont

5/8/2006 11:34:36 PM