You can still ask her if she has a free night coming up, but be vague about the reason. Say: “Oh, I was just thinking we could go out that night. Can you keep it open just in case?” Tell your girlfriend to meet you at your house right when you plan to have dinner ready, and try to line your timing up with your girlfriend’s typical dinnertime. When she opens the front door, she’ll be surrounded by the wonderful aromas of your cooking! If you’re worried that your girlfriend might eat dinner before your date, tell her that your plans involve eating. Just don’t tell her you’re the one doing the cooking!
You can write something like: “One more week until I get to use food to show you how much I love you! Hopefully I don’t blow up the kitchen in the meantime…” If you’re sending it in the mail, give it at least two to three days to reach her. Write the actual date of the dinner in the note in case it doesn’t reach her exactly one week ahead of time.
If you’ve never really cooked before, don’t attempt to make something like crème brûlée and boeuf bourguignon. Complicated recipes like these will have you running for the hills in no time. A great menu for a beginner- to intermediate-level cook would be something like baked chicken thighs with skillet-roasted tomatoes and garlic. This dish lets you cook two dishes in one pan! Add some buttery grits or risotto to make it complete. [4] X Research source Be sure you know what your girlfriend can’t eat. Plan a meal that won’t trigger any food allergies or violate dietary restrictions (like being gluten-free or vegan). Also, if her religion or culture prohibits eating certain foods, understand how this might affect the cooking process.
Jazz is always a good bet for romance. Go with Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Norah Jones, and Michael Bublé for a blend of the old and new. If you prefer instrumentals, try Miles Davis. If you want to go the extra mile, make a mix of your girlfriend’s favorite love songs. She’ll recognize the effort and get nostalgic over the tunes. In a pinch, you can choose from a variety of romantic genre stations on streaming services like Pandora or Spotify.
You should also buy any cooking supplies mentioned in your recipe that you don’t have at home, especially a good, sharp knife. Vegetables should go in humidity-controlled drawers with the setting on “high. ” If you both drink alcohol, add a bottle of wine to your shopping list.
If you’re making dessert, this can almost always be made the night before the meal. Shortbread cookies or red velvet cupcakes, for example, will both be just as yummy a day later! The night before is also a great time to think about when you’ll need to start making each dish. Time them out so they’ll all be ready at the same time. Hard vegetables like onions, peppers, broccoli, zucchini, and squash can be chopped up the night before without getting too brown. Softer veggies (including lettuce and other leafy greens) and fruits will turn brown unless you put them in a covered bowl of ice water with a squeeze of lemon juice. Leave all chopped items in the fridge overnight. [8] X Research source
Try getting creative with a theme. Match the music, food, and your decorations to transport you and your partner to Rome, Paris, or a tropical island.
Remember to wash your hands before you handle the food and anytime you touch raw meat. To keep things sanitary, don’t forget to use separate knives to chop fresh produce and meat products.
If you’re cooking a roast, for example, once this is safely tucked in the oven, you’ll have some free time to focus on everything else you need to do!
For example, it’s not too hard to whip up some scrumptious mashed potatoes and a nice spinach salad while something else is cooking away in the oven.
You don’t want the kitchen to look like a bomb went off in there when your girlfriend arrives. Put dishwasher-safe items in the dishwasher to make this process go a little faster.
If things are just cooking away in the oven, you can run to the bathroom or another room. Do not leave the house, however.
Be sure to use oven-safe containers. Do not put plastic in the oven.
To make the meal as fancy and romantic as you can, you should serve and arrange the food yourself. For a more casual buffet set-up, transfer the food to nice bowls and serving plates and put them on trivets on your table. If you’re cooking a large piece of meat like a roast, you should let it rest for about 10-20 minutes before cutting it to serve. [13] X Research source Reheating food can sometimes ruin it, so try to avoid having to do this. If you use the microwave, only heat things up for 30 seconds to about a minute at a time.
If you want to go deeper and get to know your girlfriend better, you can ask them some personal questions. For example, ask: “What’s your favorite childhood memory?” or “Which person has made the biggest impact on your life?”[15] X Research source Show her you’re listening by nodding or tilting your head and maintaining eye contact when she speaks. You can also build on her comments with follow-up questions.
If your girlfriend doesn’t live with you, tell her not to worry – you’ll take care of the clean up after she leaves.
Be sure to ask your girlfriend which dishes she likes. Keep track of her favorites and repeat those for special evenings!
