Five Great Recipes for Date Night

Worknight Dinners May 9, 2010

A bottle of champagne in a tub of ice.

For your next date night, skip restaurant reservations and cook dinner at home.

Whether it’s for a casual dinner with your long term sweetheart or an intimate dining experience for a new suitor, home cooking is one of the best ways to serve up a little romance.

For a simple weeknight date or an elaborate affair on a special occasion, you can serve a meal that will take minutes – but look like its taken hours – to prepare.

Photo: Leigh Loftus

Baked Rigatoni with Kale

Most ladies know that it isn’t always easy to get your guys to eat some greens. With this worknight dinner recipe for baked pasta with cheese and kale, you’ll both forget that you’re getting a side of nutrition with meal.

Pair with a bacon caesar salad, some crusty multigrain bread and he’ll be eating out of the palm of your hand (hopefully not literally).

Pistachio Crusted Pork Chop

In my opinion, pistachios are one of the most underused nuts out there. Almonds and walnuts get all of the glory while pistachios are pigeonholed into Christmas because they happen to be green and pair well with cranberries.

Use pistachios next time you make a breaded pork chop. Instead of plain pork milanese, a pistachio crusted pork chop will be perfect alongside some wild rice pilaf, roasted vegetables or even some fresh sautéd spinach.

Italian Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I made Chicken Parmesan for the first few guys I’d ever cooked for. Simple, delicious, but honesty? Boring, boring, boring.

Instead, a riff on good old fashioned chicken parm stuffed with sopressata and mozzarella is the new way to a man’s heart.

Photo: Leigh Loftus

Fresh Fig, Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onion Pizza

Make your next date night a pizza night. You can make an evening out of it by choosing your favorite toppings and taking turns working the dough before you slide your pizza into the oven.

I like this version with figs and blue cheese.

Make sure you have a pizza peel, a baking stone and of course, your favorite beer or wine to toast before the meal.

Photo: Leigh Loftus

Orange Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry

Channel your inner Asian chef with a simple stir-fry that will wow anyone.

Use lean sirloin to cut some of the fat and calories from your restaurant favorites…so you can even splurge on a decadent flourless chocolate cake for dessert.

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Written by

Maris Callahan

Maris Callahan has been blogging about cooking, dining and entertaining since 2008. A public relations director by day, Maris is also a brand spokesperson, freelance writer and media relations expert with more than 10 years experience working with consumer brands. She lives in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood with her boyfriend Brad, chihuahua Henry and a very well-stocked pantry.

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10 Comments

Madison Smith

April 20, 2012 at 10:11 am

I really enjoyed reading this article. I really liked how there were many health benefits to some of the meals you mentioned. I like the idea of including healthy ingredients in the baked rigatoni. I like how you can stay healthy with the kale, but still have the same great taste of the pasta meal. I like how you gave the idea of the healthier version of fried chicken, as it is a favorite but very unhealthy. My favorite thing about your article though, is the Spinach Ricotta Pizza. I love the idea of a pizza date night, which allows you to have fun making a meal together and make a healthy meal at the same time! I also like that it is a great way to feel like a kid again! What I would have liked to see though are the recipes right in your article, so that the reader doesn’t have to go to a new page to find the recipes. I would have also liked to see the nutritional information for each of the meals!

Sara

January 18, 2012 at 10:18 pm

What are the nutritional numbers on this one, just curious?

Reply
Maris Callahan
January 20, 2012 at 12:14 pm
Which recipe?