Cooking for my girlfriend

[Tashira]

Sup OOT,

I'm a long time strategy forums poster and I need some advice. My gf uses my account to look at stuff that interests her on 2p2, like POG, and I don't want her finding this thread, so I made a new account. Sorry if that bothers anyone. Also apologies if anyone feels this belongs in another cooking thread, I'm not an OOT regular, but I need some advice specific to my situation here and it's pretty important to me.

It's my 1 year's anniversary with my gf in a couple days. I'm planning to cook for her. Only problem is I have no idea what the hell I'm doing [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

My kitchen skills are extremely limited. This is by no means to say that I am a junk food person, I have no objection to wholesome food, only that the farthest I go in preparing things is usually to throw a cut of meat in the oven or put soup in the microwave. Nothing fancy.

I'm at my gf's place right now and this is where I'll be cooking. This might be a problem. She has a microwave oven, hot plate, and I assume something to steam rice and boil pasta, but she has no conventional oven or grill. I can't see a way of baking fish or whatever. Like I said though, I have no idea what I'm doing here.

Food - not going to be able to get anything fancy. We're out in the country, I will be able to get to a decent store with some of the basics - vegetables, cuts of meat, probably fish, rice, pasta and such, but just basic stuff, so I have to keep that in mind when I come up with my recipe.

At first I was thinking soup of some kind to start, followed by salmon followed by [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] Obviously there are some massive gaps in my plan, which is why I'm posting here.

Bear in mind I'm a kitchen retard, so if you post a recipe for something, some tips on preparation/presentation would be great. I don't wanna burn down my gf's house or serve a tasty meal that looks like it was cooked by Edward Scissorhands.

Neither of us drinks alcohol, so if anyone has any great recommendations for a drink to go with their recipe, that'd help... I'm not sure serving Pepsi with our meal won't ruin the effect [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Thanks in advance for anyone taking the time to give me some ideas [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]


tldr = What does a total kitchen newb cook for his gf with basic food and equipment? [img]/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]

[bobman0330]

Is there any way you can cook somewhere else? Without a stove or an oven or a grill, I just don't see how you can accomplish anything impressive. Some sort of pasta, sure, and veggies, but how are you going to cook any meat? Maybe rig up the rice steamer to steam some shrimp or something?

[thirddan]

i would go with some kind of italian food...pasta is pretty easy to cook, but it seems like a lot of work cuz the sauces are intricate or fancy...you can find a ton of different sauces, try a pesto or some kind of white cream and wine sauce...light candles and put flowers on table and it will seem like a very romantic dinner...gl...

[The_Boxer]

cod in spaghetti sauce, add black olives and potatoes. serve with italian bread toasted and spaghetti.

[edfurlong]

Find a nice restaurant in the area and have them set you up with a meal for two.

[edfurlong]

[ QUOTE ]

tldr = What does a total kitchen newb cook for his gf with basic food and equipment? [img]/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats not basic equipment, its a hot plate and a coffee maker.

[fluffpop62]

or you should definitely consider getting it catered; 1 yr is a pretty big anniversary (at least if you're 20 like me), so i don't think it would be too over-the-top. http://www.localcatering.com/personal-chefs.asp has chefs by area, and they can come cook for you - i think that would guarantee good results, because frankly it sounds like you're SOL when it comes to cooking [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[hoterdoc]

if the hot plate willl boil water. . .,
some shrimp scampii, over orzo pasta, or angel hair pasta, would be very easy, delicious, potentally elegant, and do-able.

if it won't boil water, you can go to someplace like walmart, and buy a stand-alone electric burner ( think like the "eye" of an electric stove-top) which will boil water (good for the pasta, and the prawns. (only cost about $10.)

plenty of scampii recipies on the web, look em up
basically just some butter, lemon, scallions, garlic, salt and pepper.

if you want devein the shrimp ahead of time, or most smaller seafood markets around here will do it for you $small.
on second thought, she needs to be swillin lots of wine while watching you cook.
good luck

[Tashira]

I thought the restaurant suggestion might come up.. as I mentioned we are at her place, it's remote and I am not going to be able to take her out or get access to a lot of food/equipment which is why I wanted simple ideas to use myself. Believe me if I could take her for a really great dinner and a nice evening out I would, but I'm on my own.

So far Italian sounds like the best bet.. I know she is a big fan of pasta and seafood so I'm gonna look into that. Any more suggestions/advice would be appreciated though [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[edfurlong]

Totally off the topic of helping you, where is this? Whats the deal?