Date Ideas

When it comes to the first date or the fortieth date, it’s hard to beat a chill, romantic night in with a home cooked meal. But what to cook? It can sometimes be intimidating, especially if you have a picky partner, but here are a few tasty, simple recipes for your date night meal.

Entrees

Spaghetti Carbonara

TOTAL COOK TIME: 30 minutes; yield 6 servings

• 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 2 red jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup cognac or brandy (optional)
• 12 ounces spaghetti
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• salt and ground pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Combine the olive oil, bacon, jalapenos, garlic, rosemary, and 1/4 cup water in a large skillet.
3. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the water evaporates and the bacon crisps — about 12 minutes. Discard the garlic afterward.
4. Add the cognac, if desired, and cook until it evaporates.
5. Remove mixture from the heat and set aside 1/4 cup for garnish.
6. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water according to the label.
7. Mix the eggs, cheeses, parsley and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl.
8. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water.
9. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the pasta and toss until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
10. Whisk the reserved pasta water into the egg mixture, then quickly pour over the pasta in the skillet and toss to gently cook the eggs and make a creamy sauce.
11. Garnish with the reserved bacon mixture and more parmesan.

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Putting together plans for your first date is very important. Not only does it mean making a great first impression but also let’s your date know you have a creative side that will put them at ease on your date. You don’t want to appear careless or unorganized do you? Then plan a head and put a great date together. Here are 10 examples that will help you make the first date one of many more to come.

Take a craft class. While not everyone is crafty you can always make the attempt and it can be fun if you can both laugh at each other.
Are both of you physically fit? Take a yoga class.
Do you both love sports? How about a round of basketball or a few games at the bowling alley?
Looking for an easy place to have a good conversation? Check out the botanical gardens that are local to you.
Do you both share a passion for animals? Volunteer at your local animal shelter.

Go to the zoo. Not only is the zoo a fun date but it also opens up the conversations such as telling a story from when you were a child and visited the zoo or how you love the polar bears. There are also places to grab a bite to eat at the zoo.
Visit a carnival or local amusement park. These places can be fun but make sure your date likes to ride the rides before you plan for this one.

Check out a museum. If you are into art try the art museum. More of a science lover? Try the hands on science center.

What time of the year is it? If it’s spring time a nice stroll through the park with a picnic lunch will be great.

Summer time is great for a trip to the beach also with a picnic lunch. Fall is great for heading to the apple orchard to pick apples. Winter is a fun time for building a snowman, sledding or sitting by a warm fire.

Go putt-putt golfing. Everyone loves a good round of putt-putt. Many times you can find places that offer trampolines, go carts and batting cages to make it a fun date to remember.

The best way to plan a great first date that will not only be fun but also enjoyable to both you and your date is to spend a little time on the phone talking about each other’s interests. If you want to plan a first date that involved riding carnival rides bring it up and see if your date enjoys rides just as much as you do. If not it’s time to plan another date.

If you plan an outdoor date make sure you have a back-up plan just in case it rains or the weather just isn’t right. This way not only will be you prepared your date will be impressed that you planned ahead. Remember a good first date lays the foundation for more dates to come.

Image by 3rdeyek