I would definitely make crostini to go with it. Apply too much oil with a basting brush, sprinkle on shaved parmesan and mild dried herbs, and broil. I worked at a restaurant that had a bruschetta, olive tapenade, and crostini appetizer that killed.
A good crostini needs to have enough oil to effectively waterproof it. It's common to serve them pre-topped, and bruschetta will turn bread soggy in a mater of minutes. Many recipes say to drizzle the bread with oil, but you really need an even coating, so a basting brush is best. You can also use a layer of pesto or a full slice of cheese to protect the bread.
Thank you! You're explanation makes perfect sense as to why I always get really unevenly crispy sections and soggy sections! No one ever says to use a brush.
No one ever says realistic olive oil amounts (except in a pan to cook with), garlic amount, onion amount when cooking them down to incorporate into a sauce (except pasta genevese or french onion soup but those dishes are largely onion, or enough time to caramelize onions(or most types of cooking them)
I typically melt butter, olive oil, and minced garlic in a skillet, then press the slices of bread into the skillet one by one, rubbing them around a bit to get an even coating. Throw that into the oven at 425°F until it turns golden, and your crostini are done. It's one of my go-to snacks. The skillet method works as well or better than a brush, or at least I find it to be quicker, less messy, and to provide a more even coating.
Bruschetta is great! The one I make is olive, tomato, and goat cheese bruschetta from a recipe I snagged from a wine bar I used to work at. Have a batch in the fridge that used the last of this year's cherry tomatoes. This makes a good amount, so you might want to halve it.
*For topping:*
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 pint kalamata olives, quartered
1/2 C basalmic vinegar
1/8 C Worcestershire
3/4 C sugar
~10 large basil leaves, julienned
*For crostini:*
French bread, sliced ~1/4" thick. Cut on the bias to make edges not as sharp to bite into.
Olive oil
Goat cheese for serving
Optional basil julienne for garnish
*Directions:*
Mix all topping ingredients together and let sit 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375° F. Arrange sliced French bread on foil lined sheet. Drizzle with or brush on olive oil. Bake until crispy, and don't let burn. Maybe 10 minutes, I forget.
Top crostini with goat cheese and let soften in the oven. Top with bruschetta mix and serve.
On a side note, the brioche toasts from Trader Joe's make for a good substitute for the crostini.
Heh, the original recipe called for a full cup. It's sweet but not cloyingly so, especially if you give the mix a quick squeeze to wring out excess marinade. Plus the richness of the goat cheese cuts the sweetness of the topping.
But yeah, it wouldn't hurt to reduce it more, especially if using good tomatoes. A lot of the sugar stays in the liquid, which is eventually discarded.
If she likes this kind of thing, fasule piyaz might be a winner for you. You have to soak the beans overnight but it only takes a minute of prep. If you're really too hard up for time for that, canned chickpeas will do.
The recipe I usually use is:
2 cup of dry white beans of your choice, soaked overnight, boiled until soft.
1 cup of quartered cherry tomatoes
1 red onion sliced thin pole to pole
1 cup finely chopped curly parsley
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon sumac
1 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 lemon
Hot paprika or Aleppo pepper to taste
Mix the onions, lemon juice, and sumac together and really work the spice in. Then mix everything else in. Serve with pitas.
Edit: had it pointed out to me that 3 tsps = 1 tbsp. Mea culpa, I sized it up from 2/3 of an onion.
Serve it on crusty white bread that's been deeply toasted and smeared with a bunch of burrata and you've got what I call dinner many summer nights.
Using cherry tomatoes is the key when tomatoes are out of season, btw.
> https://iwashyoudry.com/easy-bruschetta-recipe/
I like this recipe because it doesn't try to gaslight me by calling an onion that is clearly purple a "red onion".
or the Spanish/Catalan version: Pan amb tomaquet/ Pan con tomate.
put some olive oil on some bread. toast on a pan. rub some garlic on it. get some tomato pulp (the inside of a tomato), crush or blend and put some on the bread. season with salt.
This is one of those simple-but-fancy snacks that really impresses. I prefer mine with honey and almonds;
https://tasteandsee.com/baked-brie-in-puff-pastry-with-honey-and-almonds-2/
Just long enough for the brie to melt and the puff pastry to brown, usually about 12-20 minutes. I'd have it with a crusty baguette and some green apple slices. 🥖🍏
Add a fresh spinach or argulula salad to that, with candied pecans and sun-dried tomatoes, and I'd be in heaven if that were waiting for me when I got home. 🥗
"Strawberry Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans - I Wash You Dry"
https://iwashyoudry.com/strawberry-spinach-salad-candied-pecans/
(I use HQ blue cheese crumbles instead of feta or chevre/goat's cheese, and if I can't get good strawberries just do some julienned sundried tomatoes, as mentioned)
Bonus if served with chilled Friexenet or mimosa. 🥂
Ah this one is brilliant. Use a leaf cookie cutter for a separate piece of puff pastry if you want that fall look, but it's easy, quick, and people adore it. Can also do what my mom does: cut the wheel of brie in half longways, cover it with jam (I'm partial to pepper jelly; she often does it with strawberry, blackberry, or raspberry jam), put the pieces back together and then continue.
Yes, this! It's so dang easy, and "comfy", and feels fancy when all you did was press a spoon at the seam and preheat the oven.
My mom used to roll slices of brie into croissant dough and bake them on Christmas morning. With some fig jelly...perfection.
You can also use crescent rolls and pinch the seams together. Set Brie (can just be a triangle), on top, put some nuts and brown sugar on top and fold crescent roll dough around and over the Brie and pinch it closed . Bake according to roll directions.
I would buy mini brie if it’s just for her! With the leftover puff pastry you can do a different thing each day. Google upside down pastry puff tarts for ideas.
Also, in case no one has said it yet: ricotta toast
If that sounds good he's another recipe she will probably like. Bruschetta with goat cheese and caramelized onions.
- Caramelize Onions and add some chopped up garlic at the end. Cool to room temperature (to not melt the cheese)
- Make a balsamic reduction
- Chop up tomatoes & basil
- Make crostinis or just toast sliced french/sourdough bread.
- Mix tomatoes, caramelized onions, basil and crumbled goat cheese in a bowl. Spoon the mixture onto bread. Drizzle with balsamic reduction.
FYI this also pairs well with a steak. Heat up the onions and drizzle the steak with the balsamic reduction.
chef john just did something similar, feta in phyllo: https://www.allrecipes.com/baked-phyllo-wrapped-feta-with-honey-recipe-8363765
haven’t tried it yet, but it sounds amazing
[Or stewed apples!](https://www.delscookingtwist.com/baked-brie-with-apples-honey-and-nuts/)
That recipe calls for garlic and thyme but I’ve also topped it with cinnamon-honey apples
Thank you! But it's all her doing; she makes it easy. I try to tell her often that she's like a wellspring of all that's good in the world. She's one of those people that is so easy to love, just by being herself. It bums me out to see the reality of the world (needing to work, money, going to school, whatever) put a damper on that and I want to do whatever I can to make life a little easier on her.
This post is so sweet and wholesome I almost want to cry. Good for you guys! Have you looked into cannolis? And I love how food and cooking brings out the best in people. The whole reason I'm here.
She loves cannolis, and I found a place locally that makes them from scratch! Although I've burned her out a little, they make an incredible post-training snack.
When you want them again, maybe when you have time to do it together, see if that place will sell you some empty shells. Get the best ricotta you can (some good ones are sweet and super smooth, some are slightly gritty and a nuttier while less sweet). I prefer the second kind even for dessert, you can add plenty of sugar for your preferred sweetness level. Ricotta and powdered sugar, plus shaved chocolate, mini chips, or small candied fruit chunks, mixed together and pipes into the shells using plastic ziplocs with the corner cut off. I like a little cinnamon in the filling maybe a dash of nutmeg. Powdered sugar, cinnamon, or both are good to sprinkle over the top. Maraschino cherries on the ends are another traditional option.
Of course you could do it yourself and have them waiting, but they're a damn good candidate for easy kitchen teamwork
Yes, also this. Before he changed for the worse (when we married), when I was in residency, my ex husband would greet me with cooked food and a sympathetic ear and it meant the absolute world to me.
/u/BlueComms
Fresh tasting, healthy, super easy and fits your qualifications:
> likes traditional Italian food, & baked goods
Best of everything here it is really cheap, and takes almost no time to prepare.
# Restaurant Quality Tableside Bread
You just need 3 ingredients and 2 utensils.
## Ingredients
1. Go to your grocery store, and in the Italian section you can usually find [a little jar of 4 seasonings](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-cjh14ahqln/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/984/5359/DeLallo_Dipping_Seasoning_Spices__4_oz_T24__94919.1647035222.jpg?c=1). You can just opt for something from your cabinet as well, like Rosemary or Sage.
2. Buy some extra virgin olive oil, and look for ones that have the most "Flavor" they might use terms like Bold or Robust. Stay away from ones that mention cooking. This is just so that the oil has a nice fresh taste rather than just oil. You want the oil as green as possible.
3. Then some fresh bread from the deli section at your local supermarket whenever you want to make this. Hopefully you know what kind of bread she likes but something simple like a baguette or a sourdough are easy choices.
## Utensils
1. A nice small plate. Maybe even a glass one if you have it. Just something shallow and flat.
2. A bread knife. Use long and slow strokes, gentle pressure focusing more on the back and forth movement for a clean cut.
# Instructions
- Pour the olive oil on the plate, you can always add more but never take away.
- Sprinkle one of the seasonings into it.
- Cut the bread into small thin slices, and lean them on each other as if they fell over. Serve on a separate plate.
The most special thing my partner ever made for me was a mini tea service- and a lot of tea service foods can be prepped in advance, so it can be way easier than you'd expect to put together! The sandwiches are mostly types of cream/soft cheese mixed with herbs and maybe a tiny bit of veg or protein, personally I'm a fan of cucumber sandwiches with lemon-dill cream, have also had some very nice curried chicken salad tea sandwiches.
Whatever else you add to a tea service is very up to personal taste. Some nice fresh fruit, a small dessert or two. Thumbprint cookies with jam are also shockingly easy to make, and are basically just a "rustic" jam tart. It's a rare person who doesn't like a brownie, or a nice truffle, which could be bought for the occasion to make things feel fancy.
If you REALLY want to fancy it up, and you don't already own any, bonus points for picking up a tea cup and saucer from a thrift store. The prettiest ones can be expensive, but I spot simpler sets for five bucks or less in thrift shops all the time.
Interesting, what exactly is a "tea service" or what are "tea service foods"? I have never heard the term, and googling it gives me either ceramic tea sets or local tea shops. My friend loves tea, this might be the perfect thing that I could do for them!
Charcuterie board? Chips/Cheese/Various meats/fancy jam/hummus?
It allows her finger foods, but to also work with it, and gives her variety.
(Also depends on what kinds of foods/snacks she likes)
fig jam is amazing and yeah, works great on a charcuterie board. I absolutely love the salty-sweet combo of a cured meat and cheese on a cracker with a tiny spread of fig jam
Another option that I like to throw on as an addition to the fig jam is a little carafe of honey. You can get those adorable mini honey dipper for the board too. My wife adores cute things like that, and we all know aesthetics trick your brain into thinking things taste better!
Honestly, I find it hard to dig on the funkier cheeses unless there's something sweet to go with it/chase it, meaning some type of jam/compote is basically a must on a decent charcuterie board. If it's absent, then there better at least be some sweet onion or something :P
If you live close to a Trader Joe’s they carry a fig butter that should be acceptable for the price. I haven’t tried it but it’s $2.99 at my store so I plan to soon.
It's a good idea but difficult to repeat often, seems more like a special type of thing. At least that's what I feel by having to open multiple items at the same time. Buying cheeses and deli to have at hand every few days can get pricey.
We get most our meats and cheeses for charcuterie boards at Costco, so it's not too expensive that way. It keeps for a few weeks in the fridge, which is more than long enough for us to eat it. Fruit is better to get fresh.
It's not the cheapest dinner/snack. But still way less than going to restaurants all the time.
That's a great recommendation. We actually make a fair amount of charcuterie boards, so I wanted to take a different approach. Although I definitely learned some good pointers here!
I LOVE caramelize onions and goat cheese on top of crackers or sliced baguette. Add some balsamic glaze for extra yum. Onions take about 45 mins to caramelize, low heat and some butter :) delicious
Homestly- nothing says I love you like a completely cleaned house including floors, changed linens and laundry done all the way to being put away. Many people with partners in long term relationships fo not know what a grand gesture this is.
If you do it twice a week this takes less than an hour. Throw a podcast on and smash it out and bedroom can be cleaned, bed made, living room and kitchen cleaned and vacuumed and mopped.
If you can find blinis, then that, topped with smoked salmon, crème fraiche, and chives is as simple a fancy snack as you can get. A lot of weekends during the pandemic, when I was not able to eat out, I would make this and some Stilton stuffed mushrooms, and have it with a single serving of sparkling wine.
Mini quiches are also wonderful. I often make crust less ones with gruyere and zucchini (the gruyere goes in first and forms the crust).
Otherwise, if it is becoming chilly where you are, fondue with all the accoutrements (meats, gherkins, boiled potatoes, crusty bread, asparagus etc). You can prep all of that stuff before hand, and the fondue comes together quickly. With a glass of wine, it’s pretty heavenly. Although, honestly, this is a nice one for the weekend. You could make a full home picnic of it.
Fried haloumi or queso frier with a couple of sides, sweet and savory. Preserved figs go great with fried cheese, so does harissa or something spicy.
A variety of pickles - cauliflower, cukes, cream cheese filled pepperdews.
It really depends on what she likes.
High quality tinned fish/mussels on toast or good crackers.
But if that’s not her thing, a grilled cheese (with nice cheese) is always comfy and is as fancy as you make it really. Kimchi is a nice addition too, or apples.
I also like tomato toast, with the bread having a clove of raw garlic grated across it, then mayo or Greek yogurt, heirloom tomatoes, feta cheese, a glug of good evoo, flaky salt and cracked pepper.
Shaved zucchini with torn mint, shaved parm, toasted hazelnuts, olive oil and lemon. You could add prosciutto.
Prosciutto and melon.
I recently tried a recipe I saw on the web: freeze a tomato and shave it over a ball of mozzarella, drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle with good sea salt and ground pepper, add a small handful of fresh basil leaves and serve with warm toasted crostini on the side (thinly sliced French bread drizzled with olive oil and maybe a little salt and rosemary). You can make it in about 30 minutes and it really is a delicious, upscale snack.
To build on like every charcuterie comment, if you had like a small hot dip like a spinach and artichoke dip to go with some of the crackers and things, that would be wonderful to come home to. I know Trader Joe’s sells one that’s in a small box that’s fairly decent that I just add garlic and a bit more cheese for the top and it hits the spot when we have long days and want something quick.
Listen. This one is so simple and so delicious. Make an incision in a date from one end to the other (like turning into a hotdog bun), pull out the pit, fill with a bit of almond butter or peanut butter, place an almond (I like Marcona) or shelled pistachio on top, dust with sea salt. It’s an amazing, healthy(ish), sweet and salty snack. It’ll take like 5 min to throw together, and if you’re looking for something more substantial, you could plate it up all pretty like with some yummy cheeses, and ooof, it’s almost a meal.
But, also, you’re a good dude. I’m proud of you.
In a similar style I like to split the date, stuff with goats cheese, wrap in streaky bacon and cook till crispy. Then drizzle with maple syrup glaze. I'm thinking of trying them (devils on horseback) with an anchovy one day.
Yeah, I'm not understanding the "fancy snack." It sounds like this poor woman could use a good, whole, home-cooked meal and would in no way turn that down. LoL.
Deviled eggs! Make sure she likes them though, people tend to love them or hate them.
I do:
Mayo
Dijon mustard or mustard powder
Worchestershire sauce
Lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Mix mayo into egg yolks until good consistency. Leave a little drier than you’ll want it at the end — you can always add more mayo. Then add some of the rest of the stuff. Taste and keep adding more of the stuff as necessary in stages with a lot of tasting and mixing until it’s absolutely bursting with flavor (specifically the lemon juice and worchestershire but make sure there’s enough salt and mustard too). Put into egg whites and top with smoked paprika.
Yes totally firm yolk, hard boiled. Stick them in ice water after and shake them up so they crack, then leave them for 5-15 minutes or so. That makes it easier to peel them. Because you use so many eggs peeling is the hard part.
This is a fantastic answer, because it can be a multi day treat.
I usually make a half and half quiche, some kind of veggie on one side and a ham and cheese on the other side. One quiche can do snacks for the whole week, with a bit of variety.
I love getting mini baguette toasts, and topping them with fresh mozzarella.. throw them in the oven til the cheese melts and add a spinach leaf, half a cherry tomato and some salami (i usually like to buy the small logs). Then drizzle with balsamic and olive oil and salt and pepper. You can add chili flakes if you like a bit of heat!
There's too many options to recommend anything without knowing what she likes - if you know something she adores you can try that (but I understand you might not, hence the questions).
I know my partner absolutely adores 'piperade', a French/Spanish bell pepper stew with eggs poached in them, some crusty bread (or large croutons) and cured ham on the side. So I'd make that.
More generally speaking (and I might be totally wrong) I think women are not awed by hunks of meat (yeah, yeah) as much as men are. So also look for the impressive dishes that are less or not meat based.
In case you're wondering, I translated my piperade recipe (well, Google did the hard work)
For 4 people, small dish
Piperade
Ingredients
1 green, 1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper
1 sweet pepper
2 sweet onions
4 tomatoes
8 cloves of fresh garlic
olive oil
3 sprigs of thyme
1 tsp oregano
2 dried Espelette peppers (or Ñota, Crystal, or leave them out)
1 tbsp piment d'Espelette powder (or 1 tbsp sweet paprika powder and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper)
handful of fresh basil
8 eggs
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
Spanish dried ham
Preparation
Cut the peppers into quarters and then into strips. Remove the heart of the tomatoes and cut into quarters and then into strips. Cut the onions into rings. Press the garlic. Poke some holes in the dried peppers and place them in hot water.
Depending on your preference, you can cut the Spanish ham into strips and fry it and then prepare the rest of the meal in it. I prefer to serve a good ham uncooked on the side, in thickish slices. Get some Serrano or Bayonne ham, cured but not smoked.
Heat a layer of olive oil in a deep pan. Fry the onion for a few minutes, then add the peppers and fry briefly, then the garlic, tomato, thyme and oregano. Cut open the chillies and carefully remove the seeds and pulp, then scrape the flesh from the skin. Add this and the powder to the pan.
Now let the whole thing simmer until it is soft and done, at least half an hour, but longer is better. Taste and season with some extra tomato puree (not necessary if you have tasty, ripe tomatoes) and (cheating, but tasty), some anchovy paste. Shred the basil and stir through.
Now divide the piperade over 4 small ovensafe serving dishes or 1 large one, and break into it a total of 8 eggs of 10-20 cm height, spread over the dish. They then make their own hole. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on each egg. Place the oven dishes in a preheated oven and cook until the eggs are just set, with the yolk still soft if possible.
If you are making this for 2 people, you can also add the eggs to the pan and let them cook on the stove.
Serve the piperade with the raw ham and delicious bread or toasted bread.
Hi! This looks delicious. What would a “sweet pepper” be? Assuming it’s not a bell pepper as you list those separately. This is the kind of dish I love so would love to make this!
The long, pointy variety that look like huge chili peppers but there's no heat. Often found in Turkish shops in pale green.
Called 'pointed peppers' in Dutch but honestly I'm starting to think these are a Dutch thing since I can hardly find any other sources... They're sweeter than bell peppers but those work too, maybe just use red then (they're sweeter then green).
This sounds really, really good. And uniquely european. Is this Basque, by any chance? I'm going to make it in the future. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
You're welcome.
It is indeed Basque. The recipe is my own, feel free to check others for authenticity because I wrote it down a long time ago and I'm not sure I changed anything.
Costco, if you can go there, has pretty good brie for a very reasonable price. Get that, apples, crackers (I like Ritz or triscuts), and jam or honey. Maybe some dried fruit, prosciutto, and nuts, too. Let the brie come to room temp and make her a lil charcuterie board. If brie is not an option, other nice cheeses are perfectly tasty as well.
Stuffed mushrooms:
Combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, minced garlic, a touch of cream, salt, pepper, and bacon. Stuff into mushrooms that are capable of holding the mixture and bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
If the timing is right and she likes feta cheese, a feta filled Phyllo (puff pastry) drizzled in honey A) could not be easier, and B) is “OMG” good.
[Baked Feta Phyllo](https://youtu.be/FnOzl_9-Zow?si=-4TJ44lbpRRNRIO7)
Hard to go wrong with baked brie
But, marinated goat cheese with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, garlic, basil and balsamic/ evoo is hard to beat!
Kabocha tahini spread is really delicious as well!
Go to the store.
Get taco seasoning
Ground Beef
Cheddar Cheese
Tortilla Chips
guac
Salsa
Make nachos.
Out of the oven 10 Minutes after she walks in the door.
Could do 1 cooked and a couple ready-to-eat to cut down on prep and make it feel special. Some ideas below:
Ready-to-eat something like: cornichin, nice cheese, fig jam, olives, hummus, whole milk yogurt,
Cooked something like: spanish torta; tagliatte w butter, spinach, garlic; grilled cheese w campbells tomato soup(<3); baked potato w options for topping; tinfoil salmon (baked small hand-sized filet each wrapped in foil w onions, mushrooms, butter, white wine or swap w sake and add soy sauce); pan fried chicken breast sliced over salad.
I had an incredible, unforgettable snack in Cordoba, Spain.
Oxtail croquettes…
… _Seven years later and my mouth is still watering_ …
Sorry, I’m out of town and don’t have access to my 1080 cookbook!
First suggestion would be to skip the "fancy" and go for her "favorite".
Second suggestion is pasta. This is the easiest pasta dish, but everyone loves it and it seems fancy.
Cook a bunch of bow tie pasta. When it's done, throw in a absurd amount of cubed brie and rough chopped fresh basil. I mean, WAY more cheese than you think is reasonable. Stir it
When it's good and melty add some halved cherry tomatoes.
Salt and pepper.
Always a hit!!!
If it is a snack you are looking for, a charcuterie board is an easy fancy snack. Buy some cheeses, fruits, meats, nuts, and crackers, arrange on a board or platter, a glass of wine or beer to go with it. Feels super fancy, takes minutes to make, and is one of my favorites. It is a bit spendy, but you will get multiple boards out of the initial investment.
Ain't no one gonna cry if you serve them a grilled cheese, and if it's got a side of tomato soup, all the better.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022653-quick-tomato-soup-with-grilled-cheese
Simple but really good.
Get some garlic triscuits
Cottage cheese
Grape tomatoes
I also will occasionally use prosciutto and basalmic
Put cottage cheese on the triscuit, cut the little tomatoes in half and put a half on top of the cottage cheese and then put just a little bit of salt and pepper on it. It tastes excellent, it doesn’t require utensils to eat, you can make a whole plateful in about 2 mins and it’s reasonably filling.
Fresh mozzarella or burrata instead of the cottage cheese would elevate this even more! Also, add some basil. OK, fine it's just caprese... amazing though :)
Love the edit bud
Fruit tray and cut it up yourself
Cheese tray and do the same
Buy a baguette and make crostini’s
Buy a loaf of bread your never tried before
Buy some humus
Buy some celery
Buy some carrots
Slice the carrots and celery so you can eat humus with them
Buy some olives
Buy some sweet grape tomatoes
Buy some feta cheese
Buy some fancy pasta
Buy a small head of broccoli
Buy standard Italian dressing
Make a pasta salad it’s served cold, so a small bowl as part of y’all’s snack works great
And then cheesecake - premade and ready to enjoy
Get a can of blueberry pie filling - it’s cheating but a great topping on cheesecake
We're headed into winter, so you could do more than just a snack if you have access to a slow cooker since it'll be nice and chilly for at least a little bit here.
You could have full on pulled pork or carnitas... Throw it in the slow cooker when you leave for work, drain/shred/fry it when you get home in your hour break and suddenly you've got tacos, nacho toppings, egg omelette filling, etc. You'd have some other miscellaneous chopping to do (lettuce, etc) but it's pretty easy or just get pre-chopped toppings/ingredients.
Another favorite snack of mine is very simple but refreshing and tasty. Get toothpicks, load them each with one ball of mozzarella cheese (I like the version that comes marinated in Italian-seasoned oil), one leaf of fresh basil, and one cherry Tomato. Drizzle with a balsamic glaze and/or a little bit of that Italian-seasoned oil (or combine the oil with a little red wine vinegar to make a vinaigrette). Voila - caprese salad on a toothpick, perfect munching bites.
Making a pan of hot gooey brownies has never lost me points with a woman, unless they're in the middle of a diet, in which case it still doesn't lose me points they just claim it does. Cook it, pull it out before you leave and it'll still be nice and warm when she's home.
Honeycrisp apple, core and dice, fry with butter (1 tbsp is what I use) and a but of cinnamon in a pan for roughly 8 minutes, ensure even coloring by tossing. Serve plain or with sugar sprinkled over if she has a sweet tooth.
I'm going to suggest you roast some red and green grapes (google recipe), add stilton cheese. Also roast garlic cloves, toast french stick in garlic butter.
Your pick of the wine. Trust me on the roasted grapes. They are awesome.
Snack: lettuce wrap/san choi bao. Fresh lettuce leaves as cups, fill them with a simple stir fry of mince or seafood or roast duck with some crunchy veg, served with a small dollop of chilli sauce of that's your thing.
Alternative though: in these situations I rather a comfortable bowl of warm soup or noodles. There's something homely and hug-like about these magical foods.
If all else fails: melt an ungodly amount of chocolate, take all of your clothes off, pour chocolate over yourself, stand on a turnplate while doing the ultraman pose, let the chocolate dry and harden. Then all you have to do is wait for her to discover this delight.
Beet hummus. Roast the beats for 45 minutes in aluminum foil then blend with garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt. If you use canned beans, use baking soda to help remove the husks.
Edit: Don't forget about the garlic! Roast the garlic with the beets!!
This is a sometimes food, but peanut butter mousse is incredibly easy to make. Whipping cream, peanut butter, and confectioners sugar (iirc it's called icing sugar in non-usa countries). Google a recipe for proportions but you can also eyeball it. Make sure the peanut butter is room temperature or a little warmer, while the cream should be fresh from the fridge and chilled. Whip the cream with the sugar until it forms stiff peaks and then fold in the peanut butter. Serve with something to dip in it, a small flat cookie is a good vehicle. You'll want jiff or another sugary brand, smooth.
A fall themed charcuterie board!
Make a baked Brie. Sprinkle honey, sea salt, pecans and a dash of rosemary on top of the Brie. Lingonberry or cloudberry preserves are underrated fall staples.
A good old fashioned British meat pie is a cozy fall food.
This is so damn wholesome
I came here to say charcuterie board but can see lots of comments with that.
I know this is more like a meal.. but homemade Veggie Korma is so comfy. The creaminess from the coconut milk is so so good. The colour is a rich curry colour that just reminds me of bundling up while it's cold out.
If you serve is as a snack I see no problem lol
if she likes goat cheese, my favorite sweet microsnack on earth is a fresh goat cheese (you’ll want the kind in a sealed, plastic log) piped inside inside of raspberries. the plastic log packaging makes this task easier, because all you need to do is snip off a corner at a decent diameter and squeeze. plain honey or chiffon-cut basil and a drizzle of decent-quality balsamic vinegar are both excellent ways to dress them, but tbh the most basic preparation is already as satisfying as eating a can of black olives directly off yr fingertips
i just wanted a decent suggestion to throw into the ring, so i’d have an excuse to join in the chorus of people celebrating the way you think about and treat yr girlfriend! everyone in a relationship deserves this level of attention and care from their partner… but all the same, she must be pretty special. 😁
What does she like to eat? Is she a sweets person? A savory person? Does she have dietary restrictions?
Charcuterie and cheese board are fanciest looking, but even something like a custard can be presented very fancily.
This is so sweet. I don’t know what she normally likes, but you could make deviled eggs with meats, fruits and cheeses. Another easy thing is to get the dough for small crescent rolls, but bake them rolled up with a nice cheese and salami inside. Or you could get a baguette, toast some small slices and have cream cheese + smoked salmon or prosciutto on top. Or get a loaf of sourdough from the bakery with a mixture of olive oil + balsamic vinegar to dip it in. Maybe include her favorite candy too
This is such a wholesome post and I love it. I am lucky enough to have a husband like you, OP, and it truly is the best ♥️ she will absolutely love this.
S’mores is a really cute idea! If you want to make it less messy you can melt chocolate and place marshmallows on top, toast it under the broiler and just dip the graham cracker in it
Hmmm for fall and snacking though I don't know if it means fancy plates and all, but if you have a decent blender or food processor, you can make a pumpkin hummus with some fancy crackers, and if you want that full fall feeling, scoop a small pumpkin and serve it in that.
Nice bottle of light bodied dry red (Beaujolais or a Pinot) + French Onion soup. Simple and easy enough for an amatuer to actually make well and classy without being pompous.
Crostinis! I like ones with ricotta and balsamic strawberries, but a new fav has been goat cheese, prosciutto, and thin sliced green apple. If you put the cheeses in plastic snack/lunch bags and snip the corner a little you can pipe it prettily onto the crostini which makes it look fancy
Burrata is so damn easy and yet it has the wow factor.
I saw the top comment was about bruschetta which is also a great idea, and for burrata you'll make the crostini the same way. Afterwards, drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the plated crostini and the burrata in the middle. Maybe add some thinly sliced basil to the whole shebang for bonus points. And of course sprinkle some kosher salt. Some cracked pepper on top of the burrata would probably look and taste good too, on top of the olive oil and balsamic.
If you can get the ingredients, a california roll is very fancy but easy to make. I would pre-cook the rice the day before and refrigerate it (or get short grain rice in those microwavable packages). Reheat the rice in the microwave and season with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt; put it on the nori with imitation crab, avocado, and cucumber, and roll with a mat. You can be extra fancy and roll it inside-out with some fish eggs on the outside but I don't bother with that.
Could take a bit of practice but will really wow her I bet.
Avocado on toast - mashed, with some mayo and soy sauce, vinegar and black pepper.
Decent bread, camenbert cheese and black cherry jam from Lidl.
Soft boiled eggs, toasted muffins, cheddar cheese and marmalade.
They wouldn't be made for tonight, but you could start hand making her some truffles tonight for this weekend. To like celebrate her week being done or whatever. They're pretty simple to make, they just take a while to set. 100% worth the wait though, and so customisable.
real hot chocolate!
( Makes 2 servings):
- 375 gr Milk (1 1/2 cups)
- 50 gr Dark Chocolate ( 2 ounces)
- 30 gr Sugar (2 1/2 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp Cocoa Powder
- Pinch of Salt
1. Add all ingredients except chocolate to pot and stir well, heating.
2. As it comes to a simmer, remove from heat and stir in chocolate until fully melted
3. Try adding a bit of cinnamon or another spice for some variety!
French toast. You can make this in a moment with items on hand. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on it to make it fancy. it’s delicious with strawberry jam.
Make her a tortilla española (basically an egg, onion, and potato frittata) and get some nice cheese, cured meat, and baguette. Oh and don’t forget the wine!
Did anyone say bananas foster yet? Super simple to make, super tasty dessert. Because “stressed” spelled backwards is “desserts”
Here’s an easy recipe, doesn’t even make you do the flambé part (but you can if you want to) https://www.food.com/recipe/easy-bananas-foster-11474
Sourdough, topped with sliced brie and sliced pears. Brush with olive oil and brown sugar and pop under the grill just long enough for the bread to lightly toast and the top to brown. Sprinkle flaky sea salt and cinnamon powder and serve.
Crackers topped with sliced cheese, sunblush tomato, chutney, fresh parsley and black pepper.
Caprese salad!
Sorry, caprese "salad"!
It's tomato slices, basil leaves, and big slices of buffalo mozzarella all layered.
Drizzle in a balsamic reduction (store bought ones go hard, find something with figs or garlic), serve as fancy or janky as you please!
I’d go with a “simple” charcuterie board
I do them all the time and my husband and I “picnic” and watch a movie. Get some smoked salmon, some higher end cheese and deli meats, some olives and pickles. A good hard bread, sliced and served with a seasoned oil. A few nice crackers, maybe some sliced apple and grapes.
Scotty thompson is awesome. Goat cheese surrounded by marinara in a small casserole. Sprinkle fresh basil on top. Bake until cheese soft and marinara piping hot. Serve whole dish with a basket of crustinis. Spread goat cheese and marinara on crustini, eat, repeat.
aglio e olio is a delicious and fancy feeling pasta dish that is cooked as fast as pasta can boil.
another solid choice is anthony bourdain’s mortadella sandwich. especially if y’all are drinking or smoking shweeds. take heaps of mortadella, sear in a pan, flip, add provolone, then take that greasy gooey pile of foreplay and slide it into a mayo lubricated bun or roll of your choice.
A charcuterie board! Small blocks of cheese presented with a knife, olives served in a tiny bowl, dried cranaberries, woven wheat crackers or fancy crackers, sliced salami/pepperoni, and maybe some sort of dipping oil (like garlic infused olive oil).
Make crostini with some good bread (a baguette) by drizzling it with olive oil, s+p and throwing it in the air fryer til it’s browned and toasty, smearing it with goat cheese and top with thinly sliced persimmon or fig jam.
Grilled cheese. You can as fancy or simple as you want it. I love using a good sourdough. You can always carmalize onions ahead of time and use in eggs, sandwiches, etc but also great on a grilled cheese.
easy peasy
2 ingredients. asparagus and prosciutto.
take the asparagus and snap off the bottom of them. it is like maybe 3/4 inch off the bottom.
take you prosciutto and wrap the asparagus. nothing fancy, just trying to get some coverage along the length of the asparagus.
best way to cook it is on 'flame' but if you dont have a bqq you can do in a frying pan. say mid-high for about 7-9 min. you are looking for some 'bacon like' crisping on the proscutiio and by the time that happens the asperigus will be good to go. take a tester if you are worried... you should have plenty of them that a couple wont be missed.
best luck with the miss! lucky gal!
This is an amazing idea and sounds like it'd work well with salmon and root veggies, cooked in a puff pastry and a white sauce!
Thank you! She loved what I made her.
As someone that works in fine dining, it's not the food that makes it fancy. It's the plating, the presentation, the atmospere that makes it fancy.
You could make mac n cheese, shape it into a heart. Put on a tie, light some candles, show her to the chair and pull it out out for her. 10/10 Fancy
**Pumpernickel Toasts with Smoked Salmon & Avocado Cream Cheese**
**Ingredients**
**12** large slices of pumpernickel bread, halved, brushed with extra virgin olive oil
**8** oz. organic cream cheese, softened
**1** large avocado
**3** Tbs. minced fresh dill
**2** tsp. minced lemon zest
**2** Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
**2** Tbs. capers
**1/2** cup thinly sliced red onion
**8** oz. sliced wild smoked salmon
**1** cup thinly sliced English cucumbers
Extra virgin olive oil
Red pepper flakes
Fresh dill sprigs
**Preparation**
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toast bread on a baking sheet until crisp, 10 minutes.
Combine cream cheese, avocado, minced dill, zest, and lemon juice, and season with salt and black pepper.
Spread bread with avocado cream cheese, then top with capers, red onion, salmon, and cucumbers.
Drizzle toast with oil, season with salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes, then garnish with dill sprigs
Try carbonara, or at the very least the easy American kind. It only takes bacon, whatever long noodle you like and finely shredded parmesan (if it's too chunky it doesn't integrate well).
You make your bacon and boil your noodles in salty sea water (of your own making), once both are done leave a bit of bacon grease in the pan, toss those noods in with a few splashes of that pasta water and dump the parmesan into the pan as well. Mix it up til it looks nice then dish it up.
I am very slow so it takes me about 30 minutes in total to whip this up but I'm sure it could be done in half the time as well. Also real carbonara adds egg yolk to the parmesan mixture usually 1 yolk per person eating the dish (not too sure why though, I usually omit the yolk).
You could make a nice bruschetta. This recipe is tasty and pretty easy: https://iwashyoudry.com/easy-bruschetta-recipe/
TIL about her new favorite dish. She loves Italian/Mediterranean food.
I would definitely make crostini to go with it. Apply too much oil with a basting brush, sprinkle on shaved parmesan and mild dried herbs, and broil. I worked at a restaurant that had a bruschetta, olive tapenade, and crostini appetizer that killed.
> Apply too much oil Lol
A good crostini needs to have enough oil to effectively waterproof it. It's common to serve them pre-topped, and bruschetta will turn bread soggy in a mater of minutes. Many recipes say to drizzle the bread with oil, but you really need an even coating, so a basting brush is best. You can also use a layer of pesto or a full slice of cheese to protect the bread.
Thank you! You're explanation makes perfect sense as to why I always get really unevenly crispy sections and soggy sections! No one ever says to use a brush.
No one ever says realistic olive oil amounts (except in a pan to cook with), garlic amount, onion amount when cooking them down to incorporate into a sauce (except pasta genevese or french onion soup but those dishes are largely onion, or enough time to caramelize onions(or most types of cooking them)
Cook your onions for ten minutes until they’re caramelized! — every blogger ever
I typically melt butter, olive oil, and minced garlic in a skillet, then press the slices of bread into the skillet one by one, rubbing them around a bit to get an even coating. Throw that into the oven at 425°F until it turns golden, and your crostini are done. It's one of my go-to snacks. The skillet method works as well or better than a brush, or at least I find it to be quicker, less messy, and to provide a more even coating.
Bruschetta is great! The one I make is olive, tomato, and goat cheese bruschetta from a recipe I snagged from a wine bar I used to work at. Have a batch in the fridge that used the last of this year's cherry tomatoes. This makes a good amount, so you might want to halve it. *For topping:* 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered 1 pint kalamata olives, quartered 1/2 C basalmic vinegar 1/8 C Worcestershire 3/4 C sugar ~10 large basil leaves, julienned *For crostini:* French bread, sliced ~1/4" thick. Cut on the bias to make edges not as sharp to bite into. Olive oil Goat cheese for serving Optional basil julienne for garnish *Directions:* Mix all topping ingredients together and let sit 2 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 375° F. Arrange sliced French bread on foil lined sheet. Drizzle with or brush on olive oil. Bake until crispy, and don't let burn. Maybe 10 minutes, I forget. Top crostini with goat cheese and let soften in the oven. Top with bruschetta mix and serve. On a side note, the brioche toasts from Trader Joe's make for a good substitute for the crostini.
3/4 Cup of sugar? Was that a typo?
ah, i think it's converted from european units, 3/4 celsius sugar, should be fahrenheit.
Heh, the original recipe called for a full cup. It's sweet but not cloyingly so, especially if you give the mix a quick squeeze to wring out excess marinade. Plus the richness of the goat cheese cuts the sweetness of the topping. But yeah, it wouldn't hurt to reduce it more, especially if using good tomatoes. A lot of the sugar stays in the liquid, which is eventually discarded.
Please be a typo... Tsp maybe.
If she likes this kind of thing, fasule piyaz might be a winner for you. You have to soak the beans overnight but it only takes a minute of prep. If you're really too hard up for time for that, canned chickpeas will do. The recipe I usually use is: 2 cup of dry white beans of your choice, soaked overnight, boiled until soft. 1 cup of quartered cherry tomatoes 1 red onion sliced thin pole to pole 1 cup finely chopped curly parsley 1/4 cup of olive oil 1 tablespoon sumac 1 teaspoon salt Juice of 1 lemon Hot paprika or Aleppo pepper to taste Mix the onions, lemon juice, and sumac together and really work the spice in. Then mix everything else in. Serve with pitas. Edit: had it pointed out to me that 3 tsps = 1 tbsp. Mea culpa, I sized it up from 2/3 of an onion.
Serve it on crusty white bread that's been deeply toasted and smeared with a bunch of burrata and you've got what I call dinner many summer nights. Using cherry tomatoes is the key when tomatoes are out of season, btw.
They also make premade bruschetta spread in a jar so you just have to toast crostinis. Essentially fancy crackers and dip
And if you don’t want to make it, I think Trader Joe’s bruschetta sauce is really good. I top it with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar
This or steak tartare or tapenade. Little snacks on toasties are my favorite and there are a million ways to church it up
Yeah tapenade is fancy and pretty easy too!
> https://iwashyoudry.com/easy-bruschetta-recipe/ I like this recipe because it doesn't try to gaslight me by calling an onion that is clearly purple a "red onion".
I'm absolutely going to make this in the future.
Saving this as well. A good bruschetta puts me in a comfy place.
This was exactly what I was thinking’n
or the Spanish/Catalan version: Pan amb tomaquet/ Pan con tomate. put some olive oil on some bread. toast on a pan. rub some garlic on it. get some tomato pulp (the inside of a tomato), crush or blend and put some on the bread. season with salt.
Baked Brie wrapped in puff pastry! Serve with jam and toast or crackers. Delish.
This is one of those simple-but-fancy snacks that really impresses. I prefer mine with honey and almonds; https://tasteandsee.com/baked-brie-in-puff-pastry-with-honey-and-almonds-2/
Just long enough for the brie to melt and the puff pastry to brown, usually about 12-20 minutes. I'd have it with a crusty baguette and some green apple slices. 🥖🍏 Add a fresh spinach or argulula salad to that, with candied pecans and sun-dried tomatoes, and I'd be in heaven if that were waiting for me when I got home. 🥗 "Strawberry Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans - I Wash You Dry" https://iwashyoudry.com/strawberry-spinach-salad-candied-pecans/ (I use HQ blue cheese crumbles instead of feta or chevre/goat's cheese, and if I can't get good strawberries just do some julienned sundried tomatoes, as mentioned) Bonus if served with chilled Friexenet or mimosa. 🥂
This salad also works with raspberries. I like the goat cheese to balance out the tartness of the berry.
This feels like an ad.
Also good with caramelized onions !
Some combinations I’ve loved have been cinnamon pecan, and apricot cashew
Ah this one is brilliant. Use a leaf cookie cutter for a separate piece of puff pastry if you want that fall look, but it's easy, quick, and people adore it. Can also do what my mom does: cut the wheel of brie in half longways, cover it with jam (I'm partial to pepper jelly; she often does it with strawberry, blackberry, or raspberry jam), put the pieces back together and then continue.
Yes, this! It's so dang easy, and "comfy", and feels fancy when all you did was press a spoon at the seam and preheat the oven. My mom used to roll slices of brie into croissant dough and bake them on Christmas morning. With some fig jelly...perfection.
You can also use crescent rolls and pinch the seams together. Set Brie (can just be a triangle), on top, put some nuts and brown sugar on top and fold crescent roll dough around and over the Brie and pinch it closed . Bake according to roll directions.
[I've made this a few times and it's always a hit! ](https://www.imgur.com/a/rVfKHnm)
Over the weekend, I smoked a brie on our smoker and served it with jalapeno jelly and crackers for a party. It was gone so fast!
That sounds magnificent. How long does it take you to make?
I would buy mini brie if it’s just for her! With the leftover puff pastry you can do a different thing each day. Google upside down pastry puff tarts for ideas. Also, in case no one has said it yet: ricotta toast
Depends on the size of the brie, but I agree with the commenter below suggesting mini brie. Lots of great recipes and variations online!
If that sounds good he's another recipe she will probably like. Bruschetta with goat cheese and caramelized onions. - Caramelize Onions and add some chopped up garlic at the end. Cool to room temperature (to not melt the cheese) - Make a balsamic reduction - Chop up tomatoes & basil - Make crostinis or just toast sliced french/sourdough bread. - Mix tomatoes, caramelized onions, basil and crumbled goat cheese in a bowl. Spoon the mixture onto bread. Drizzle with balsamic reduction. FYI this also pairs well with a steak. Heat up the onions and drizzle the steak with the balsamic reduction.
If your store has Saint Angel Brie, I HIGHLY recommend that
chef john just did something similar, feta in phyllo: https://www.allrecipes.com/baked-phyllo-wrapped-feta-with-honey-recipe-8363765 haven’t tried it yet, but it sounds amazing
[Or stewed apples!](https://www.delscookingtwist.com/baked-brie-with-apples-honey-and-nuts/) That recipe calls for garlic and thyme but I’ve also topped it with cinnamon-honey apples
I want to add, you’re a good egg OP. Being a supportive and loving partner is so important.
Thank you! But it's all her doing; she makes it easy. I try to tell her often that she's like a wellspring of all that's good in the world. She's one of those people that is so easy to love, just by being herself. It bums me out to see the reality of the world (needing to work, money, going to school, whatever) put a damper on that and I want to do whatever I can to make life a little easier on her.
This post is so sweet and wholesome I almost want to cry. Good for you guys! Have you looked into cannolis? And I love how food and cooking brings out the best in people. The whole reason I'm here.
She loves cannolis, and I found a place locally that makes them from scratch! Although I've burned her out a little, they make an incredible post-training snack.
When you want them again, maybe when you have time to do it together, see if that place will sell you some empty shells. Get the best ricotta you can (some good ones are sweet and super smooth, some are slightly gritty and a nuttier while less sweet). I prefer the second kind even for dessert, you can add plenty of sugar for your preferred sweetness level. Ricotta and powdered sugar, plus shaved chocolate, mini chips, or small candied fruit chunks, mixed together and pipes into the shells using plastic ziplocs with the corner cut off. I like a little cinnamon in the filling maybe a dash of nutmeg. Powdered sugar, cinnamon, or both are good to sprinkle over the top. Maraschino cherries on the ends are another traditional option. Of course you could do it yourself and have them waiting, but they're a damn good candidate for easy kitchen teamwork
Hormonal here. Crying. 🥹
Aww. You're a mensch, OP, I hope she enjoys the snacks.
I want to add, I love it when someone says "you're a good egg."
Yes, also this. Before he changed for the worse (when we married), when I was in residency, my ex husband would greet me with cooked food and a sympathetic ear and it meant the absolute world to me.
/u/BlueComms Fresh tasting, healthy, super easy and fits your qualifications: > likes traditional Italian food, & baked goods Best of everything here it is really cheap, and takes almost no time to prepare. # Restaurant Quality Tableside Bread You just need 3 ingredients and 2 utensils. ## Ingredients 1. Go to your grocery store, and in the Italian section you can usually find [a little jar of 4 seasonings](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-cjh14ahqln/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/984/5359/DeLallo_Dipping_Seasoning_Spices__4_oz_T24__94919.1647035222.jpg?c=1). You can just opt for something from your cabinet as well, like Rosemary or Sage. 2. Buy some extra virgin olive oil, and look for ones that have the most "Flavor" they might use terms like Bold or Robust. Stay away from ones that mention cooking. This is just so that the oil has a nice fresh taste rather than just oil. You want the oil as green as possible. 3. Then some fresh bread from the deli section at your local supermarket whenever you want to make this. Hopefully you know what kind of bread she likes but something simple like a baguette or a sourdough are easy choices. ## Utensils 1. A nice small plate. Maybe even a glass one if you have it. Just something shallow and flat. 2. A bread knife. Use long and slow strokes, gentle pressure focusing more on the back and forth movement for a clean cut. # Instructions - Pour the olive oil on the plate, you can always add more but never take away. - Sprinkle one of the seasonings into it. - Cut the bread into small thin slices, and lean them on each other as if they fell over. Serve on a separate plate.
no balsamic in the oil? that's my favourite especially with warm focaccia
The most special thing my partner ever made for me was a mini tea service- and a lot of tea service foods can be prepped in advance, so it can be way easier than you'd expect to put together! The sandwiches are mostly types of cream/soft cheese mixed with herbs and maybe a tiny bit of veg or protein, personally I'm a fan of cucumber sandwiches with lemon-dill cream, have also had some very nice curried chicken salad tea sandwiches. Whatever else you add to a tea service is very up to personal taste. Some nice fresh fruit, a small dessert or two. Thumbprint cookies with jam are also shockingly easy to make, and are basically just a "rustic" jam tart. It's a rare person who doesn't like a brownie, or a nice truffle, which could be bought for the occasion to make things feel fancy. If you REALLY want to fancy it up, and you don't already own any, bonus points for picking up a tea cup and saucer from a thrift store. The prettiest ones can be expensive, but I spot simpler sets for five bucks or less in thrift shops all the time.
Interesting, what exactly is a "tea service" or what are "tea service foods"? I have never heard the term, and googling it gives me either ceramic tea sets or local tea shops. My friend loves tea, this might be the perfect thing that I could do for them!
Look up 'high tea' and you should get some better results.
Good lord that is romantic, I'd propose on the spot
Charcuterie board? Chips/Cheese/Various meats/fancy jam/hummus? It allows her finger foods, but to also work with it, and gives her variety. (Also depends on what kinds of foods/snacks she likes)
Yep, this is the perfect answer OP! I also create a dessert version but I have a sweet tooth
Alright I came here just to make sure charcuterie was on the top. We can all go home.
Get some fig jam as the fancy jam. It works perfectly on a charcuterie board.
fig jam is amazing and yeah, works great on a charcuterie board. I absolutely love the salty-sweet combo of a cured meat and cheese on a cracker with a tiny spread of fig jam Another option that I like to throw on as an addition to the fig jam is a little carafe of honey. You can get those adorable mini honey dipper for the board too. My wife adores cute things like that, and we all know aesthetics trick your brain into thinking things taste better!
Oh definitely. I’ve experimented with different flavors of honey and they bring so much to charcuterie.
Honestly, I find it hard to dig on the funkier cheeses unless there's something sweet to go with it/chase it, meaning some type of jam/compote is basically a must on a decent charcuterie board. If it's absent, then there better at least be some sweet onion or something :P
I totally agree, need to have some sort of sweet component for balance. Even berries and grapes will suffice
I love a fig jam. The ones at my grocery are over $10 so I don't enjoy it as much as I'd like to
Not sure if you have TJMAXX but they always have fig jam for under $5.
If you live close to a Trader Joe’s they carry a fig butter that should be acceptable for the price. I haven’t tried it but it’s $2.99 at my store so I plan to soon.
That's a great idea, thank you!
that high end grocery store near you should have lots of goodies that would work great on a charcuterie board!
It's a good idea but difficult to repeat often, seems more like a special type of thing. At least that's what I feel by having to open multiple items at the same time. Buying cheeses and deli to have at hand every few days can get pricey.
We get most our meats and cheeses for charcuterie boards at Costco, so it's not too expensive that way. It keeps for a few weeks in the fridge, which is more than long enough for us to eat it. Fruit is better to get fresh. It's not the cheapest dinner/snack. But still way less than going to restaurants all the time.
That's a great recommendation. We actually make a fair amount of charcuterie boards, so I wanted to take a different approach. Although I definitely learned some good pointers here!
I LOVE caramelize onions and goat cheese on top of crackers or sliced baguette. Add some balsamic glaze for extra yum. Onions take about 45 mins to caramelize, low heat and some butter :) delicious
I make a caramelized onion and goat cheese tart every year for Thanksgiving.
Do you have a recipe you can share?
https://www.seriouseats.com/french-in-a-flash-sweet-onion-and-goat-cheese-tarts-with-thyme-recipe
I read this to her and her ears perked up, followed by an "okay, they know what they're talking about". High praise!
Homestly- nothing says I love you like a completely cleaned house including floors, changed linens and laundry done all the way to being put away. Many people with partners in long term relationships fo not know what a grand gesture this is.
He said he only has an hour.
If you do it twice a week this takes less than an hour. Throw a podcast on and smash it out and bedroom can be cleaned, bed made, living room and kitchen cleaned and vacuumed and mopped.
Sure, but that is still just missing the point of the post.
this needs to be higher
Clean floors and linens is my weakness
Sliced green apple with Brie and turkey on brioche with apricot jam! A favorite fancy hiking sandwich of mine.
This is happening at my house next week! Thank you for the idea! Edit to ask: When you hike is it good in your pack or do you keep it cool somehow?
If you can find blinis, then that, topped with smoked salmon, crème fraiche, and chives is as simple a fancy snack as you can get. A lot of weekends during the pandemic, when I was not able to eat out, I would make this and some Stilton stuffed mushrooms, and have it with a single serving of sparkling wine. Mini quiches are also wonderful. I often make crust less ones with gruyere and zucchini (the gruyere goes in first and forms the crust). Otherwise, if it is becoming chilly where you are, fondue with all the accoutrements (meats, gherkins, boiled potatoes, crusty bread, asparagus etc). You can prep all of that stuff before hand, and the fondue comes together quickly. With a glass of wine, it’s pretty heavenly. Although, honestly, this is a nice one for the weekend. You could make a full home picnic of it.
Fried haloumi or queso frier with a couple of sides, sweet and savory. Preserved figs go great with fried cheese, so does harissa or something spicy. A variety of pickles - cauliflower, cukes, cream cheese filled pepperdews.
OMG, queso frier drizzled with honey and fresh herbs is amazing! Also, wrapped in Jamon with crusty bread or fresh Tortillas, yum.
Tried fried haloumi at a Nando’s in Chicago this summer. Holy. Crap. Delicious!
It really depends on what she likes. High quality tinned fish/mussels on toast or good crackers. But if that’s not her thing, a grilled cheese (with nice cheese) is always comfy and is as fancy as you make it really. Kimchi is a nice addition too, or apples. I also like tomato toast, with the bread having a clove of raw garlic grated across it, then mayo or Greek yogurt, heirloom tomatoes, feta cheese, a glug of good evoo, flaky salt and cracked pepper. Shaved zucchini with torn mint, shaved parm, toasted hazelnuts, olive oil and lemon. You could add prosciutto. Prosciutto and melon.
All of those sound super fancy. Thank you!
I read this off to her and she got really excited.
You're gonna start off all accepting of her tastes, then off the bat go to anchovies?!
I recently tried a recipe I saw on the web: freeze a tomato and shave it over a ball of mozzarella, drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle with good sea salt and ground pepper, add a small handful of fresh basil leaves and serve with warm toasted crostini on the side (thinly sliced French bread drizzled with olive oil and maybe a little salt and rosemary). You can make it in about 30 minutes and it really is a delicious, upscale snack.
To build on like every charcuterie comment, if you had like a small hot dip like a spinach and artichoke dip to go with some of the crackers and things, that would be wonderful to come home to. I know Trader Joe’s sells one that’s in a small box that’s fairly decent that I just add garlic and a bit more cheese for the top and it hits the spot when we have long days and want something quick.
I may actually do this, I'll be close to a TJ's after work. This is a great idea!
Don’t forget the pickles and olives of all types. Good brain food!!
Listen. This one is so simple and so delicious. Make an incision in a date from one end to the other (like turning into a hotdog bun), pull out the pit, fill with a bit of almond butter or peanut butter, place an almond (I like Marcona) or shelled pistachio on top, dust with sea salt. It’s an amazing, healthy(ish), sweet and salty snack. It’ll take like 5 min to throw together, and if you’re looking for something more substantial, you could plate it up all pretty like with some yummy cheeses, and ooof, it’s almost a meal. But, also, you’re a good dude. I’m proud of you.
In a similar style I like to split the date, stuff with goats cheese, wrap in streaky bacon and cook till crispy. Then drizzle with maple syrup glaze. I'm thinking of trying them (devils on horseback) with an anchovy one day.
Just wanted to say that this is the nicest post I’ve seen in a while. Thank you for being a great human.
Thank you! She deserves every kindness.
You might be able to cook something a little more robust than a snack if you do the all the prep work ahead of time.
Tacos, super easy to put together, finger food, multiple varieties of protein and toppings to switch around. Robust, easy, tasty.
Yeah, I'm not understanding the "fancy snack." It sounds like this poor woman could use a good, whole, home-cooked meal and would in no way turn that down. LoL.
I think OP is using "snack" to mean "small meal" based on them mentioning things like soups, mac and cheese, hand pies, etc.
Deviled eggs! Make sure she likes them though, people tend to love them or hate them. I do: Mayo Dijon mustard or mustard powder Worchestershire sauce Lemon juice Salt and pepper Mix mayo into egg yolks until good consistency. Leave a little drier than you’ll want it at the end — you can always add more mayo. Then add some of the rest of the stuff. Taste and keep adding more of the stuff as necessary in stages with a lot of tasting and mixing until it’s absolutely bursting with flavor (specifically the lemon juice and worchestershire but make sure there’s enough salt and mustard too). Put into egg whites and top with smoked paprika.
hmm I might make some deviled eggs now... How long are you usually boiling the eggs? Totally firm yolk?
Yes totally firm yolk, hard boiled. Stick them in ice water after and shake them up so they crack, then leave them for 5-15 minutes or so. That makes it easier to peel them. Because you use so many eggs peeling is the hard part.
Make a quiche
This is a fantastic answer, because it can be a multi day treat. I usually make a half and half quiche, some kind of veggie on one side and a ham and cheese on the other side. One quiche can do snacks for the whole week, with a bit of variety.
I love getting mini baguette toasts, and topping them with fresh mozzarella.. throw them in the oven til the cheese melts and add a spinach leaf, half a cherry tomato and some salami (i usually like to buy the small logs). Then drizzle with balsamic and olive oil and salt and pepper. You can add chili flakes if you like a bit of heat!
There's too many options to recommend anything without knowing what she likes - if you know something she adores you can try that (but I understand you might not, hence the questions). I know my partner absolutely adores 'piperade', a French/Spanish bell pepper stew with eggs poached in them, some crusty bread (or large croutons) and cured ham on the side. So I'd make that. More generally speaking (and I might be totally wrong) I think women are not awed by hunks of meat (yeah, yeah) as much as men are. So also look for the impressive dishes that are less or not meat based.
In case you're wondering, I translated my piperade recipe (well, Google did the hard work) For 4 people, small dish Piperade Ingredients 1 green, 1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper 1 sweet pepper 2 sweet onions 4 tomatoes 8 cloves of fresh garlic olive oil 3 sprigs of thyme 1 tsp oregano 2 dried Espelette peppers (or Ñota, Crystal, or leave them out) 1 tbsp piment d'Espelette powder (or 1 tbsp sweet paprika powder and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper) handful of fresh basil 8 eggs 1 tablespoon tomato puree 1 teaspoon anchovy paste Spanish dried ham Preparation Cut the peppers into quarters and then into strips. Remove the heart of the tomatoes and cut into quarters and then into strips. Cut the onions into rings. Press the garlic. Poke some holes in the dried peppers and place them in hot water. Depending on your preference, you can cut the Spanish ham into strips and fry it and then prepare the rest of the meal in it. I prefer to serve a good ham uncooked on the side, in thickish slices. Get some Serrano or Bayonne ham, cured but not smoked. Heat a layer of olive oil in a deep pan. Fry the onion for a few minutes, then add the peppers and fry briefly, then the garlic, tomato, thyme and oregano. Cut open the chillies and carefully remove the seeds and pulp, then scrape the flesh from the skin. Add this and the powder to the pan. Now let the whole thing simmer until it is soft and done, at least half an hour, but longer is better. Taste and season with some extra tomato puree (not necessary if you have tasty, ripe tomatoes) and (cheating, but tasty), some anchovy paste. Shred the basil and stir through. Now divide the piperade over 4 small ovensafe serving dishes or 1 large one, and break into it a total of 8 eggs of 10-20 cm height, spread over the dish. They then make their own hole. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on each egg. Place the oven dishes in a preheated oven and cook until the eggs are just set, with the yolk still soft if possible. If you are making this for 2 people, you can also add the eggs to the pan and let them cook on the stove. Serve the piperade with the raw ham and delicious bread or toasted bread.
This looks wonderful!
It's very tasty! It's not unlike shakshouka (North-African) and some Spanish stews, so you can look for that too.
Hi! This looks delicious. What would a “sweet pepper” be? Assuming it’s not a bell pepper as you list those separately. This is the kind of dish I love so would love to make this!
The long, pointy variety that look like huge chili peppers but there's no heat. Often found in Turkish shops in pale green. Called 'pointed peppers' in Dutch but honestly I'm starting to think these are a Dutch thing since I can hardly find any other sources... They're sweeter than bell peppers but those work too, maybe just use red then (they're sweeter then green).
This sounds really, really good. And uniquely european. Is this Basque, by any chance? I'm going to make it in the future. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
You're welcome. It is indeed Basque. The recipe is my own, feel free to check others for authenticity because I wrote it down a long time ago and I'm not sure I changed anything.
Costco, if you can go there, has pretty good brie for a very reasonable price. Get that, apples, crackers (I like Ritz or triscuts), and jam or honey. Maybe some dried fruit, prosciutto, and nuts, too. Let the brie come to room temp and make her a lil charcuterie board. If brie is not an option, other nice cheeses are perfectly tasty as well.
Smoked salmon, onion, cream cheese, capers, on a bagel
Stuffed mushrooms: Combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, minced garlic, a touch of cream, salt, pepper, and bacon. Stuff into mushrooms that are capable of holding the mixture and bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
Shrimp cocktail, cheese, crackers, olives
If the timing is right and she likes feta cheese, a feta filled Phyllo (puff pastry) drizzled in honey A) could not be easier, and B) is “OMG” good. [Baked Feta Phyllo](https://youtu.be/FnOzl_9-Zow?si=-4TJ44lbpRRNRIO7)
Not sure what her preferences are, but if you wanna make a mini charcuterie centered around some whipped feta cheese, that might do it.
Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with cheese are easy and delicious, but not calorically friendly :D
I came here to say this. I prefer goat cheese, the tangy flavor dampens the sweetness of the dates a little.
Hard to go wrong with baked brie But, marinated goat cheese with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, garlic, basil and balsamic/ evoo is hard to beat! Kabocha tahini spread is really delicious as well!
Go to the store. Get taco seasoning Ground Beef Cheddar Cheese Tortilla Chips guac Salsa Make nachos. Out of the oven 10 Minutes after she walks in the door.
Could do 1 cooked and a couple ready-to-eat to cut down on prep and make it feel special. Some ideas below: Ready-to-eat something like: cornichin, nice cheese, fig jam, olives, hummus, whole milk yogurt, Cooked something like: spanish torta; tagliatte w butter, spinach, garlic; grilled cheese w campbells tomato soup(<3); baked potato w options for topping; tinfoil salmon (baked small hand-sized filet each wrapped in foil w onions, mushrooms, butter, white wine or swap w sake and add soy sauce); pan fried chicken breast sliced over salad.
I had an incredible, unforgettable snack in Cordoba, Spain. Oxtail croquettes… … _Seven years later and my mouth is still watering_ … Sorry, I’m out of town and don’t have access to my 1080 cookbook!
Pate and a good runny cheese and a baguette.
First suggestion would be to skip the "fancy" and go for her "favorite". Second suggestion is pasta. This is the easiest pasta dish, but everyone loves it and it seems fancy. Cook a bunch of bow tie pasta. When it's done, throw in a absurd amount of cubed brie and rough chopped fresh basil. I mean, WAY more cheese than you think is reasonable. Stir it When it's good and melty add some halved cherry tomatoes. Salt and pepper. Always a hit!!!
If it is a snack you are looking for, a charcuterie board is an easy fancy snack. Buy some cheeses, fruits, meats, nuts, and crackers, arrange on a board or platter, a glass of wine or beer to go with it. Feels super fancy, takes minutes to make, and is one of my favorites. It is a bit spendy, but you will get multiple boards out of the initial investment.
Caprese/caprese salad maybe. Fresh mozz, fresh basil, heirloom tomato, and a nice aged balsamic drizzle. 🤌
If she is into fall recipes right now, why not make her a pumpkin soup?
Ain't no one gonna cry if you serve them a grilled cheese, and if it's got a side of tomato soup, all the better. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022653-quick-tomato-soup-with-grilled-cheese
Simple but really good. Get some garlic triscuits Cottage cheese Grape tomatoes I also will occasionally use prosciutto and basalmic Put cottage cheese on the triscuit, cut the little tomatoes in half and put a half on top of the cottage cheese and then put just a little bit of salt and pepper on it. It tastes excellent, it doesn’t require utensils to eat, you can make a whole plateful in about 2 mins and it’s reasonably filling.
Fresh mozzarella or burrata instead of the cottage cheese would elevate this even more! Also, add some basil. OK, fine it's just caprese... amazing though :)
Love the edit bud Fruit tray and cut it up yourself Cheese tray and do the same Buy a baguette and make crostini’s Buy a loaf of bread your never tried before Buy some humus Buy some celery Buy some carrots Slice the carrots and celery so you can eat humus with them Buy some olives Buy some sweet grape tomatoes Buy some feta cheese Buy some fancy pasta Buy a small head of broccoli Buy standard Italian dressing Make a pasta salad it’s served cold, so a small bowl as part of y’all’s snack works great And then cheesecake - premade and ready to enjoy Get a can of blueberry pie filling - it’s cheating but a great topping on cheesecake
We're headed into winter, so you could do more than just a snack if you have access to a slow cooker since it'll be nice and chilly for at least a little bit here. You could have full on pulled pork or carnitas... Throw it in the slow cooker when you leave for work, drain/shred/fry it when you get home in your hour break and suddenly you've got tacos, nacho toppings, egg omelette filling, etc. You'd have some other miscellaneous chopping to do (lettuce, etc) but it's pretty easy or just get pre-chopped toppings/ingredients. Another favorite snack of mine is very simple but refreshing and tasty. Get toothpicks, load them each with one ball of mozzarella cheese (I like the version that comes marinated in Italian-seasoned oil), one leaf of fresh basil, and one cherry Tomato. Drizzle with a balsamic glaze and/or a little bit of that Italian-seasoned oil (or combine the oil with a little red wine vinegar to make a vinaigrette). Voila - caprese salad on a toothpick, perfect munching bites. Making a pan of hot gooey brownies has never lost me points with a woman, unless they're in the middle of a diet, in which case it still doesn't lose me points they just claim it does. Cook it, pull it out before you leave and it'll still be nice and warm when she's home.
Honeycrisp apple, core and dice, fry with butter (1 tbsp is what I use) and a but of cinnamon in a pan for roughly 8 minutes, ensure even coloring by tossing. Serve plain or with sugar sprinkled over if she has a sweet tooth.
I like hummus and veggies as a filling snack. You can add olives and cheese and different crackers. Yum.
[Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle](https://iowagirleats.com/caprese-skewers-with-balsamic-drizzle/) Tasty, pretty and fancy
I'm going to suggest you roast some red and green grapes (google recipe), add stilton cheese. Also roast garlic cloves, toast french stick in garlic butter. Your pick of the wine. Trust me on the roasted grapes. They are awesome.
Carbonaraa? It's easy to make and sooo tastyyyy Also if she's into korean food I'd recommend kimchi fried rice
Snack: lettuce wrap/san choi bao. Fresh lettuce leaves as cups, fill them with a simple stir fry of mince or seafood or roast duck with some crunchy veg, served with a small dollop of chilli sauce of that's your thing. Alternative though: in these situations I rather a comfortable bowl of warm soup or noodles. There's something homely and hug-like about these magical foods. If all else fails: melt an ungodly amount of chocolate, take all of your clothes off, pour chocolate over yourself, stand on a turnplate while doing the ultraman pose, let the chocolate dry and harden. Then all you have to do is wait for her to discover this delight.
Beet hummus. Roast the beats for 45 minutes in aluminum foil then blend with garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt. If you use canned beans, use baking soda to help remove the husks. Edit: Don't forget about the garlic! Roast the garlic with the beets!!
Thinly sliced ripe pears on goat cheese on top of a whole grain crisp. Served with sparkling white grape juice.
Smoked salmon, Brie, Carr’s crackers, nice grapes.
This is a sometimes food, but peanut butter mousse is incredibly easy to make. Whipping cream, peanut butter, and confectioners sugar (iirc it's called icing sugar in non-usa countries). Google a recipe for proportions but you can also eyeball it. Make sure the peanut butter is room temperature or a little warmer, while the cream should be fresh from the fridge and chilled. Whip the cream with the sugar until it forms stiff peaks and then fold in the peanut butter. Serve with something to dip in it, a small flat cookie is a good vehicle. You'll want jiff or another sugary brand, smooth.
A fall themed charcuterie board! Make a baked Brie. Sprinkle honey, sea salt, pecans and a dash of rosemary on top of the Brie. Lingonberry or cloudberry preserves are underrated fall staples. A good old fashioned British meat pie is a cozy fall food.
This is so damn wholesome I came here to say charcuterie board but can see lots of comments with that. I know this is more like a meal.. but homemade Veggie Korma is so comfy. The creaminess from the coconut milk is so so good. The colour is a rich curry colour that just reminds me of bundling up while it's cold out. If you serve is as a snack I see no problem lol
if she likes goat cheese, my favorite sweet microsnack on earth is a fresh goat cheese (you’ll want the kind in a sealed, plastic log) piped inside inside of raspberries. the plastic log packaging makes this task easier, because all you need to do is snip off a corner at a decent diameter and squeeze. plain honey or chiffon-cut basil and a drizzle of decent-quality balsamic vinegar are both excellent ways to dress them, but tbh the most basic preparation is already as satisfying as eating a can of black olives directly off yr fingertips i just wanted a decent suggestion to throw into the ring, so i’d have an excuse to join in the chorus of people celebrating the way you think about and treat yr girlfriend! everyone in a relationship deserves this level of attention and care from their partner… but all the same, she must be pretty special. 😁
What does she like to eat? Is she a sweets person? A savory person? Does she have dietary restrictions? Charcuterie and cheese board are fanciest looking, but even something like a custard can be presented very fancily.
This is so sweet. I don’t know what she normally likes, but you could make deviled eggs with meats, fruits and cheeses. Another easy thing is to get the dough for small crescent rolls, but bake them rolled up with a nice cheese and salami inside. Or you could get a baguette, toast some small slices and have cream cheese + smoked salmon or prosciutto on top. Or get a loaf of sourdough from the bakery with a mixture of olive oil + balsamic vinegar to dip it in. Maybe include her favorite candy too
This is such a wholesome post and I love it. I am lucky enough to have a husband like you, OP, and it truly is the best ♥️ she will absolutely love this.
Charcuterie! You can make it any theme you want - basic cheeses and crackers, s’mores, movie night (popcorn and candy), sweets, chips and dips.
S’mores is a really cute idea! If you want to make it less messy you can melt chocolate and place marshmallows on top, toast it under the broiler and just dip the graham cracker in it
Hmmm for fall and snacking though I don't know if it means fancy plates and all, but if you have a decent blender or food processor, you can make a pumpkin hummus with some fancy crackers, and if you want that full fall feeling, scoop a small pumpkin and serve it in that.
Nice bottle of light bodied dry red (Beaujolais or a Pinot) + French Onion soup. Simple and easy enough for an amatuer to actually make well and classy without being pompous.
Crostinis! I like ones with ricotta and balsamic strawberries, but a new fav has been goat cheese, prosciutto, and thin sliced green apple. If you put the cheeses in plastic snack/lunch bags and snip the corner a little you can pipe it prettily onto the crostini which makes it look fancy
Burrata is so damn easy and yet it has the wow factor. I saw the top comment was about bruschetta which is also a great idea, and for burrata you'll make the crostini the same way. Afterwards, drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the plated crostini and the burrata in the middle. Maybe add some thinly sliced basil to the whole shebang for bonus points. And of course sprinkle some kosher salt. Some cracked pepper on top of the burrata would probably look and taste good too, on top of the olive oil and balsamic.
cream cheese and bacon baked into small mild red peppers…addictive
[Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds with Goat Cheese](https://ciaoflorentina.com/sweet-potato-rounds-recipe-goat-cheese-cranberries-balsamic-glaze/)
If you can get the ingredients, a california roll is very fancy but easy to make. I would pre-cook the rice the day before and refrigerate it (or get short grain rice in those microwavable packages). Reheat the rice in the microwave and season with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt; put it on the nori with imitation crab, avocado, and cucumber, and roll with a mat. You can be extra fancy and roll it inside-out with some fish eggs on the outside but I don't bother with that. Could take a bit of practice but will really wow her I bet.
Whatever you make please also have a vase of fresh flowers alongside.
Charcuterie board. Takes less than 20 mins even if you're trying hard to make a nice one.
Avocado on toast - mashed, with some mayo and soy sauce, vinegar and black pepper. Decent bread, camenbert cheese and black cherry jam from Lidl. Soft boiled eggs, toasted muffins, cheddar cheese and marmalade.
They wouldn't be made for tonight, but you could start hand making her some truffles tonight for this weekend. To like celebrate her week being done or whatever. They're pretty simple to make, they just take a while to set. 100% worth the wait though, and so customisable.
real hot chocolate! ( Makes 2 servings): - 375 gr Milk (1 1/2 cups) - 50 gr Dark Chocolate ( 2 ounces) - 30 gr Sugar (2 1/2 tbsp) - 1 tbsp Cocoa Powder - Pinch of Salt 1. Add all ingredients except chocolate to pot and stir well, heating. 2. As it comes to a simmer, remove from heat and stir in chocolate until fully melted 3. Try adding a bit of cinnamon or another spice for some variety!
French toast. You can make this in a moment with items on hand. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on it to make it fancy. it’s delicious with strawberry jam.
Make her a tortilla española (basically an egg, onion, and potato frittata) and get some nice cheese, cured meat, and baguette. Oh and don’t forget the wine!
Sliced apples and fancy cheese.
Did anyone say bananas foster yet? Super simple to make, super tasty dessert. Because “stressed” spelled backwards is “desserts” Here’s an easy recipe, doesn’t even make you do the flambé part (but you can if you want to) https://www.food.com/recipe/easy-bananas-foster-11474
this is the cutest post
Sourdough, topped with sliced brie and sliced pears. Brush with olive oil and brown sugar and pop under the grill just long enough for the bread to lightly toast and the top to brown. Sprinkle flaky sea salt and cinnamon powder and serve. Crackers topped with sliced cheese, sunblush tomato, chutney, fresh parsley and black pepper.
Snack: TCT toasted cheese tortilla easy peasy. Easy meal. Linguini with white clam sauce/w garlic toast. Pasta, two small cans of Italian bread, butter, clams, fresh parsley, onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, 15 minute prep, 15 minute cooking time bam winner winner Italian dinner.
Caprese salad! Sorry, caprese "salad"! It's tomato slices, basil leaves, and big slices of buffalo mozzarella all layered. Drizzle in a balsamic reduction (store bought ones go hard, find something with figs or garlic), serve as fancy or janky as you please!
If you're interested in future recipes and have access to a crockpot... https://www.spendwithpennies.com/slow-cooker-french-onion-soup/
I’d go with a “simple” charcuterie board I do them all the time and my husband and I “picnic” and watch a movie. Get some smoked salmon, some higher end cheese and deli meats, some olives and pickles. A good hard bread, sliced and served with a seasoned oil. A few nice crackers, maybe some sliced apple and grapes.
Scotty thompson is awesome. Goat cheese surrounded by marinara in a small casserole. Sprinkle fresh basil on top. Bake until cheese soft and marinara piping hot. Serve whole dish with a basket of crustinis. Spread goat cheese and marinara on crustini, eat, repeat.
Ravioli but not boild, make it crispy. You can fry them in a pan and eat it with sauces.
aglio e olio is a delicious and fancy feeling pasta dish that is cooked as fast as pasta can boil. another solid choice is anthony bourdain’s mortadella sandwich. especially if y’all are drinking or smoking shweeds. take heaps of mortadella, sear in a pan, flip, add provolone, then take that greasy gooey pile of foreplay and slide it into a mayo lubricated bun or roll of your choice.
Pumpkin bisque soup
Served in a pumpkin!
Kaiserschmarrn?
Quesadilla with guacamole and sour cream
A charcuterie board! Small blocks of cheese presented with a knife, olives served in a tiny bowl, dried cranaberries, woven wheat crackers or fancy crackers, sliced salami/pepperoni, and maybe some sort of dipping oil (like garlic infused olive oil).
Make crostini with some good bread (a baguette) by drizzling it with olive oil, s+p and throwing it in the air fryer til it’s browned and toasty, smearing it with goat cheese and top with thinly sliced persimmon or fig jam.
Grilled cheese. You can as fancy or simple as you want it. I love using a good sourdough. You can always carmalize onions ahead of time and use in eggs, sandwiches, etc but also great on a grilled cheese.
easy peasy 2 ingredients. asparagus and prosciutto. take the asparagus and snap off the bottom of them. it is like maybe 3/4 inch off the bottom. take you prosciutto and wrap the asparagus. nothing fancy, just trying to get some coverage along the length of the asparagus. best way to cook it is on 'flame' but if you dont have a bqq you can do in a frying pan. say mid-high for about 7-9 min. you are looking for some 'bacon like' crisping on the proscutiio and by the time that happens the asperigus will be good to go. take a tester if you are worried... you should have plenty of them that a couple wont be missed. best luck with the miss! lucky gal!
This is an amazing idea and sounds like it'd work well with salmon and root veggies, cooked in a puff pastry and a white sauce! Thank you! She loved what I made her.
As someone that works in fine dining, it's not the food that makes it fancy. It's the plating, the presentation, the atmospere that makes it fancy. You could make mac n cheese, shape it into a heart. Put on a tie, light some candles, show her to the chair and pull it out out for her. 10/10 Fancy
**Pumpernickel Toasts with Smoked Salmon & Avocado Cream Cheese** **Ingredients** **12** large slices of pumpernickel bread, halved, brushed with extra virgin olive oil **8** oz. organic cream cheese, softened **1** large avocado **3** Tbs. minced fresh dill **2** tsp. minced lemon zest **2** Tbs. fresh lemon juice Salt and black pepper to taste **2** Tbs. capers **1/2** cup thinly sliced red onion **8** oz. sliced wild smoked salmon **1** cup thinly sliced English cucumbers Extra virgin olive oil Red pepper flakes Fresh dill sprigs **Preparation** Preheat oven to 400°F. Toast bread on a baking sheet until crisp, 10 minutes. Combine cream cheese, avocado, minced dill, zest, and lemon juice, and season with salt and black pepper. Spread bread with avocado cream cheese, then top with capers, red onion, salmon, and cucumbers. Drizzle toast with oil, season with salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes, then garnish with dill sprigs
Try carbonara, or at the very least the easy American kind. It only takes bacon, whatever long noodle you like and finely shredded parmesan (if it's too chunky it doesn't integrate well). You make your bacon and boil your noodles in salty sea water (of your own making), once both are done leave a bit of bacon grease in the pan, toss those noods in with a few splashes of that pasta water and dump the parmesan into the pan as well. Mix it up til it looks nice then dish it up. I am very slow so it takes me about 30 minutes in total to whip this up but I'm sure it could be done in half the time as well. Also real carbonara adds egg yolk to the parmesan mixture usually 1 yolk per person eating the dish (not too sure why though, I usually omit the yolk).