Cooking Dinner Date (Cheap & Easy?)

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legnarevocrednu
legnarevocrednu Posts: 467 Member
in Recipes
Hey guys! I have a date on Friday and I will be cooking a meal for the guy. I'm always on a budget, and I'm not a pro in the kitchen, so does anyone have some cheap, easy dinner ideas that will somewhat impress him? Don't so much care about calories or anything like that, just something that tastes good and isn't expensive or hard to make. Thanks!

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  • Ashiieepuff
    Ashiieepuff Posts: 90
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    I made my boyfriend pulled chicken burritos last night and he was crazy about it. We're both trying to be healthy now, so it can be modified it be less healthy. But pretty much, I jus used
    Brown rice
    Black pinto beans
    Chicken breast (Perdue) that i put in the crockpot for 6 hours with 2 cans of tex mex style canned tomatoes, a cut up vidalia onion, and minced garlic to taste, and one can of corn

    Once the chicken was done, I made a plate with one cup of rice, chicken breast on top, pulled apart with a fork, and then some of the sauce from the crockpot. I wrapped a whole grain tortilla around the top, enchilada style, so it had to be eaten with a knife and fork. Then covered it in shredded cheese, black peans, and I had plain Greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream and mashed avocado on the side. I put more sauce on top, and baked the enchilada until the cheese got all melty.
    I had trouble with transferring it in and out of the oven, so you can even microwave it to melt the cheese and it still tastes great.

    Other than that, I've always like making baked chicken thighs with skin(adobo is an awesome friend), chicken cutlets (which are awesome by themselves, but could make a great chicken parm, which my boyfriend is obsessed with)
    Or if you have 6 hours to kill, make a roast pork shoulder, which makes pulled pork that you could easily make into BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. I'm rambling now. If you're interested in any of the above or any more ideas you can send me a message. I cook for my family every day.
  • thenewchiz
    thenewchiz Posts: 10
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    Teriyaki chicken...very easy, inexpensive and delicious. You'll need a whole cut up chicken, one bottle of kikkoman teriyaki (I use the low sodium) or soyaki if you have a trader joes, an onion cut up, rice and a veggie.

    put the cut up chicken on the bottom of a baking dish
    put the chicken on top
    pour the teriyaki on top and bake at 375 for about an hour.

    Serve with rice and a veggie. Salad too if you'd like. Entire meal is around $25
  • BCinDenver
    BCinDenver Posts: 10 Member
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    Carnitas
    Crockpot Carnitas:
    Mix the following spices:
    4 Tbsp chili powder
    1 Tbsp kosher salt
    1 Tbsp brown sugar
    2 teaspoons ground cumin
    1 teaspoon cayenne
    1 teaspoon ground oregano
    1 teaspoon onion powder
    1 teaspoon garlic powder

    Rub spice mix on a 3 lb boneless pork shoulder (~ $10). Put in a crockpot on low for approx. 8 hrs. Serve with small tortillas. Simple and really delicious.

    Then you can class it up a bit with a spread of awesome toppings:

    diced tomatoes
    shredded lettuce
    salsas
    cheese (cotija or even jack)
    diced avocado
    pickled jalepenos
    sour cream
    whatever

    Everybody loves tacos.
  • Kennkaru
    Kennkaru Posts: 210 Member
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    Buy a package of pasta, a jar of inexpensive chunky spaghetti sauce, a jar of inexpensive alfredo sauce, some frozen sweet peas, a red bell pepper, and a loaf of french bread. ($10-15 total)

    Rub some olive oil on the red pepper and BROIL it on HIGH in the oven, turning it each time it turns black. Take it out and put it on some paper towels for about 10 minutes.

    Slice and butter the french bread and bake it in the oven for about 10 minutes.

    Cook the pasta with the frozen peas, drain, then combine the two sauces (in whatever amounts you need for your servings) and add those to the cooked pasta and peas. Peel off the black part of the roasted pepper and dice. Add to your pasta and toss to coat everything evenly.

    This makes a nice romantic Italian meal that's quick and easy but has nice colors and aromas.
  • maggiemay22467
    maggiemay22467 Posts: 214 Member
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    Coke Cola Chicken

    Chicken Breasts in your crockpot
    1 can reg coke cole


    Cook all day about 30min before dinner I put the chicken in a large skillet and cook the soda down. It will have a dark thick gravy on it is soooooooo good my boyfriend loves this. It is around 165 cals for one smaller breast.
  • deerfootmechanical
    deerfootmechanical Posts: 4
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    I do this all the time and its easy. Buy a chicken and put cut up lemons in the inside and sprinkle with Garlic, onion and black pepper on top and put in oven at 350 for 1-1/2 hours. House will smell great!!
    Put tin foil out and spray with pan. Cut up potato into bit size pieces, peel carrots and cut the same and cut up an onion. Put all in a bowl and slowly pour a little oil over veggie and stir till all covered (can put spice on if you like). Put on tin foil and cover with another piece of tin foil. Seal and put in oven for the same time and temp.
    That's it. Good luck!!
  • liz827
    liz827 Posts: 193 Member
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    Chicken Parm over pasta is always a good one! You can pair it with salad and/or broccoli and maybe some garlic bread.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    Pepper steak

    1 lb beef tips or stew meat cut down into smaller chunks
    1/2 bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables
    1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
    Lots of black ground pepper and other seasonings to taste

    Heat oil over medium heat in a skillet. Throw in meat and season. Sautee (or since you don't cook, move the meat around in the pan) until the meat is cooked. Add in frozen vegetables, season some more, and continue to sautee until vegetables are cooked. Serve over cooked white rice.

    It's a family favorite at my house and super-easy. You could probably also add a little rice wine vinegar for extra flavor.
  • dodihere
    dodihere Posts: 490
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    Men don't care about fancy stuff, they just like food!

    Pork Roast.

    Pork Roast
    Onion Soup Mix
    Onions
    Potatoes
    Carrots
    Celery
    Mushrooms

    add a couple cups of water mixed with a few tablespoons of corn starch.

    Buy those frozen dinner rolls and bake them. Take a quarter of butter and bring to room temperature, chop up rosemary and mix butter with rosemary and garlic salt. Put in a small container and refrigerate, makes a really nice butter spread for the rolls.

    Meat, potatoes, rolls with great butter, he will never forget you
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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    Chicken Parm over pasta is always a good one! You can pair it with salad and/or broccoli and maybe some garlic bread.

    I made this for a date once. Maybe skip the garlic bread if you think things are going well ;)
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    Chicken Parm over pasta is always a good one! You can pair it with salad and/or broccoli and maybe some garlic bread.

    I made this for a date once. Maybe skip the garlic bread if you think things are going well ;)

    I don't know how you all make chicken parm, but my recipe is hardly easy. That's my special occasion meal.
  • MeanSophieCat
    MeanSophieCat Posts: 200 Member
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    The other suggestions for tacos are good. Inexpensive and it makes a meal without a lot of side dishes. I've included suggestions for toppings (buy as many or as few as you want) and my slow cooker shredded taco chicken recipe.

    If he asks if he can bring something suggest some "mexican" beer like Corona or Dos Equis or ingredients to make margaritas!

    Possible toppings:
    Shredded cheese
    Lettuce
    Tomato
    Onion
    Taco Sauce
    Sour Cream
    Black Olives
    Green Chiles

    Here's my slow cooker shredded taco chicken recipe:
    2lbs chicken breast (frozen or thawed)
    1 packet taco seasoning
    1 jar salsa
    2 cloves garlic, minced (or garlic powder to taste)
    If you love it hot - a jalepeno or two :D

    Have fun!
  • legnarevocrednu
    legnarevocrednu Posts: 467 Member
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    Awesome ideas guys! I could maybe do the chicken parm...I'm excited!!

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