I need a fool proof menu.....

Randy's coming over tonight, and it's the first time i'm cooking for him....I need a fool-proof menu, or at least entree....
Any ideas??

I thought about cooking a pork loin in the oven, and mashed potatoes, but i dunno?

lol spaghetti! Brown hamburger and use traditional ragu sauce... cant go wrong with that

What kind of foods do you both like?


Here are a couple of ideas.


Totellini Panna with tossed green salad and crusty bread.

1 package of cheese tortellini
1 qt of heavy cream
3/4-1lb ham sliced up (lunchmeat ham)
Fresh thyme or dried thyme if you don't have 3 or 4 Tablespoons
fresh parmesan grated


Take the ham and slice it into 1' slices I usually take a bunch of slices and cut them at once. Put cream, ham and thyme in small sauce pan put on low to medium heat. Stir often so bottom doesn't burn. In large pot boil water and cook tortellini to direction. when done drain in put in large enough bowl for tortellin. In another bowl put ham cream sauce. Grate some cheese on top of sauce. Also have some grated cheese to put on individual bowls.

this is like a soup type meal but pretty tasty. You can toss in some garlic bread or cheese bread while its cooking to serve with it along making a green salad with red onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and romaine lettuce with your favorite dressing. I picked this up from a friend of mine who's mom has been making this for decades after living overseas.

Another good one is picking up a already made chicken at the supermarket if they have some good ones and just doing the sides dishes. Like making homemade mashed potatoes and mixed veggies and fresh rolls.

If you have the time maybe instead of mashed potatoes you can cut the potatoes up into 1" chuncks drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle rosemary and garlic powder on them or shake them in a bag of dry ranch mix and bake them. Usually it take about an hour or so to bake at 350' degree. some people like theirs softer or crispier so that is something you have to kind of gauge.



Good luck... Let me think of some other quick or easy recipes I can think of.

OMG those all sounds sooooooo good!! I'm starving already....the mocha brownies i make are in the oven, and the smell is making me drool....

sausage and pasta with garlic bread and salad

Get mild sausage links and cook them in a pan with just a little water. Once they are cooked all the way you can cut them into slices. In another pan cut up 2 cloves of garlic and a red pepper. Add olive oil to the red peppers and garlic and let that cook for a little, until the red peppers are crisp tender. Add some chopped fresh parsley or dried would work too. Then add the penne pasta(cooked) and sausage and a jar of spaghetti sauce to the peppers and garlic. SO GOOD! A little parm cheese on top and it's amazing.

hmm I would say Lasange is really easy to make and it is good.

so what did you end up making for dinner? I hope all went well.

I made a peppercorn pork tenderloin, mashed potato casserole, baked apples, and strawberry shortcake lol ..... and it definately went well. He goes "Wow girl, I woulda been happy with chicken nuggets" lol.....

I'm def keeping all your recipes and trying them out tho!!!!

I am glad it went great!!

sounds like you out did yourself! I am glad it went well. Next time I make tortellini panna I will take a picture of it for you. Ali is bugging me to make it so I might make it this or next week.

Sounds like you came up with a great menu! What is in your potato casserole? I love making different casseroles

[quote="Cappiea23"]



Totellini Panna with tossed green salad and crusty bread.

1 package of cheese tortellini
1 qt of heavy cream
3/4-1lb ham sliced up (lunchmeat ham)
Fresh thyme or dried thyme if you don't have 3 or 4 Tablespoons
fresh parmesan grated


Take the ham and slice it into 1' slices I usually take a bunch of slices and cut them at once. Put cream, ham and thyme in small sauce pan put on low to medium heat. Stir often so bottom doesn't burn. In large pot boil water and cook tortellini to direction. when done drain in put in large enough bowl for tortellin. In another bowl put ham cream sauce. Grate some cheese on top of sauce. Also have some grated cheese to put on individual bowls.

this is like a soup type meal but pretty tasty. You can toss in some garlic bread or cheese bread while its cooking to serve with it along making a green salad with red onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and romaine lettuce with your favorite dressing. I picked this up from a friend of mine who's mom has been making this for decades after living overseas.

Sounds yummy...will try soon:)

@ Laura ----

I make mashed potatoes with butter and a little heavy cream.....
then top it with a layer of sour cream, bacon bits (optional), and shredded cheddar cheese.....bake at 350 for about 30-40 mins mmmmmm good....