Whether you are doing this for your wife or girlfriend, the goal is the same. You want a bit of romance and hopefully some great sex thereafter. The sex is optional but I vote yes. You’re going to impress her by showing her a more sophisticated side of you than you normally do. The perfect setting to do this is your own dining room. It is perfect because you have no one else to bother you. You can just enjoy being with one another without interruptions. You don’t have to watch how much you drink because you don’t need to drive anywhere. You don’t have to convince her to come home with you because she is already there. Just let nature take its course.
If you are doing this for your wife, let her know a week or so in advance that you will be making this wonderful dinner just for her. Let her know the date you intend to do it so she can plan on getting out of the house for a while to give you time to prepare. Have her take a nice cocktail dress over to her girlfriend or sister’s house and get ready there. Then when she comes home your efforts will have more of a surprise effect on her.
Preparing the setting for your perfect home cooked dinner date
First make sure the dining room is spotlessly clean. Better yet, make sure the whole house is well cleaned, especially the bathroom and bedroom. Anything less than that is distasteful. Light a small candle in the bathroom before she arrives or soon thereafter.
Spend a little extra time in the shower when getting ready for the evening to make sure you are perfectly groomed and feeling great for the evening. Trim the beard or mustache. Trim the unsightly nose and ear hairs. Hell, you could even go get a fresh haircut.
Pick up some new cologne unless you have something that you know she already likes. If you’re unsure of what kind to get, try Aqua Di Gio or Nautica Competition. Both are excellent. They have hints of citrus and smell very clean.
Wear something comfortable and casual yet classy. A pair of khakis with a button down collar oxford would be nice. It is more important that you wear something that you know you look great in. You want to be a little dressy without going overkill. Match your level of dress according to what you expect she will be wearing.
Get some classical baroque, violin or romantic piano music to play during dinner. If you are certain that this type of music would turn her off then just get some easy listening music or anything by Frank Sinatra. I bet she’ll like the baroque if you just try. This is a special occasion. If you don’t already have a stereo in the dining room, then bring in a little portable player. Make it inconspicuous. Don’t set it on the dinner table.
Get to a flower shop during the day and pick up a very small flower arrangement for the table centerpiece. A single rose with a little baby’s breath will work fine. I personally prefer to get a Stargazer Lilly. The Stargazer Lilly is the most fragrant Lilly. It smells wonderful. She will love it. If you can’t get that, then try to get something else fragrant or just something with a large flower bud.
Put some candles on the table. I suggest you put one tall tapered candle in a nice candlestick on each side of the flower centerpiece. As an alternative, you can get a large cylindrical style candle that has three wicks in it. If you go that route you will need to relocate your flowers. Use the large candle for the centerpiece instead.
Set the table like you would for any formal dinner. Use real linen napkins that match, not paper towels, you fricken meat head.
Prepare some light hors d’oeuvres for eating before the main meal. A couple different rare cheeses on good crackers would be fine. A couple of cocktail shrimp are also a safe bet. Put whatever you choose on a small tray along with four strawberries. If you know there is something in particular that she likes, then get a little bit of that. Arrange everything neatly. Don’t make it like you would for your buddies during a football game.
To go with the appetizers, I suggest opening a bottle of chilled champagne. If you’ve never bought champagne, go with Asti Spumante. It is a semi dry sparkling wine that will go over nicely. You should have it on display in a nice ice bucket on the dinner table wrapped in a white towel. Otherwise, just keep it in the fridge until you’re ready for it. Let her watch you open the champagne. That is half the fun. In case you’ve never done it, you hold the cork firmly with one hand while you twist the bottle with the other hand by firmly gripping the bottom of the bottle. Have the towel and a couple champagne glasses ready in case the bottle starts to foam over. There is a difference between champagne glasses and wine glasses. The champagne glass is taller and skinnier. They are called champagne flutes. If you don’t own some, go buy a pair. You should be able to get them pretty inexpensively. While you’re there, get some good red wine glasses.
Choosing the meal
If there is something that you are exceptionally good at making, then I suggest you prepare that for her. That is assuming it isn’t something disgusting or something you could get at any professional sports arena. Make sure you get some really fresh vegetables for your salad if you are having one. Women notice such things more easily than we do. Put a little fresh basil on top of a tossed salad to add a bit of fresh aroma to the salad. Most people don’t use basil on a tossed salad. Try it sometime.
If you don’t already have a particular meal that you always prepare well, stick to something that is a bit different but hard to screw up. I would avoid pork because it is harder to find that balance between cooking it enough and overcooking it. I suggest making prime rib and a baked potato. It is nearly impossible to screw up a baked potato. You can’t overcook the things. They just get better the longer you cook them. Find a nice recipe for prime rib online that has rosemary in it. If you wanted to, you could get away with just sprinkling it with Montreal Steak seasoning before cooking it. It should be cooked very slowly in the oven. Use a meat thermometer. If you slow cook it, the meat may look a little undercooked even when it has reached the desired temperature. Be aware of this. If you think she will mind the redness then choose a different meal to prepare.
In addition to the baked potato, I suggest adding a little green vegetable like asparagus or broccoli. There are really simple recipes for asparagus sautéed in garlic and butter. You can even do them in the microwave. There are some great green bean recipes where you add a little bacon for flavor. She will be really impressed.
Choosing wine for the meal
I happen to have a lot of experience with wine. So you can trust my recommendations. To me, wine is an essential part of a great meal. No meal could be considered great without it. I have written more extensively about this in the post called Choosing wine for a meal. You want to get something nice. This is a special occasion.
Dessert for two lovers
Here is another chance to make a great impression with her. If you are gifted in the kitchen you are better off preparing something from scratch for dessert. Presentation is important here. You want it to look just right when you bring it out. Believe me. Women notice the small things. That is why they like to take so much time wrapping birthday gifts ever so perfectly. You and I just want to stuff the things in a bag leaving the price tags on them in case someone wants to return it.
Go ahead and make two desserts, one for each of you. But, when it is time for dessert, just bring out one of them and two spoons. Sharing a dessert with your girl is romantic. Save a little champagne to enjoy with your delightful dessert.
I have experimented with creating some fancy little desserts. One of my favorites is alternating layers of Jello, fruit and whipped topping in a fancy glass dish. Then I top it off with more whipped topping and a big strawberry. If you lack creativity then make a trip to the supermarket and get some tiramisu for the two of you.
Charming the pants off of her on your date
Hopefully your extremely thoughtful preparation and your wit are enough to charm the pants off of her, literally. If you’re the shy type, rent yourself a good chick flick to watch after dinner. Get something romantic. Don’t spoil the mood by getting a movie where the main character dies in the end.
If you are looking for ways to break the ice for a little more romance tell her that your whole reason for going through all of this trouble was to earn one really good kiss.
Ideas for taking the romance up another notch
Now you wouldn’t want to do these things on a first date. It would be tacky. I am assuming that no girl is going to agree to come over to your pad for your first date together anyways. This is meant more for a date with a woman you’ve been seeing for a while.
If the opportunity presents itself, give her a little one handed hug from behind her. Kiss her neck gently and whisper how beautiful she looks or how wonderful her perfume is or how irresistible her neckline is.
When she first arrives for the night make some kind of jokingly sexual comment to her about how sexy she looks. Be careful here. Don’t stick your foot in your mouth or make her uncomfortable. The point behind doing this is to plant a seed for later. A little trick I learned years ago was to plant a sexy seed for harvesting later. If you get a woman thinking about sex for just a moment, then let it go, it will be much easier to ignite a real flame later on that evening. If you do this right, you virtually guarantee you will have a great date and will drastically improve your odds of getting lucky later. Do it wrong and you could ruin the entire date. Will you go for the green or just lay up?
If you have small bite sized hors d’oeuvres, hold one up with your fingers and feed it to her. Feeding each other food is very sexy. You could also hold the first spoonful of dessert for her while she tastes it. Put a small amount just on the tip of the spoon. Don’t scoop it like it is a bowl of Viking gruel.
If you have the room, invite her to dance to a Sinatra song. Women love the Italian crooner. If she says she is not a very good dancer just tell her it’s okay because you aren’t very good yourself. Then dance anyway.
If you are doing this for your wife or for a girl you have been dating for years, it would be really romantic of you to put a framed photograph of the two of you at one end of the dinner table.
This type of date would also be an appropriate setting to pop a big question or give her an expensive gift like some new jewelry or two tickets for a Caribbean cruise. If you are going to do that make sure you take the time to wrap them perfectly.
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How to make a romantic home cooked dinner date for your wife or girlfriend
Whether you are doing this for your wife or girlfriend, the goal is the same. You want a bit of romance and hopefully some great sex thereafter. The sex is optional but I vote yes. You’re going to impress her by showing her a more sophisticated side of you than you normally do. The perfect setting to do this is your own dining room. It is perfect because you have no one else to bother you. You can just enjoy being with one another without interruptions. You don’t have to watch how much you drink because you don’t need to drive anywhere. You don’t have to convince her to come home with you because she is already there. Just let nature take its course.
If you are doing this for your wife, let her know a week or so in advance that you will be making this wonderful dinner just for her. Let her know the date you intend to do it so she can plan on getting out of the house for a while to give you time to prepare. Have her take a nice cocktail dress over to her girlfriend or sister’s house and get ready there. Then when she comes home your efforts will have more of a surprise effect on her.
Preparing the setting for your perfect home cooked dinner date
First make sure the dining room is spotlessly clean. Better yet, make sure the whole house is well cleaned, especially the bathroom and bedroom. Anything less than that is distasteful. Light a small candle in the bathroom before she arrives or soon thereafter.
Spend a little extra time in the shower when getting ready for the evening to make sure you are perfectly groomed and feeling great for the evening. Trim the beard or mustache. Trim the unsightly nose and ear hairs. Hell, you could even go get a fresh haircut.
Pick up some new cologne unless you have something that you know she already likes. If you’re unsure of what kind to get, try Aqua Di Gio or Nautica Competition. Both are excellent. They have hints of citrus and smell very clean.
Wear something comfortable and casual yet classy. A pair of khakis with a button down collar oxford would be nice. It is more important that you wear something that you know you look great in. You want to be a little dressy without going overkill. Match your level of dress according to what you expect she will be wearing.
Get some classical baroque, violin or romantic piano music to play during dinner. If you are certain that this type of music would turn her off then just get some easy listening music or anything by Frank Sinatra. I bet she’ll like the baroque if you just try. This is a special occasion. If you don’t already have a stereo in the dining room, then bring in a little portable player. Make it inconspicuous. Don’t set it on the dinner table.
Get to a flower shop during the day and pick up a very small flower arrangement for the table centerpiece. A single rose with a little baby’s breath will work fine. I personally prefer to get a Stargazer Lilly. The Stargazer Lilly is the most fragrant Lilly. It smells wonderful. She will love it. If you can’t get that, then try to get something else fragrant or just something with a large flower bud.
Put some candles on the table. I suggest you put one tall tapered candle in a nice candlestick on each side of the flower centerpiece. As an alternative, you can get a large cylindrical style candle that has three wicks in it. If you go that route you will need to relocate your flowers. Use the large candle for the centerpiece instead.
Set the table like you would for any formal dinner. Use real linen napkins that match, not paper towels, you fricken meat head.
Prepare some light hors d’oeuvres for eating before the main meal. A couple different rare cheeses on good crackers would be fine. A couple of cocktail shrimp are also a safe bet. Put whatever you choose on a small tray along with four strawberries. If you know there is something in particular that she likes, then get a little bit of that. Arrange everything neatly. Don’t make it like you would for your buddies during a football game.
To go with the appetizers, I suggest opening a bottle of chilled champagne. If you’ve never bought champagne, go with Asti Spumante. It is a semi dry sparkling wine that will go over nicely. You should have it on display in a nice ice bucket on the dinner table wrapped in a white towel. Otherwise, just keep it in the fridge until you’re ready for it. Let her watch you open the champagne. That is half the fun. In case you’ve never done it, you hold the cork firmly with one hand while you twist the bottle with the other hand by firmly gripping the bottom of the bottle. Have the towel and a couple champagne glasses ready in case the bottle starts to foam over. There is a difference between champagne glasses and wine glasses. The champagne glass is taller and skinnier. They are called champagne flutes. If you don’t own some, go buy a pair. You should be able to get them pretty inexpensively. While you’re there, get some good red wine glasses.
Choosing the meal
If there is something that you are exceptionally good at making, then I suggest you prepare that for her. That is assuming it isn’t something disgusting or something you could get at any professional sports arena. Make sure you get some really fresh vegetables for your salad if you are having one. Women notice such things more easily than we do. Put a little fresh basil on top of a tossed salad to add a bit of fresh aroma to the salad. Most people don’t use basil on a tossed salad. Try it sometime.
If you don’t already have a particular meal that you always prepare well, stick to something that is a bit different but hard to screw up. I would avoid pork because it is harder to find that balance between cooking it enough and overcooking it. I suggest making prime rib and a baked potato. It is nearly impossible to screw up a baked potato. You can’t overcook the things. They just get better the longer you cook them. Find a nice recipe for prime rib online that has rosemary in it. If you wanted to, you could get away with just sprinkling it with Montreal Steak seasoning before cooking it. It should be cooked very slowly in the oven. Use a meat thermometer. If you slow cook it, the meat may look a little undercooked even when it has reached the desired temperature. Be aware of this. If you think she will mind the redness then choose a different meal to prepare.
In addition to the baked potato, I suggest adding a little green vegetable like asparagus or broccoli. There are really simple recipes for asparagus sautéed in garlic and butter. You can even do them in the microwave. There are some great green bean recipes where you add a little bacon for flavor. She will be really impressed.
Choosing wine for the meal
I happen to have a lot of experience with wine. So you can trust my recommendations. To me, wine is an essential part of a great meal. No meal could be considered great without it. I have written more extensively about this in the post called Choosing wine for a meal. You want to get something nice. This is a special occasion.
Dessert for two lovers
Here is another chance to make a great impression with her. If you are gifted in the kitchen you are better off preparing something from scratch for dessert. Presentation is important here. You want it to look just right when you bring it out. Believe me. Women notice the small things. That is why they like to take so much time wrapping birthday gifts ever so perfectly. You and I just want to stuff the things in a bag leaving the price tags on them in case someone wants to return it.
Go ahead and make two desserts, one for each of you. But, when it is time for dessert, just bring out one of them and two spoons. Sharing a dessert with your girl is romantic. Save a little champagne to enjoy with your delightful dessert.
I have experimented with creating some fancy little desserts. One of my favorites is alternating layers of Jello, fruit and whipped topping in a fancy glass dish. Then I top it off with more whipped topping and a big strawberry. If you lack creativity then make a trip to the supermarket and get some tiramisu for the two of you.
Charming the pants off of her on your date
Hopefully your extremely thoughtful preparation and your wit are enough to charm the pants off of her, literally. If you’re the shy type, rent yourself a good chick flick to watch after dinner. Get something romantic. Don’t spoil the mood by getting a movie where the main character dies in the end.
If you are looking for ways to break the ice for a little more romance tell her that your whole reason for going through all of this trouble was to earn one really good kiss.
Ideas for taking the romance up another notch
Now you wouldn’t want to do these things on a first date. It would be tacky. I am assuming that no girl is going to agree to come over to your pad for your first date together anyways. This is meant more for a date with a woman you’ve been seeing for a while.
If the opportunity presents itself, give her a little one handed hug from behind her. Kiss her neck gently and whisper how beautiful she looks or how wonderful her perfume is or how irresistible her neckline is.
When she first arrives for the night make some kind of jokingly sexual comment to her about how sexy she looks. Be careful here. Don’t stick your foot in your mouth or make her uncomfortable. The point behind doing this is to plant a seed for later. A little trick I learned years ago was to plant a sexy seed for harvesting later. If you get a woman thinking about sex for just a moment, then let it go, it will be much easier to ignite a real flame later on that evening. If you do this right, you virtually guarantee you will have a great date and will drastically improve your odds of getting lucky later. Do it wrong and you could ruin the entire date. Will you go for the green or just lay up?
If you have small bite sized hors d’oeuvres, hold one up with your fingers and feed it to her. Feeding each other food is very sexy. You could also hold the first spoonful of dessert for her while she tastes it. Put a small amount just on the tip of the spoon. Don’t scoop it like it is a bowl of Viking gruel.
If you have the room, invite her to dance to a Sinatra song. Women love the Italian crooner. If she says she is not a very good dancer just tell her it’s okay because you aren’t very good yourself. Then dance anyway.
If you are doing this for your wife or for a girl you have been dating for years, it would be really romantic of you to put a framed photograph of the two of you at one end of the dinner table.
This type of date would also be an appropriate setting to pop a big question or give her an expensive gift like some new jewelry or two tickets for a Caribbean cruise. If you are going to do that make sure you take the time to wrap them perfectly.