eating
impress for less
Taking a date for dinner and a movie can be expensive and even impersonal. To save money and create an intimate environment, cook dinner and rent a movie. BY BRANDI GARVIN
How many dates have you had when, at the end of the night, everything was empty: your bed, your heart and your wallet?
Picture this: You pick your date up. You take her out to Chili's where you spend about $30 for dinner and drinks. You proceed to the theater where you spend $14 for two tickets. At the end of your night, your heart is full, but your wallet is empty.
Ladies may like to have someone spend money on them, but it's not always necessary. Having a guy cook for a girl is up on the list with the $50 date.
Cooking is special, Shannon Ball, Overland Park sophomore, says, and being with someone in his home is more intimate than a movie theater. Two people can get to know each other better.
Dinner and a movie at home is a great idea for a third date. By the third date, most people know if they want to keep seeing the other person. At this point, the couple is more comfortable with each other, making them ready to spend some time alone. Your place is a great place to
have a third date
as long as it's clean. a n d cooking dinner a n d renting
a movie gives a couple a chance to talk intimately
without distractions
When planning this date, here's a hint: No main courses that you can eat with your fingers, no spaghetti, and when picking a flick, make sure it is date-worthy. No director's cut of Highlander.
Here are two recipes for dishes that are fairly easy to make and two movies that are oldies, but goodies, and guaranteed to have both of you enjoying the food and the movies.
The first movie is My Best Friend's Wedding starring Julia Roberts and Dermot Mulroney and a recipe for stuffed wedding bell peppers. This meatloaf dish looks nice and is fairly easy especially if you like to get dirty.
1 pound ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1 medium onion, chopped
1 egg
1/2 sleeve crushed crackers
salt and pepper to taste
4 large bell peppers
Basically, this is a recipe for meatloaf. If your mom makes a great meatloaf, feel free to substitute.
Place everything except the peppers in a large bowl and mix. You can use utensils if you like, but your hands will do a better job.
Wash the peppers, cut them in half and take out the seeds.
Stuff the meat into each half pepper. Cover each with ketchup and put them in the oven on a cookie sheet. Cover the pan with a lid. Bake the peppers for an hour at 350 degrees, and serve them with you favorite vegetables.
While the peppers are baking, pop in My Best Friend's Wedding. Julianne (Roberts) made a deal with her best friend, Michael (Mulroney) that if they weren't married by age 28, they would marry each other. At 28 years old, Michael is getting married to Kimmy (Cameron Diaz), and Julianne finds that she is in love with Michael. She vows to break up this marriage before it begins. PJ
Hogan directs the movie, and you are sure to laugh.
If stuffed peppers are a little too much for you, and My Best Friend's Wedding is a little too much Julia Roberts, then try Coming to America starring Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall and cook Sexual Chocolate Fondue.
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 teaspoons butter
1 package graham crackers
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
Pop in Coming to America. Murphy plays Prince Akeem of Zamunda, Africa. After turning 21 years old he is forced into an arranged marriage. Prince Akeem decides he does not want an arranged marriage and sets off for Queens, N.Y., to find himself a queen.
1 cup pretzel rods
Semmi (Hall) accompanies Prince Akeem, and they begin working at McDowell's restaurant. Murphy chooses the owner's daughter, Lisa, and plans to make her fall for him. The funny parts contain the characters Murphy and Hall play. Murphy plays Randy Watson, leader of the band Sexual Chocolate. His rendition of Whitney Houston's "Greatest Love" is enough to watch this movie again and again.
1 cup strawberries
1/2 cup peanut butter
You have two great recipes and movies; all you need is a great date. And at the end of the night, if your heart is empty, your wallet won't be.
—Brandi Garvin, Jayplay writer, can be reached at bgarvin@kansan.com
1 dozen Swedish fish candy
Bring cream to a boil; add it to the chocolate chips and finish by adding the soft butter. Keep it in a warm place. Make peanut butter and fluff sandwiches on the graham crackers. Skewer the berries with six-inch skewers and place all other ingredients around the fondue.
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thursday, october 16, 2003
jayplay
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