Food means different things to each of us. It can represent tradition of holiday meals and family celebrations.
Some foods evoke childhood memories, feelings of comfort, of happy times spent around the dinner table, and in some cases food can also bring up those not-so-happy memories. Certain foods remind us of the comfort of home and sharing a meal with family and friends.
Cooking is a tangible way to share your love with your husband, a way to comfort him though memories of days-gone-by, to woo him with mouth-watering favorites, or to tempt him through an adventure of tantalizing surprises.
While there is no secret formula for dazzling your hubby through food, the recipe for success is simple. You need to find out what foods he likes, which dishes he associates with his fondest memories and, for those childhood favorites or comfort foods, how he likes them prepared.
The Grill
Guys like food cooked over an open flame. Whether your husband prefers to man the grill or that’s your wheelhouse, you can’t go wrong with grilling, barbecuing or smoking his favorites – burgers, steaks, salmon or chicken. Everything just tastes better when it’s cooked outdoors. If your guy insists on handling the main dish, enhance the meal with a few special touches that are sure to make it special.
Hint: Set a special table – indoors or out – with just the right blend of mood lighting; think lanterns, tiki torches or twinkling lights to accent your outdoor dining area.
Romantic Dinner
Think back to the first meal you and your husband enjoyed together. How about the first time he took you to his favorite restaurant or the first time you cooked for him? Remember when he prepared a special meal just for you?
For the perfect recipe to a romantic dinner for two, take the foods from one of those special memories to use as a starting point and build from there. Serve it up by candlelight – even if the dish is burgers – and pair it with décor and music that will evoke memories of the first time you shared a similar meal.
Comfort Foods
There are times when you have little time to think about and prepare dinner, but that doesn’t mean you can’t whip up something special. Comfort food — we all have our favorites — is the perfect way to say “everything is going to be ok” after a tough day. Whether your husband finds comfort in pizza, grilled cheese, chili or his grandmother’s meatloaf, keep these tips in mind:
Tips
– Know your hubby’s favorite comfort foods and keep the ingredients on hand.
– If his family served special dishes that he remembers from childhood, interview family members for recipe tips.
– Cook together; preparing a delicious meal together while catching up on each other’s’ day is the perfect prelude to a special meal.
– Presentation is everything; dine by candle-light and put on some mood-setting tunes, even if you’re only serving grilled cheese and tomato soup!
– Perhaps your husband has fond memories of growing up with the aroma of warm bread or freshly baked cookies. If baking isn’t your thing, just pick up a package of refrigerated cookie dough or frozen bread dough.
Comfort food recipe to try: Capture the flavors of a romantic steak dinner in this easy, no-fuss beef with red wine Sauce recipe adapted from Southernliving.com.
Put into a six-quart slow-cooker the following:
– 3 pounds of beef chuck roast that you’ve cut into bite-size bits
– Medium onion
– Pound of chopped mushrooms or your husband’s favorite veggies
– Mix together a package of brown gravy mix, 10-12 oz. of beef broth (canned is fine), and a cup of red wine, then pour over the meat and veggies in the crock pot.
– Add two tbsp. of tomato paste, a bay leaf and egg noodles, rice, or potatoes.
Set the crock pot to cook for six hours and you’ll have a delicious dinner!
Give us this day our daily bread. —Matthew 6:11