So you've decided it's time to have your date over for dinner and impress him/her with a delicious meal. No problem. There is nothing more satisfying than creating the perfect ambiance with that special someone who makes your heart skip a beat and sharing scrumptious food and wonderful conversation.



Follow these steps and you'll be sure to have success. First of all, pick a night where you have plenty of time to prepare the affair and make sure it's a night where your roommate or parents won't be dropping by to crowd your plans. The best events are well planned out and worth waiting for.

Plan a menu which you know will suit the pickiest of eaters and try to chose things which are easy to prepare and can be prepared ahead of time. Also try to avoid serving any type of food which caters to specific tastebuds like seafood or possible food allergies such as nuts.

Here is an easy menu which should please all pallets and can be done with minimal effort on your part if you are looking for ideas for the first time round.

To start off with, try serving some bruschetta with a nice glass of wine. You will need a nice fresh baguette, sliced and brushed with olive oil. Toast these on a cookie sheet in the oven at 400 degrees for approximately 2-3 minutes, just until they start to lightly brown. This will make the bread nice and crispy and prevent it from becoming soggy once the bruschetta topping is piled on. Next you will need to place about a teaspoon of bruschetta, which can be purchased at most deli departments, on top of each slice and also crumble a little bit of feta or parmesan cheese on top for an added compliment. Place the cookie sheet back in the oven at 400 degrees again for about another 4-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the bruschetta is nice and hot. Voila, a fabulous appetizer and a perfect start to your evening with that perfect bottle of vino.

For the main course, I would suggest something to please all tastes such as Parmesan chicken along with some type of pasta and a caesar salad for your greens. You can't go wrong with this combination, and a good store bought salad dressing and pasta sauce will do the trick just fine.

Here's a very easy recipe for Parmesan Chicken:

2 to 3 boneless chicken breasts

½ cup flour

½ tsp. salt and pepper

1tsp water

3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. olive oil (but any other oil is okay)

Pound the chicken breasts with a rolling pin until they are approximately 1/4 inch thick. Mix the flour, salt and pepper together and coat the chickens breasts on both sides with this mixture. Then dip both sides of the breasts into the beaten egg mixed with the water. Follow this next by dipping the chicken into a mixture of the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, pressing lightly to ensure the crumb mixture sticks. Heat the oil and butter in a large saute pan and cook the chicken breasts on medium heat for approximately 2 to 3 minutes on each side until cooked. Serve with a side of paste and sauce along with your salad. Delicious!

For dessert, light a fire and toast some smores or perhaps do a chocolate fondue instead. Remember to light some candles and place some fresh flowers on the table to create the perfect centrepiece. Allow plenty of time for conversation and enjoy what you have prepared with that special someone.