Seriously!
Early on in our relationship, Joe and I realized that our salaries (Navy and non-profit) didn’t really support date nights in the Nation’s Capital. Dinner for two within our budgets usually meant fast food – or make it yourself. So we opted to start a tradition. Tuesday Night Dinner Dates! No matter how crazy our weeks were (depending on Joe’s guard shifts) we knew Tuesday night’s were for us. Thankfully this tradition also showed me that my Man could cook! And really well too! Joe, like in life, was not afraid to try new things and be creative.
So after a two-year hiatus, it’s back!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe and I had our first Tuesday Night Dinner Date the other week but I’m only now finding the time (and brain space) to type about it.
For our first Dinner Date, Joe insisted on doing it himself. All-righty then!! I sat back with my glass of wine while I watched Joe cook (one rule of Dinner Date – you may do nothing else but spend the time with each other – we’ve had great conversations and learned so much about each other just from these moments of undivided attention. A true test of mindfulness!). This time Joe was über serious. Tonight was kabobs!
Joe and I went to the store during our weekly grocery run and picked out the items for our Dinner Date in advance.
Ingredients:
- Steak
- Cherry tomatoes
- Pineapple (so good for summer!)
- Onion
- Red and Orange Peppers
- Mushrooms
- Optional – squash (which Joe doesn’t like), eggplant, olives, etc. Have fun!
SIDE NOTE: In case you can’t tell from the photos, Joe’s kitchen was SMALL! He and his roommate often joke about needing a speaker system or how they often have SO much space they never see one another. Oh how I know they will miss each other :(. But our new place does have a kitchen built for two – or four (still no speaker system needed).
OTHER SIDE NOTE: They don’t have a grill. Sorry Summer.
So Joe seasoned the baking pan with olive oil – and mystery seasonings. Seriously! He LOVES this part. Joe consulted Matt, his roommate, but told me it would be a surprise and that I could guess the seasonings later (I can tell you there was sea salt, pepper, cinnamon, sage, and maybe a little garlic salts – other than that, my taste buds failed me except to say – DOWN THE HATCH! THIS IS GOOOOOOOD!)
He assembled them on pre-soaked skewers and then put them in the oven on 450 degrees until nice and brown – to be honest he works on a different level – no time, just what it looks and smells like.
And hello:
It smelled amazing – and tasted so tender and wonderful! After eating it was my turn to clean up – such a snap on this one! Thanks honey!
As we settle into life at the new apartment, I’m going to reinstitute meal planning – but leaving some room for fun is still important! Not knowing exactly what awaits us on Tuesday nights is part of the fun – and seeing what mess we can make in the kitchen doesn’t hurt either! We might not be in DC – or Boston – anymore, but we will continue to value and covet this time together. Often it ends up just as sweet and satisfying as the meals themselves.
Bon Appetit!
Erin and Joe