Engagement Chicken Alternatives

[kittybean]

I''m trying to cover all the fairy dust bases I can, so to speak, and I know Engagement Chicken is supposed to work wonders . My problem: I hate chicken (I know--I''m the only person in the world who does) and do not like the sight of it raw even in the grocery store.

If you know of any alternative recipes or have other ideas that I could try out next week to up my fairy dust quotient, I would appreciate you posting them here. I''m an intermediate cook and willing to try almost anything, as long as no poultry is involved. Is there such a thing as Engagement Beef ?

 

[goodfun7580]

I''m also curious to know if anyone has a recipe for something amazing besides "engagement chicken" since my BF will not eat chicken!

 

[moderatelypoorstudent]

Prime Rib or rib roast is a great one to serve. Little pricey though depending on the meat you buy.

It''s really quite simple too: buy a rib roast, I like the standing rib roast with the bones in it. This recipe is for 3-4 ribs, you may have to add 10 minutes for each additional rib. this is also a large meal, so there are a lot of leftovers.

Get the meat and poke little holes in it with a steak knife or fork. Rub it well using minced garlic, salt, pepper and vodka. Abou 3 tbs of each, and the garlic, I usually use a whole flower. Cover well and let sit in the fridge to marinate for at least 12 hours. Then before cooking it, let it stand at room temperature for at least one or two hours.

Let meat stand at room temperature. Preheat oven to
375 degree. Place meat
fat side up in a shallow rasting pan. Do not cover. Do
not add water. Put meat in oven, cook for one hour
, turn off heat, do not open oven door
at any time until ready to serve. Regardless of the
length of time the meat has been in the over, 50
minutes before serving, turn oven on again and cook
for the remaining 50 minutes. Now open the oven door,
your meat will be crispy on the outside, pink in the
middle and juicy.

also, I usually have at least 5 or 6 hours between the time I heat up the oven the first time and the 2nd time I turn it on for a good cooking. You may want to go 40 minutes if you want it rarer the 2nd time around.

 

[Blair138]

SOOO Funny that you posted this-I just got my Glamour Tuesday and in it was an article about Engagement Chicken vs. Man-loaf meatloaf. For some reason I cannot find it on the website this minute but I will keep looking. Both recipes are in the article and they road-tested them with real couples. The meatloaf was well-liked-I''ll keep looking for the article but maybe you should try the Man-loaf meatloaf!

 

[Blair138]

OK so the article is not on their website but here is the link to the recipe for the Man-loaf meatloaf

Meatloaf recipe

 

[absolut_blonde]

If your SO is anything like mine, beef ANYTHING (but especially a good steak), mashed potatoes, gravy, and caesar salad is the way to his heart.

I think a knockout lasagna could be good, too, but I haven''t attempted that yet.

 

[Delster]

My BF is the knock-out lasagne cooker in our house, oh wow his lasagne is to die for!

He loves my pancakes. His Dad ate six of my scones last Saturday (scored me brownie points with the in-laws!). BF's friends beg him to bring in my baking and keep telling him what a good catch he's got

Anyway we have a Summer dessert recipe that BF and his friends just love. It's very bad for you but it tastes verrrry good

You will need:
Frozen fruit of your choice (I buy fresh strawberries and blueberries and freeze them)
Meringue cups (I never bother making these, I just buy the ones in the shop)
A bar of good quality white chocolate (I use Green & Black's)
A small tub of cream

Here's what you do:
Empty the cream into a small saucepan over a low heat. Break up the chocolate into small pieces and drop into the cream. Heat the mixture just enough so that the chocolate melts and the sauce thickens. Stir the sauce the entire time and do not let it come to the boil. This is a very sloooow and steady process - if you let the cream boil it'll curdle.
Put one meringue cup per person on a dish and fill with frozen fruit. Pour the warm white chocolate sauce over the fruit and meringue and serve!

Trust me, it's heaven in a bowl

 

[Deelight]

OMG that sounds yummy Delster I will have to try that sometime

I would suggest Engagement Breakfast nothing to me says love and affection more so then a full hot breakfast served in bed .

...I wonder if that would work

 

[Delster]

And better yet - I got it off a girl whose BF proposed a whole year earlier than she was expecting

 

[ladypirate]

There''s also Rachel Ray''s "You Won''t Be Single for Long" Vodka Cream Pasta.

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup chicken stock
1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
Coarse salt and pepper
16 ounces pasta, such as penne rigate
1/2 cup heavy cream
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn
Serve with:
Crusty bread, for passing

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic and shallots. Gently sauté shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan (3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup). Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it). While pasta cooks, prepare your salad or other side dishes.

Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Pass pasta with crusty bread.

 

[Lauren8211]

I am SO making this tonight!

For serious!

 

[trillionaire]

Re: Rachel Ray recipe

HAHA... made that one 2 yrs ago for my SO.... still ringless!

 

[Lauren8211]

Damn it! Don''t crush my hopes and dreams!

Well.. regardless... I bet it tastes good!

 

[Kayakqueen83]

Ok.... screw it. Now that I''m #10 on the list, I''m doing them all in one week!

Really, I''ll have a little experiment when we get settled in North Florida.... If anything we will have some really good dinners!

 

[KCCutie]

Date: 6/6/2008 8:59:26 AM
Author: Deelight
OMG that sounds yummy Delster I will have to try that sometime


I would suggest Engagement Breakfast nothing to me says love and affection more so then a full hot breakfast served in bed .


...I wonder if that would work

Man I hope the engagement breakfast works. I''ve been serving my sweetie breakfast in bed just about once a week for about the last 2.5 months! LOL He absolutely loves it and tells everyone how great I am and how awesome my breakfast skills are so maybe it is working.... just a little slower that I had hoped (but in guy time maybe it''s really fast).

Here''s what I do (since he''s not a fan of sweets I stick to eggs)

Breakfast Scramble
5-6 eggs
1/4 cup each of sweet peppers any color you like, onions, mushrooms, and fresh spinach
1/2 cup ham or bacon
1/2 cup cheese
milk

Chop up the veggies and meat(except the spinach) and sautée in olive oil with a dash of garlic salt (or fresh garlic if you like) and ground sea salt and black pepper. Add enough milk to the eggs so that it fills the space between the yolks and beat. Add the eggs to the veggies and stir often. When it''s about 1/2 done add the spinach and cheese. Then I top with a little extra cheese before serving and a dash more salt and pepper.

I serve this with toast and coffee but there are a lot of options just do what your guy likes. It''s so easy but if you''ve never done breakfast before he''ll be in awe for sure! Oh, and while I''m busy cooking I bring him his favorite magazine to read while he waits so he won''t be bored

.

 

[kittybean]

Thank you all so much for these incredible recipes. They sound so good, and I''m sure BF will love them (provided I don''t mess anything up). I''ve decided I''m trying a bunch next week. I would try this weekend, but we''re going to a wedding. I''m hoping that wedding mood + amazing food cooked by me = proposal very soon. Thanks for your help, and keep them coming if you have more!

 

[Lauren8211]

I made the "You Won''t Be Single for Long" for BF last night -- wasn''t a HUGE fan of the recipe, IMHO.

BUT, that does not mean there are not magical properties!

Lets hope it works!

 

[Deelight]

Date: 6/6/2008 3:22:46 PM
Author: KCCutie

Date: 6/6/2008 8:59:26 AM

Author: Deelight

OMG that sounds yummy Delster I will have to try that sometime



I would suggest Engagement Breakfast nothing to me says love and affection more so then a full hot breakfast served in bed .



...I wonder if that would work

Man I hope the engagement breakfast works. I''ve been serving my sweetie breakfast in bed just about once a week for about the last 2.5 months! LOL He absolutely loves it and tells everyone how great I am and how awesome my breakfast skills are so maybe it is working.... just a little slower that I had hoped (but in guy time maybe it''s really fast).


Here''s what I do (since he''s not a fan of sweets I stick to eggs)


Breakfast Scramble

5-6 eggs

1/4 cup each of sweet peppers any color you like, onions, mushrooms, and fresh spinach

1/2 cup ham or bacon

1/2 cup cheese

milk


Chop up the veggies and meat(except the spinach) and sautée in olive oil with a dash of garlic salt (or fresh garlic if you like) and ground sea salt and black pepper. Add enough milk to the eggs so that it fills the space between the yolks and beat. Add the eggs to the veggies and stir often. When it''s about 1/2 done add the spinach and cheese. Then I top with a little extra cheese before serving and a dash more salt and pepper.


I serve this with toast and coffee but there are a lot of options just do what your guy likes. It''s so easy but if you''ve never done breakfast before he''ll be in awe for sure! Oh, and while I''m busy cooking I bring him his favorite magazine to read while he waits so he won''t be bored

.

KC that omelette sounds awesome MY FF is the same way his face literally lights up whenever the plate of food comes in, he jokes to me that he feels so special he must be king, I just laugh at him .

 

[appletini]

Way to go ladies...the fastest way to a man''s heart is through his stomach. Can''t go wrong with a filet mingon or a porterhouse and some awesome mashed potatoes...

 

[EricaR]

This recipe gets rave reviews from my FI whenever I make it. I just happened to make it the night before he proposed, but then again that had been planned for a few weeks.

French Dip Sandwiches

Take a cheap-y roast (i use a 2 pound rump roast) and put it in the crock pot with a bottle/can of beer, a can of concentrated french onion soup and a can of beef broth. Cook on low all day. By the time you get home from work the meat should be basically falling apart. Use a serrated knife to slice it into thin pieces and place it back into the liquid. In the meantime, slice some french rolls, spread with butter and place under the broiler for a few minutes. Once they are toasted, place some beef on the roll and serve with juices for dipping. Yum yum yum.

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 6/8/2008 1:34:46 AM
Author: EricaR
This recipe gets rave reviews from my FI whenever I make it. I just happened to make it the night before he proposed, but then again that had been planned for a few weeks.


French Dip Sandwiches


Take a cheap-y roast (i use a 2 pound rump roast) and put it in the crock pot with a bottle/can of beer, a can of concentrated french onion soup and a can of beef broth. Cook on low all day. By the time you get home from work the meat should be basically falling apart. Use a serrated knife to slice it into thin pieces and place it back into the liquid. In the meantime, slice some french rolls, spread with butter and place under the broiler for a few minutes. Once they are toasted, place some beef on the roll and serve with juices for dipping. Yum yum yum.

Oh, J would LOVE that! Will definitely have to try, thank you!

 

[EricaR]

Let me know how it goes. This is seriously one of my favorite recipes and it is so easy!

I love love love my crockpot. Even during the summer I cook in it at least twice a week. I put everything it in the night before, put just the pot part in the fridge (it comes out of the electronic part), then in the morning turn it back on. I generally plan out my week''s meals based on doing one that I cook for immediate cooking and one that goes in the crock pot for the following day. For example, I''m making a veggie stir fry for tonight, and while I''m cooking that I''ll get everything ready for my Chicken Cacciatore for tomorrow night. If I''ve got to be in the kitchen anyway I might as well use that time smartly. Plus, I only "cook" a few nights a week and we still get home cooked meals most nights.

 

[trillionaire]

Date: 6/5/2008 5:24:27 PM
Author:kittybean
I'm trying to cover all the fairy dust bases I can, so to speak, and I know Engagement Chicken is supposed to work wonders . My problem: I hate chicken (I know--I'm the only person in the world who does) and do not like the sight of it raw even in the grocery store.

If you know of any alternative recipes or have other ideas that I could try out next week to up my fairy dust quotient, I would appreciate you posting them here. I'm an intermediate cook and willing to try almost anything, as long as no poultry is involved. Is there such a thing as Engagement Beef ?

This is a recipe for ribs that is very highly rated. Sounds very easy, and has about 100 rave reviews
http://www.recipezaar.com/19724

I don't eat red meat or pork, so I can't weigh in with my own review.

I actually saw a review that mentioned making this in a crockpot, cooking it on high for 4 hours, then pouring out the liquid. Cover with BBQ sauce and continue cooking.