Want to know a secret?

The way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach. It’s true. OK, sometimes you can get there with some really nice high-thread-count sheets or directions to a shoe sale, but having basic kitchen skills can go a long way toward winning her affection.

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Don’t think you’ll have the occasion to be culinary? Consider this scenario:

You have a great date.

A really great date.

The kind that’s still going strong the next morning.

How do you wow her and woo her at the same time? How about breakfast in bed? We’ve put together some impressive-but-easy ideas for you, but to be honest, this isn’t rocket science. You can probably come up with some great menus on your own.

And remember, presentation can perk up even the simplest offering: Use nice plates. Honest-to-goodness glass glasses. Have some real napkins on hand. The cloth kind, not the paper kind. And never the kind you tear off a roll.

Honey Dippers

This one couldn’t be simpler, and you’ll score big points for it. All it takes is fresh apples, strawberries, grapes, cream cheese and honey. Unopened cream cheese can be kept in the fridge for a good while, and honey almost indefinitely in the pantry. The fruit you’ll need to have purchased no later than a few days before your big night, though, so plan ahead.

• Wash fruit.
• Slice apples and remove the part with the seeds.
• Leave strawberries whole, with the stems on (they make good handles).
• Leave grapes on stems, but cut the large bunch into small clusters.
• Mix some cream cheese with honey, enough to sweeten it a bit but not so much that it is too thin to
• coat a piece of fruit – so it’s slightly thinner than spreadable, but not runny.
• Spoon cream cheese-honey dip into a bowl.
• Put the bowl of dip in the middle of a plate and arrange fruit around it.

Smooth Operator

Smoothies – single-guy style. All you need is a bag of frozen strawberries, a little milk and some vanilla ice cream.

• Pour bag of frozen strawberries into blender.
• Add a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream.
• Blend and add enough milk until it looks like a milk shake.
• Pour into glasses and serve.
  

Meat 'n Greet

Preheat the broiler in your oven. Split the English muffins and spread each slice with some butter, then some sliced ham and a slice of cheese. Put all the muffin slices on a pan and place under broiler until hot and toasty and the cheese has melted. Cut each muffin into quarters and place on a plate. Note: Keep an eye on them – burnt toast isn’t all that impressive.

• 2 English muffins
• Butter (or margarine)
• 4 slices of your favorite cheese
• Sliced ham (either from the deli or prepackaged in the grocery store)

Eggs-Cetera

There’s a trick to good scrambled eggs, and most people don’t know it. If you’re making toast and bacon, cook the eggs last. Before you begin to beat your eggs, put a dry skillet on the stove to heat over medium – not high – heat. Use two eggs per person, three if you’ve worked up an appetite, and beat them in a bowl with a fork. Beat just a little air into them. Should you add milk or cream while you’re beating them? It doesn’t matter.

Butter some bread and put in a pan under the broiler. Keep an eye on it while you finish the eggs (see note about burned toast above). Put a pat of butter into the skillet and coat the bottom of the pan. Pour in the eggs. Do not raise the heat. Use a spatula or a wooden spoon – not a metal one – and move the eggs around about every 15 seconds. Don’t wait until the eggs totally dry out. When the eggs look slightly damp – about 5/6 cooked, turn off the stove. Then quickly turn the eggs onto a plate. The eggs will finish cooking themselves on the plate without drying out. Add a nice mug of coffee, some fresh juice, and you’re all set.

• Eggs
• Bacon
• Butter
• Bread
• Coffee
• Juice

What’s in your heart?

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