Date Night!

As I mentioned before, Mr. Moon and I try to do a weekly date night. We're pretty lax about what Date Night entails, sometimes it's bowling with friends, sometimes it's a movie out, and sometimes (especially when the money is tight) it's a movie in with a "fancified" dinner. As long as it's intentional, mindful, and spending time together. This week, we managed to make a really nice spread with all things we had in the house (except I ended up having to buy a loaf of french bread).

We turned the couch so it faced the TV, threw in a Blockbuster by mail DVD, and had a spread of finger foods. So much easier to eat when sitting at a coffee table! Plus I'd been wanting to do an appetizer dinner at some point.

Counter-Clockwise from Left (for reasons which will become clear):
  • Grass-fed, all-natural Painted Hills sirloin steak, cooked in olive & truffle oils with garlic, basil, oregano, and crimini salt. 
  • Bruschetta: french bread, toasted with olive oil, garlic, herbs, drizzled in balsamic vinegar that I'm too lazy to reduce, dusted with Parmesan and fresh chiffonade basil from our garden (both green and purple basil because, duh, fancy dinner).
  • Artichoke tapenade
  • "Sweet" red pepper spread that had a nice kick to it on the back end
  • Whole wheat sesame seed crackers around...
  • More bruschetta, this is set aside because it's drizzled with Raspberry balsamic, a little sweeter to go with...
  • Mango-ginger gouda for dessert
  • Spinach artichoke spread
  • Sun-dried tomato spread
Not everything on here had prices on them from whenever I bought them, but the whole meal might have cost as much as $30--including the leftovers of all the spread. But it didn't cost $30 right now, just over quite a while. For example, the bruschetta toppings we've had for ages, same with the crackers, and the meat we bought weeks ago when it was on super-sale at the local natural grocery store, Chuck's Produce. So if you count what I spent on dinner just this week... it cost $2. Now THAT is what I call a budget date night!


Of course, part of the fun of the date was cooking together. I couldn't help but notice how well we move around each other in the kitchen.It's not the first time I've noticed and appreciated this and I'm sure it won't be the last. Our old apartment had a tiny kitchen area and we got accustomed to moving around each other there, so a kitchen that's three times the size is easier, yet more difficult at the same time because everything is no longer always within reach. We've gotten used to knowing where each other is, what they're doing, what they might need, and how to help each other. In a way it reflects the rest of our relationship: splitting the work, doing the parts we each do best, anticipating each others' needs and meeting them as best we can. If that's the recipe for a solid lifetime relationship, I think ours is going to cook up quite nicely.

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