Date Night Done Right :)

Happy Tuesday!

Not so much for Alex and I as we didn't get the 30-minute call ahead from our Internet technician coming to fix our Internet problems since he lived just right down the road so decided we'd be his first stop of the day.... Commence, knock on door, DOGS HARSHLY BARKING, at an hour we try to see more, but are just too night owl-like too....

In a nutshell.... WE TIRED!

Anyhow, after being out of town last weekend, my hubby and I knew we needed a special date night dinner since he only goes out of town 1-3x per year for work and I always hate it :(

.... I had originally planned to surprise him with a special dinner the night he got home... But they ate on the drive back and we were both (him especially EXHAUSTED so I nixed that idea....

While we usually take these chances to go out to eat and just having discussed all the restaurants we wanted to try while talking with some friends of ours, I knew it was about to rain & I had just come from downtown (yes, I know --> Party-pooper, table for Katie) where we were planning on possibly going to a nice restaurant there, knowing how much we want to save money for a a) grill, b) stove, c) gardening type things d) every home improvement project known to mankind...  I thought since he worked through the weekend and still into the week, I'd treat him to a special meal.

PLUS, this meal was super simple and quick! FTW...

Whip this up, throw the dogs some bones, get out the not-so-cheap wine, light some candles and a romantic dinner at home with my babes :)

Chik'n Cutlets with Cherry Salsa

Serves 2

Slightly adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

In the line up!

- 2-3 Chik'n cutlets (they run small, so my husband wanted 2)

- 2-3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

- Nonstick spray

- Salt and pepper

For the salsa!

- 1/2 pound cherries, pitted and chopped 

- 2 Tablespoon red onion, thinly diced

- 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

- 1/2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

- 1 teaspoon agave nectar

- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

- 1/8 teaspoon salt

Coach's Orders:

1. Pit and chop 1/2 pound of cherries to start the salsa.  

2. As you chop the onions and basil, add those into the mix along with the balsamic vinegar and agave nectar and the juice of about 1/2 lemon. 

3. Stir that up baby and set aside to let the flavas really marinate with each other... Is it just me or do cooking terms sometimes sound so dirty?!

While the salsa flava's marinate, turn your attention to the come to the rescue, delicious Chik'n Cutlets

1. I let the cutlets thaw for about 10 minutes before I lightly spray them with non-stick spray and season with salt and pepper.

BTW, these are fantastic grilled!... but like I said, rain was a' comin' and it sure did!, so skillet seared it is!

2. Heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium to medium-high heat in a medium sauté skillet or grill pan if you have it (we did, but it totally slipped my mind until the following day!) and cook on both sides until nicely browned, about 7 minutes on each side.  Remove cutlets once done onto a plate and let cool slightly.

Time to plate up! Top these cutlets with that marinated salsa and serve with a tasty side (we had corn on the cob we needed to use up) and there you have a very a slice of delicious date night heaven

Attention all fella readers!Ah-em....the red onion in the salsa is very mild so this is a winner if you have a gal to impress on a first, second, awkward stage date ;)

Sink your teeth into this ladies and gents!

The cherry juice really moistened the each bite of a Chik'n cutlet and the crunch + spice from the red onion, tartness from the balsamic and sweetness from the basil and agave was perfection!

Not to toot my own horn, but I really out-did ma-self this time.... buttttttt...... let's put this in perspective here people....

Alex a) any meal I make, will always give his very honest (which I like... and dislike sometimes) his two cents on how a dish turned out and  usually gives me his suggestions for improvement, 2) he spent a weekend in Chicago... and if you haven't been there or haven't heard, they have really good food and on his business trips, there is always at least 1 company dinner at one of the nicest restaurants of whatever city they're in that he got to enjoy (with plenty of meat I'm sure as my husband is a meat eater). 

After inhaling this soy chik'n cutlets doused in cherry salsa, he turns and says, this is way better than anything I ate all weekend! Could have knocked me straight outta my seat people! Especially since the following day he said, I'm not a huge fan of cherries?!...

<-------- Our romantic oasis <3

Yes, the picture stinks but it was dark for the AHM-BIANCE people! ;)

BONUS: We had some extra salsa leftover, so while he cleaned up, I cooked up 2 mores cutlet and topped it with the salsa to take for lunch the next day and sure enough, it came home totally empty.....

Well folks, as I'm barely keeping my eyes open (thus, please excuse the many typos I'm sure are amidst this post!) I think Alex and I are both gonna' hit the sack pretty early tonight... or, like usual, we'll get a random second wind at 9pm like someone just jolted us with caffeine in an IV where we're ready for another 4 hours of TV watchin', studyin', cuddles.... 

We're weird... and we're okay with that :)

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