I work with a lot of single people, who cannot cook. I think their parents did them a serious disservice, when they allowed them out of the home, without knowing at least a few meals. They all know I grew up the oldest Boy, in a large family, and my sisters do not cook. The men in my family cook, and keep the women out of our kitchens. So they come to me for cooking advice.

The joy of cooking cannot be taught, but it can be faked. So over the years, I have a few very simple recipes that even a cooking idiot can pull off, that I give to people. For those bachelors, and bachelorettes who want to impress the hell out of a date, or their family, I always recommend the leg of lamb. Simple, complex flavor, that you have to go out of your way to mess up. For an intimate meal, that you want to look simple, a good pasta dish will impress a date anytime. Dessert is even simpler. You can learn to bake a cake or learn to make creme brulee, but what would be the point of having to buy the equipment. Brownies from a box works very well. Even the brightest and best chefs can have a hard time making brownies as chewy and moist as the ones from the box. Get a really good gourmet ice cream, cherries, and your favourite syrup, bake a pan and cut to size.

So I would like to know what are your really simple recipes that you would give a cooking idiots, to impress on a date?