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here are some ideas

SWEET AND SAUCY MARINADE,6 cups sugar

5 #10 cans Dole pineapple juice

2 1/2 quarts sherry cooking wine

1/2 gallon soy sauce

1 quart red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons minced garlic

Mix all ingredients.

Marinade may be kept in refrigerator for up to 2 months. When ready to use, place six New York strips or sirloin steaks (thawed) in a large plastic bag.

Add two cups of marinade. Marinate steaks in refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 2 1/2 days, turning at least once every day.

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side dish NOODLES SIDE DISH

1 pkg. fine egg noodles

1 carton cottage cheese

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 c. sour cream

1 bud garlic, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese

Cook noodles, drain and rinse. Mix in all other ingredients. Place in a greased casserole or 9x12 inch pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven

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CAULIFLOWER SALAD SIDE DISH head cauliflower, cut up

Green grapes, cut in half (4-5 c.)

2 c. or more English walnuts

1 c. mayonnaise

1/4 c. sugar

1 tsp. mustard

Mix together mayonnaise, sugar, and mustard. Pour over salad and toss

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PEACH CRUMBLE DESSERT

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/4 c. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 lg. peaches or pears (a can of fruit may also be used)

1 c. low-fat sour cream

1 egg

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cake mix (dry), butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until crumbly; reserve 2/3 cup mixture. Press remaining crumbly mixture on bottom of ungreased 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Peel and thinly slice fruit and arrange slices on mixture in pan. Beat sour cream and egg until blended; spread over fruit. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until topping is set; cool. Cover and refrigerate any remaining dessert.

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wine

Cabernet Sauvignon

do not chill it

Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich full-bodied red wine. Steaks are heavy or full bodied as well. They will complement each other well.

As a nice appetizer, most grocery stores have shrimp arranged on a round platter with cocktail sauce in the center. These are usually frozen, so leave enough time for thawing.

Next, I would make a small tossed salad with her favorite dressing and a few dinner rolls with butter. Next course is the steak with baked potato and a simple vegetable (see below) and finally dessert. As for wine, my suggestion is a nice blush or white zinfandel. These are fruity wines and may not to your liking as a cabernet would, but her taste may run to sweeter wines. You know her best, so go with you know she'd like.

Marinate the steaks in red wine, and for each steak, 1 TBSP salt and 2 tsp coarse black pepper, 1 tsp ea: cumin, paprika and rosemary. Leave in marinade at least a couple hours or do this in the morning of the day to serve it. Saute an onion sliced this with mushrooms in a couple TBSP of butter and about 1/4 cup of the marinade. Put this mixture on top of the meat when it comes out of the broiler. Let meat sit at least 10 minutes in a tent of foil to keep the juices in.

After the potatoes are baked, take them from the oven and then cook the steaks under the broiler 5 minutes per side.

It's important that each part of the meal is done at the same time.

As for sides,

I'd serve a baked potato with butter and sour cream with chives. A good compliment to that might be buttered sweet peas. Just make what you know. Keeping it simple is the key. For dessert, you could make her a nice apple pie. I'm sure you know a way to get a good recipe for that. I hope you have a good time. Don't be nervous and make sure she knows this is meant to be an expression of your romantic love. Enjoy!

Definitely a rub, dint waste a porterhouse on a marinade, it is already tender. Saute mushrooms in butter, garlic and a splash of wine. sprinkle some fresh thyme on top. You cant go wrong with mash potatoes, leave some skin on for texture and color. Impress her with a perfect chocolate cupcake. A Chardonnay while she waits and a Red zin during dinner. Also always use kosher salt or sea salt if you can get it, and fresh ground pepper.

Hello:

I would marinade the steaks if it were me,because it will give the steaks more flavor. The two side dishes I would choose would be baked potatoes and corn on the cob. For dessert,I would choose a nice piece of cake such as chocolate or carrot cake,and the wine would be a nice red wine.

Trust me the last thing you want to be doing his first night home is cooking. Especially, as someone noted already, if you're trying something you've never made before. Go out to eat somewhere or order pizza, or have some stuff on hand that he can throw on the BBQ if he is in the mood and have some potato salad and sides ready. When my husband got home, that first night he wanted to get out his grill so he threw some carne asada on there and I heated up some beans and whatnot. Otherwise I had the pizza place on speed dial. Enjoy your homecoming!!!

Grilled Porterhouse with lemon pepper.

Asparagus, stir-fried in garlic oil.

Corn on the cob. Or angelhair pasta.

Death By Chocolate.

A good Pinot Noir.

I JUST SPRINKLE GARLIC POWDER SALT AND BLACK PEPPER ON MINE...SIDES BAKED POTATOES AND STEAMED BROCCLI DESSERT CHOCLATE MOOSE

EASY CHOCLATE MOOSE: SERVE WITH STRAWBERRYS WASHED AND CUT INTO SLICES

2 BOXES OF CHOCLATE PUDDING(ISNATANT)

1 LARGE TUB WHIPPED CREAM

EMPTY THE WHIPPED CREAM INTO ALARGE BOWL AND ADD BOTH BOXES OF PUDDING JUST POWEDERED ADD NO MILK JUST THE POWDER STIR AND LET SET IN UR FRIDGE

WHITE WINE

My side dishes would be broccoli and mashed potatoes.

i just add carnitas to a tortilla :)