Recipe(tried): Easy romantic dinner for two - Easy Shrimp Cocktail Dip, Fantastic Chicken, Baked Potatoes with Topping, Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, Chocolate Mountain Pie

Hi Lisa.

Just wanted to note that your presentation is an important part to making the meal romantic. Set your table with a nice table cloth and candles. Your candles do not have to have fancy candle holders... mixed sizes of candles can sometimes be fun. Having a flower on the table is also nice. Do not worry about a large fancy bouquet. A single rose, maybe, that your guest can take home after the meal. Dim the lights in the rest of your home so the focus is on the two of you. You can have soft music in the background if you with. No television, however. If your kitchen counters are in view of your dining area, it is a good idea to clean the kitchen as you prepare your meal. This way you and your guest are not looking at dirty dishes while you dine. Any last-minute pots and pans can go inside the sink or inside a cold oven while you dine.

Fresh parsley is a very nice garnishment on your plates or in your serving bowls.

I would suggest a romantic menu might include an appetizer, main dish, side salad, side vegetable, and dessert.

The easiest way to do the side salad is to purchase some of the pre-packaged green salad packets. If you do not know your guests favorite salad dressing, have a few available. Here are a few other recipes to consider.
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EASY SHRIMP COCKTAIL DIP

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
2 jars shrimp cocktail
Place cream cheese on serving dish. Open jars of shrimp cocktail and place over cream cheese. Serve with crackers. Simple but good.

OR

1 jar cocktail sauce
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
Small bag frozen tiny shrimp, thawed
Spread cream cheese on platter. Pour cocktail sauce over cream cheese. Top with tiny shrimp. Serve with crackers.
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Fantastic Chicken

8 oz Apricot preserves
1 pkg dry onion soup
1 bottle thick red salad dressing (like Russian or Catalina)
2 chickens, quartered (or chicken pieces of your choice)

Mix together preserves, onion soup mix and salad dressing. Spray baking pan with non-stick spray. Place chicken in baking pan. Pour sauce over chicken in a baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1-1/2 hours

Add peeled baby carrots to the baking pan, covered with the sauce, and you will have a lovely and simple side vegetable.
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Baked Potato with Topping

There are a variety of ways to bake potatoes. One is to wash the potatoes and remove any eyes. Dry them and bake in a 400 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until done. Remove from oven. Slice down the middle of the potato. Squeeze potato end-to-end to open the potato. Place a generous amount of topping in each potato. Serve.

Topping
1/4 lb. butter, softened
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. chopped chives
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Cream all ingredients together thoroughly. Split open hot baked potatoes and top with a helping of mixture. This can be made well in advance.
This is also good with bacon bits included, or sprinkled on top.
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CHOCOLATE DIPPED STRAWBERRIES (posted by Judy/AZ)

2 pt. whole strawberries (preferably long stem) (at room temperature)
2 tsp. solid vegetable shortening
1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

Wash and dry strawberries, leaving stems intact. Melt shortening with chocolate in a double boiler. Dip in berries to cover about 1/2 of fruit. Put on a cookie sheet and refrigerate.
I use the long stemmed strawberries and dip them only about 3/4 of the way up on the berries. They make a lovely arrangement on a white doily on a silver tray.
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OR

Miss Betty Brown's Chocolate Mountain Pie (From Gina/FL)

1 ready made graham cracker pie crust
1 1/4 cups cold milk
1 package large Jello Instant Choc. Pudding
8 oz. tub Cool Whip
1 small chocolate bar, shaved in curls

Pour the cold milk into a large bowl. Beat in the chocolate pudding mix using a whisk. Fold in half of the Cool Whip and spread into the prepared pie crust. Top with the remaining Cool Whip and shave the chocolate bar in curls over the top. Refrigerate before serving.