Summarize the following:
Ask your girlfriend if she has an open night coming up. Tell her you’d like to have her over to your house, and that she should plan to come hungry. If you want the meal to be a surprise, you’ll have to do some extra work to keep things under wraps. You won’t be able to tell her directly about the meal, so you’ll need a good excuse to get her over to your house without eating first.  You can still ask her if she has a free night coming up, but be vague about the reason. Say: “Oh, I was just thinking we could go out that night. Can you keep it open just in case?” Tell your girlfriend to meet you at your house right when you plan to have dinner ready, and try to line your timing up with your girlfriend’s typical dinnertime. When she opens the front door, she’ll be surrounded by the wonderful aromas of your cooking! If you’re worried that your girlfriend might eat dinner before your date, tell her that your plans involve eating. Just don’t tell her you’re the one doing the cooking! If it’s not a surprise, confirm your plans with a sweet, handmade note. Send it in the mail, or drop it off in her mailbox at work or school.  You can write something like: “One more week until I get to use food to show you how much I love you! Hopefully I don’t blow up the kitchen in the meantime…” If you’re sending it in the mail, give it at least two to three days to reach her. Write the actual date of the dinner in the note in case it doesn’t reach her exactly one week ahead of time. Go online or use a cookbook to find a recipe. Choose something that matches your skill level in the kitchen and that your girlfriend will enjoy eating. Finalize your recipe plans a week ahead of time.  If you’ve never really cooked before, don’t attempt to make something like crème brûlée and boeuf bourguignon. Complicated recipes like these will have you running for the hills in no time. A great menu for a beginner- to intermediate-level cook would be something like baked chicken thighs with skillet-roasted tomatoes and garlic. This dish lets you cook two dishes in one pan! Add some buttery grits or risotto to make it complete.  Be sure you know what your girlfriend can't eat. Plan a meal that won’t trigger any food allergies or violate dietary restrictions (like being gluten-free or vegan). Also, if her religion or culture prohibits eating certain foods, understand how this might affect the cooking process. Choose romantic music to set the mood. It should be something you can play softly in the background. On the day of the dinner, put this on before you start cooking so it’ll be ready when your girlfriend arrives.  Jazz is always a good bet for romance. Go with Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Norah Jones, and Michael Bublé for a blend of the old and new. If you prefer instrumentals, try Miles Davis. If you want to go the extra mile, make a mix of your girlfriend’s favorite love songs. She’ll recognize the effort and get nostalgic over the tunes. In a pinch, you can choose from a variety of romantic genre stations on streaming services like Pandora or Spotify. Make a grocery list that includes all the ingredients you need for your meal. It’s best to do this trip just a day or two before the meal so you’ll have super fresh meats, vegetables, dairy products, and herbs. Put these items in your fridge as soon as you get home.  You should also buy any cooking supplies mentioned in your recipe that you don’t have at home, especially a good, sharp knife. Vegetables should go in humidity-controlled drawers with the setting on “high.” Depending on your recipe, there’s probably lots of steps you can get out of the way ahead of time. Make any marinades for meats and marinate overnight. You can also chop vegetables and herbs if you’re going to be pressed for time. Don’t use the same knife to chop produce and meat products.  If you’re making dessert, this can almost always be made the night before the meal. Shortbread cookies or red velvet cupcakes, for example, will both be just as yummy a day later! The night before is also a great time to think about when you’ll need to start making each dish. Time them out so they’ll all be ready at the same time. Hard vegetables like onions, peppers, broccoli, zucchini, and squash can be chopped up the night before without getting too brown. Softer veggies (including lettuce and other leafy greens) and fruits will turn brown unless you put them in a covered bowl of ice water with a squeeze of lemon juice. Leave all chopped items in the fridge overnight. Add some candles, flowers, and a fancy tablecloth to make things look elegant. Use disposable plates and utensils for easy clean-up, or bring out the nice china to make it extra special. Try getting creative with a theme. Match the music, food, and your decorations to transport you and your partner to Rome, Paris, or a tropical island.

summary: Pick a day when you’re both free. Decide if you want to surprise your girlfriend. Write a cute note to confirm the date a week out. Pick a recipe well ahead of time to make a grocery list. Pick some good music for the meal. Buy fresh ingredients one to two days before the dinner. Do some prep work the night before if you can. Set the table before you start cooking.


Summarize the following:
Take your prepared pan, and press the half of the cookie dough into the bottom. Make sure to place the dough in as even a layer as possible. You can save the rest of the cookie dough for another use because you don't want to make the cookie layer too thick. If stored in an airtight container, it will last in the fridge for up to 2 days and in the freezer for up to 6 months. With the chocolate chip cookie dough placed in the bottom of the pan, set a layer of Oreo® cookies on top of it. Lay as many cookies as necessary to cover the dough, but don't overlap them. Gently press the Oreo® cookies into the chocolate chip cookie dough to keep them in place. It usually takes approximately 16 Oreo® cookies to cover the cookie dough layer. With the two cookie layers in place, add all of the brownie batter on top of the pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter over the cookie layers to ensure that it's even. Place the pan in the preheated oven, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. To determine if the brownies are done, stick a knife in the center of the pan. If it comes out mostly clean, they're baked through. If you stick a knife in the center of the brownies and it comes out covered with batter or crumbs, leave the brownies in the oven and check again in 5 minutes. While the brownies are particularly delicious when they're still warm, you should allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting them. That will make it easier to slice them into 16 even bars with a sharp knife. If you want to serve the brownies warm, you can, but be aware that they'll be messier when you cut them.
summary: Press the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of Oreo® cookies on top of the cookie dough. Pour the brownie batter over the Oreo® cookie layer. Bake the brownies for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool and cut the brownies into bars.