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Weeknight Cooking
7 Recipes for a Memorable At-Home Date Night
Staying home doesn't have to be a drag if you cook something fun.
07-08-2020
Amanda Luchtel

who says you HAVE to go out to have a good time? A casual movie at home, or a sunset supper on the patio or by a window, or even a game night for two with plenty of snacks can be a totally fun way to spend an evening.

My partner Nick and I chose these seven recipes for our date nights over the past few weeks. All the recipes have minimal ingredients and are easy to make! You can see us demonstrate many of these over on the Cook’s Country Instagram page; tap “Date Night” in the highlights bar. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Buttered Popcorn

Stovetop popcorn is so much better than a microwaved bag. This simple recipe comes together in minutes and produces crunchy, buttery popcorn, just right for movie night on the couch. 

Buttered Popcorn

The key to perfect popcorn is to keep the lid slightly ajar so the steam, but not the popping kernels, can escape, guaranteeing crispy, light popcorn.

Things are poppin'

Goat Cheese Log

No need to break the bank on fancy cheeses. This date night treat is relatively inexpensive and can also be made ahead of time, making it easy to plan your relaxation.

Goat Cheese Log with Herbes de Provence

Freezing the log makes it easier to roll in the herbes de Provence. Let it sit at room temperature before serving to make it spreadable—no broken crackers.

Roll up

Pizza Dip

This dip is creamy, savory, and hot—just perfect for a movie night or game day. I chose this heirloom recipe because my mom used to make something similar when I was a kid. It's comforting and reminds me of home.

Pizza Dip

Don't skip the cooling time; this dip is hot!

Take a dip

Breadsticks

This recipe uses store-bought pizza dough, saving time without sacrificing quality. If you can’t find premade pizza dough or want to make your own, we used the Cook’s Country’s Classic Pizza Dough which yields 1 pound of dough.

Garlic and Herb Breadsticks

If possible, buy bagged pizza dough that is still partially frozen; the yeast is more likely to be active, which will give the breadsticks a better rise during baking. It's important to let the dough come to room temperature before beginning the recipe.

All rise

Chocolate Orange Mousse

This rich chocolate mousse has a creamy texture and comes together in seconds in the blender. We love it, and I assure you we will be making this dessert over and over again.

Chocolate Orange Mousse

For a nonalcoholic version of this dessert, substitute orange juice for the Grand Marnier.

Sweet treat

French Bread Pizza

This recipe combines the best of garlic bread and pizza. Slathering the cut side of the bread with a spicy garlic butter and brushing the crust side with olive oil, then crisping it up before topping and baking a second time, ensures maximum crunch and flavor.

French Bread Pizza

A 24 by 4-inch loaf of supermarket French bread, which has a soft, thin crust and fine crumb, works best here.

Pizza Party

No-Churn Ice Cream

After a few spins in the blender the ice cream base is ready to freeze and enjoy for a late-night dessert. Be sure to plan ahead because it takes six hours to freeze.

No-Churn Ice Cream

We have a dozen variations of this recipe available; scroll down on the recipe page and you'll see a few options to try.

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