I wasn’t much of a chef before I met my boyfriend — my cooking consisted of occasional fried eggs and boxed mac and cheese. I let my mom handle the cooking, and the dining hall was my go-to when I came to college.
Thankfully, that all changed when I met my boyfriend. I finally had access to a kitchen to experiment in and no longer had an on campus meal plan — the perfect recipe to push me to cook. I remember the first meal I ever made for us and called a “date night”: grilled chicken with angel hair pasta and canned basil alfredo sauce. I was wary of handing him the bowl, but to my delight, he loved it.
This spark of inspiration made me want to cook nearly every night and grow my skills past canned pasta sauce (though I do recommend basil alfredo). It’s become one of my favorite parts of the day: getting to cook our favorite meals together and learning how to cook.
The early struggles: How I almost burnt down the kitchen
I’d be lying if I said it was easy at first — I’ve created many smoke plumes and accidentally burned myself. No matter the mess or burn, my boyfriend was always by my side with paper towels or an ice pack.
The journey of learning to cook and making our favorite meals brought us close very quickly. We were able to learn so much about each other’s habits and preferences than we would have if we didn’t cook together.
I suggest you make it a point to cook with those you love, even if you’re not good at it. Whether you make a delicious meal or almost burn the house down, those are some of my most special and memorable moments.
Our favorite dishes
Some of our favorite dishes we’ve made include: bacon grilled cheese with tomato soup, chicken teriyaki bowls with broccoli and white rice, (improved) basil chicken alfredo, chicken tacos, steak quesadillas, and creme brûlée.
My personal favorite to make is creme brûlée — so delicious and surprisingly easy. I have an insane sweet tooth, unlike my boyfriend. His favorite is anything with steak — which I’m still learning to perfect.
It’s more than just food
In the last six months, we’ve made a lot of food together and have been so lucky to enjoy so much time and delicious grub. But, it’s about more than just food. We’ve connected in so many ways while creating meals together and have had tons of fun in the kitchen. From chopping veggies to trying to figure out an old rice cooker, some of our best memories have been in his small apartment’s kitchen.
We quickly learned what we like, our eating habits, and how we operate in the kitchen. Looking ahead to a long-term relationship and cooking together on our own has created a unique bond — we always feel like we’re on the same page. Planning our weeknight dinners or a special picnic has become a key way we show our love for one another. He’s like my sous chef — he loves to cut vegetables and meat while I enjoy the action of cooking more. A perfect match!
Taking even an hour or so of your day to spend intentional time with those you love over a home cooked meal is unmatched. Studies have even shown that cooking with your partner can strengthen your relationship in the long run. Having personal traditions and routines in your relationship contributes to longevity and overall success.
And I can attest to this — living life together and making each other a part of your routine makes your relationship so much stronger. Overall, just cook, love, and don’t take yourself too seriously.
Lastly, to my sweet boyfriend, Egan: Thank you for making cooking — and life — so much more fun and helping me find another passion.