What’s Cookin’ in the Parsonage?

Now that we’ve become Empty Nesters, we’ve had to continue to work hard at having time for dates. It’s very easy, since we have so much freedom, to drown ourselves in ministry and not make time for each other. So, one thing I started doing about five weeks ago was having candlelight dinner in the living room. We never eat on the couch, but this is our exception, and it’s become a much anticipated time!

My husband bought me this beautiful candelabra that is so beautiful – especially when the votives are all lit! I pull the living room curtains to make it dark enough so we can fully enjoy the candlelight, and then I turn on some soft music. This time at supper has become a respite at the end of a busy week!

Friday night dinners have been pretty simplistic, but the atmosphere sure helps make it taste like gourmet cooking! Friday night I made a Hawaiian Pizza and salad.

We eat slowly, enjoying the beauty of the room, pleasant music, and quiet conversation. Then we may make a pot of coffee and sit together on the couch a while longer. One night we set the computer on the coffee table and watched Fireproof. (If you haven’t seen it, you must!)

I’d never made this pizza before, but we really loved it! I combined a couple of recipes and came up with my version. Here it is:

Hawaiian Pizza

Refrigerated pizza dough

Sauce for pizza:

1/3 – 1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

juice from a small can of pineapple

1/2 tsp. ginger

Topping for pizza:

1 cup Ham cubes

1 cup cooked chicken, diced

Small can of diced pineapple

Mozzarella cheese

Yellow Onion, sliced

Follow baking directions for pizza dough and bake for nine minutes. Remove from oven and spread some of the sauce over the dough. Place ham, chicken and pineapple on dough. Brush with more of the sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and onion slices. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.

Remove from oven and serve immediately.

It’s a quick and easy recipe and really good! So you see, even simple foods, when served in a special way can make for sweet times and good memories!

What do you do for date nights? Do you cook at home, or do you prefer to go out?

‘Til next time,