Searching for a Creative Gift Idea?

Ever wanted to do something really nice for someone, but not sure what to do? Why not cook dinner! This is a very special gift of your time, as well as the gift of food. It demonstrates how much you care about the individual and can create cherished moments among friends and family.

The first thing to do is assess your cooking skills. What is it you do best? Is Spaghetti your best entrée? Are you a Grill Master? Would Dagwood salivate over your Paninis? Check out your local market for availability and pricing. A really awesome resource is The Dollar Tree (http://www.dollartree.com/) since they have added coolers and freezers to their grocery department.

Once you have determined what dishes you rock at, make up a menu. The menu invites your guest(s) to choose a meal to be prepared and delivered to their place on a specified date. To create your menu, simply purchase a blank card or type up the invitation to dine and print it out on colorful or decorated paper. Once completed, mail the menu to your guest(s) at least a week before the chosen dinner date. Include your phone number, so they can call you with their choices or reschedule the date if necessary. When creating your menu be sure to provide at least three (3) choices for each of the following categories: Appetizer, Entrée (Main Dish), Side Dish, Bread, and Dessert. Remember to take into account any food limitations or preferences (i.e., Vegetarian, Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, Gluten Free, etc.) they may require. Here is a sample menu:

APPETIZER (Choose One)
Tossed Salad with Dressing
Cream of Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Fried Green Tomatoes with Ranch Dressing

ENTRÉE (Choose One)
Grilled Cajun Tilapia
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts
Stuffed Bell Peppers

SIDE DISH (Choose Two)
Sautéed Fresh Spinach
Baked Potato with Butter & Sour Cream
Spanish Rice
Black Beans
Lemon Pasta Shells

BREAD (Choose One)
Mini Corn Muffins
Hawaiian Dinner Rolls
Breadstick Twists

DESSERT (Choose One)
Boston Crème Pie
Jell-o Parfait
Double Fudge Brownie

The idea is for you to plan three meals and your guest(s) can then mix and match as they will. Do your shopping the day before you will be cooking to insure you have enough time. As each dish is completed package it up into a disposable food container, to eliminate the worry of returning your prized Rubbermaid or Tupperware. Investing in an inexpensive thermal pouch at the grocers will help transport the food and keep it hot. These thermal "shopping" bags average about $2.99 each at your local market - they keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold for up to three (3) hours.

The last step is to deliver the dinner to your guest(s) - there are two choices here for you to make in advance. Will you be dining with them or not? If not, deliver the dinner and leave it for them to serve themselves and dine; in which case, you include enough servings for them and their family (if applicable). If you will be dining with them (which is much more fun), include enough portions for yourself and any additional parties you are "bringing to the table", like your spouse for example. Serve the dinner, reheating as needed and enjoy!