Mr. How Sweet Cooks Up a Treat.
As Valentine’s Day came barreling towards Mr. How Sweet, he was faced with a familiar problem…what to get his beautiful bride?
Normally I would just get her something shiny as that usually distracts her. “Oh, look, there are SEQUINS on that blouse!!! Aren’t they AMAZING? Those are the BEST sequins ever!”
Fact: Guys don’t care about sequins. As least guys not named Elton John.
I thought a great treat for the wifey would be if I made her dinner and wrote a post for her blog. But what to make? Our taste buds don’t always see eye-to-eye. Her tastes are a little more refined than yours truly. Mine, well, they’ve been compared to those of a 5 year old. Chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese…don’t mind if I do, thank you very much.
What meal could satisfy her refined, yet picky (“no” to chicken or vegetables, “yes” to bacon and cheese… and bacon) tastes and my requirements of 200 protein grams in one sitting? After much soul searching and head-pounding-against-a-desk I had a vision. A filet-mignon-with-lobster-sauce vision. I mean, I’ve tackled (and mastered) dippy eggs and toasted bagels. I was now ready for a challenge.
After stopping at the grocery store where I required some assistance (What the deuce is a ‘tarragon’? And where does one find it?). I returned home and reached for the most important ingredient. Filet, you ask? No. Lobster? Nope. Mass amounts of butter? Not yet. The first thing I grabbed was the Ketel One. Just a nip to take the edge off.
Then I was ready.
Being a man and having no use for recipes, I skipped the first step, feeling it was more of a suggestion than a requirement. Cook lobster? I don’t have time for that. I’ve got bigger things on my plate than silly directions. There is Daytona 500 practice on the Speed channel in HD. There are questions that need answered, like how is Dale Jr, running? And how is Elliot Sadler’s ride, as he was my pick in the pool I’m in at work? I’ve got my drink. I am watching racing. Life is good but it feels as though I’m missing something…what could that be? Oh snap! How about getting back to cooking?!?!
I head back to the kitchen to slice shallots and chop cloves of garlic and squeeze fresh lemons for juice. *yawn* But not once do I consider boiling the lobster tails. After a review of the recipe it dawns upon me that I may have sort-of, kinda missed a step. I *beep* *beep* throw it into reverse and return to step #1. Unfortunately, I had already cut the meat from the tail and placed the shell pieces in melted butter. So I did what any red-blooded man would do…I brought a skillet of water to a boil and threw the lobster meat into that. Why a skillet? Because it was sitting there from my breakfast that morning.
As I watched the clock I knew I was close on time. I didn’t want the wife to get home from work to see lobster meat boiling in water in a skillet because, quite frankly, I knew it was wrong and I would have to hear comments like, “what would you do without me?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe live my life without a closet full of Carlos Santana and BCBG Max Azria shoes and not be forced to watch Dirty Dancing.”
Funny thing is, she asks questions like this all the time but never thinks my answers are as funny as I do.
3 minutes left on the timer and who do I see pulling into the driveway? Why, it’s my lovely wife. No matter how fast I want that clock to tick down to zero before she comes bouncing up the stairs, it’s just not going to happen. And I am way too anal retentive to take the skillet off before time is up. I mean, it says right there on the step that I finally chose to read to boil for 13 minutes. Not 12 1/2 minutes, but 13.
She looks at the mess in the kitchen that is normally reserved for the weekends when she has prepared a couple of dinners for us and all of my lunches for the week. But this was only one meal. Actually, it was just the sauce for one meal and by my count, I have used a skillet, scissors, a pan, several bowls of various sizes, 2 different knives, 3 spoons and multiple cutting boards. She asks if she can help. I lie and tell her I’m fine as I want to prepare this meal on my own for her.
After assessing all of the damage, err…cooking I’ve done, I decide it’s time for another drink while I wait for the lobster butter to cool and before I start the vinegar and shallot reduction. The butter cools, my drink chills as I add more ice, and I begin the next phase which includes me beating egg yolks and lemon juice like they were a foster child. Actually, you are supposed to whisk, not beat but I’m not going to let correct terminology stand in the way of a good joke.
At this point things start to pick up speed. Jess steps in to assist with cutting the sweet potatoes for the side. It’s not an official meal to me if I don’t have a side dish. When those are done are roasting, in goes the filet to broil. Out it comes 12 minutes later cooked to a perfect medium-rare and we enjoy our first grown-up meal that I have ever cooked.
I hope you had as wonderful of a Valentine’s Day as my sweetheart and I did!
66 Comments on “Mr. How Sweet Cooks Up a Treat.”
Oh wow! He did a great job (both writing and cooking)! Hope it was as delish as it looks!
Wow as messy as the kitchen sounded I am super impressed! My husband wouldn’t even attempt to pull that off! Sounds like you had a great Valentine’s Day!
haha, this was great…reminds me of myself in the kitchen! Somehow it all turns out great in the end :P
Now that your hubby knows how much fun blogging and cooking is, he’s sure to start his own – I can see it now!
Haha, great job Mr. How Sweet! It looks delicious!
Awe… what a great hubby you have!
Awesome job Mr. How Sweet :)
Your fabulous hubby gets two thumbs up from me..lol What a sweetie.. he’s a keeper ;)
ps.. I would love some of those sweet tater fries.. they look absolutely perfect!
Gorgeous! What a sweetheart you have on your hands!
Beautiful meal- i think he’s hustling us about his lack of cooking expertise ;)
Oh that looks a wonderful meal cooked by a guy!! you are very lucky!!! Glad you had a great V-day !!
How freaking cute is he?? That looks like an amazing meal too…well done Mr!
You’re very sweet Mr. How Sweet!
I love the *beep beep* back that ass up part!
That looks straight out of a itzy glitzy restaurant–great job Mr. How Sweet :) Your wife is a lucky gal!
Hahahaha. I love your husband! Wait, that came out wrong… I think he’s hilarious! And what a dinner! Nice job!
What a nice meal. Nice job to the hubs!
that is so impressive! I think my husband has made a total of one meal for me (on my birthday). oh well…he’s always willing to take me out to dinner, so I’ll take what I can get :)
I’m glad I’m not the only one who gets annoyed when my husband messes up the kitchen! Wonderful meal by the way:)
Yeah for the hubby! Great meal. That would never happen around here. Congrats on the first grown up meal you have ever cooked!
A great job – very well written, quite entertainng, and a very sweet gesture. Two thumbs up :-)
Ladies, do you know what you need? Additional hands to give me more “thumbs up.”
Andrea @ CanYouStayForDinner.com…so much for keeping our “secret” love under wraps.
impressive, Mr How Sweet… Jess, I think that he is keeping his cooking skills from you so that you continue to make culinary delights.
How sweet of Mr. How Sweet to go all-out for you!
It looks like it turned out great!
What a fantastic valentine’s day meal – he did a GREAT job!!!! I love his writing too … maybe he needs a blog!!!
Lucky Lucky girl you are!! :)
What a wonderful dinner Mr. How Sweet! Glad you guys had a great day!
Awww — what a sweet treat! Dinner from the hubs. Congrats on a lovely meal, Mr. How Sweet!
Go aheadddddd Mr. How Sweet, that is love right there! Looks like you did a great job :)
wow, that’s fabulous! what a lucky girl ;) hope you guys had a wonderful day!
Wow, that is impressive!
How sweet of you (no pun intended) to go to so much effort! I’m sure she was thrilled!
Obvi, I like the hubs’ sense of humor. My fave parts of this? The Kettle one and foster-child beating :-D
lol hilarious!
How nice of him to make you dinner! My boyfriend tried but I ended up cooking most of the Indian Curry he attempted. It’s the thought that counts! The potatoes look awesome!
Hope it was as delish as it looks!
Grow taller for idiots
Looks and sounds like such a nice Valentines! You are too sweet to prepare a meal like that for her!
ooo go mr sweet!! whoooo! both of yall are awesome :)
Aw congrats on such a delicious looking meal! Your effort sounds incredibly well-intentioned, and again, I think you guys’ relationship is just the best :)
awww that’ so sweet that Mr. Jessica cooked!
my hubs is not allowed in my kitchen b/c he doesnt know where we keep the forks. 10 years later. LOL
xoxo to you Jessica!!!! :)
Well done Mr. How Sweet!! Gotta love a man who cooks for his very deserving lady!! :)
Wow, Mr. How Sweet. I’m impressed. Please offer my husband lessons in cooking for your wife..and humor. Thanks!
Haha, great post! Great job with the recipe and making it work as you went, and for doing such a nice thing for your wife:) The Ketel One made me laugh first, and I kept laughing from there:)
aw! your man sounds amazing : ) My mama was my Valentine this year haha!
xo
Jocelyn
Now, that’s fabulous. What a genius Mr. How Sweet is!!
Wow. You can cook. I’ll give ya that! :)
I don’t know if I’m more impressed with the cooking or that you blogged about cooking! Well done!
Mr. How Sweet just won best blogging husband. How can my guy even compete? Love it!
dangit, i hope that when I get married I’m like you two. LOVE YOU GUYS
Looks like great minds think alike, as my BF bought me lobster for Valentine’s day too :) Of course, he had to ask for my assistance since lobster scared him, for good reason. We just steamed ours in the tail! But your recipe was much more creative, way to go! I’m sure Jessica LOVED it. What a great husband :) BTW, our steamed lobster turned out pretty spectacular, in case you ever want to do it again, it took 10 minutes and then we just melted butter with some herbs for dipping!
wow, delicious “grown-up meal”! :)