The 3 Recipes That Coud Bring On A Proposal

Slow Cooker Honey Bourbon Glazed Ribs

Who doesn't love ribs? This recipe calls for many ingredients, but it is so simple to put together. The best part is that it cooks itself for hours in a slow cooker, freeing you up to prepare any side dishes you prefer to serve alongside the ribs. I like to pair the meat with creamy garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. If you're in a time crunch, you can skip the homemade BBQ sauce and use store-bought honey BBQ and add a few ounces of bourbon to it.

Serves 4

2 racks pork baby back ribs (about 3-4 pounds)

For the dry rub:

1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon dry mustard

Pinch of cayenne powder

Salt and pepper to taste

For the BBQ sauce:

4 ounces of honey

4 ounces of bourbon

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

4 teaspoons soy sauce

3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons sriracha

1 tablespoon molasses

Remove the membrane from the ribs (if the butcher hasn't already). Pat dry, then slice them in half. Set aside. Mix all the dry rub ingredients in a bowl. Season the ribs on all sides with the dry rub. In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients for the sauce together until thoroughly combined. Place half the rack of ribs in the bottom of a greased 6-7 quart slow cooker. Spread about half of the BBQ sauce over the ribs. Repeat the process with the remaining rack of ribs and most of the sauce, but reserve a little sauce on the side. Cook ribs on low for 6-7 hours (for fall-off-the-bone meat) or high for 3 1/2 hours (for slightly chewier ribs). Remove the racks from the slow cooker, glaze with the remaining BBQ sauce, and slice.

Caprese Chicken

This easy, melt-in-your-mouth chicken dish comes from Delish and is sure to win your partner's heart. I serve it with Parmesan risotto on the side and roasted vegetables.

4 servings

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups baby spinach

1 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (reserve the oil)

4 slices fresh mozzarella

1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Cut a pocket into the thickest side of each chicken breast, being sure not to cut all the way through. Stuff each with spinach, tomatoes, and mozzarella. Season chicken all over with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Secure with toothpicks. In a large heatproof skillet over medium-high heat, heat the reserved tomato oil. Sear the chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until no longer pink, about 15 minutes (insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the meat; the temp should be 165). Remove toothpicks. Arrange the chicken on a platter and pour the pan juices over it.