Back when Mike and I first started going out, one of our favorite things to do was eat, of course. I was obsessed with izakaya and Japanese drinking food. One of our must-order dishes was ebi chili mayo, essentially crispy prawn tempura served with a spicy mayo. The crispiness of the prawns goes perfectly with the creamy spicy mayo. This recipe seems like it’d be finicky, but it really isn’t. If you’ve deep-fried before you’re basically good to go. It’s an impressive starter or side to make at home, no dressing up and going out needed. Any restaurant-style food I can make at home in sweatpants, hair tied, chillin’ with no make-up on is a good thing.

If Rainbow Roll-Up doesn’t give you some association with a packaged, neon-colored fruit leather situation all wrapped up in a little paper coil, then who are you even? I’m having a moderately hard time separating these from the single greatest snack food of my childhood. This is not that kind of rainbow roll-up, though. This is a rainbow roll-up that can earn the word DETOX in front of it, thanks to yummy and nutritional powerhouse foods like: carrots. chickpeas. curry. red cabbage. peanuts. dark leafy greens.  Where my mushroom lovers at?! I know you’re here and I know you’re ready for this romantically heavy fork-twist of creamy mushroom fettuccine.

This creamy mushroom fettuccine is winter food at its most delushious. Like, if there was ever a reason to be a little less sad that it’s still winter and you’re going to stay in yet again for a date night, this would be it. Silky smooth noodles coated in just the right amount of luxurious sauce, speckled with garlic-buttery pan-roasted mushrooms. Oh yes we did. Bring it in. Group hug. Here’s how this is going down.

First: We garlic-butter the pan – and how much do you love the term garlic-butter as a verb? A little garlic, a little butter, preferably Land O Lakes® salted, sweet cream butter. Because, some butter just tastes better, you know?

Second: We throw in the mushrooms, and our garlic butter mushrooms become a creamy sauce. Add a little cream, add the rest of the butter (again, high quality, good-tasting cream and butter go a long way here which is why we are using Land O Lakes® for both). Now just stand there and watch, mesmerized, as it melts together. Very important step. Season with salt and pepper, and that’s literally all there is to it.

Finally: We toss our creamy sauce in with the hot fettuccine. A handful of finely grated Parmesan here and a little bit of reserved pasta water there are going to help the consistency get just right. As in: creamy, but not gloppy; luscious, but not overwhelming. At this point I recommend just grabbing your tongs and tossing it all around again and again and again and watching with pure delight as it all comes together. It’s hot, steamy, and SO GOOD. Honestly, this is mega date night material.

Finishing touches: Parsley (always! need that green) and a dusting of fresh cracked black pepper. If you want to be especially fancy – it is date night, after all – you can add a drizzle of truffle oil (!!) to the pasta. Just a tablespoon or two will do the trick.

And suddenly you’re working with restaurant-level deliciousness in a matter of 30 minutes or less. Recommended eating scenarios include as a side for some nice pan-seared chicken or steak, as its own thing with a green salad to fill out the plate, or literally straight out of the pan as you stand in the kitchen in your sweats. I mean, I don’t want to make assumptions about your date nights, but I am Team Fettuccine in Sweats for life.