Tips for Setting Up a Date Coop {& the meal we made!}

Swapping Babysitting

We have been doing a lot of babysitting swapping since we became parents.  You could always pay someone to watch your kids, or better yet, why not switch with friends and call it even?  To each his own, but I love swapping and saving money for dates!  We usually switch dates right around the time the kids go to bed- Josh puts our kids down, and I go to a friend’s house to babysit for them, or vice versa.  Last Thursday, however, one friend kept her own kids and 2 other sets of kids, and the the other 2 sets of parents both got dates!  It will take 3 times, but each couple will take a turn at babysitting while the other 2 couples date.  Essentially, you get 2 dates but only have to babysit once.  Pretty great!  Plus, out little coop set this up at 4-7, so we had a 3-hour stretch of time at home when we usually are in the thick of parenting- a great break!

Tips for Setting Up a Date Coop

Hat Tip: Kudos to Joy for this frugal idea!

• Ask 2 sets of friends that you respect and trust to join the coop.  I think because of space and adult-child ratios, 3 couples is what I’m personally comfortable with.
• Set a time that works for everyone.  Consider whether you want to do it weekly or every other week.
• Supply snacks, drinks, and meals for your own children if necessary.
• Usually, the parent/couple babysitting keeps the kids in their own home.  This enables you to have time in your own home to yourself.  You can either have a date out, at home, or even catch up on things around the house without little ones around.
• Go on 2 dates!!!

I was really excited to have 3 hours in our flat to ourselves!  We took a walk, talked (!), and cooked dinner together!!  It was reminiscent of pre-kids times.

Our Date Night at Home

We could have gone out, but we felt we could save money by staying at home.  Plus, we had some really good food we were excited to make together!   Josh cooked steaks, I sauteed mushrooms to accompany them, roasted aubergine/eggplant, and made twice-baked potatoes and a salad.  It was scrumptious!  Plus,w e even had time to walk to a gelato shop on our way to pick up the kids.

Roasting Aubergines/Eggplant

Again, this is thank to Joy.  She shared some of hers with me, and I practically licked my plate, it was sooooo good!  She added red bell pepper, which was awesome- I just didn’t have any at home this time.  I had already written this post before I saw she posted her recipe, so here you go:

Chop the aubergine/eggplant.

Soak it for 15 minutes in salted water to get rid of bitterness.

When you drain the eggplant, the water should be dingy-looking.

Put it on a greased/foil-lined baking sheet and coat in olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes at 350/160, stirring every 10 minutes.

Twice-Baked Potatoes

These are pretty easy, it’s just a couple steps that take a little while.

Cook and chop (turkey) bacon.

After you cook the potatoes in the microwave, scrape out the insides and out in a bowl. Then, add the bacon, some butter, sour cream, cheese, & salt/pepper.

Mix it all up by hand or with a mixer.

Spoon it back into the skins and bake at 350/160 for 15-20 minutes.

Steaks & Mushrooms

You can always grill them, but we’ve noticed that Top Chef contestants often sear them and then rest them.  So since we didn’t feel like messing with the grill, this is what Josh did.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

In another pan, melt more butter and saute the mushrooms. Remember not to crowd the mushrooms!

Cook the steaks 2 minutes on each side.

Put them on a cookie sheet or pan to rest in a warm, but not hot oven for 10 minutes.

The meal!

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