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Forget cupid! Capture his heart with cuisine

It can be difficult to find the time to cook when you're a busy woman with an on-the-go lifestyle. In their new cookbook, “The Get ’Em Girls’ Guide to the Power of Cuisine,”authors Shakara Bridgers, Jeniece Isley and Joan Davis provide simple recipes for delicious meals and say that the way to a man's heart is indeed through his stomach. An excerpt.IntroductionGet ’Em Girl: An ambitious
/ Source: TODAY books

It can be difficult to find the time to cook when you're a busy woman with an on-the-go lifestyle. In their new cookbook, “The Get ’Em Girls’ Guide to the Power of Cuisine,”authors Shakara Bridgers, Jeniece Isley and Joan Davis provide simple recipes for delicious meals and say that the way to a man's heart is indeed through his stomach. An excerpt.

Introduction

Get ’Em Girl: An ambitious woman who uses unconventional ways to achieve her goals.

When we first decided to write this book, it was based solely on our love of three things: food, fun and men! Being three single women living in New York City, we knew all too well the pitfalls of dating in the big city. Young and career-oriented, we didn’t have a real need (or desire) to cook. Yes, we had to eat, but this is New York! There is a restaurant, deli, or take-out place on every other block. However, we also knew that to date (and keep) a man in a place as big as New York, which is full of beautiful women of all backgrounds, we had to step up the game. We had to sit back and ask ourselves, “What are we bringing to the table?” Yes, we all are beautiful, intelligent, and educated — but so are the tens of thousands of other women waiting to take our places. So instead of trying to decipher what men want in a woman, we just asked them.

We set out with our list of questions and hit the streets (well, actually, the barbershops, supermarkets, churches, workplaces and chat rooms) with one goal in mind: to find out what it is that men really want. While some definitely didn’t want much (all you have to do is know how to drop it like it’s hot and pick it up slow) almost all of them asked the inevitable, “… but can you cook?”

Now we have all heard the saying “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” and most of us probably think it’s an old-fashioned cliché that doesn’t fit in this day and age. But as sure as the day is long, it’s just as relevant today, if not more so, as it was fifty years ago. Contrary to how fine you know you are, any man is turned on by any woman who is willing to invest the slightest bit of time and energy in pleasing him.

So with that said, if he’s worth it, and if you’re playing for keeps, impress him with that little thing you do with your tongue — and that little thing you do with your skillet.



10 reasons to cook for your man

  • You will have one more thing to impress him with. Of course he’s turned on by your beautiful smile and sense of humor, but why not show him your other talents?
  • To add a little variety to an otherwise boring meal. Take him to the Caribbean on Tuesday and back to the Carolinas on Wednesday. Change is good — especially when it’s good food!
  • Because you are a show-off! There is nothing wrong with tooting your own horn; hell, if you don’t do it, no one will. Show him that you’re out of the ordinary!
  • Cooking can be fun and flirtatious! Try wearing a very sexy outfit and heels while you serve him and watch how he responds to you.
  • You have to eat too! We know it sounds basic, but it’s the truth. You can save a lot of money by cooking your own dinner and taking leftovers to work. No matter why you choose to cook, it’s a win-win situation for you.
  • We’re sure you can find better things to do with the money spent dining out every night. Eating out every now and then is cool; however, eating out daily can be expensive and mundane. Don’t let your man get too accustomed to other people serving him.
  • How else can he give that star-studded performance that you are accustomed to?

    Just like a car can’t run without fuel, neither can your man. If you expect mind blowing performances then make sure you give him the nourishment he needs to step up to the plate.
  • He deserves it. You realize you’ve got a keeper — show him how much he is appreciated.
  • You love him WAY more than the delivery guy. Aside from quickly becoming boring and expensive, take-out is the easy way out and should always be the last resort.
  • Last but not least — you are a Get 'Em Girl! No explanation needed!

Excerpted from “The Get ’Em Girls’ Guide to the Power of Cuisine.” Copyright (c) 2008 by Shakara Bridges, Jeniece Isley and Joan A. Davis. Reprinted with permission from Simon & Schuster.