Ep 3. Courting Pat (the Foods that Help Gina Win Pat's Heart)

Gina Neely has one objective in mind in this week's episode of Down Home with the Neelys: to impress her husband Pat! With their wedding anniversary coming up, Gina wants to do something special to celebrate, but she's unsure of what to do. So she decides to cook her way into Pat's heart with a whole menu of foods that she knows he loves.

But first, Gina enlists Pat's best friend Chef Kelly English to help her plan the perfect meal. Chef Kelly knows Pat's tastes better than anyone, so Gina thinks he'll be the perfect wingman to help her win Pat over. To start things off, Gina wants to make a dish with plenty of spice, since Pat loves food with a little kick. So Chef Kelly helps her make a spicy shrimp linguine with red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and plenty of garlic. The dish is a total hit, and Gina starts to feel a little more confident about the other dishes she has planned.

Next up is the main course: a grilled bone-in pork chop with a sweet and tangy cherry glaze. Pat loves meat, so Gina thinks a hearty pork chop will be the perfect centerpiece for their anniversary dinner. To make things even more special, she decides to create a romantic outdoor dining experience in their backyard, complete with candles and flowers. But as they're grilling the pork chops, things start to go awry. The grill runs out of propane, and the pork chops begin to burn. Gina and Chef Kelly scramble to save the meal, but it seems like everything is going wrong.

But Gina doesn't get discouraged. Instead, she improvises and decides to finish cooking the pork chops in the oven. Despite the setback, the finished dish is delicious, and Pat is impressed with Gina's tenacity in the face of culinary adversity. And for dessert, Gina and Chef Kelly present Pat with a decadent chocolate cake with chocolate ganache and fresh raspberries. As they all settle in to enjoy the meal together, Gina realizes that the real secret to winning someone over isn't just about what you cook – it's about the love and effort you put into it. Courting Pat may have been a challenge, but with a little help from her friends, Gina was able to create the perfect anniversary dinner, and reaffirm her love for her husband.