You make it sound more like a trap than a cooking lesson.
I would stick with a meal that has significance to you and something that you are proficient at making. Maybe something that you remember from your childhood, grandparents etc... Doing a dish that you are not familiar with IMO is just showing off unless it is something that you are both curious about learning to make together as sort of an adventure.
I would go with a Sunday dinner type meal where you have some work in the beginning, a few small jobs and a flurry just before dinner. Those meals are great for a Sunday morning at home especially in the fall or winter when you really feel like staying in.
A Sunday roast of some type, a chicken, pork loin, pot roast. Oven roasted or mashed potatoes, pan gravy, a vegetable, cabbage salad, fresh baked rolls and apple crisp. This type of meal contains lots of lessons.
Sunday gravy, braciole, pasta, hot Italian bread, salad and biscuit tortoni.
Every meal can be a cooking lesson that takes a couple of hours to make with a novice cook. Pancakes and sausage takes some time to get right and can be expanded on if you make your own sausage from ground pork and spices etc...
I would say just relax and enjoy each others company. As long as one of you can cook everything will be fine.