Dining Alone

Baked Lemon Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:08:00 +0000

I picked up a great cookbook called Cooking on Your Own by Henry Lewis Creel at a local antique store. It has lots of simple single serving recipes like this baked chicken I am sharing today.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and lets get started. I used my trusty toaster oven.

You will need some olive oil, flour, paprika, chicken, lemon, shallot or onion, butter, garlic, thyme and salt and pepper. (hubby makes a guest appearance in the background eating waffles)

Melt the butter.

Pour it into your baking dish.

Pour the flour out and season with the salt and pepper AND paprika. I didn't read the recipe closely and forgot the paprika, but thats ok I just added it later.

Flour the chicken. The recipe calls for a breast but I used thighs because I love them.

Get the chicken in the butter and roll it around so its nice and coated in buttery goodness. Leave it skin side down.

Pop it in the oven or dirty toaster oven in my case and let it cook for 20 minutes...but don't wander away, we are not done yet.

Juice your lemon, I use a nice wire strainer to catch the seeds.

Chop the shallot and garlic.

Combine it in a bowl with the lemon juice and olive oil, and if you are like me, the paprika you forgot earlier.

After the 20 minutes is up, flip the chicken and pour the lemon juice mixture over it. Close up the oven for another 20 minutes.

Pull it out of the oven and you are ready to eat!

I served this with some steamed broccoli and it was delicious. Quite easy and just one serving!

Moroccan Salmon

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:56:00 +0000

I know that parts of the country are getting snow but it is grilling weather here in Arizona. You can easily make this on a grill pan in your own kitchen if you don't have outdoor cooking weather. This recipe is from the Food Network.

Ingredients
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Juice of 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges for garnish
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the grill
2 to 3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 6-ounce skinless center-cut salmon fillets
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Directions
Stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, paprika, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, parsley and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Pour half of the sauce into a large resealable plastic bag; cover and refrigerate the remaining sauce. Add the salmon to the bag and turn to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes, turning the bag over once.

Preheat a grill to medium-high. Remove the salmon from the marinade and blot off excess yogurt with paper towels. Lightly oil the grill and add the salmon; cook, turning once, until browned on the outside and opaque in the center, 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. Serve with the reserved yogurt sauce and garnish with the herbs and lemon wedges.

Lets gather our ingredients. You need some salmon, yogurt, lemon, garlic, cumin, paprika, olive oil and some parsley.

Juice the lemon, I used my lime juicer but it works just as well for small lemons.

I just put my marinade ingredients right into the bag I plan to put the fish in. Chop the parsley or cilantro and drop it in.

Chop the garlic.

Drop it in the bag with the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.

Mix it all up.

Put the salmon in and give it a little shake to coat. Put this in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.

I forgot to reserve some marinade to use as sauce for serving so I just made another small batch.

After 15 minutes, preheat your grill. I also grabbed my grilling accessory that is great for fish so you don't lose half a fillet into your grill if it breaks up.

Here is my dirty grill making an appearance as it preheats.

I got the fish out of the fridge and brushed most of the marinade off.

I then grabbed this PAM for grilling and sprayed it on my handy grilling rack.

I put the salmon on and loaded it into the grill. Cook it for 4-6 minutes per side depending on how well done you like your salmon and how thick the cut is.

I used too much sauce, but after I scraped it off it was much better. The fish was almost good enough without any additional sauce, but if you have kids who fear fish this might be a good way to hide it. It was not good enough to trick my husband into eating it though!

Mediterranean Braised Chicken Thighs with Polenta

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:31:00 +0000

Fall is in the air all over the country and it has even snowed in some states. Here in AZ we equate fall with less than 100 degree temperatures and opening the windows at night to catch a 70 degree breeze. With it cooling off, a nice hearty dish seemed perfect. I got this recipe from Everyday Food magazine and I cut it in half since the hubby does not eat fish or fowl.

Serves 4

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 8 chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
* 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved if large
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
* 3 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
* 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in two batches, cook chicken until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat and return pot to heat.
2. Add garlic, tomatoes, and oregano; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and cook, scraping up browned bits, until almost evaporated, about 1 minute. Add broth; return chicken, skin side up, to pot. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 15 minutes. Add zucchini; season with salt and pepper. Cover; simmer until chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.
3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine 4 1/2 cups water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Whisking constantly, slowly add cornmeal. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking frequently, until polenta has thickened, 20 to 25 minutes; whisk in butter. Serve chicken and vegetables over polenta.

First thing we need are the ingredients. I got some gorgeous and tasty heirloom cherry tomatoes but you can use regular ones, lemon, zucchini, chicken thighs, cornmeal, chicken broth, garlic, white wine, oregano and butter.

Chop up the zucchini, juice the lemon and measure out the wine and stock.

Chop the garlic.

Get your water seasoned with salt and pepper and on its way to boiling for the polenta.

Heat some olive oil in a dutch oven.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Drop them in the hot oil to brown.

Measure out your cornmeal.

Stir it into the boiling water.

Flip your chicken.

Keep an eye on your polenta and give it a stir.

After the chicken is browned get it out of there. Replace it with the tomatoes and the oregano. Let this cook for about 30 seconds.

Pour in the wine and scrape up any of the browned chicken bits. Let this cook for about a minute.

Grab your chicken that has been patiently resting nearby and return it to the pot.

Chicken is in skin side up and ready to simmer.

Cover and cook for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, don't forget to stir your polenta.

After the 15 minutes have elapsed, stir in your zucchini and some salt and pepper. Cover and let this cook for about 10-15 more minutes.

When it is just about time to eat, add in some butter (and cheese if you are like me) to the polenta and give it a final whisk.

Take the lid off the chicken and you are ready to plate.

This meal is full of flavor but also full of good for you vegetables. This is the perfect weekend dinner.

Slow Cooker Greek Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:59:00 +0000

I love using my slow cooker as often as I can and finding a cook book that is specifically geared toward meals for 2 was very excited. This recipe comes from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes For Two.

Cooker: 1 1/2 - 3 quart
Cook: LOW 6-8 hours; cheese added last 15 minutes

One 3oz block feta cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 bone-in chicken legs with thighs skinned
1 medium-size yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 of a 14.5oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 Tbsp tomato paste
Pinch of Greek oregano

Heat the olive oil in a medium-size skillet and brown the chicken on both sides. While the chicken is browning, spray the inside of the crock with nonstick cooking spray and lay the onion and garlic in the bottom. Place the browned chicken on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add the tomatoes in juice, tomato paste, and oregano. Cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
Remove the feta from the water, cut in slices, and arrange the slices over the top of the chicken. Cover and cook for 15 minutes to melt the cheese. Serve immediately.

To get started you will need your chicken, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, pepper and oregano.

Remove the skin from the chicken.

Heat some oil in a pan.

Brown the chicken on both sides.

While it is browning, chop up your garlic and slice the onions. I normally don't like to start cooking until the prep is done, but in this case the meal is so easy I am not worried about timing.

Layer the onions and garlic in a greased crockpot.

When the chicken is browned put it on top of the onion and garlic.

Add the tomatoes, paste and seasoning and pop the lid on. Let it cook on low for 6-8 hours. Get ready for your house to smell really good while this cooks.

About 15 minutes before you are ready to eat, open the crock pot and layer on the feta cheese.

Put the lid back on and make a quick side dish. I just cooked up some frozen veggies with a little salt and butter.

The chicken was juicy and tender and tasted great with the veggies that had been cooking along with it. I will be making a lot more dishes from this great cookbook for 2 or just 1.

Creamy Parmesan Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:11:00 +0000

I love pasta, I admit it. I have to have it usually once a week, so I am always excited to find a fun new variation. This recipe comes from Cooking for 2 magazine, but is actually just a single serving. Perfect for me! Get some water boiling and lets gather the ingredients.

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup uncooked penne pasta
* 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
* 3/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
* Dash dried oregano
* Dash pepper
* 2 small fresh mushrooms, chopped
* 2 tablespoons chopped onion
* 1-1/2 teaspoons diced sweet red pepper
* 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
* 1/3 cup 2% milk
* 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

* Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the flour, bouillon, garlic powder, parsley, oregano and pepper.
* In a small nonstick skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion and red pepper in oil until tender. Stir in flour mixture. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Drain pasta; add to mushroom mixture and stir to coat. Yield: 1 serving.

You will need some pasta, flour, bouillon, garlic powder, parsley, oregano, mushrooms, onion, pepper, milk and parmesan cheese. I didn't have a red pepper so I just used green. The hubby is in the background preparing his BLT he had for dinner.

Get your pasta in the boiling water and start prepping the rest of the ingredients. Combine the flour with the garlic, parsley, bouillon, oregano and pepper.

Chop up the onion and pepper.

Once that is prepped we can cook. Get some olive oil in a pan and drop in the mushrooms and veggies. Cook these until tender, about 3-5 minutes.

Stir in the dry mixture and get all the mushrooms and veggies coated.

Slowly stir in the milk and then let this cook for about 2 minutes.

Stir in the parmesan cheese.

The sauce looks amazing and by now your noodles should be cooked so drain those.

Drop them in the sauce and give it one final stir.

Talk about easy and delicious! This took no time at all and tasted amazing. If you wanted to do this vegetarian you can easily substitute mushroom bouillon instead of the chicken. The best thing about cooking for just yourself is you can do whatever you want. Have a great week!

Old Fashioned Chicken Pasta Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 05:08:00 +0000

Fall is creeping in around the country, but not here in Arizona. It is still hot, so I am going with a great chicken pasta salad that is packed with crunchy veggies. Get some water boiling and lets get started.

Ingredients:

* 2/3 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
* 1/3 cup frozen corn
* 1 cup cubed cooked chicken
* 1/4 cup sliced celery
* 1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
* 2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
* 1 tablespoon chopped onion
* 1/2 cup mayonnaise
* 2 teaspoons white vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Cook corn according to package directions; drain and cool.
In a serving bowl, combine the macaroni, corn, chicken, celery, egg, green pepper and onion. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Yield: 2 servings.

You will need some frozen corn, onions, macaroni, green pepper, cooked chicken, celery, white wine vinegar, mayo, salt and my secret ingredient, Cumin. The recipe calls for hard boiled egg, but I didn't have any eggs so none went in!

I got these great organic onions at the local farmer's market. They are the perfect size for cooking small portions.

Chop up the green pepper and the celery.

Get your pasta into the water.

Chop up the cooked chicken, I used a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. You cannot beat the convenience of these things, I always pick one up when they have a sale.

Chop the onion.

Measure out the mayo and vinegar.

Add in some of the secret ingredient. Cumin is my favorite, I add it to tuna salad also.

Mix it all up to make the dressing.

Drain your noodles and get them in a big bowl. I am using one of my most recent Pyrex finds.

Add in the chicken and the chopped veggies.

Stir in the dressing and pop in the fridge for a couple of hours. This is a great salad to make ahead to take for a pot luck or picnic.

When its chilled out for a while, plate it up. I made this again in a larger portion to take for a weekend away in the mountains, it was great!

Asian Salisbury Steak

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:06:00 +0000

Everyone remembers Salisbury Steak from the old TV dinners but this version is way better and is super easy to make. The recipe comes from Eating Well Serves Two.

12 ounces 90%-lean ground beef
3/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce, divided
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
4 bunches or 2 4-ounce bags watercress, trimmed (16 cups)
1/2 cup Shao Hsing rice wine (see Ingredient note) or dry sherry

1. Place rack in upper third of oven; preheat the broiler. Coat a broiler pan and rack with cooking spray.
2. Gently mix beef, bell pepper, scallions, breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce and ginger in a medium bowl until just combined. Form the mixture into 4 oblong patties and place on the broiler-pan rack. Brush the tops of the patties with 1 teaspoon oil. Broil, flipping once, until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add watercress and cook, stirring often, until just wilted, 1 to 3 minutes. Divide the watercress among 4 plates. Return the skillet to medium-high heat, add rice wine (or sherry) and the remaining 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce and stir until smooth, bubbling and slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Top the watercress with the Salisbury steaks and drizzle with the pan sauce.

First thing is to preheat your broiler and then we can gather some ingredients. You will need some ground beef or bison as I used, hoisin sauce, bread crumbs, scallion or shallot, sherry or rice wine (I actually used marsala), red pepper, ginger and some watercress or spinach. I couldn't get watercress that day and spinach worked out great. You also need a little vegetable oil.

Lets get prepping. Chop up the red pepper.

Chop up the shallot.

Chop the ginger. I keep my ginger wrapped in plastic and foil and store it in the freezer. I don't use it that much so it keeps much better that way.

Get your meat into a bowl, I have a great vintage Melamine bowl.

Drop in the chopped veggies and ginger and add in the hoisin and the breadcrumbs. Reserve some hoisin for the pan sauce at the end.

Combine everything but don't overwork the meat or it will get tough.

Grab you veggie oil and a brush.

Form the meat mixture into patties and put them on a greased broiler pan. I use the non stick Reynolds wrap and I love it! Once they are down, brush the tops with the oil. Put them in the broiler and set the timer for 4 minutes. Having a timer in the kitchen is so important to me, I would have had many disasters without one.

In a sauce pan or skillet add in a teaspoon of oil and get it hot.

Flip your steaks after the 4 minutes is up.

Drop in the greens into the hot oil and give it a quick stir until they are wilted about a minute or 2.

Get the greens out and on to the plate and pour in the wine and the reserved hoisin and give it a stir until bubbly.

Pull out the steaks and you are ready to eat!

Plate the steak on the greens and pour the sauce over it all. This was so delicious and so easy to make. You will not be thinking TV Dinner or cafeteria lunch after you try this version of Salisbury Steak.

Edamame Lo Mein

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:42:00 +0000

I have been busy lately but still finding time to cook some simple and delicious meals. This vegetarian dish is perfect for a weeknight. It comes from the cookbook Eating Well Cooks For Two.

8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
2 cups frozen edamame (shelled soybeans)
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup oyster sauce or vegetarian "oyster" sauce
1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
2 small red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and edamame and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, whisk scallions, oyster sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and crushed red pepper in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add carrots and bell peppers and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pasta and edamame. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is crispy in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sauce and stir to combine.

Get some water boiling and lets gather some ingredients. You will need some whole wheat spaghetti, frozen edamame, green onion,(which I didn't have) oyster sauce (they do make a vegetarian variety or you can just leave it out) rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, red pepper, vegetable oil, carrots and red bell pepper.

This is really the only prep you have to do and if your local grocery store has a salad bar, just stop in and grab them pre cut. This is a great tip if you are cooking for one. Salad bars let you buy small portions of ingredients so there is no waste, and you save time on prep.

Once your water is boiling drop in the pasta and the edamame. I know that some purists think that whole wheat pasta is evil, but in a dish like this it is a good choice because its very filling and adds another layer of flavor.

While your pasta boils with the edamame, cut up the green onion (if you have it) and combine it in a bowl with the oyster sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and red pepper. Stir it until the sugar is dissolved.

Next you want to drop your cut veggies in a frying pan with the vegetable oil, I used peanut oil. Cook those for 3-4 minutes until softened.

Drain your pasta and edamame.

Get it in the pan with the veggies.

Pour on the sauce and give it a stir to combine and you are ready to eat.

Simple, quick and delicious. You won't miss the meat as the whole wheat pasta is filling and the sauce gives it such a great flavor. If you don't have or don't like edamame you can replace it with peas or even green beans. Lots of variety means you can make this often and change it up.

Pork Cutlets with Cumberland Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:40:00 +0000

This recipe comes from the Eating Well Serves Two cookbook that I have been really enjoying. I had never heard of 'Cumberland sauce' so I did a little research on Wikipedia and found that it was named for the Duke of Cumberland in Germany but is very popular in England. It traditionally uses red currant, but I sure didn't have any of that laying around, so I used Red Cherry preserves instead. Lets get all of our ingredients together and get cooking.

Ingredients

* 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 thin-cut boneless pork chops (8 ounces), trimmed of fat
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 1 small shallot, minced
* 1/2 cup dry red wine
* 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
* 1 1/2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
* 1 tablespoon red currant jelly
* 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)
* 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Directions

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper, transfer to the pan and cook until browned and no longer pink in the middle, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add shallot to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add wine and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil until reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk cornstarch and vinegar in a small bowl; whisk into the sauce. Cook, stirring, until thickened and glossy, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in jelly, sugar (if using), mustard and any accumulated juices from the pork. Serve the pork with the sauce.

You need some olive oil, 2 boneless pork chops, a shallot, red wine, corn starch, red wine vinegar, red current jelly (or any red berry jelly should work fine), brown sugar and dijon mustard.

Measure out the brown sugar, dijon and jelly.

Chop up the shallot pretty fine. If you cannot find shallot, just use regular onion.

Measure the vinegar.

Measure the wine. Perhaps pour an equal amount into a glass for yourself just to be sure it tastes ok.

Season your pork with some salt and pepper and we are ready to get cooking.

Get some oil in a pan over medium high brown them for a few minutes on each side.

I put the lid on to be sure the pork gets a little more cooking in as my chops were not that thin. I let them brown for about 4-6 minutes per side.

Once they are browned, get them out and cover them with foil or a covered dish so they stay warm.

Add in the shallot and cook for 30 seconds to a minute. Add in the wine and scrape up all the tasty pork bits from the bottom. Bring it to a boil and let it reduce for 2-3 minutes.

While its reducing, whisk the cornstarch into the vinegar. Pretty in pink!

Stir it into the sauce and let it thicken for about 30 seconds.

Get it off the heat and stir in the sugar, dijon and jelly. Add any juice that may have come out of the pork as it rested and give it a final stir.

Pour it over the pork and serve with your favorite veggie side. This goes right along with my love affair with savory and sweet. I can't get enough.

Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Leeks

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:55:00 +0000

I am going back to my old favorite with this recipe, chicken thighs. I think the thighs are the tastiest part of the whole chicken and they are always really inexpensive.

This recipe comes from Eating Well Serves 2, which is a fabulous cookbook for small portion meals.

Time to gather ingredients and start cooking. You will need some boneless and skinless thighs, mushrooms, a leek, some flour, chicken broth, dry white wine (I tend to use sauvignon blancs for cooking) and some dry or fresh tarragon.

chop up your leeks and make sure you get them clean as they can be gritty. I soak mine in water to be sure they get clean then drain them. A salad spinner works well for this if you have one, just drop the leeks in the basket, fill it with water and swish it around a bit. Then lift out the basket and all the dirty water stays behind.

If your mushrooms aren't pre-cut do that now also. I just bought the already sliced version.

Measure out your broth and wine.

Put the chicken on a plate and sprinkle with flour. Reserve any excess.

Heat some oil over medium high heat and get the chicken in the pan.

Brown them on both sides, this should take about 4-6 minutes total.

When it is browned, get it out of the pan and keep it warm under some foil or in a great Pyrex refrigerator dish. I have got comments that other folks are using and enjoying Pyrex as well!

When the chicken is out, add in some more oil and the leeks and mushrooms.

Let those cook for 6-8 minutes until tender.

Sprinkle with the reserved flour and give it a stir. Then pour on the wine and stock and some salt. Bring it to a simmer.

Get the chicken back in the pan and simmer for 4-6 minutes more, turning the chicken as it cooks. When its done, stir in the tarragon and you are ready to eat.

This was so amazingly good. I served it with some asparagus I steamed in the microwave and it was filling and tasted like something that was a lot more difficult to prepare than it was. This would be an impressive date night meal.

I got a question on the last post featuring the Spicy fish soup, Cioppini. Someone asked if salmon would be ok in it and I say most definitely. One thing I have learned with cooking is the recipe is just your guide, if you don't like something leave it out. If you have leftover of something, use it. I love all of your questions and comments so keep them coming!

Spicy Cioppini

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:13:00 +0000

This recipe is for a spicy fish stew that sounds very Italian, but was actually invented in California. I don't care who came up with it, I just want to eat it, so lets cook!

This recipe comes from the Eating Well Serves 2 cookbook.

Lets gather up some ingredients. You need some white fish, I used tilapia. You also need some scallops, tomato, sweet onion, potatoes, hot paprika, italian seasoning, pepper, salt, capers, white wine, water and some olive oil.

Cut up the potatoes and get them in a pot. Cover them with water and bring them to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes.

While the potatoes cook, slice up the sweet onion and dice your tomatoes.

Cut up the tilapia or whatever white fish you'd like.

defrost your yummy scallops.

Get some oil in a nice heavy pan, I am using my great Staub saucier pan.

Add in the fish, cook while stirring for just a couple of minutes.

Get the fish out of the pan and keep it warm. Mine stays warm in a cute little Pyrex casserole.

Next get your onions in and give them a stir. Pop the lid on and let those cook for 5-7 minutes.

Your potatoes should be done now, so get those out and drain them.

While your potatoes relax, add in the paprika, italian seasoning, salt and pepper to your onions. Give it a stir and let it cook for about 30 seconds.

Add in the tomatoes, wine and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 6-8 minutes stirring a few times.

It is starting to get delicious looking!!

Add in the potatoes and the fish, give it a stir.

Once it is heated through, you are ready to eat!

This delicious and spicy soup is a great dinner for a nice summer evening. Enjoy them while they last!

Creamy Farfalle with Asparagus

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:17:00 +0000

If there is one thing I crave often it is pasta. I just love it and there are so many variations and combinations you can do. This combo is delicious and so simple.

Get some water boiling and lets gather our ingredients. This recipe comes from the Everyday Food cookbook. You will need some asparagus, dill, grainy mustard, pine nuts, goat cheese and farfalle (bowtie) pasta. (I didn't have any fettuccine)

Cut the woody ends off of the asparagus and then chop it up.

In a dry and hot pan, toast up the pine nuts.

Keep these guys moving in the pan and keep an eye on them, they will burn in no time at all.

Get the pine nuts off the heat and set them aside. By now your water should be boiling so drop in the pasta.

When there is about 5 minutes left to go on the pasta, drop in the asparagus.

Reserve some of the pasta water to make the sauce. Mine is reserved in my cute Pyrex mug.

After the pasta and asparagus is cooked, drain it and get it back in the pan. Add in the goat cheese, mustard, dill, pine nuts and the reserved pasta water and give it a stir. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.

The tang of the goat cheese with the dill and the mustard just packs this pasta with tons of flavor. I really enjoyed this and it would be just as good with green beans or edamame if you're not into asparagus. Just a couple of more months and I will be able to turn my oven on again, but until then I am glad I have lots of great pasta combos to try!

Pork Sirloin Montreal with Fresh Corn

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:54:00 +0000

It is still hot in AZ, and will be for a while, so its time to break out the slow cooker. This is a great way to make tasty food without stressing out my AC. This is another sweet and savory meal, do I sound like a broken record? Sorry, I just love the combination.

You don't need much to make this tasty slow cooker dish. Gather up some paprika, tomato paste, coriander, garlic, onion, vodka, maple syrup and some pork tenderloin or other lean pork.

Rough chop the onion.

chop up the garlic.

crush up the coriander, I just use the bottom of the spice jar.

Cube up the pork.

Measure out the syrup and the vodka. Be sure to use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup.

get everything in the crock pot...

don't forget the pork...

give it a stir...

and say goodbye for 6-7 hours. Whatever you do, do NOT do work during these 6-7 hours or it will have a serious negative effect the outcome of the dish. Your best bet is grab the remaining vodka and make yourself a nice martini and find a great book. Set a timer in case a nap sneaks up on you as well.

After you are done with your book or your 6 hour nap, plate up the pork with your favorite veggie. I had some fresh local corn and it was an amazing dish. The pork was super moist and could have easily been shredded and served on a nice roll. Another sweet and savory combination that turned out delicious!

Pan Fried Pork Medallions with Apples

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 01:52:00 +0000

If you have been reading this blog for a while you know that I love savory and sweet foods together. This pork and apple recipe looked great on paper and tasted even better on the plate.

This recipe came from the Two at the Table book I have been loving lately.

This is a simple dish but it has some big flavors. You need some butter, brown sugar, pork, apples, cinnamon and some ground cloves. (I didn't have ground cloves so I just used allspice)

I used a couple of gadgets for prepping the apple. One is my Y peeler that I love and this simple apple corer my sister got me a long time ago. With those getting the apple ready takes no time at all.

After you've got the core out and the skin off, slice up the apple.

Slice up your pork tenderloin and get it seasoned with some salt and pepper.

Once that is ready get some butter in the pan. Look at that beautiful real butter, yum.

Get the pork in and get it browning in the butter. Once it starts cooking your kitchen is going to smell great.

You want to brown these about 10 minutes per side, or less depending on how thickly you've cut them.

Lower the heat to medium and stir in the brown sugar.

Once the pork is cooked with the brown sugar, add the apples, cinnamon and ground cloves. Cook for about 10 more minutes or less, depending on how firm you want your apples. Stir it every so often so it all incorporates together. When the apples are cooked to your liking get it out of the pan and on to a plate.

This simple dish was so good I should have made more for the next day. I can't get enough brown sugar and pork so I will definitely be making this again very soon.

Orzo with Greens and Garlic

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 06:33:00 +0000

I love Orzo and I love garlic so this dish called out my name from the pages of Two at the Table.

This is a great way to eat some greens but not feel like you are missing out by eating too healthy, I mean, we all need some bacon sometimes right??

First thing, get some water boiling.

Then we can gather our other ingredients. A lot of people comment about my great pink knife, well I recently discovered they sell them at Target. They are great knives for the price and they are super light weight. Plus, it's Pink! In addition to a good knife you need some greens, I used gorgeous rainbow chard, shallot or onion, olive oil, cooked bacon (I keep some of that pre-cooked stuff in my freezer so I can just nuke it for dishes like this), garlic, and some orzo.

Chop the garlic and shallots.

You only want the leafy part of the chard, not the stems, even though they are so pretty.

Once you separate the stem from the leaves, give them a good rinse. I just dump them in a colander and do it that way.

To cut the chard I used my mezzaluna, which is a great gadget for beginning cooks because it is nearly impossible to cut yourself while chopping, just don't drop it on your foot.

With the handy gadget the greens are chopped in no time. I like to use this for herbs, mushrooms, olives and other things that are hard to hold on to but you need to chop.

Once everything is prepped, we can cook. Get the orzo in the hot water and lets get cooking. Get the shallots in the pan with some oil.

Give your orzo a stir to be sure its not sticking.

After the shallots have cooked for about 2 minutes, get the greens and garlic in. These will rapidly shrink, don't worry.

Let this cook for just a couple of minutes and you will see the greens reduce in size dramatically.

Get the pan off the heat. Drain the pasta and get it in the pan, add in the bacon and give it a stir. Season with some salt and pepper and you are ready to eat!

I added a little bit of Parmesan cheese on the top for another layer of flavor. This was light and delicious and had lots of great textures and big flavors. If you can't find chard you can use spinach or kale as well and this would be just as tasty. Have a great weekend and thanks again for all the great comments and emails, you guys make my day.

Chicken and Rice Meatball Marsala

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 06:59:00 +0000

When I saw this recipe I knew I'd have to sacrifice and turn my oven on to make this meal. This recipe comes from the Two at the Table cookbook I recently picked up. Turn on the oven to 400 degrees and lets gather some ingredients.

You need, 10 ounces ground chicken, 1/4 cup finely chopped onion, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 egg beaten (at room temperature), 1 cup cooked rice, 2 tbs butter (divided), 1/4 lb sliced mushrooms, 1 tbs flour, 1/2 cup chicken stock and 1/4 cup Marsala wine.

Get the chicken in a bowl with the salt and pepper.

Chop up your onion.

Get it in the bowl with the chicken.

Beat the egg.

Add it to the chicken and onion along with the rice and get it all combined.

I use an ice cream scoop to make the meatballs, it goes so much faster this way.

Get them on a rack that you've sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. My meatballs sort of sagged over the rack, but thats ok, they still tasted great. Get those guys in the oven for 30-35 minutes.

While those get delicious in the oven, lets make the sauce. Combine the stock with the marsala and set aside.

In a skillet melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. mmm butter!

Add in the sliced mushrooms and let them cook for about 7 minutes.

When they are nice and cooked grab a dish to get them out of the heat.

Mine get to hang out in a cute little Pyrex bowl.

Add the rest of the butter and melt it over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to make a smooth paste.

Add the stock and marsala mixture.

Stir until it is smooth and slightly thickened.

Get the mushrooms back in and then grab your meatballs out of the oven.

YUM. I ended up having to scrape them off the rack but that is ok, I was the only one eating it and I didn't care what it looked like.

What matters was how it tasted and it was delicious. I love marsala sauce and this was a great variation on classic chicken marsala. Thanks again for all the great comments and emails you guys have sent me recently. I love hearing that this site helps people like me who like to cook, but sometimes get uninspired or don't have anyone else to cook for. So thank you for reading and thanks for taking the time to send me some feedback.

Fried Pork Chop with Cumin Tomato Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:28:00 +0000

I love pork and I love cumin so I was very excited to try this recipe. It is easy and uses stuff you probably already have on hand. I cut this in half to serve just me!

This recipe comes from a great cookbook I picked up called Table for Two. I love cookbooks for one and two servings, it just makes cooking for one so much easier.

Lets gather some ingredients. You will need a pork chop, some celery, garlic, onion, cumin, salt, pepper, oil, lime and some crushed tomatoes.

If you are not really confident in the kitchen, I find it best to prep everything before you start cooking anything. That way you will not feel rushed to get something done to move on to the next task. The last thing you want to do is rush with a sharp knife. So chop up your garlic.

Chop your celery and onion.

Once your prep is done, go ahead and get your pork in the hot oil. You want to brown it about 5 minutes on each side. I served the pork chop over pasta, so if you'd like to do the same go ahead and get some water on to boil as well.

Give it a flip!

When its cooked, get it out of the hot pan and into a dish. Cover it so the pork stays warm.

When the pork is out, get the onion and celery into the same pan and let it cook for about 5 minutes.

Add in the garlic, cumin, salt and pepper and let this cook for about a minute. It will start to smell really great as soon as that cumin warms up.

Add the pork back in and give it a flip to get some of the seasonings on both sides.

Add in the tomatoes and lime juice and let these simmer for 15-20 minutes. Flip the pork chop every so often. During the last 10 minutes get your pasta into the boiling water. When the pasta is done, drain it and plate it up with the pork chop and tomatoes.

If you are a cumin lover or you are just looking for something different to do with pork chops, this is a great choice.

Chicken and Noodles for Two

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 01:14:00 +0000

I am all about casseroles that I can make in my toaster oven because there is only so much you can do on the stove top. It was 115 here in Arizona today so I am not about to turn my regular oven on!

The recipe is from Taste of Home. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, get some water boiling, and lets grab some ingredients.

You need some cottage or ricotta cheese, pimentos, paprika, egg noodles, cooked chicken, peas, green pepper, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, chopped onion and chives. The goofy looking mayo is Kewpie mayo from Japan and it is some of the best mayo I have ever had, and its cute too.

Get the noodles in the boiling water and start assembling the rest of the casserole.

Chopped green pepper.

Chopped onion or shallot. Now that you are done chopping lets assemble!

You need some tasty mayo.

You are basically just tossing everything in the bowl and getting it all mixed up! Combine everything but the peas and chicken.

I had to take this photo because the colors were so pretty.

Give everything a stir to combine, this would make a tasty dip for crackers or bread.

Drain the noodles and stir them in with the peas and cooked chicken.

Grease up a casserole dish and pour the tasty combo in it.

Sprinkle it with some paprika and get it in the oven.

After about a half an hour the casserole is ready to eat. I love when the top gets nice and crispy, yum.

This is another comfort food meal that I will definitely be making again. Its basically a variation on the classic tuna noodle casserole, so if you have a tuna hater this might be a nice alternative.

Lazy Lasagna

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 05:31:00 +0000

I really like Lasagna but don't want to make an entire pan just for me. The Lasagna soup I made was tasty, but it still wasn't the real thing. This recipe is about as close as it gets but still fits into my dining alone requirements. This recipe comes from the Taste of Home cooking for One or Two.

Get some water boiling and preheat your oven to 375 degrees and lets gather some ingredients.

You need some sausage, lasagna noodles, spaghetti sauce, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and ricotta or cottage cheese.

Remove the casing from the sausage and chop it up.

Measure out your sauce.

Break the lasagna noodles up into pieces. Be careful, those suckers can fly if you break them wrong.

Now that you have everything chopped its time to cook. Get your sausage in the pan with some oil and get it cooking.

Drop the noodles in the water and grab some small casserole dishes.

Grease them up so none of your lasagna goodness sticks. I used 2 refrigerator dishes and they were perfect.

When your sausage is cooked get it into a sauce pan with the spaghetti sauce.

When the sauce is heated, stir in the mozzarella and ricotta cheese.

When your noodles are done drain them and then stir them into the sauce.

When its all combined pour it into your casserole dishes and top with the parmesan cheese. Get them into the oven, I used my toaster oven as its hot as heck here in Arizona. Its been over 110 degrees for days.

After about 20 minutes the lasagna should be bubbly and delicious.

This was so easy and was amazingly delicious. I have definitely found my Lasagna for one!

Carrot Au Gratin

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:12:00 +0000

After my Ham and Corn Au Gratin turned out so great I thought, I can make anything 'Au Gratin' and it would probably be good. So I went with this vegetarian version and it was delicious!! It is also from Taste Of Home Cooking for One or Two.

Ingredients:

* 3 medium carrots, sliced
* 2 tablespoons chopped onion
* 5 teaspoons butter, divided
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* Dash pepper
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
* 2 tablespoons crushed cornflakes

Directions:
Place 1 in. of water in a saucepan; add carrots. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until carrots are almost tender. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, saute onion in 3 teaspoons butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cheese and parsley until cheese is melted. Drain carrots; add to sauce.
Transfer to a greased 2-cup baking dish. Melt remaining butter; stir in cornflakes. Sprinkle over carrots. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Yield: 2 servings.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (I used my toaster oven of course) and lets gather some ingredients. You need some carrots (or one giant one like I had) onion, butter, flour, milk, shredded cheese, parsley and corn flakes. I didn't have corn flakes so I just used crackers.

Chop up the carrot and the onion. Get the carrots in a sauce pan wiht about an inch of water and bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let them cook for 6-8 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, melt some butter and set it aside.

In another pan, get some more butter and the onion going until they are tender.

While those cook, combine the cracker crumbs or smashed corn chips in a bowl with the butter. I also added a little cheese because Cheese is delicious!

When the onions are tender, stir in the flour, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the milk. Do this nice and slow so your sauce isn't gritty or pasty. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes while stirring.

Remove from the heat then stir in the cheese and parsley.

Your carrots should now be done so drain those guys and we are ready to assemble!

Doesn't the cheese sauce look fantastic??

I didn't bother to combine the carrots and the cheese, I just got the carrots in a greased casserole dish. I also threw in the last of a bag of frozen peas. I used a great Pyrex dish, big surprise there.

Pour the sauce on and top with the crumb topping. Put it in the oven for 15-20 minutes and then you are ready for some tasty, vegetarian comfort food.

Doesn't it look delicious??

It tasted great, even better than the Ham and Corn Au Gratin I made before it!

Ham and Corn Au Gratin

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:17:00 +0000

Regardless of hot it gets here in AZ I still crave comfort food that requires an oven. This is where my toaster oven saves the day. This recipe is from Taste of Home magazine's Cooking for One or Two.

Ingredients:

* 2 teaspoons butter
* 5 teaspoons all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper
* 1 cup milk
* 1 cup diced fully cooked ham
* 1-1/4 cups frozen corn, thawed
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped green pepper
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
* TOPPING:
* 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
* 1/4 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 7 crackers)
* 2 teaspoons butter, melted
* Paprika

Directions:
In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, mustard and pepper until smooth; gradually add the milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
In a greased 1-qt. baking dish, layer the ham, corn, green pepper and onion. Pour sauce over top. In a bowl, combine the cheese, crumbs and butter; sprinkle over top . Sprinkle with paprika.
Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 10-15 minutes or until heated through and top is golden brown. Yield: 2 servings.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and lets gather the ingredients. You need, cooked ham, butter, shredded cheese, corn, flour, milk, onion, green pepper, paprika, ground mustard, salt, pepper and Ritz crackers. That seems like a lot of stuff, but it is pretty simple to make.

Chop up your veggies.

Smash the crackers in a ziplock bag. I tend to just beat the crap out of them with a rolling pin. Combine the crackers with the grated cheese and melted butter. Set this aside for now.

Melt the rest of the butter in a saucepan.

Stir in the flour, mustard and pepper and keep on stirring until its smooth.

Slowly add the milk and continue to stir until it is thickened.

While the sauce cooks grease a casserole dish, mine is a cute Pyrex of course, layer in the ham, corn, green pepper and onion.

Pour the sauce over the top of the ham and veggies.

Top with the cracker crumb mixture and then sprinkle with paprika.

Bake it for about 10-15 minutes and then you are ready to eat!

This is simple and was easily made in my toaster oven in no time at all. When you just have to have some good comfort food on a hot day, this is the way to go.

Toffee Peanuts

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:40:00 +0000

With the 4th of July coming up you may have some folks coming over for a BBQ or "cook out" as we called it growing up. This is a fun snack to put out while everyone waits for their dogs and burgers. The recipe is from Taste of Home and I cut it in half.

Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup sugar
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 2 tablespoons corn syrup
* 1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 2 cups unsalted dry roasted peanuts

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, butter, corn syrup, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add peanuts; toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan.
Bake at 300° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown, stirring once. Cool on a wire rack; break apart if necessary. Store in an airtight container.

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees and lets get our ingredients. You need some peanuts, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, white sugar, butter and corn syrup.

Melt up the butter.

Get it in a bowl with the rest of the spices and sugars.

Stir in the peanuts.

Pour them out on to a baking sheet lined with non stick foil or grease it however you prefer. Put them in the oven for 20-25 minutes and give them a stir if you remember. I didn't and they turned out fine.

You can't imagine how good this smelled! Let it cool and then break it up and pop it into the fridge until its time to serve.

I will admit that these got served to just me, but not all in one sitting, I swear.

Spicy Beanless Chili

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:09:00 +0000

I have to admit that this meal was actually shared with my husband. He has discovered in the last 6 months or so that he actually likes chili, as long as it doesn't have beans in it. Rather than have him eat something out of a can, I decided to make some for him. The recipe comes from Taste of Home Cooking for 2.

Ingredients:

* 1/2 pound ground beef
* 1/3 cup chopped green pepper
* 2 tablespoons chopped onion
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
* 1 can (5-1/2 ounces) tomato juice
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 tablespoons chili powder
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
* 1/8 teaspoon salt, optional

Directions:
In a large saucepan, cook beef, green pepper, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato juice, water, chili powder, oregano, paprika, cumin and cayenne and salt if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes or to desired thickness.

You need some ground beef, onion, green pepper, garlic, tomato sauce, tomato juice, water, chili powder, paprika, oregano, cumin and cayenne pepper.

Chop up your veggies.

In a dutch oven or large pot, brown the beef with the veggies.

While that cooks, measure out your spices.

After the beef has cooked, drain off the excess fat or use some bread to soak it up. Add in the tomatoes, water and spices and give it a stir. Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat so its just simmering. Let it cook for about 45 minutes or until it is as thick as you'd like.

Once it is at the desired thickness, you are ready to eat!

I topped mine with a little grated cheddar cheese. The hubby also threw some Fritos corn chips on his. This is one of the few posts where I was not dining alone!

Tortellini Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:44:00 +0000

As I type this entry my computer tells me it is 106 degrees outside. This is definitely not the time to fire up the oven, but its a great time for fun and tasty salads. I found this one from Taste of Home Cooking for 2.

Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups frozen cheese tortellini
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green or sweet red pepper
1 small tomato, seeded and diced
1/4 cup julienned pepper Jack cheese
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing

Directions:
Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water. In a bowl, combine tortellini with all of the remaining ingredients; toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Yield: 2 servings.

Start boiling some water and lets gather our ingredients. This is a super simple but filling and the ingredients can easily be varied. You need some tortellinis, cheese, italian salad dressing, red pepper, onion, and tomato. You can see my hubby in the background preparing his snack before band practice. He is definitely not a pasta salad guy.

Chop up the onion and the pepper.

I also remembered I had some snow peas in the fridge so I chopped those up too. Cut the cheese (har har) into bite sized pieces as well.

Get the tortellini in the boiling water.

Drain the pasta and give it a rinse after its been cooked.

Once they are drained, put them in a nice big bowl. I have a nice big Pyrex bowl of course!

Get the chopped items and the dressing in the bowl with the pasta.

Look at all the nice colors! Give everything a good stir to mix it up.

Refrigerate the salad for at least an hour and then you are ready to eat!

This was tasty and so easy. Nice and cool and crunchy for a hot summer day.

Rachael Ray's Lasagna Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Dining Alone) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:24:00 +0000

Since I cook for myself, making a whole pan of lasagna seems pretty ridiculous. I was very excited when I found this recipe for Lasagna Soup. The following recipe is for four servings but I cut it in half.

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 1 lb ground beef
* 1 large onion, finely chopped
* 2 carrots, peeled and grated
* 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 1 (32 ounce) box chicken stock
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 1/2 lb lasagna noodle, broken
* 1 cup basil leaves, torn (I had to use dried)
* 1 cup ricotta cheese
* parmesan cheese

Directions
1. In a soup pot, heat oil over med high heat.
2. Add the beef, season with salt and pepper and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Stir in the onion, carrots and garlic and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Stir in 2 cups water, the chicken broth and tomatoes; and dried seasonings -- if using fresh add later, cover and bring to a boil.
5. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 15 minutes.
6. Top with ricotta and parmesan and serve.

Lets gather up our ingredients. You will need some ground beef, onion, garlic, carrot, chicken broth, tomatoes, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, basil and some lasagna noodles.

Chop up the carrots, onion and garlic.

Break the noodles up, I used too many but it still ended up DELICIOUS.

Brown up the ground beef with some salt and pepper for 3-4 minutes.

Add in the chopped veggies and let them cook for 5-7 minutes.

While those cook, measure out your liquids.

Add them into the pot and give it a stir.

Pop the lid on and bring it to a boil.

Add in the noodles and give it a stir, let this cook for about 15-20 minutes until the pasta is cooked.

While that cooks grab your cheese and try not to eat spoonfuls of ricotta.

give the soup one final stir and add in your fresh herbs. You are now ready to eat!

Top with the cheeses and you are ready to enjoy this delicious variation on traditional lasagna.