For One: A “Comfort” Meal of Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes
1/2 lb. lean ground beef1 packet of salad dressing mix
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 slice of dried toast, broken into small pieces
1 large baked potato
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. butter
1. With your hands, mix the ground beef, bread pieces, egg and salad dressing mix together well. Turn meat mixture into a small loaf pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 min. Remove from pan and slice.
2. 10 min. before meatloaf is done, wash potato and poke several times with a knife to vent. Microwave the potato for 5-7 min. or until tender throughout. Cut potato into quarters and, leaving the skin on, mash with a fork. Add the butter and garlic.
3. Serve the meatloaf and potatoes with a side of your favorite green vegetable.
For One: Baked Ratatouille (prep time: 20 min.)
3 tablespoons olive oil5 chopped garlic cloves
1 large eggplant (unpeeled), diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 ounces diced feta cheese (optional)
1. Heat oil in a heavy, large Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Add eggplant, green bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, zucchini and basil. Saute for 5 minutes. Cover and simmer until all vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.
3. Uncover pot and simmer until juice thickens, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Mix in vinegar; season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread in 9-inch pie dish. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired. Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve with a thick slice of fresh bread and/or a small salad. (Note: Leftover ratatouille is a great topping for burgers, omelets or fish.)
For One or Two: Steak Sandwiches with Tomato Pesto (prep time: 15 min.)
2 tablespoons olive oil2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup drained bottled dried tomatoes packed in oil
1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/4-cup olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts
3 tablespoons Parmesan
1 pound sliced medium-rare steak (about 2 cups)
1/2 head iceberg lettuce
Eight 1/2-inch slices sourdough bread, toasted lightly
1. In a small saucepan, cook garlic in oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened and cool.
2. In a small food processor or blender puree tomatoes, basil, oil, pine nuts, and parmesan until pesto is smooth.
3. Toss steak with half of pesto and spread remaining pesto on bread, top with some lettuce leaves.
4. Divide steak among 4 bread slices and top with remaining 4 slices.
For One or Two: Pasta with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
2 boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchstick-size pieces
1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine
1/4 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
6 oz. linguine, freshly cooked
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
1. Spray large skillet with cooking oil spray. Add chicken and saute over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and fennel seeds. Saute until onion is tender, adding chicken broth as needed to keep vegetables from sticking to pan.
3. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and rest of broth. Continue cooking until carrot is crisp tender (about 5 minutes).
4. Mix together pasta, chicken mixture and Parmesan cheese. (Note: This is a basic recipe to which other favorite ingredients may be added, other meats substituted for the chicken and other herbs substituted for the fennel seeds. Use your creativity to create your own recipe!)
For One or Two: Pizza with Arugula and Proscuitto
This is a great pizza crust recipe because it’s so quick: Just mix it, allow it to rest for 5 minutes and it’s ready to go. It yields a soft, chewy crust. Yield: two 16-inch pizza crusts1 package active dry yeast
1 tsp white sugar
1 cup warm water (110 degrees)
2-1/2 cups bread flour
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups (6 oz) skim milk mozzarella cheese, grated
6 Tbsp. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, coarsely grated
12 thin slices prosciutto di Parma
1 bunch arugula, stemmed, rinsed, dried and cut in julienne
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into 2 rounds. Transfer crusts to lightly greased pizza pans or a baker’s peel dusted with cornmeal.
4. Brush crusts with olive oil and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses. Top with prosciutto and arugula.
5. Slide onto the pizza stone and bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven, let pizzas cool for 5 min., and serve immediately.
