Party of one

Cooking for four, or more, may well be a lot of work but the rewards are often just as abundant. From help with preparation and/or clean-up to the simple act of sharing a good meal, and conversation, amongst loved ones... the pros definitely outweigh the cons!

Breaking bread and sharing the bounty is after all one of the simplest joys of life. Even Yeezus agrees.

"When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed."  
Acts 20:11, King James Bible, Cambridge Edition

But back to my party of one.

Living alone, there is literally no one to break bread with. Prepping, cooking and eating solo becomes a daily chore that merely has to be accomplished along with the rest of 'em. 

Some days that's fine. 

Others, it's kind of depressing.

In an attempt to make dinner for one more a yea and less of a nay, I've come up with a few tricks... including setting a really nice table, trying new recipes and having hors d'oeuvres for dinner. 

Wine also helps.

While I don't actually eat at a table, per se, and instead choose to set all of my food and beverages on a vintage Pepsi-Cola cooler, I always aim to make it look nice and inviting. 

Sometimes I even light a candle.

As for new recipes... I'm all about them. Especially coming up with my own. 

I really enjoy cooking, and eating, as well as trying new spices, foods and recipes - so this is not a struggle for me. 

Most recently I came up with an easy recipe for kale-wrapped salmon which I submitted to an online recipe contest sponsored by Gwyneth Paltrow and Food52. 

Ha! I never noticed how ridiculous funny I sound.

Anyhoo...

Hors d'oeuvres for dinner is another one of my tricks, and one I return to again and again because it's so quick and easy. 

Take last night. 

I got home and was literally starving. So I put some pita chips in a bowl and pulled some hummus out of the fridge. Hors d'oeuvre #1, done!

Next I sliced some Kumato tomatoes, bocconcini and basil and made a little caprese salad. Easy, peezy, lemon, squeezy. (I didn't actually use lemon though. I drizzled the whole thing with extra-virgin olive oil). Hors d'oeuvre #2, finito!

Onwards and upwards... to hearts of palm. I opened the can and took them out. Then I sliced them. Then I ate them. Hors d'oeuvre #3, gone in a flash!

Last but not least I made mushroom caps stuffed with garlic and cheese. I left them in the oven a smidge too long so they came out a little microscopic but what the hay... Hors d'oeuvre #4 was done and so was my supper.