Cooking for One – Delicious Recipes to Make Just for You

Once again, you are the honored guest at your table. So let’s get cooking for one and make some more awesome meals just for YOU! Continued from our August Post

Good Morning, Sunshine! Start the morning off right.  Pour yourself a cup of coffee and whip up this Quick and easy coffee cake. It’s ready in just minutes and is so tasty.

Coffee Cake

1 T butter-softened

2 T sugar

1 drop vanilla

2 T applesauce

¼ c flour

1/8t baking powder

Pinch salt

Topping:

1 T butter-softened

2 T flour

1 T brown sugar

1/2t cinnamon

In a microwave safe mug or ramekin, stir together butter, sugar, vanilla and applesauce.  Add flour and baking powder and stir just until combined.  In separate bowl, combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over coffee cake. Microwave on high for 60 to 80 seconds.  Enjoy warm.

Two Sandwiches/One Tasty Herb Spread

A delicious cream cheese and herb spread transforms two ordinary sandwiches into two extraordinary ones. The pesto type sauce can also be used in pasta, mixed into rice, or as a delicious sauce over chicken, fish or steak.

Tasty Herb Spread

In a food processor combine:

2 c fresh basil

½ c fresh parsley

¼ c mint

1 T lemon zest

1 or 2 garlic cloves

2 t lemon juice

Salt and pepper

½ c olive oil

At this point the ingredients can be used as you would any pesto

To make a sandwich spread:

Combine:

3-4 t sauce

With cream cheese to desired consistency (about 6 T)

Tomato Sandwich

Toasted bread

Salt and pepper

Fresh tomatoes

Red onion

Slather toasted bread with spread and top with sliced tomatoes and onion. Season with salt and pepper.

Avocado Toast

Rustic bread slice, toasted

Avocado –sliced thin

Salt and pepper

Slather toast with spread and layer on avocado. Season with salt and pepper.

Individual Pizzas

Pizza made quick and easy with an instant pita bread crust.  Add any toppings you like.

1 pita bread

2 T pizza sauce

¼ c shredded mozzarella

Italian seasoning

Chili flake (opt)

Olive oil

Brush pita with sauce and sprinkle on cheese. Sprinkle with Italian Seasoning and chili flakes if using.  Add any additional toppings you like. Place on baking sheet and bake at 400 for 5-7 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Every once in a while, the child in us comes calling. So say hello to her with a single serve cookie! Eat this one warm-add ice cream if you like, but certainly pour yourself a glass of cold milk to go with it.  You’ll soon find yourself skipping!!!

2 T melted butter

1T sugar

1T brown sugar

Drop vanilla

Pinch salt

1/8 t soda

¼ c flour

2 T chocolate chips

To melted butter, add sugars and vanilla and stir well. Whisk together salt, soda and flour. Stir in to sugar mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.  Pour into a 6 oz. ramekin and place on baking sheet.  Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes.

Minestrone

The weather will be turning cool again soon, and this hearty soup is just the way to ease into the change of seasons.  It can be made even heartier with the addition of any leftover cooked meat-ground beef, turkey or chicken, or even bacon.

½ c chopped onion

1 clove garlic-minced

¼ t Worcestershire sauce

½ c kidney beans- rinsed and drained

½ c diced tomatoes

½ c frozen mixed vegetables

2 c chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

½ c small shaped pasta

Herbs for garnish (opt)

Parmesan for garnish (opt)

In saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in a small amount of butter or oil. Add Worcestershire sauce, beans, tomatoes and vegetables, and add the broth.  Bring to a simmer and season to taste.  Stir in uncooked pasta and cook until pasta is just tender (according to package directions)

Garnish with herbs and parmesan, if using.

Fettucine Alfredo

Fettucine Alfredo is an indulgence, but we should all indulge ourselves once in a while, right? This can be made so quickly and made even more special with the addition of a few sautéed shrimp. So pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy!

2 oz. fettucine cooked according to package directions.  (Reserve a little of the pasta cooking liquid to thin sauce if needed)

1 T butter

1/3 c cream

I small clove garlic, minced

Fresh parsley

Pinch cayenne

3 T parmesan cheese

Combine butter and cream in small saucepan and add garlic, parsley and seasonings.  Simmer slowly for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese.  Toss with pasta and top with additional parsley.  If sauce is too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta cooking liquid to reach desired consistency.

Copyright 2017 Christy Johnson all rights reserved

Christy Johnson, is a native Texan, transplanted to a small rural town in south central Nebraska. Married and a mother of two wonderful daughters, her motto for life is “Bloom Where You Are Planted” She loves cooking, gardening, reading and rescuing animals in need. Their farm family currently includes 1 dog, ten cats, two Quaker parrots and 10 hens. And a happy family it is!