Dinner For One

rRyan was gone for the entire month of May....yes I was VERY lonely without him here.  After 5 years of cooking for two I was wondering how it would be to cook for just me.  I would not say that I enjoyed being home alone, but I did like the challenge of coming up with good meals for just me:)

1. Grilled chicken and Salad

This is a simple salad...but one of my new favorites!!  Just combine spinach leaves, blueberries, feta cheese and a fruit dressing (I used pomegrante vinegarette).

2.  Portabella Pizza

You can usually buy portabella mushrooms individually.  I pan grill them for about 2 min per side.  Preheat Broiler.  Place your favorite pizza toppings: sauce/pesto, basil, pepperoni, tomatoes and cheese.  Place in broiler until cheese gets a golden brown...mine took about 5 min.

3.  Chicken Delight.  I got this idea from a blog I read...so easy and versatile.

You can use chicken or fish.  Just preheat oven to 350.  Place chicken on a piece of foil.  I used sun dried tomato pesto, olives and white cheddar cheese.  Wrap it up in the foil and cook for about 25-30 minutes.  I have also made it with olive oil, lemon slices, zucchini, tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.  Like I said before this is very versatile.

4.  Sitr Fry.

I used the other half of the split chicken breast from the first meal.  To make sauce I just combine 1 tsp of cornstarch and soy sauce (wheat free of course).  For veggies I used broccoli rabe and red pepper.

5.  Stuffed Mushrooms

These are regular button mushrooms.  It is stuffed with sauted spinach, bread crumbs, the mushroom stems(chopped), juice of 1/4 lemon, 1 garlic clove and Parmesan cheese.  I place the stuffed mushrooms on a foil lined cookie sheet and drizzled it with olive oil.  I then baked them for 15 min at 350 in the oven.  These little guys go great with....

6.  Nutella panini.  Ok so this should not be a dinner....more like a dessert.  I made this one night when I had a salad and some veggies and hummus for dinner.  Around 7:30 I was starving....so I made this for dinner #2.

I use my special bread....most gluten free breads are awful ok, this brand is the best I have found.  I put Nutella on both sides of the bread, add sliced banana and olive oil on the outside.  I do not have a panini press so I just pan cook it and smush it down with a spatula.  This is pure heaven....

I got this idea from the crepes we got on our trip to Italy a few years ago.

7.  BALT open face sammie.  Just a BLT with avocado.  Refreshing and so yummy!

So no excuses next time you are fending for yourself for dinner.  Treat youself to a yummy home cooked meal:)