Solo Meals

Married with a baby and haven’t been home alone my child’s entire life – prior to that, my husband worked late so while I was alone for dinner, I wasn’t cooking just for me since he ate when he got home.

I am nostalgic for the days of living alone, coming home from work and eating popcorn or cereal. Or making a nice meal just suited to my preferences (often vegetarian, featuring cheese or an artichoke!).

When I was in college, my return from winter break was rough and I treated myself to a Whole Foods shopping trip then made myself halibut and forbidden rice paired with a crisp white wine. Still one of my favorite meals of all time, eaten at my tiny kitchen counter with all three of my roommates out!

I’m trying a buffalo cauliflower “wings” recipe !

Italian here: strega nona means nothing put together like this. Strega = witch. Nona = ninth. Nonna strega would mean “witch grandma”. Maybe next time a dictionary could be used?

Since my husband left in 2018, every meal is solo. I cook for myself, but it gets a bit old eating leftovers of the same two recipes all week. I wish I had the metabolism to be able to indulge in pasta, bread and popcorn. 😉

I miss dinners alone!!! My favs:1) A small cheese and herb omelette with whatever greens are around. 2) A plate of cacio e pepe. 3) Roasted brussel sprouts with red pepper flakes and a ton of pamesagne.

My husband is a former chef and cooks almost every night so I shouldn’t complain, but sometimes I miss a simple dinner.

Being married with three children (10, 12 and 14) I am almost never home alone. So on the extremely rare occasions when it happens I take the time to make myself a really nice meal which is then usually followed by a film and lots of pick ‘n mix candy and chocolate.

Anyone can recommend a nice red wine with grilled cheese and tomatoes with olive oil…..would be greatly appreciated ladies

One of my favorite books: https://www.amazon.com/Alone-Kitchen-Eggplant-Confessions-Cooking/dp/1594483132/ref=asc_df_1594483132/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312139954763&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9933957176265793355&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009977&hvtargid=pla-592917699794&psc=1

100% Strega Nona here! Nothing like delish simple pasta alone with a good TV show (and hopefully a glass of wine) 🍷

When I was a teenager, my parents were divorced, my brother at college, so I was home by myself a lot. I used to eat steamed artichokes and a pomegranate for dinner. How strange was that?!?! Two of the hardest foods to eat, together!

Aw, I guess I am everything but elegant, lol! I feel like crackers, Boursin, and a cocktail needs to be on here, too.

Popcorn, yes! I make it on the stove mostly. So good!

Always popcorn.
I’m also a fan of crisp apples with peanut butter or cheese.
Also crackers, cream cheese and a spicy jelly on top.
Yum, yum, and done.

Avocado cilatro lime Triscuits, havarti cheese, glass of red wine. Heavenly!

This is fun timing. My husband was at a conference this week, so I made myself simple dinners. 7 minute egg on sourdough toast and an orange? Yes, please! Linguini tossed with butter and parmigiano reggiano and a little fresh squeezed lemon to top off? Sure! Baked potato w/ roasted broccoli and sharp white cheddar? Yep.

And lunches were open faced sourdough toast topped w/ peanut butter and apples.

Oh I relate so much to these, and have been each of these solo meal eaters at one time! Now that I’m married to someone who is lactose intolerant, my idea of a perfect solo meal when he’s away is “toast with veggies and melted cheese”, especially if it involves vegetables he doesn’t usually like. Make toast, saute a veggie (portobello mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini, brussel sprouts are the ones I don’t get regularly) and add mozzarella cheese. Perfect!

oooh my favorite solo meal is a DOUBLE LAYER quesadilla with refried beans and chicken in between the layers of cheese. with a gross amount of sour cream on the side, and RHONJ on the tv. every time my husband travels for work, i make this for myself after my kiddos are in bed. i’m not sure why – he’d happily eat it with me, too. but it’s something i’ve done for the past 12 years when he’s traveled and i so look forward to it!

I’ve been eating blue corn chips (they taste better!) and homemade quac and salsa for the past 3 nights! lol

Angel hair and jarred vodka sauce with a butt ton of freshly grated Parm is my favorite solo meal.

My fave: leftover rice with enough salt, on a plate with good quality pickled things like olives, spicy pickled green beans, pickled carrots, preserved beans like fava or lupini.

Meat! We’re 90% meatless here, with a veg husband and picky tots. When it’s just me I channel my 80s upbringing and make one of my mom’s classic meat recipes.

popcorn! with a little extra butter since it’s the main course.

In my mind it would be the Elegancia but reality is always the Strega Nona

Definitely the Strega Nona…followed by the popcorn and chocolate for dessert.

during the fall and winter of 2020, my Friday evening ritual was to have “snacks for dinner” and read a book. Eating a cheese plate, or popcorn & grapes, maybe having a glass of wine, helped ease the loneliness of those months. It was somehow celebratory. I often read a novel (usually a romance) and took a bath.

I remember thinking, “Maybe I will always be this alone on Fridays” and feeling okay with it.