Flying Solo Without The Master

Today was my first big cooking day without my Mom's help. It was dicey to say the least and I made a vat of sauce for two simple helpings of ravioli. I have to get used to this  - cooking and life without her.

We were never one of those families who write down recipes. We figured if you've made it more than enough times, then it was engrained in your memory.It becomes a part of you. I had thought this but realized I was wrong. I do need our family recipes written down. Sadly, they all went with my Mom. I will never get the exact measurements for our Piedmontese stuffed cabbage rolls, pescoi That will have to be made from memory and what my brother can remember. As for the sauce, luckily there are recipes on the net that I can follow. The sauce was smooth, not rich however thanks to the inclusion of sugar. I use my own spin  dark honey in homemade sauces. As usual I panicked  simply because I sauteed the garlic too soon.it resulted in burnt cloves and popping oil. I also added way too much sauce which would have been perfect had I made two or three pounds of spaghetti.Instead it was only four helpings of ravioli.

For those of you who scoff at writing down family recipes, don't.. Write down everything, keep them on index cards. Staples still sells these. You can also type them up and print them out to create a family cookbook. (This is the perfect holiday and bridal shower gift). If you can include a picture of the dish do so. Write down exact measurements. A pinch of something for you is a dab for someone else  . Make sure the measurements are exact, from a 3/4 of a teaspoon to 1/8 of  a cup. Also make sure the ingredients are the exact same ones. You can't sub in cinnamon for coriander or use an oat flour for a white one. Variations can be included,especially if there are allergies running through the bloodlines.Also give credit where credit is due. My Mom's apple pie recipe was taken by a few in-laws and it became their signature dish, with their branches giving them the acclaim. If Nama made the nutmeg Snickerdoodles, add her name, with the first and last name, and possibly the date it was first made. Include any family history regarding it too,Stories get lost from generation to generation.

I'm flying solo these days. I hate it. I wish my Mom and I had written down our family recipes.I need exact measurements with exact ingredients.

Dinner For One

It's not easy being a single foodie. You don't have anyone to share that magnificent risotto with or split a hazelnut brownie. Some nights all you want to do is open a can of tuna and sit down by yourself. Don't despair. Dining for one can be fun. Just treat a meal alone as time to wind down and savor everything, including life.

Sometimes it's the surroundings that may make you fully aware of being by yourself. If that's the case then go out to a fancy restaurant , hide behind some glamorous shades and pretend you're an A-Lister. Another idea is pack all your favorite foods in to a hamper or cooler and have yourself a picnic in your favorite spot. It can be the beach or under a tree. Bring something really indulgent , whether it's gourmet potato chips or a designer root beer. Savor the time by yourself. Bring a book or magazine and just unwind.Take a brief snooze of you feel sleepy afterwards. It's time just meant for you and you alone.

If you're cooking for your lone self, then splurge every now and then. you don't have to eat just a bowl of cereal and milk or throw a Lean Cuisine special into the microwave. Grilling steak or chicken is easier than ever these days. You can also steam veggies and serve with a premade orange ginger sauce for a neat Chinese dinner.
Salads are easy and fun to make . There's all sorts of neat ingredients you can add and enjoy by yourself. French toast is easy to make any time and you can just had Cool Whip and sliced berries. A lot of groceries sell premade Belgian waffles that all you have to do is heat in the toaster and you can serve with anything - egg on top along with ham or just syrup and butter.

Just because you;re eating alone doesn't mean you can't have fun. Be creative with where you eat and what you eat. Sometimes you can be the best company in the world.

Orange Ginger sauce.

1 tablespoon freshly shaved ginger.

2-3tablespoons orange juice

1 small clove garlic minced

salt an d pepper.


Mix all ingredients together and pour on grilled chicken and steamed veggies.