Warm Beet Salad

A delicious and colorful winter salad.

Beets are low on calories, full of vitamins, remove toxins from the body and nourish the bloodstream.  So why aren't you eating more of them?  Well now, there is simply no excuse.





Ingredients:
1-3 Beets, depending on size and your appetite
Vinaigrette
Goat Cheese
Fresh Mint
Orange Wedges

Supplies:
Foil
Cutting Board
Knife
Toaster Oven

Directions:
Preheat toaster oven to 450 degrees.  Rinse beets and cut off tops.  Wrap in foil and cook in oven for 40 - 50 minutes, cooking until soft.  Remove from oven and let cool.

When cool enough to handle, peel skin off beets (watch out for perma-pink fingertips).  Slice beets and arrange on plate.

Peel orange and break into segments.  Add to top of beets.  Drizzle vinaigrette over the top of the beets.   Chop up fresh mint and sprinkle over the top of the salad, along with goat cheese.  Bon Apetit!


Warning:  Don't freak out if your pee turns red.  It's gonna happen.  Cuz beets are cool like dat.

The Best Company You'll Ever Have

"Light the candles and pour the red wine into your glass. Before you begin to eat, raise your glass in honor of yourself. The company is the best you'll ever have."  - Daniel Halpern, poet

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is the breakfast of champions - hearty and healthy. But it can easily be boring, so mix it up with any of the following toppings:

• Butter or Flax Seed Oil
• Brown Sugar or Maple Syrup
• Dried Cranberries (these are great for singles, because they store easily and last a long time)
• Sliced Almonds (great for adding protein, and like cranberries, I always keep some in my cupboard)
• Sliced Bananas
• Milk

Candida Modification: Skip the sugar and the milk. Try your oatmeal with butter, dried cranberries, bananas, sliced almonds and unsweetened soy milk

Blasphemy!

Blasphemy, I say!

Best Christmas Present Ever!

My grandmother hand made a sweetheart-neckline, fitted-waist, full skirt apron for me.  Complete with heart pocket.  It's reversible too!  You're the best, Grandma!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas
When I boarded a plane.
My luggage stuffed with warm sweaters,
boxed presents and candy canes.

The hostesses all sang
over the intercom with cheer,
As the children squirmed in their seats
And we flew over the Pier.

The flight was not long
And the ride not too bumpy.
And a few hours later,
We landed quite safely.

Through the terminal I rushed,
To be greeted by family.
And we whisked up my suitcase
And hopped in the Jimmy.

As we left the City,
the snow started to fall
Dusting the farm fields
Like powdered sugar over it all.

And the lights on the houses
Twinkled like sprinkles on cake
Or perhaps more like tinsel
reflecting the light of a fireplace.

And farther and farther
Into the country we drove.
Until finally now
Up to my aunt's house we pulled.

As my brother unloaded,
Into the new foyer I walked
And my mother she greeted me
And we kissed and we talked.

And she gave me a tour
And show'd where I'd be staying
And we smiled
As we saw the new baby sleeping.

But as we rounded the corner,
What to my wandering eye should appear?
But the most beautiful kitchen
I have seen all year.

I stopped in mid-sentence.
My breath taken away.
Absorbing the scene before me
I had nothing to say.

Granite countertops, wood floors
A gas stove with four burners.
An island, a dishwasher
An oven I've yearned for.

A full fridge, a freezer
Cabinets and barstools.
A pantry, high ceilings,
This kitchen was magical.

I ran my fingers over the counters.
I played with a dial.
I imagined warm pie in the oven
And  to myself, I smiled.

Yes, what I could cook
in a kitchen like this.
What utter joy,
What culinary bliss.

The pies and the roasts
The cookies, the batter
The soup and the mash
A roasted vegetable platter.

Hors d'oeuvres and omelets
Salad and dinner plates
The chocolates, the cocktails
Puffed pastry bakes

We'd eat until we were full
Then we'd eat again
And we would throw parties
Every now and again.

That night, as I was tucked
warmly in bed,
And Santa and his reindeer
flew overhead,

I dreamt of a kitchen
As big as my whole place
And I danced around on wood floors
in heels and lace.

And I mixed flour and sugar
and butter and egg
And visions of sugar cookies
danced in my head

And I wished upon Santa
That some day I would
Have a kitchen like this
To make such food.

Apple Cider-Acorn Squash Soup

Speaking of eating in-season.  This delicious winter soup uses acorn squash and in-season honeycrisp apples.  A small acorn squash produced two perfect single servings - one for dinner and one for lunch tomorrow.  (Also great for guests!)

Like any good soup, the  recipe is a little in-exact.  Just taste and alter to your liking and squash size.

Ingredients:
1 small acorn squash - the size of a large grapefruit
2 apples
1 cup vegetable broth
1 T butter
honey
cinnamon
nutmeg
allspice
salt and pepper

Supplies:
Toaster Oven and Baking Dish
Large Pot
Juicer (or just buy the apple juice/cider instead)
Hand Blender
Spoon

Directions:
Cut the acorn squash in half.  Spoon out seeds.  Place 1/2 tablespoon of butter in each half and drizzle with honey.

Roast the acorn squash in the toaster oven at 400 degrees.  Cooking time will vary based on your oven and squash size.  But 30 - 45 minutes is a good window.  Poke squash with fork and remove when soft.  Set aside to cool.

In the meantime, chop and juice the two apples.  Mine made about 12 ounces of juice.  Place apple juice in large pot and dash with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.  Bring to boil and reduce to simmer.  Cook for 5 - 10 minutes.

Add 1 cup vegetable broth and cook for a few more minutes.  Remove from heat. 

Drizzle any liquid butter and honey from the center of the squash into the pot, then scoop the squash out of its skin using a spoon.  Put squash in pot with juice/broth, throwing away the skin.

Using hand blender, puree squash into soup.  Add more broth as necessary for appropriate thickness.   Taste.  Add salt and pepper as desired.

Served Best With:  Fresh Bread

Candida Modification:  Lose the honey

Salmon Enchiladas

Intimate homes may only host intimate gatherings ... Here's a great recipe for dinner for 2.

Ingredients:
1 pound salmon
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 t chili powder
1 t cayenne
2 t diced green chilis
1 t minced garlic
1/8 t cumin
2 T minced white onions
4 tortillas
shredded mexican cheese
sour cream

Supplies:
Hot Plate + Large Pot + Small Pot
Toaster Oven + 9" Square Baking Dish

Directions:
Begin by preparing the salmon - you can boil, grill, barbeque, etc.  With the Spice Studio Setup, boiling seemed most practical.  When salmon is cooked, remove from heat and drain water.  Set aside to cool.

HOT PLATE TIP:  I like to heat the water up in the electrical kettle first before putting it in the pot, because the hot plate takes a while to get water boiling on its own.

In the meantime, mix the water, tomato paste, oil, seasonings and onions in a small pot.  Place on hot plate and cook on medium heat for several minutes until onions begin to soften.  Remove from heat.

Preheat the toaster oven to 350 degrees.

Place several spoonfuls of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and spread across the bottom.  Take a tortilla, spread the inside with a spoonful of enchilada sauce.  Fill with salmon and cheese.  Fold tortilla over and place in pan.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Top enchiladas with remaining sauce and desired amount of cheese.  Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until cheese is melted and edges of tortilla are slightly crisp.

Remove from oven.  Top with sour cream and serve.

RECIPE NOTE:  These enchiladas are fairly spicy.  Use less cayenne if you don't like them so spicy.  And for more spice, add additional cayenne or serve with pico pica hot sauce.

Best Served With:  Corona w/ Lime, Corn on the Cob, and/or Chips w/Salsa and Guacamole.

Special thanks to my beautiful dinner company who joined me for libations, satiation and good conversation last night.

Oh, Sweet Aero-Press ....

Prepare

Press

Pour

How I love thee, let me count the ways ...

* Compact
* Easy-To-Clean
* Perfect, single portions
* Makes the one of the best cups of coffee I have every had.  Seriously.

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What is an Aero-Press, you ask?  Well, somewhere in the mechanical spectrum between a bike pump and the french press falls the Aero-Press.  But more simply put, the Aero-Press is the single coffee lover's dream. 

---

How does it work?  It operates much like a French Press, but you push the water through the bottom of the chamber into your cup.

To get started, simply place a filter in the filter cap and screw on to the bottom of the chamber.  Add your coffee and add a small amount of hot water.  (An electric kettle works perfectly for heating up the water).  Stir for 10 seconds.  Then, place the plunger into the top of the chamber and slowly press down pushing the coffee through to your cup for approximately 20 - 30 seconds.

Viola! You are done. Clean up is easy.  Simply remove the filter cap, press the coffee grounds and filter into the trash by pushing the plunger the rest of the way through.  Rinse.

The Aero-Press makes espresso strength coffee.  You can add hot milk for a latte, or add more hot water for American Coffee (as I do).

---

Where can YOU get one?  Amazon carries it. I highly recommend it.  Throw out your percolator, people!

---

P.S.  h/t to Spice Reader and foodie in crime, intastella.  Thanks for the recommendation.

Monday Morning Baking Bonanza

Cranberry-Orange Scones for
my Office Mates

Sunday Morning Brunch: Almond Crusted French Toast

Only one piece of toast was dropped
during the taking of this photo

A new spin on traditional french toast - giving this breakfast favorite a little more flavor, texture and protein. 

Ingredients:
1 egg
splash half-n-half or milk
1 T vanilla yogurt (optional - or 1/4 t vanilla extract, also optional)
4 T sliced almonds
French Baguette
Butter
Powdered Sugar

Supplies:
Hot Plate + Pan
Hand Blender/Food Processor
2 shallow bowls
Whisk or fork

Directions:
Take 2T of almonds and place in food processor.  I use a hand blender with the food processor attachment.  Remove ground almonds from food processor and put in shallow bowl.  Add an additional 2T sliced (not ground) almonds.  Stir.

In a separate shallow bowl, beat together egg, milk and yogurt until smooth.

Heat pan on hot plate to medium temperature.  Add butter.  Cut baguette into slices and dip first in egg mixture, then in almonds.  Place in pan.  Cook for a couple minutes on both sides until lightly brown and egg is cooked.

Place on serving plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Top with your favorite topping - maple syrup, peanut butter and jam, fresh fruit, butter and powdered sugar, etc.

Best Served With:  Coffee or orange juice

Rules To Eat By: Eat In-Season Foods

Tired of pale tomatoes and unripe oranges?  Eating in-season means eating food when it's at its best.  In today's global market, we can get almost any food year-round, but why would you want to?

Rule #2:  Eat In-Season Foods

Why eat in-season foods:

1. In-season food is fresher and tastes better. 
   
   By definition, in-season food is food that is at its peak - either the time of year when it is harvested or when it has the most flavor.  Sure, we can import, refrigerate, freeze, can and farm out-of-season foods, but wouldn't you rather have the fresh, more flavorful meal?
   
   
2. Reduce your carbon footprint. 
   
   Instead of shipping your fruit in from South America with expensive refrigeration, try eating local and in-season foods - it reduces the energy needed to grow and transport your food.
    
3. Reconnect with nature and time. 
   
   Our bodies are naturally in tune with the seasons - it's why we crave cool, light meals in the summer and heavy, warm dishes in the fall and winter.  It's why we eat watermelon on the 4th of July and pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving.  By eating in-season, you can reconnect with nature, celebrate all the seasons have to offer and savor the passage of time.
   
   
4. Support the local economy. 
   
   Eating in-season goes hand in hand with eating local.  Buying in-season, local foods help support your local economy and ensures more of your money gets into the hands of the farmers rather than big business.
    
5. Save Money. 
   
   Buying out-of-season or imported foods come at a price.  Local, in-season foods don't have expensive transportation, handling or refrigeration costs.  In addition, they are generally abundant and therefore don't come at a premium cost.

How To Eat In Season:

1. Know what foods are in-season.
   
   Check out a local seasonal food guide to find out what food is in-season in your area.  Epicurious and the NRDC both have great seasonal food maps.
    
2. Visit Local Farmer's Markets. 
   
   Your local farmer's market will carry in-season produce.
    
3. Join a CSA. 
   
   Community-Supported Agriculture (also known as a CSA) is a membership you purchase to support local farms.  In exchange for a subscription, you generally receive a weekly box of in-season fruits and/or vegetables.  You can also find organic CSAs and it's a great way to try new foods that you might not normally buy.
   
   
4. Create your own seasonal recipes. 
   
   Create your own seasonal recipes by experimenting with in-season foods.  Bring them back from year to year to create your own traditions.

Kitchenette Confessions #1

The sink was too full with dishes, so I used the bath tub faucet to fill my Brita.  :/  I promise that when you come for dinner, I will only use the kitchen tap for your brita-filtered beverages.  Pinky-swear promise.

A Few Of My Favorite Things ...

Working in a kitchenette, the best gadgets come in small packages.  They are multi-purpose, easy-to-clean and compact.  Today's favorite thing:  my collapsible step stool.

Step

And Store

And now for a little Julie Andrews inspiration ...

Stemless wine glasses and heirloom tomatoes

Candlelit dinners and mashed potatoes

The aroma of freshly ground coffee beans

These are a few of my favorite things

Stainless steel blades and herbs from the garden

A bouquet on the table and fresh bread in the oven

Curry so spicy that it makes your mouth sing

These are a few of my favorite things

When the milk spills

When the trash stinks

When I"m feeling sad

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don't feel so bad

Mini Mushroom Quiche

Excuse the absence, Spicerettes and Spiceroids.  (Is it ok if I call you that?)

I'm back and in action - whisk in hand and hot pad ready.  A good friend and a good yoga class has inspired tonight's cooking frenzy.  And for your pleasure (or rather mine, because I'm the one eating it), a mini-dish for a mini-kitchen.  Tonight, the wonderful, the delicious, the bite-sized mushroom-cheese mini quiches.

Great for breakfast, great for lunch and great for dinner.  Feel free to mix up the recipe by using your favorite filling - ham, bell peppers, bacon, chives, leeks, you name it.

Ingredients:

The Post-Yoga Cooking Sessions

Quiche Pie Crust
1 1/4 cups flour (I used whole grain, but all purpose is good too)
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cold water

Quiche Filling
3/4 cup half n half
2 eggs
1/8 t salt
Shredded Gruyere and Swiss cheese (Trader Joe's has a great pre-shredded pack)
Parmesan cheese
Sliced Crimini Mushrooms

Supplies:
6-Muffin muffin tin
Mixing bowl (2 if you got them)
Cutting board
Knife
Fork

Whisk

Coffee cup

Toaster Oven
Hot Plate + pan

Directions:
Preheat toaster oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease muffin tin (I use spray olive oil - seems like a reasonable choice).

Blend flour and salt in mixing bowl.  Cut in shortening with pastry blender (or rather a knife and fork).  Add water and continue to mix with fork.  Use hands to blend into ball.

Place dough on lightly floured cutting board.  If you have a rolling pin, now would be a good time to use it.  However, I don't, so my two freshly washed hands did a sufficient, albeit probably lumpier, job.  Try and get it thin and even across the cutting board.

Use a large cup or small bowl to cut circles into the dough.  I used my favorite wide-mouthed coffee mug.  Remove circles and line muffin tin cups with dough.  When done, mix eggs, half-n-half and salt in a bowl.  Whisk well.

Heat up the hot plate and place a lightly greased pan on the burner.  When heated, lightly saute mushrooms.  Spoon mushrooms into muffin tins.  Top with shredded cheeses.  Then pour egg mixture into muffin tins to fill.

Place quiches in toaster oven and bake.  This will vary from oven to oven, but mine took about 15 - 18 minutes to thoroughly cook the egg and lightly brown the crust.

Remove from oven.  Let cool.  Consume.  Enjoy.  Clean up.

Served Best With:  Side Salad, Bacon, Orange Juice, Coffee

Candida Modification:  Forget about it.  Just make yourself some scrambled eggs.

Rules to Eat By: Eat Local

Cooking is not just about sustenance - it is also about philosophy.   What do we eat?  Where does our food come from?  What's in our food?   Who makes our food?  How does it affect the environment?  How does it affect our communities?   How does it affect our health?  How do we share the experience of eating?  How do we address issues of sustainability?

Like any good meal, good ideas are meant to be shared.  So join me for my first blog series - Rules to Eat By - and dish up your own suggestions in the comments to join the conversation.

Rule #1:  Eat Local

Why Eat Local:

1. Smaller Carbon Footprint
   
   The average fresh food item travels over 1,500 miles to get to our plate.  Eating local reduces the amount of gas-guzzling transportation to bring your food to you.
2. Supports Your Local Economy
   
   Local businesses are more likely to keep money in the community through creating local income, local jobs and paying local taxes.  Local businesses also are also more likely to use local services stimulating the local economy.
3. Local Food is Fresher
   
   Local food is allowed to ripen longer on the vine or tree.  Generally, local produce is sold within 24 hours of being harvested.
4. Puts us in touch with our environment and the seasons
   
   When you buy local, you buy in-season, putting yourself more in rhythm with Mother Nature's cycles.
5. Supports Living Wage for Farmers
   
   On average, farmers receive 20 cents per every dollar spent on produce.  The rest goes to packaging, transportation, processing, refrigeration, marketing and corporate profit.  Buying directly from local farmers, allows them to keep up to 90 cents or more for every dollar spent.
6. Support Family Farms
   
   When buying from a local farmer's market or farm stand, you are more likely to be supporting a family farm rather than an large-scale, agribusiness. Family farms generally grow with greater biodiversity and more sustainable practices.

How To Eat Locally:

1. Check out your local farmer's market or farm stands
2. Join a CSA (community supported agriculture) or local co-op
3. Buy from local grocers or co-ops committed to carrying locally-sourced foods
4. Support restaurants who use locally-sourced foods
5. Preserve in-season foods for use later in the year (can, dry, freeze)
6. Grow your own food in your backyard, windowsill or community garden plot

Check out the Eat Well Guide for local markets, stores, restaurants, and more that source locally in your community.

Baked Tomato Tilapia

As a single person cooking for one, the butcher and seafood section at your grocery store are your friends.  Fresh and in just the right portion, buy a single fillet or a single steak.  Here's a light dinner favorite.

Ingredients:
1 - 2 tilapia fillets
nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes, chopped (or other tomatoes)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoo red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/2 tablespoon lime juice
salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Supplies:
Toaster Oven
Baking Dish
Cutting Board + Knife

Directions:

Preheat the toaster oven to 400 degrees.

Spray baking dish with vegetable oil spray.

Arrange fillets flat in baking dish.

Mix remaining ingredients and spoon evenly over fillets.

Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until fish flakes easily.

Serve With:  Rice; Cooked Green Veggies; Salad; and/or White Wine

Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

Portobello Mushrooms are another great item that you can buy in single portions. This is one of my favorite dishes - meaty, filling and vegetarian. Enjoy!

Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

---

Ingredients:
1 Portobello Mushroom
1 Bell Pepper - Red or Orange are my favorite, but pick any color
Red Onion (optional)
Lettuce (optional)
Pesto (alternative: olive oil and vinegar OR garlic aioli)
Mini Baguette, Panini, or 2 slices of regular ol' bread

Supplies:
Cutting Board + Knife
Toaster Oven
Hot Plate + Pan + Spatula (optional for sautéing onions)

Directions:

Preheat Toaster Oven using Broiler setting. Once preheated, place bell pepper in oven close to broiler. Let pepper skin blacken. Now walk away and straighten up your apartment or put on the DVR or dance to some good tunes. In a toaster oven, roasting regrettably takes longer than a conventional oven - mine took about 20 minutes. Occassionally check in to rotate pepper until all sides are blackened.

Once the entire pepper is blackened, remove pepper from toaster oven. Place in plastic bag and tie closed. Place bag in fridge to cool.

In the meantime, place mushroom in oven (cap side down, gills up) to broil. While mushroom is cooking, chop onion. Turn on hot plate and heat small amount of olive oil in pan. Add onions and saute. When onions are soft, remove from pan.

Check on your mushroom. Poke with fork to see if done. Remove mushroom when soft. Set aside to cool.

Get pepper from fridge and remove from plastic bag. Peel skin off of pepper using knife or fingers. Cut the pepper open and remove seeds and stem. Cut into 1" strips.

Spread pesto or other dressing on bread. Layer grilled onions, lettuce, roasted bell pepper and mushroom.

Viola! Portobello Mushroom Sandwich.


Great Alone, But for a Larger Meal Consider Serving With: Garlic Mashed Potatoes; Salad; Chips; Potato Salad; Glass of Wine

Kitchenada: The Bachelorette Challenge

Kitchenada: (noun) the art of living without a kitchen; also, a fan of the kitchen or a kitchen aficionado.

Call me a Kitchenada or a Kitchenista. I ♥ cooking, baking, experimenting, tasting, entertaining and generally just eating food. Whatever possessed me to sign a lease on a place without a full kitchen is beyond me. But, oh, it has crown molding and a walk-in closet and the neighborhood is so cute ... a girl can be easily distracted, you know? So forgive the sinner - I mean, the lease signer - because by hook or by crook, this girl will cook!

So laid out plainly - here's my challenge:

• Cooking for 1 not 100: Smaller portions, personal size.
• Freezer-less: It's chilling but true. No cooking large batches and saving the rest for later.
• Crisp-tastrophe: The mini-fridge keeps a temperature more inconsistent than the last guy I dated, which is no good for fruits and veg and bachelorette's hearts.
• Toastmaster: Toast On, Toast Off. You can bake, you can broil, and mmmm ... you can toast. Pushing the limits of toaster oven gourmet.
• Oh Bummer, One Burner. Adventures in Hot Plating It.
• Counterspace Challenged: Approximately 800 square inches of glorious marble countertops -- half of which are taken up by my toaster oven and the other half which I keep managing to break glass items on.
• Not a Bare Cupboard, but Barely a Cupboard: Limited Cupboard Space = Limited Appliances + Limited Supplies.
• More for Less: Healthy, Fresh & On Budget because food may be important, but so are waist sizes and new shoes ...

So without further ado, welcome to my Adventures in Hot-Plate Toaster-Oven Cooking for One. if you've got tips or challenges or recipes or stories to share by all means leave them in the comments. Unless your a spammer - you're officially uninvited - I hate Spam of both the electronic and canned varieties.

Eggplant Parmesan

For all the talk about the birds and the bees, I still believe Mother Nature was a free spirit and a solo bird. Take eggs or peaches or avocados, for example - all perfect single portion foods. An eggplant is no exception. Here's a favorite dinner for one.

Eggplant Parmesan

---

Ingredients:
1 Eggplant (preferably American or Italian)
Salt
1 Egg
Splash of Milk
1 part Breadcrumbs
1 part Flour
Olive Oil
Parmesan
Tomato Sauce (fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano)

Supplies:
Cutting Board + Knife
Hot Plate + Pan + Spatula
Toaster Oven + pan or pie plate or other baking dish that fits
Hand Blender (optional - for tomato sauce)

Directions:

Cut the eggplant into slices and sprinkle with salt. Cover eggplant pieces with a cutting board or plate and put a weight on top (such as a can) and let eggplant sit for about 30 minutes to drain excess water.

In the meantime, prepare tomato sauce by pureeing 2-3 Roma tomatoes (or any other type of tomato will do), 1 clove of garlic and 2 large basil leaves using your Hand Blender. Add salt, pepper and dried oregano to taste. (Skip this step if you are using a pre-made pasta sauce, which is a great quick and easy alternative - or embellish this sauce using your own ingredients such as parmesan, mushrooms, thyme, shallots, etc.).

Pour half the tomato mixture to coat the bottom of the baking pan.

After approximately 30 minutes, remove weight and plate or board from eggplant and pat dry.  Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. Beat egg in a bowl with a splash of milk. On a plate or in a shallow pan, mix 1 part breadcrumbs with 1 part flour. Dip eggplant in egg then coat in breadcrumb mixture. Cook in pan until breadcrumbs on both sides are lightly brown.

Place eggplant in baking dish.  Once you have breaded/pan-cooked all the eggplant, pour the remaining tomato sauce over the eggplant.  Sprinkle generously with parmesan.  (You can also add other cheeses such as mozarella or asiago, as desired.)

Cook in toaster over at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.


Served Best With:  Salad; Glass of Wine; Garlic Bread

Candida Modification:  Lose the milk and cheese

Spice & The Single Girl - From the Beginning

8:00 pm. Tuesday night. Home.  Once again I stand here staring at my toaster oven with mixed emotions of contempt and gratitude.  I take a sip of wine as I check the timer.  Five minutes left on my eggplant parmesan.  Yes, I am cooking eggplant parmesan in a toaster oven - homemade, from-scratch, farmer's market eggplant parmesan.  This is part art + part science experiment + part necessity +  part curiosity.  This is Home Ec meets College Dorm meets Gordon Ramsey meets my life.

I am 28.  In my food life, I went from mother to dorm to domestic - only to find myself recently single and living in a bachelor apartment.  Bachelor apartment. As in one room, no kitchen.  Fully equipped with a microwave and a mini-fridge.

Up until a few months ago, I was cooking quiches and Sunday roasts and enchiladas and apple pies and homemade soup and scones - all in what now seems like a spacious 60 square-foot kitchen.  And now ... now ... well, now, I am staring a toaster oven, unplugging a hot plate, juggling counterspace and trying to figure out how the hell to cook for just one.

Don't get me wrong - I love to cook!  I love healthy, fresh, in-season food.  I love cooking for others and baking from scratch.  I love fresh vegetables and farmer's markets.  I love herbs and spices and everything nice-s.  I love trying to cook something new.  I love entertaining guests.  And I even love a good challenge.

And a challenge this is - this 25 x 41 inches of counterspace, this freezer-less minifridge, this cupboard-space challenged kitchenette, this cooking for one.  But I thought I must not be the only one - living in a Bahchelor apartment, trying to eat healthy and on a budget.  So to you solo chefs, you Bachelor-pad bakers, even you full-kitchen singles and you voyeurs along for the ride - I present to you:  Spice & the Single Girl:  Adventures in Hot-Plate-Toaster-Oven Cooking for One.  Bon Apetit!