Showing posts with label cooking for one. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooking for one. Show all posts
There are loads of pumpkin pie recipes out there, but very few which are sized just for one! I found one the other day on a blog called One Dish Kitchen and I was very keen to try it for myself.
It looked delicious, and I happened to have pumpkin leftover from when I baked the spiced chocolate pumpkin cake recipe last weekend. I wanted to use some of that up. I froze the rest.
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Pumpkin is one of those things which actually freezes very well. I divide it into small plastic tubs and pop 1 cup of pumpkin puree into each one. Tightly sealed they will keep for quite a while in the freezer.
You never know when you will need a cup of pumpkin. Its great for in soups, casseroles and bakes. When you live all by yourself as I do, you need to be quite practical when it comes to things like this. I hate waste and my freezer is my best friend.
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The idea of a pumpkin pie sized just for one really appealed to me. I quite like pumpkin pie but would struggle to eat a whole pie all by myself.
When I was a child pumpkin pie was my least favorite of all the pies, although I used to eat it anyways. Because it was, well, pie. And beggars can't be choosers!
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When it came to dessert at Thanksgiving every year, it was always Pumpkin Pie. That was it, so if you wanted dessert, you ate pumpkin pie. I ate it begrudgingly because it was dessert and it was pie.
Happily, as an adult, I have come to really enjoy pumpkin pie. It all started in the UK when I couldn't get tinned pumpkin. You never really know what you are going to miss until you can't get it anymore.
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I remember being so excited when I discovered tinned pumpkin in the grocery store over there one day. I quickly snapped about 6 tins of it, and lived happily ever after, lol.
My boss at the manor used to bring back tinned pumpkin whenever she went to America on business or holidays. They always had pumpkin soup for Thanksgiving and the key ingredient that was used for that was tinned pumpkin.
My first Thanksgiving in the UK I wanted to make a Thanksgiving dinner for the missionaries and I ended up making them a sweet potato pie because I couldn't get pumpkin.
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Anyways I was really keen to make this pie. I adapted it to use both North American and British ingredient measurements. I weighed it all out as I was making it.
It worked out perfectly. I did add some vanilla extract to the filling because for me, a pumpkin pie should always have vanilla.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE PUMPKIN PIE FOR ONE
The usual suspects, with the exception of the crust. This one has a graham cracker crust instead of a pastry crust.
For the crust:
- 1/4 up (35g) graham cracker crumbs (can also use digestive biscuit crumbs or gingersnap crumbs)
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 TBS butter, melted
For the filling:
- 3 TBS granulated sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large free-range egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup (70g) tinned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) cream
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It is recommended that you use a 10-ounce ramekin to make this pie. It should measure 4 inches in diameter. The size of the dish you use really matters.
Too small and the pie will be too deep and will take much longer to cook. Too large and the pie will be too thin and cook quicker. Neither of which is ideal.
This is the perfect size for this particular pie. I used a 4-inch round cake tin that I got on Amazon. It actually comes in a set of two and is perfect for making smaller sized layer cakes.
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HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN PIE FOR ONE
Its really simple actually. Starting off with the proper sized dish is the main thing, and the rest is relatively easy to do.
Preheat the oven to 350*C/180*C/ gas mark 4. You will need a 10 ounce ramekin 4-inches in diameter, or a small 4-inch wide, deep cake tin. Spray with some nonstick cooking spray.
Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter for the crust in a small bowl. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the baking ramekin/tin firmly.
Bake for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the filling.
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For the filling mix together the sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small bowl.
Add the pumpkin puree to the beaten egg along with the sugar/spice mixture. Beat together well.
Whisk in the cream and vanilla.
Pour the pie filling over top of the baked crust.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until set. A knife inserted near the center should come out clean.
Cool completely on a wire rack. Top with whipped cream to serve.
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And that's it in a nutshell! It was really delicious and I am quite happy adding this to my repertoire of recipes for one or two.
Its a very generous pie actually. If you are small eaters I actually think it would feed two people. In any case it is very tasty, especially with some squirty cream on top!
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Some other small sized desserts you might enjoy are:
DEEP DISH CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE FOR ONE - This decadent dessert is so dangerous that you might even want to share it rather than eat it all on your own. Crispy edged and gooey centered. This is best eaten warm and I have a personal preference for vanilla ice cream with this, rather than anything else.
MEXICAN CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKES - This delicious dessert sports the Mexican flavor addition of ground cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne for a tiny bit of heat. Gooey centered, it is xcellent served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Recipe makes two single servings.
Pumpkin Pie for One
Yield: 1
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 50 MinTotal time: 1 Hour
Everything you come to expect in a traditional full sized pumpkin pie in a rich and delicious single serving pie for one.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1/4 up (35g) graham cracker crumbs (can also use digestive biscuit crumbs or gingersnap crumbs)
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 TBS butter, melted
For the filling:
- 3 TBS granulated sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large free-range egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup (70g) tinned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*C/180*C/ gas mark 4. You will need a 10 ounce ramekin 4-inches in diameter, or a small 4-inch wide, deep cake tin. Spray with some nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter for the crust in a small bowl. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the baking ramekin/tin firmly.
- Bake for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the filling.
- For the filling mix together the sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small bowl.
- Add the pumpkin puree to the beaten egg along with the sugar/spice mixture. Beat together well. Whisk in the cream and vanilla.
- Pour the pie filling over top of the baked crust.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until set. A knife inserted near the center should come out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Top with whipped cream to serve.
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Any of us who are keen cooks will recognize that our journey as a cook goes through several evolutions. I began my journey as a young girl with a few tentative opportunities in my mother's kitchen.
Not a lot then as mom was not a cook who tolerated children in the kitchen. I was mostly relegated to stirring. This gradually led to being allowed to help peel vegetables.
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As a Brownie and a Girl Guide, I cooked to earn merit badges. This also afforded me the opportunity to "practice" things in my mother's kitchen. Making pudding, peeling vegetables, simple things really.
When I got to grade 8 at school I was finally allowed to take Home Economics. By that time my mother had gone back to work and I was already getting supper ready at home, but at that point it was mostly reheating things my mother had prepared ahead of time.
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As I got more proficient my mother actually let me cook a few things, but not many as she had a very strict food budget and manner in which she wanted things to go, but I was allowed to make gravy and spaghetti and things like that.
One of my first jobs was as the pastry chef at a hotel here in Nova Scotia. I was responsible for all of the appetizers, first courses and desserts. I love LOVED that job! It didn't really require a lot of skill really. There was a baker who came in and baked the cakes. I had to assemble them, etc. and of course put them out for service.
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As a young Bride my skills evolved even further and I went to cooking for two to eventually cooking for a family of seven as well as their friends and our extended family members. Suffice it to say I really enjoyed those years.
I have always had a reputation as being a great and a competent cook. People have always enjoyed sitting at my table.
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Once my children grew up and I moved over to the UK I trained as a chef, which was something I always wanted to do. I then worked as a personal chef for many years prior to retiring. I went from cooking silver service dinner parties for 25 people down to cooking for two people again.
And now, after a further transition two years ago, and except for very occasionally, I now cook for mainly for one. I have to say cooking for one has been the most difficult transition. Especially as I am a person who loves food and who loves to cook! Another learning curve!
This recipe I am sharing today is for a delicious moist and well flavored chicken breast which marinades for a time in a delicious tenderizing marinade and then is simply roasted to perfection in a moderate oven. As simple as it is this marinated lemon garlic chicken breast is truly delicious!
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN FOR ONE
Not a lot really. Make sure you get yourself the best chicken that you can afford. Free range if possible and anti-biotics free.
- 1 fat clove garlic, peeled and chopped
- 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast
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I kept my garlic fairly chunky for this. I was lucky enough to have some fresh local garlic to use in this recipe and I really wanted to taste it.
Italian seasoning is a seasoning blend of a variety of herbs, notably marjoram, rosemary, thyme, basil and oregano. Sometimes a few other things are added. You can easily make your own. I have an extensive list of make your own herb blends here.
I really like making my own as then I know how old the herbs are that I have used and exactly what is in each blend.
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HOW TO MAKE LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN FOR ONE
Nothing really could be easier and if you stick to my timings and instructions you can be assured of perfectly cooked, tender and moist chicken each and every time.
Whisk the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper together in a bowl.
Prick the chicken all over with a fork and then add it to the bowl, turning to coat it in the marinade, and pushing it down to cover. Seal with some plastic cling film and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 20 minutes. (Pricking the chicken really helps to get the flavors of the marinade into the chicken.)
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Line a small baking sheet with some aluminum foil and butter the foil. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place onto the baking sheet. (I like to spoon some of the marinade over top, especially the garlic bits.)
Roast in the oven for 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. (Chicken temperature will read 165*F/74*C.)
Remove from the oven and tent with a piece of foil. Leave to rest for 10 minutes. Serve hot with rice or orzo and your favorite vegetable or a salad on the side.
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I served mine with some hot buttered orzo and a microwave steamed cob of sweet local corn. (I am enjoying that corn as long as I can!) This was really delicious!
It would go well with any kind of pasta or rice, or even potatoes. I really hope that you will be inspired to want to give it a go! Tender and juicy delicious!
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If you are in the same situation as myself and cooking for only one or two people you might also enjoy the following recipes. Smaller families deserve to eat well also! And from scratch too!
LAMB WITH LEMON, MINT & POTATOES - Tender lamb chops, perfectly seasoned and then pan-grilled to perfection along with some crushed new potatoes. A most delicious combination!
CLASSIC POT ROAST FOR TWO - All of the delicious flavors of a full sized pot roast without all the leftovers. There is nothing much more satisfying than a fall-apart tender meaty pot roast to feed the soul and tummy on a cool autumnal day. This scaled down version of an old family favourite delivers on all levels!
GARLIC BUTTER SALMON & BROCCOLI FOR TWO - Salmon and broccoli are perfect partners. So are salmon and garlic! Put the three together and you have a really delicious entrée that everyone will love. It is perfectly sized for two but you can very easily multiply the amounts to serve more!
Lemon Garlic Chicken for One
Yield: One
Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 50 Min
Tender, juicy and filled with flavor. This is an excellent dinner for one which cooks in less than half an hour. Serve with rice or hot buttered orzo. A vegetable or salad on the side is very nice. Plan ahead as the chicken need to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 fat clove garlic, peeled and chopped
- 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast
Instructions
- Whisk the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper together in a bowl.
- Prick the chicken all over with a fork and then add it to the bowl, turning to coat it in the marinade, and pushing it down to cover. Seal with some plastic cling film and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4.
- Line a small baking sheet with some aluminum foil and butter the foil. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place onto the baking sheet. (I like to spoon some of the marinade over top, especially the garlic bits.)
- Roast in the oven for 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. (Chicken temperature will read 165*F/74*C)
- Remove from the oven and tent with a piece of foil. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve hot with rice or orzo and your favorite vegetable or a salad on the side.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
I am a person who is a huge fan of the hot sandwich. Well, in all honesty, I am a fan of any kind of sandwich really, but a hot sandwich gets my taste buds tingling in a really special way.
Especially when you start talking about hot ham and cheese sandwiches in foil. I always used to enjoy making Heavenly Ham & Cheese Hots for the missionaries when they came over to eat. But it is a hot sandwich for a crowd, and I am no longer a crowd.
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I really am a fan of the hot sandwich and actually the sandwich altogether. Some of my favorites are:
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
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But why shouldn't single people be able to enjoy the same types of foods as families or crowds? Why indeed! I have been on a quest over these past months to small batch some of my favorite eats for the smaller family.
This hot ham sandwich recipe I am sharing with you today is sized perfectly for one, although if you are more than one, you can certainly multiply it to feed as many people as you like, or even check out the recipe link I dropped above which makes 12 sliders.
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This version is slightly different in that it uses a nice fresh Kaiser roll. Today I chose poppy seed. It also included sweet caramelized onions and crisp slices of smoky bacon.
This is the full deal! And yes, incredibly delicious!
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I do not want to fall into the rut of eating frozen dinners or simply grazing, or eating out just because there is just me in the house. I shouldn't have to wait until I have people invited over to cook a nice meal.
There is no reason on earth why a singleton shouldn't eat as well as a family eats.
This is my quest at any rate and I am sure that there are many of you out there who have the same challenge, which is to cook decent, delicious meals for one or two.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE HOT HAM & CHEESE SANDWHICH
with bacon and caramelized onions
I have managed to downsize the original and make it even tastier with a few special additions.
- 2 slices of bacon, fried until crisp (or as you desire)
- 1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- pinch sugar
- 2 TBS butter, divided
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 fresh Kaiser roll
- 4 slices deli ham
- 2 slices deli swiss cheese
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I am often able to buy bacon marked down because it is at its sell by date. I will usually pick up two packages. One package I will cook the whole thing. I then it into an airtight container with wax paper between the layers and freeze it, ready to take out when I have a need or a use for it.
This is much cheaper than buying the already cooked bacon in the shops, which is expensive and incredibly thinly sliced!
The other package I will open up, roll each slice up tightly and pop them all into an air tight zip lock baggie in a single layer, ready to take out one or two slices as and when I need it. It also chops incredibly well when frozen in the way for recipes that require your bacon to be chopped. I chop it while its still frozen!
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The only faffy bit about this is caramelizing the onion. I suppose if you wanted to and were thinking straight, you could slice up a whole lot of onions and caramelize them, and then freeze them in small containers for later use.
Or, if it was available to you, you could use a caramelized onion chutney. Now that would be especially good. I miss all the different chutneys that were available in the UK. There are not a lot on offer here in Canada, although I suppose I could make my own.
I actually have plans to make a mango chutney next time mangos are on offer. I love mango chutney. Its one of the first things we learned how to make in Culinary College.
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HOW TO MAKE HOT HAM & CHEESE SANDWICH
with bacon & caramelized onions
These really are very easy to make. Probably the most time consuming part is the caramelizing of the onions. If you are not keen you can always leave them out, but I highly recommend you do make them as they really add to the deliciousness of this tasty sandwich!
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4.
While the oven is preheating, melt half the butter in a small skillet. Once it begins to foam add the sliced onions and a pinch of sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have begun to caramelize.
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Melt the remaining butter in a small dish in the microwave. Whisk in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Have ready a large square of aluminum foil.
Cut your bun in half through the middle, horizontally. Brush both sides of the bottom half of the bun with some of the butter/mustard mixture.
Layer as follows. ham, cheese, onions, bacon.
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Brush both sides of the top half of the bun with the butter/mustard mixture. Place on top of the sandwich, cut side down.
Place into the middle of the square of foil. Bring all of the sides of the foil up to cover the bun completely and twist to close.
Place onto a small baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sandwich is heated through and the cheese has melted.
Enjoy it while its hot.
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This really is a delicious sandwich. I love the combination of salty and sweet. The saltiness of the bacon and the ham, the sweetness of the caramelized onions and the swiss cheese.
If you wanted to you could use honey mustard Dijon instead of plain Dijon. That would also be incredibly tasty!
You need only add some crisp vegetable sticks on the side and you have a really decent meal. Hearty and delicious and very easy to make!
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ITALIAN BAKED SANDWICH -These are so delicious and easy to make. You can make one large one, or small individuals. Tasty either way you do it! With mayonnaise, mustard, layers of Italian cold cuts and cheese. All baked together in a toasty bun. Yummilicious!
ULTIMATE MEATLOAF SANDWICH - Not just any old meatloaf sandwich but a delicious combination of slices of leftover meatloaf, browned in a skillet and tucked between slices of crusty bread with lettuce, cheese and homemade onion rings. Delicious!
BBQ CHICKEN SANDWICH - Leftover cooked chicken, heated up in some BBQ sauce and piled between layers of toasty bun with some crisp, cool and creamy coleslaw. Fabulously tasty!
Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwich with Bacon & Caramelized Onions
Yield: 1 sandwich
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 40 Min
Quantities are for one delicious sandwich, but can be easily multiplied to feed more!
Ingredients
For one sandwich:
- 2 slices of bacon, fried until crisp (or as you desire)
- 1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- pinch sugar
- 2 TBS butter, divided
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 fresh Kaiser roll
- 4 slices deli ham
- 2 slices deli swiss cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4.
- While the oven is preheating, melt half the butter in a small skillet. Once it begins to foam add the sliced onions and a pinch of sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have begun to caramelize.
- Melt the remaining butter in a small dish in the microwave. Whisk in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
- Have ready a large square of aluminum foil.
- Cut your bun in half through the middle. Brush both sides of the bottom half of the bun with some of the butter/mustard mixture.
- Layer as follows. ham, cheese, onions, bacon.
- Brush both sides of the top half of the bun with the butter/mustard mixture. Place on top of the sandwich, cut side down.
- Place into the middle of the square of foil. Bring all of the sides of the foil up to cover the bun completely and twist to close.
- Place onto a small baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sandwich is heated through and the cheese has melted.
- Enjoy it while its hot.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
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