A friend of mine recently said she didn’t like going to summer markets and farm stands because she was tempted to buy everything there and there was no one home to eat it all. 

There are times in everyone’s lives when you need to know how to cook for one. Maybe the family is off on an adventure and you had to stay home for work. Maybe you decide to “hibernate” a bit from the world and there’s just you at home. Or maybe you find yourself single after years of being part of a couple or a family.

However it happens, you don’t have to resort to froze dinners or eating out every night. You can liberate yourself and create some super meals for one. You can have fresh veggies, a sumptuous dish and flavor to boot. All it takes is a little ingenuity—and the understanding that you are worth the effort at least once in a while.

First, don’t eschew the possibilities at the farmer’s market or a farm stand. 

Just because they package and price things in bunches doesn’t mean they won’t sell you one tomato, one squash or even a small head of lettuce. Pick out what you are craving, just do it in quantities of one or two. 

Second, buy fresh herbs—a bunch of fresh basil can make for a great pesto you can use for several meals or different purposes, and fresh herbs scattered over a dish can liven up the flavors immensely. 

Finally, learn to measure portions for one. If you want pasta, just remember to measure the portions so you aren’t eating the same thing for days. You can even make lasagna for one by using the no-boil leaves and making a small lasagna in a single serving casserole. Fish, chicken, even veal and beef come in single serving sizes or you can ask your butcher for a single portion. 

Tonight, think about making yourself a summer pasta for one. Set the table with real china, light a candle and pour your beverage into a stemmed glass. Add a little classical music. Then, head to the kitchen and spend 15 minutes making a bountiful bowl of penne with fresh vegetables. 

Here’s the recipe: 

Summer Pasta for One

(The key to this dish is to assemble all your ingredients before you start, or at least while the pasta is boiling. You can also expand this recipe to fit more folks—just add more pasta, veggies and a bit more cream. If you have leftover chicken or fish, you can add that in, too.)

3/ 4 cup of penne—I used brown rice pasta, but you can pick your own favorite
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. butter
1 /4 cup sweet onion, minced
3 mushrooms, sliced
1 /2 medium zucchini, sliced thinly
1 clove garlic, minced
1 /2 ripe tomato, chopped
1 small bunch fresh basil leaves, chopped to make about 2-3 Tbs.
1 /4 cup heavy cream, chicken stock or white wine
1 /4 cup freshly grated hard cheese (Parmesan, Asiago or some other favorite)
Salt and pepper

Using a medium saucepan, boil the pasta in heavily salted water until it is al dente, or nearly cooked through. Drain the pasta and toss it in a heatproof bowl with a drizzle of olive oil. In the same saucepan, heat the rest of the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook it until it is translucent.  Add the mushrooms and cook them until they are golden. Add the zucchini, garlic and tomato and cook them, stirring until just combined and heated through. Add the cream and half the basil and stir it until the basil is distributed evenly through the vegetables. Add the pasta back into the pot, stir it all together and then stir in the cheese. Cook until the pasta is coated with the cream and the whole dish is hot.  Serve it in a pasta bowl with the leftover basil as garnish. 

Enjoy!

Follow Barb Ford on Facebook at Easy Way Gourmet.