Around the Kitchen Table: What We Cook When We’re Eating Alone + 5-Book #Giveaway!

 

ANG POMPANO: I was thinking about the protagonist of my soon-to-be-released book, Diet of Death, Quincy Lazzaro. Quincy writes a hugely successful cooking column under protest, made worse by the fact that it runs under the name Betty Ann Green, while his real identity must remain hidden.

Quincy also has some questionable eating habits, like eating tuna straight from the can when he’s in a hurry (guilty) or mixing Coke and orange juice when there’s only a little of each left (guilty again).

And then there’s me. Even though I live in the land of good pizza, when I’m on my own I’ll warm a flatbread for 30 seconds in the microwave, spread it with tomato sauce, add some cheese or whatever toppings are around, anchovies included (I’m the only one who likes them here), plus oregano and a drizzle of olive oil, then pop it under the broiler for a minute or two. Not fancy, but it works. 

Which got me wondering: what do my fellow Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen bloggers cook when they’re eating alone and no one is watching?

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MADDIE DAY: I love this topic, Ang. It's not cooking, exactly, but one of my favorite solo dinners is as follows: I grate or slice some cheese (whatever's at hand, usually a sharp cheddar) onto a flour tortilla and put it in the toaster oven to melt. Add a dollop of salsa and a handful of lettuce, fold it over, and enjoy alone at the kitchen table with a glass of wine and a good book. Simple, tasty, and fast.

Another easy meal I'll do when alone is a plate of salad greens and whatever else is around. A hard-boiled egg? Sure. Half an avocado? Add it. Last week there was one handful left of my homemade Chex Mix - guess what makes a great crouton addition? Drizzle it all with olive oil and call it dinner.

 

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LESLIE KARST: My wife Robin isn't a fan of eggs for breakfast (unless it's a poached egg added as a garnish to something like a salad), so when she's gone, my go-to dish for dinner is creamy scrambled eggs and toast. Sometimes I'll add grated cheese or a little salsa (in which case I might eat the eggs with a tortilla), but truly, there is nothing like the perfect scrambled egg, unadulterated with anything but some butter, salt and pepper. And then I'll savor the meal as I work the crossword puzzle. Heaven. 

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PEG COCHRAN/MARGARET LOUDON:  I'm rarely alone for dinner but when I am, I make something that hubby doesn't particularly like.  Recently it was mussels in white wine sauce.  Or, I might whip up a batch of pasta.  Hubby likes pasta but doesn't want to eat it too often because "it's a carb."  Apparently, cookies, cake and candy don't count as carbs because he will happily eat those.  I could eat pasta every day with just about anything on it that's easy and simple like garlic and oil or a quick tomato sauce.  If I am feeling totally unmotivated and don't want to cook, crackers and cheese will suffice!  
 

 

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LUCY BURDETTE: John is a very good eater, so it's hard to find something he won't eat to have when alone. I thought I was going to be this recipe for sauteed dumplings in a chili crunch and fresh tomato sauce, but then he requested it the other night! One thing I used to eat when I was single was a can of El Paso tamales. Remember those, with a layer of disgusting orange fat around the edges? I would scrape that off, heat the tamales up and eat all of them!

MADDIE DAY: I have to jump in here and say, Lucy, that I grew up in Southern California with cans of tamales being just a staple of everyday life! My family has no ties to Mexico, but when you're blessed by growing up among immigrants, you crave a comfort tamale, whether it comes from a can, the high school cafeteria (which offered steamed tamales way better than canned), or these days, one frozen by Trader Joe's.

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KIM DAVIS:  Maybe because I cook so much for my family (including my granddaughters and their parents), and for blogging, and my book recipes, when I have the rare evening to myself and no obligation to provide a meal for anyone else, I want something simple and snack-y... which generally means a huge bowl of popcorn and a glass of crisp, white wine. I'm not a fan of microwave popcorn, and instead, like to use some avocado oil in a large pot with organic heirloom popping corn. Instead of butter, I season lightly with salt and grated parmesan cheese. My dog, Missy, loves it too! If I have several evenings to myself (when my husband travels), I will sometimes make simple nachos with bagged tortilla chips, canned black beans, and pre-grated cheese, and heated in the microwave (I know it would be better heated in an oven 😀) then topped with sour cream, salsa, and chunks of avocado. 

Of course there's dessert popcorn to consider. Our own Leslie Budewitz created the most decadent Jewel Bay Critter Crunch, which is by far the BEST caramel corn I've ever had! I featured her recipe on my blog in 2015 and it's still a favorite. When I make a batch, I keep some hoarded away just for myself to nibble on when alone because I don't want to share. 

Jewel Bay Critter Crunch

And, Ang, there is nothing wrong with eating tuna from the can when in a hurry! It's a go-to for me when I have three minutes for lunch before needing to dash out the door, lol.

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MOLLY MacRAE: Like Peg, I’m rarely home alone at mealtimes. We have a small, multigenerational household that works well for us. But it means that I can’t remember the last time I was alone in the house for a meal since 2018. At some point before 2018 there was an amazing convergence of potato chips in the cupboard, blue cheese in the refrigerator, and me on my own for supper. Remembering a friend’s description of chips with blue cheese that a restaurant up in her part of the state served, I indulged. What a treat! I probably had a sandwich, too, but who knows? More to the point, who cares? Those were the best potato chips ever.

And that reminds me—there’s a piece of leftover pizza in the fridge, right now, and the last of the stilton from Christmas Eve. It’s almost time for lunch, and the others will fend for themselves, so what do you think? I know what I think.

Best leftover pizza ever. 

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LESLIE BUDEWITZ: I'll admit, I had to think about this. It's not often that I'm home alone for dinner -- more likely to be the other way around, and Ang, Mr. Right would approve of your tuna habits. Some women would take the opportunity for a big bowl of popcorn -- Kim, good to hear I'm not the only one who doesn't care for microwave popcorn -- followed by a pint of ice cream. I'm all for whatever you love, but am pretty sure the carb-butter-sugar combo would make me feel lousy. Like Lucy, I've got a honey who's a pretty good eater so it's hard to make a meal of things he doesn't like -- although split pea soup with cornbread and a dose of cauliflower on the side would touch all his 'no, thanks' bases. (To be fair, when I decided to make cornbread despite knowing his thoughts, he loved it. Turns out what he didn't like was his mother's cornbread -- dry and taste-free, in his account, though she was otherwise an excellent cook.) 

So what would I eat? I spotted this photo from last spring while cleaning up my camera roll, a vegetable saute of red onions, asparagus, a handful of grape tomatoes, and the last few baby white potatoes. I've always got fresh herbs in pots on the deck (in winter, the survivors huddle by the back door, or when the Christmas tree is up, on the tub surround in our bathroom), and snipped in some tarragon, topping it off with a bit of goat cheese from a neighbor's goats. Added a glass of white wine. Voila! A lovely May evening home alone on the back deck! 

Clearly, leftovers and stray bits in the fridge are key. Lacking those, pasta with basil pesto -- and maybe a few shrimp. And just a little of that ice cream!

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VICKI DELANY: I'm obviously the outlier here. I live alone, so I almost always eat alone. That means I can have the same thing every day for a week, if I want. And I sometimes do. One quick meal I favour is to saute chicken breast with onions, mushrooms, peppers, chilli powder to wrap in a tortilla with sour cream and tomatoes. Yes, I might have that five nights in one week. One of the things I most love about being part of the MLK crew, is it gives me the incentive to occasionally try something new. To that end, I make dishes in the slow cooker or try a big casserole, something that I can put in the freezer for future meals. Otherwise, it might well be chicken tortillas every night of the week.  

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VM BURNS: Like Vicki, I'm single, so almost all of my meals involve me eating alone. It may sound lonely, but I don't mind. I cook what I want to eat. I don't have to worry about pleasing anyone else. If I want it, I cook it. Sometimes, I feel adventurous and like to pretend I'm Julia Childs and cook elaborate meals (I made prime rib for Christmas). But, I can only eat leftovers for so many days. I like meals that are versatile and work well as leftovers or that freeze well. IF I have to choose one favorite, then I'd go with Egg Roll in a Bowl. I will often serve with rice or Ramen noodles. I NEVER have leftovers for more than one day.

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CLEO COYLE: When I’m alone, these Mini Zuke Pizzas are high on my list of no fuss noshes. They make a wonderfully quick, low-carb, low-calorie snack. They're kid friendly, too. My Italian-born mom and aunt used to make them for me when I was a little girl. In fact, I'm pretty sure those two could have written a book on 101 things to do with squash! Click here or below for the easy recipe. Whether you're eating alone or with friends or family, we wish you buon appetito!

Click here to learn more about
Cleo's Mini Zuke Pizzas.

 

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Diet of Death by Ang Pompano

Bulletproof Barista by Cleo Coyle

Essentials of Death by Kim Davis

Murder Uncorked by Maddie Day

Murder From A to Z by V.M. Burns

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