Now that fall has arrived, I thought a nice warm meal sounded good. I love this time of the year when the mornings are cool and the afternoons are warm. The leaves are starting to turn and everything is crisp and clean. I bought some hot Italian sausage and will make some meatballs with it along with some freshly made marinara sauce and fall colored pasta. Cooking for one can be fun.

INGREDIENTS: 1pd sausage mild or hot, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1 egg, basil, garlic powder, oregano, garlic herb seasoning. MARINARA SAUCE: 1 can tomato sauce, 1/4 cup red wine, 1 tsp sugar, 3 cloves garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic herb seasoning, basil. Pasta of your choice. There are some pretty fall-colored ones available now.

DIRECTIONS: In a large bowl add the sausage, egg, bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese and sprinkle generously with the seasoning. Before getting your hands dirty, preheat the oven to 475 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Then mix everything together using your hands. Once all mixed in start forming meatballs. I made 12 meatballs out of the pound so three meatballs are a 1/4 pound serving. Place the meatballs in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes. While the meatballs are cooking, make your marinara sauce. Pour the tomato sauce into a large skillet. Add the red wine, and sugar and season generously. Press in the 3 cloves of garlic and let simmer. Start your pasta water and once it comes to a boil add the pasta and cook. Add 6 meatballs into the sauce and stir. Once the pasta is ready, add that to the skillet and stir. This was a really fun dish to make. I took the other 6 meatballs sealed 3 each in one pouch and froze them. This will make for a quick grab-and-cook meal for later. Cooking for one can be fun.

I love making these potatoes. They are quick and easy and clean-up is a breeze. They are really good on the barbecue because you get a smoky flavor from that, however, you can make them and throw them in the oven and cook at 400 degrees for 30 minutes and they turn out just as good. You can serve them with your favorite meat or fish or just enjoy them by themselves. Cooking for one can be fun.

INGREDIENTS: 1 small bag of petite medley potatoes, 1 shallot, 3 cloves garlic, rosemary, olive oil, pepper, and smoked paprika.

DIRECTIONS: Place the potatoes in a large bowl. If some potatoes are large, cute them in half. Slice the shallot. Mince the garlic and add both to the bowl. Add some olive oil, enough to coat the potatoes. Add the rosemary and pepper and paprika, salt if you like. Toss till everything is mixed. Take two large sheets of aluminum foil and crisscross them. Pour the potatoes onto the foil. Fold the aluminum foil over and seal. Take the other piece fold it over the other direction and seal. Place it on your grill on medium heat and cook for 25 minutes. Enjoy. Cooking for one can be fun.

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Recently I saw this YouTube video on cooking chicken breast using butter. It was a popup and I didn’t save it so I am sad that I can’t give credit to the person that gave me the idea to cook a chicken breast this special way. I know cooking in butter is fattening but this turned out so juicy and easy to make. I also used no-salt butter and salt-free Dash making this a low-sodium dish. I decided to make potatoes with it because I had a russet potato that I needed to make something out of. So I made a one-pan dish. Using the same pan for the potatoes and veggies gave them an extra flavor that turned out rich and delicious. Adding milk and sour cream made the potatoes nice and creamy. I had leftover potatoes so I cooked them up in the morning with some eggs. The chicken breast was very large so I got two meals out of this dish. Cooking for one can be fun.

INGREDIENTS: 1 organic chicken breast, 1 russet potato, 1/2 zucchini, 3 cloves garlic, 1 shallot, 6 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup milk, 2 tablespoons sour cream, chicken broth.

DIRECTIONS: Slice your chicken breast down the center but don’t cut all the way through. Then on each half of the chicken, slice again but not all the way through. Season with salt and pepper, I used salt-free Dash. Place 2 tablespoons of butter in the center. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large frying pan and add some sliced garlic. Place your chicken breast in the pan with the butter side up. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. While the chicken is cooking peel your potato and slice it into small pieces. Slice and quarter your half of zucchini. Slice one small shallot. Turn your chicken over and cook for another 5 minutes covered. Remove your chicken from the pan. Add 2 tablespoons butter and your sliced veggies. Cover the veggies with chicken broth and cook covered for 15 minutes. Add the milk and sour cream and stir. Cover and cook till the potatoes are soft about 10 more minutes but check after 5 minutes. Place your chicken back into the pan. Cover and heat for 5 minutes. Serve. Cooking for one can be fun.

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Sometimes you look for something quick and easy to make and this is what I did the other day. I had some artichoke hearts in a jar, Kalamata olives, and a jar of roasted red bell peppers. I also have some frozen shrimp in the freezer so I just put these all together with some pasta and made this dish in the same time it took to boil water and cook the pasta. Fresh shrimp is so much better than frozen, however, frozen is good to keep on hand for a quick meal. You can always go to your local fish market or the grocery store fish counter and buy 4-7 fresh shrimp to make this dish for one. Cooking for one can be fun.

Ingredients: A small amount of your favorite pasta, I used organic Nastri from Italy. 4-6 frozen shrimp, 1 lemon, 1 large piece of roasted red bell pepper, 6-7 Kalamata olives, 3 artichoke hearts, 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 shallot, 2 tablespoons butter, and parmesan cheese.

Directions: Start your pasta water. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Press the garlic into the butter. Chop 1/2 shallot and saute with the garlic in the butter. Add your pasta to the water once it comes to a boil. Chop up the roasted red bell pepper. Squeeze one lemon into your pan. Stir your pasta and make sure it is covered in the water. Cut in half the olives and add to your pan. Add a small ladle of pasta water to the mixture. Cut some fresh basil into the pan. Stir. Slice three artichoke hearts and add them to the pan. Cut the tails off your shrimp and heat them in the pan. Toss in the pasta and serve with parmesan cheese. Cooking for one can be fun.

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My daughter was telling me about making little tostada cups and filling them with whatever you want. I found these Keto-certified tortillas by Guerrero. They have zero net carbs and only 25 calories. They are 0 sugar and high in fiber and low in sodium. And they actually taste good. I bought the street taco size for making the taco cups. I had some leftover turkey taco meat so I added some eggs and cheese and hot pepper sauce and made up some really easy and delicious breakfast tostadas. You can eat them with your hands so they make them a really good-to-go food when you are in a hurry. Cooking for one can be fun.

Ingredients: 6 street taco tortillas, seasoned ground turkey, Cotija cheese, 2 eggs, a dollop of sour cream, hot pepper sauce

Directions: I used some ground turkey that was already cooked. If you need to start from scratch, cook up about 1/4 pd ground turkey meat with some taco seasoning. In a large bowl, place the eggs, turkey meat, Cotija cheese, dollop of sour cream, and hot pepper sauce to taste and scramble them all together till mixed thoroughly. Gently place the tortillas into the muffin tin and fold them so they form a nice cup. You do not have to oil the bottom of the muffin tins. Fill with the egg mixture. This made six cups for me. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until firm. The cups come out nice and crisp. Just grab and go. Cooking for one can be fun.

My dear friend Betty Pace makes this delicious red bell pepper jalapeno jam every year. She grows the peppers and puts her magic touch to make a delicious jam. I like using it on salmon but this time I made a marinade with it for some barbecue chicken. It was really simple and made the chicken so tender and juicy. You can find pepper jam at your local grocery store, however, Betty’s is the best. Cooking for one can be fun.

Ingredients: 1 organic chicken breast, one lemon, jalapeno pepper jam. Thyme, basil, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, lemon pepper.

Directions: Season both sides of your chicken breast with the seasoning. Squeeze lemon on top and spread the pepper jam on both sides. Cover and place in the fridge and let it marinate for an hour. When you are ready, heat your barbecue to medium. Reduce the heat to low and place your chicken breast on the grill. Cook slowly, turning every five minutes, and spread more of the marinade each time you turn. Once your chicken is cooked through serve it with your favorite side dish or a salad. Cooking for one can be fun.

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I thought I would be creative and make some cheesy rice with spinach, tomatoes, onions, and pesto. I also have the perfect piece of salmon for one that I had in the freezer. I buy the fresh salmon at Costco and then cut it into serving sizes then seal-a-meal them and freeze it. They are great to just pull out for a quick meal. The rice turned out great and had lots of flavor. I didn’t add any seasoning to it. The pesto and cheese added enough on its own. Cooking for one can be fun.

Ingredients: Salmon or chicken (whatever you have), 1/2 cup basmati rice, 6-7 cherry tomatoes, a handful of spinach, 1 slice onion, 1 clove garlic, 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese, 1 large spoonful of pesto

Directions: Pour a little over 1 cup water into a saucepan. Press in one clove of garlic. Chop one slice of white onion. Slice in half the cherry tomatoes. Chop your handful of spinach. Add all of these to your pan and bring it to a boil. While that is coming to a boil, squeeze 1/2 lemon on the salmon and a spoonful of jalapeno pepper jam on top. Once the water comes to a boil, add 1/2 cup rice and 3/4 cup shredded cheese, and a large spoonful of pesto. Stir and cover for 20 minutes. Start your barbecue for your salmon. Cook the salmon on medium for 15 minutes. Everything should be ready at the same time. This meal should take 30 minutes to prepare. Enjoy. Cooking for one can be fun.

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Potato salad is such a fun summer salad and you don’t have to make a large bowl. You can just make a small amount for yourself to enjoy. I used four red potatoes, however, two would make a smaller batch for one. You can also add celery and onion if you want to. Cooking for one can be fun.

Ingredients: 4 red potatoes, 2 hard-boiled eggs, pickles, mayonnaise, mustard. option to add celery and onion

Directions: Hard boil your 2 eggs then place them in an ice bath and put them in the refrigerator. I boil my eggs for 15 minutes, start to finish and they turn out perfect. Cut your potatoes into bite-size pieces and bring them to a boil in a small pot. Cook till soft. Drain your potatoes and let them cool. You can place the potatoes in a bowl and cool them in the fridge along with the eggs. Once they are cool add the potatoes to a bowl. Chop your two eggs and add them to the bowl. Chop some pickles, your choice of dill or sweet. Add them to the bowl. Sprinkle with garlic powder, black pepper, Bragg 24 herb and spices. Add 2 tablespoons mayo and 1 tablespoon mustard. Mix this all together. Let it set for an hour before serving. You can serve it with sausage, chicken, or salmon. Cooking for one can be fun.

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A few days ago I cooked up some tri-tip and even though it was a small piece I had some left over so I decided to make some tacos. They are so quick and easy. I like to keep on hand organic taco shells because it does make a quick meal and is so much better than fast food tacos. I heated up the tri-tip in a small frying pan with a little oil and it made the meat crisp like Mexican beef tacos. It only took about 10 minutes to heat up. They were really good and clean-up was a breeze. Cooking for one can be fun.

Ingredients: 3 slices tri-tip, 2 organic taco shells, Pico de Gallo, Mexican shredded cheese, sour cream, pepper sauce

Directions: Cut your tri-tip into small pieces. Heat in a frying pan with a little oil. While the meat is heating up, put some cheese in the bottom of the shells. I like Pepper Plant hot pepper sauce, the flavor is great and it is not really that hot, to me anyway. Fill your taco shells with the meat and top with sour cream and Pico de Gallo. Cooking for one can be fun.

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Tri-tip is a quick and easy meal to make. You should marinate it for a couple of hours before cooking. But once you are ready to cook it takes only 15-20 minutes for a small piece for one. I served this with red potatoes and a cucumber salad. Both are easy also. The cucumber salad you can make at the same time you are marinating the beef as the salad should marinate also. You can prep the potatoes and have them ready to put in the oven along with the tri-tip. I used the oven this time but this is also great on the barbecue. The rule for cooking tri-tip is to cook for 10-15 minutes per pound. Cooking for one can be fun.

Ingredients: 1 small piece tri-tip (1-2 pounds), 2 red potatoes, 1/2 cucumber, lemon. Seasoning: Classic steak seasoning, Bragg 24 herbs and spices, garlic powder, thyme, black pepper, parsley.

Directions: Season your tri-tip on both sides generously with Classic steak seasoning, Bragg 24 herbs and spices, garlic powder, and black pepper. Cover and place in the fridge for a few hours. While the meat is marinating, peel and slice your cucumber. Add them to a small bowl and squeeze one lemon and toss. Add some thyme, toss, and cover. Let the cucumbers marinate for a few hours too. Cut two red potatoes into quarters and add to a bowl. Pour a little olive oil over the potatoes to coat. Sprinkle with some garlic powder, parsley, and black pepper. Mix that all together. Place in a large piece of foil and wrap tightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan, once hot, place your tri-tip in the pan and sear for 4 minutes on each side. Then place the oven-proof pan into a 400-degree oven and roast for 10 minutes per pound. Make a donut out of foil and let the beef rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with the potatoes and cucumbers. Cooking for one can be fun.