"tableforone" news and stories

Savory bread pudding. Photo: Sarah LeTrent

Few of us want to make a complicated lasagna for solo dining -- by day six, you'll never want to see lasagna again! In this series, AOL Food staffer Sarah LeTrent taste-tests simple recipes suitable for a "table for one."

Bread pudding may be the darling of fall and winter dessert menus, but the casserole also has a reputation as being quite customizable. Sweet or savory? For brunch or for dinner? With meat or without? Bread pudding can be prepared in a myriad of ways and economically designed to help singletons use up stale bread and odds and ends in the fridge.

As a meatless main dish, it spotlights one of the most beloved vegetarian-friendly proteins of all time: the egg. Make it a meal with a side green salad.

This variation is an individual meal that's perfect for those pajama-and-fuzzy-slipper nights.

Turkey, Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onion Tart. Photo: Sarah LeTrent.

Few of us want to make a complicated lasagna for solo dining -- by day six, you'll never want to see lasagna again! In this series, AOL Food staffer Sarah LeTrent taste-tests simple recipes suitable for a "table for one."

Despite appearances, tarts are quite rudimentary to assemble. Plus they are a simple and elegant way to use up your leftovers. When I found my refrigerator stocked with a lone baked turkey breast, blue cheese and an onion, the endless versatility of tarts struck a cord of culinary inspiration.

Seems like caramelized onions and pungent cheese -- be it blue, Roquefort or gorgonzola -- have an affinity for one another in many recipes. This savory tart is no exception: The sweetness of the onions is absolutely ambrosial with tangy fromage bleu. And while turkey tends to be overlooked in months that don't end in "ember," it is used here as a protein-packed topping.

Recipe after the jump.

Roasted broccoli with shrimp. Photo: Sarah LeTrent

Few of us want to make a complicated lasagna for solo dining -- by day six, you'll never want to see lasagna again! In this series, AOL Food staffer Sarah LeTrent taste-tests simple recipes suitable for a "table for one."

Grilling out defines summer, but after a busy weekday, few people feel like manning the grill or huddling over a hot grill pan. In this recipe, the oven does all the dirty work for you.

Enter this often overlooked and underrated method of cooking: roasting.

Try this method for broccoli and shrimp. Roasting caramelizes the natural sugars and brings out both ingredients' natural sweetness.

Prosciutto, brie and fig preserves crepe. Photo: Sarah LeTrent

Few of us want to make a complicated lasagna for solo dining -- by day six, you'll never want to see lasagna again! In this series, AOL Food staffer Sarah LeTrent taste-tests simple recipes suitable for a "table for one."

As the last days of August draw near and summertime dwindles away, it's hard not to become a touch depressed. For many, this time of year means the end of vacation season and the renewal of daily routine of alarm clocks and venti, non-fat, extra hot lattes. But summer vacation doesn't need to be over -- not yet.

Crêpes, basically really thin French pancakes, are a delicious escape to France from the daily grind. That's the beauty of food: One bite can instantly transport you to a different time or place.

Grilled chicken sandwich. Photo: Sarah LeTrent

Few of us want to make a complicated lasagna for solo dining -- by day six, you'll never want to see lasagna again! In this series, AOL Food intern Sarah LeTrent taste-tests simple recipes suitable for a "table for one."

For singletons, it's pretty easy to throw together a sandwich at home. Simply consider the bread a canvas and whatever's on hand the paint. Nearly any combo could end up delicious in the hands of the trial and error gods.

As any good sandwich should, this one starts with quality bread (in this case a crusty Kaiser roll bought at the local market for a mere 79 cents.) The motivation behind the toppings were not only the existing contents of the fridge, but a recent trip to Mexico packed with plantains and pollo (chicken). If only we had a paleta around for dessert!

Recipe after the jump.