Cooking solo: Me, myself, and yum!

They're gone for the weekend, so I've brushed aside a tear and rushed to the store for a hunk of blue cheese and a bag of onions.

In general, those left behind are expected to sorrow over loved ones leaving on a short holiday. But time alone at home is a gift to cooking martyrs.

Day in and day out, we considerately do not serve food that our family members dislike or are unable to eat. In my home, this would also include mushrooms, lima beans, brussels sprouts, tofu, beets, very spicy green curry, and breakfast for dinner - all of which I love.

Am I a downtrodden home cook who did not thoroughly food-screen her intended husband and so must make do without onions, a chief building block of flavor, just because they make him sick? Do I subjugate my passion for blue cheese because my daughter and husband can't stand its smell or taste?

Yes, I say, simultaneously ashamed and proud.

Furthermore, this is a reality shared by many meal-meisters whose definition of love includes sacrificing some food passions for the greater good.

Even if every member of a family is a relatively eclectic eater, there are bound to be food likes, dislikes, or allergies that circumscribe a cook's freedom. Logic might dictate that the person who primarily controls the kitchen could rightfully declare a dictatorship and send out whatever she wants. (You know, like when we were single, childless, and could eat only popcorn for dinner without worrying about being a bad role model.)

But, no. We endlessly sacrifice!

Doing so in my family is a bit of a tradition - but in reverse.

My mother expected all of us to eat what we were served and did not tailor her meals to anyone's particular tastes. She also heroically fried eggs regularly even though she is allergic to them and their smell made her sick.

But most of us these days are not as altruistic.

If we cooked to our own tastes every night, it would mean that we, or someone, would have to whip up other acceptable dishes in order to sit down for those amiable family dinners that are supposedly so important to the fabric of society.

So rather than rock the boat or play short-order cook (with the attendant excessive dirty pots and pans), we whip up meals of consensus.

Then, when our beloveds pile into the car and the taillights disappear into the sunset for a few days, we are relieved of dispensing kindness, generosity, and thoughtfulness - culinary and otherwise.

We are home alone, permitting days to progress as they may, watching stupid television at any time, attending two yoga classes in one day, and not having to drive anyone but ourselves anywhere.

In between, I, for one, saute chopped brussels sprouts and top them with blue cheese and bacon. I may caramelize an entire bag of chopped onions in butter, add a splash of Pernod or rosemary, and eat it with toast points or on a crisp pizza shell. I make a salad that incorporates bacon, mayonnaise, avocado, eggs, and blue cheese, and it is all the more enjoyable because no one is around to curl his upper lip or say "yuck" and run from the room.

Sometimes I concoct what my husband and daughter call "cat food" by squeezing the liquid from a can of tuna and dressing it with a little unsweetened coconut, lime juice, diced shallots, a bit of sugar, and a tablespoon or two of roasted ground rice. (This is my version of a Cambodian salad I remember from a California restaurant.)

And what is more glorious than sitting with the Sunday newspapers eating tofu squares dressed in hoisin and scattered with green onions, or pizza made from portobello mushrooms?

I'll be having a wonderful time, so not wishing their palates were here.

Makes 4-5 servings

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1 pound (7 to 8) small redskin potatoes

2 generous tablespoons mayonnaise, low-fat or regular

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small head Bibb lettuce, leaves stacked and sliced into thin strips

8 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut into 4 wedges each

¼ cup sweet onion (Vidalia, Maui, Walla Walla, etc.), diced

4 strips cooked, crispy bacon, crumbled

2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil

Lots of crumbled blue cheese

Blue cheese dressing (see note)

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1. In a 6-quart pot, simmer the potatoes in water to cover for 15 minutes, or until they offer a little resistance when pierced with a knife. Drain; rinse with cold water to cool. Peel and slice them about ¼ inch thick.

2. On a large platter, spread the mayonnaise to form a 9- or 10-inch round. Top with the potatoes, overlapping the slices. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Pile the lettuce on the potatoes. Top with the egg wedges, tucking them into a tight sunburst pattern (like flower petals). Season them with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with onions, bacon bits, basil, and crumbled blue cheese. Drizzle the entire salad with blue cheese dressing.

Note: Use a favorite creamy blue cheese dressing to be really decadent or make a vinaigrette-style one by blending ¼ cup sweet minced or grated onion with about ¾ cup good red wine vinegar, about 1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil, and a few pinches of salt and black pepper.

Per serving (based on 5): 985 calories, 28 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams sugar, 89 grams fat, 387 milligrams cholesterol, 1,876 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.

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Makes 4 servings

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4 fresh portobello mushrooms, each 3 to 5 inches wideo

1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce

4 tablespoons oyster sauce

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 large red onion, sliced

3 poblano chilies or green bell peppers, sliced

Salt

4 ounces Mexican Chihuahua, Monterey Jack, or other melting cheese, sliced or grated

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1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut the stems off the portobellos and use for another purpose. Clean the caps with a wet cloth.

3. Puree the chipotle in adobo with the oyster sauce in a blender until smooth. Add water if necessary to facilitate the puree.

4. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Saute the onion and poblanos until the mixture begins to wilt, and then add some salt. The mixture should be somewhat moist rather than dry because the onion and chilies will dry out in the oven.

Continue to saute for 3 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

5. Paint the mushrooms' underside (where the gills are) with the chipotle-oyster sauce mixture, and then spoon the onion-poblano mixture into each cap. Place the mushrooms on a lined baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Remove and spread the cheese over the tops, then turn the mushrooms to the oven and bake another minute, or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 332 calories, 11 grams protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams sugar, 28 grams fat, 25 milligrams cholesterol, 615 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.

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Makes 2 cups

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14 to 16 ounces extra-firm tofu

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 green onion, white and green part, sliced thinly on the diagonal

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1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut the tofu into rectangles, approximately 1 inch wide by 2 inches long by 1/3-inch thick. Arrange the pieces in a baking pan just large enough to hold them in a single layer. To make sure the tofu gets crispy all over, the slices should be slightly separated.

3. Combine the hoisin, tamari, and sesame seeds in a small bowl and pour the mixture over the tofu. Turn the tofu so both sides are evenly coated.

4. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and use a spatula and large spoon to flip the tofu pieces. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes longer. Then turn the tofu over again and bake until deep golden brown, 10 minutes more. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the tofu to cool for at least 5 minutes. The longer it sits out, the firmer the tofu will become. Sprinkle with the green onion slices and serve warm.

Note: The tofu snacks will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (although they will lose their crispness). Eat as is, in a sandwich with hummus, or as croutons (cut into cubes after the tofu cools) in salad.

Per serving (based on 6): 118 calories, 7 grams protein, 12 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams sugar, 4 grams fat, trace cholesterol, 475 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.

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Makes 2-3 main-course servings

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2 medium to large fresh beets or 1 15-ounce can beets, drained

1 large bulb fresh fennel, some fronds reserved and chopped

1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

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1. If using fresh beets, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the beet tops, wash the beets, and cut them in half. Place the beets, cut side down, on an oiled baking sheet and roast them for about 11/2 hours, or until soft.

2. Meanwhile, trim the fennel bulb and cut away the core. Reserve some of the feathery fronds for garnish. Slice the bulb thinly. Place the slices in a medium saucepan. Add the stock and bring it to a low boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat and simmer about 15 minutes, or until the fennel is soft.

3. Remove the beets from the oven when they are soft. Peel and chop the beets coarsely. Add to the fennel in the pot. Simmer about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Puree the mixture in the pot with a stick blender or remove to a blender and blend until smooth. Add more stock if desired. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Per serving (based on 3, with chicken stock): 55 calories, 2 grams protein, 11 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams sugar, trace fat, 1 milligram cholesterol, 563 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.

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Makes 4-6 servings

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1 quart fresh brussels sprouts

2 slices lean hickory-smoked bacon, cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon butter

1 cooking apple, cored and cut into chunks

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pinch of grated nutmeg

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1. Remove and discard any wilted leaves from the brussels sprouts, trim off the stems (but not too close or the sprouts will fall apart), cut an X in the base of each sprout, and set aside.

2. In a large, heavy skillet (not cast iron), fry the bacon over moderate heat until it releases its fat, add the butter to the fat, add the brussels sprouts, and stir gently until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the apple and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and nutmeg, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the sprouts are tender and the apple has softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Per serving (based on 6): 69 calories, 3 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams sugar, 3 grams fat, 8 milligrams cholesterol, 90 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.

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Makes one cup

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4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 onions, thinly sliced

Leaves from 1 rosemary sprig, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of sugar (optional)

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1. Place butter and oil in a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add onions, rosemary, salt and pepper, and sugar; stir to coat. Cook onions, stirring frequently, for 30 to 45 minutes until they are golden brown.

Note: Use atop bread, or on crackers, pizza, or pasta.

Based on 8: 98 calories, trace protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams sugar, 9 grams fat, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 42 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber.

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