Cooking through it.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

You don’t need a table full of people to feel warm and comforted. Sometimes one bowl, one spoon, and a little kindness toward yourself is enough.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, or 4 bone-in thighs
• 3 carrots, roughly chopped
• 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, halved
• 4 cloves garlic
• A handful of fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper
• 2 litres water or stock
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: squeeze of lemon juice or sprinkle fresh parsley

Method

1. 01

   Cook the Vegetables. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften.

2. 02

   Add the Garlic. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

3. 03

   Make the Broth. Pour in the chicken broth and add the thyme, parsley, a little salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil.

4. 04

   Cook the Noodles. Add the egg noodles and cook according to the package directions, usually about 6–8 minutes.

5. 05

   Add the Chicken. Stir in the cooked chicken during the last 2–3 minutes, just long enough to heat it through.

6. 06

   Taste and Serve. Adjust the salt and pepper. A tiny squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the whole bowl.

Chicken & Stuffing Casserole for One or Two

Everything you want from a Sunday dinner, scaled down to just you — or you and one other. Creamy, golden, and deeply comforting. The kind of meal that feels like someone took care of you.

Ingredients

• 8 oz chicken tenderloins, cut into bite-sized pieces
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup cream of celery soup
• ¼ cup cream of chicken soup
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1½ cups dry chicken-flavored stuffing mix
• ⅓ cup chicken broth, plus a little more if needed
• Fresh or dried parsley, optional

Method

1. 01

   Preheat and Prep. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a small 5×7-inch baking dish or similar.

2. 02

   Layer the Chicken. Place the chicken in the bottom of the dish. Season with salt and pepper.

3. 03

   Make the Sauce. Stir together the cream of celery soup, cream of chicken soup, and milk until smooth. Spoon evenly over the chicken.

4. 04

   Add the Stuffing. Sprinkle the dry stuffing mix over the soup mixture.

5. 05

   Add the Broth. Slowly pour the chicken broth over the stuffing, trying to moisten all of it. If you see dry spots, add another tablespoon or two of broth.

6. 06

   Bake Covered. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F in the center.

7. 07

   Finish Uncovered. Remove the foil and bake for another 5–10 minutes, until the stuffing is lightly golden.

8. 08

   Rest and Serve. Let it rest for about 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley if desired. Be sure to spoon some of that creamy gravy from the bottom over each serving.

Egg Roll in a Bowl

All the flavors of an egg roll, none of the fuss. One pan, twenty minutes, and dinner is done. This one has become a quiet favorite for evenings when you want something satisfying but simple.

Ingredients

• ½ lb ground pork (or ground turkey or chicken)
• 2 cups coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or ¼ tsp ground ginger)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon sriracha or chili flakes, optional
• 1 green onion, sliced, for garnish
• Sesame seeds, optional

Method

1. 01

   Brown the Meat. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and cook, breaking it apart, until browned and cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Drain any excess fat.

2. 02

   Add Garlic and Ginger. Push the meat to one side. Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir everything together.

3. 03

   Add the Cabbage. Add the coleslaw mix to the skillet. Stir and cook for 3–4 minutes until the cabbage is just tender but still has a little bite.

4. 04

   Season. Drizzle in the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and sriracha if using. Toss everything together and cook for another minute.

5. 05

   Serve. Spoon into a bowl and top with sliced green onion and sesame seeds. Eat as-is or over a little steamed rice.

Soft Scrambled Eggs on Toast

The simplest thing. Low heat, patience, a little butter. Some mornings this is enough — and enough is everything.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp cream or milk
• Salt and pepper
• 2 slices good bread, toasted

Method

1. 01

   Whisk eggs with cream, salt, and pepper.

2. 02

   Melt butter in a pan over the lowest heat possible.

3. 03

   Add eggs and stir slowly and constantly with a spatula, moving them off the heat if needed.

4. 04

   Remove from heat while still slightly underdone — they'll finish on the toast.

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Bright, simple, and impossible not to love. This cake has been brought to more people in grief than I can count. Now I make it for myself — just one little cake, baked in a ramekin, all for me.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup self-raising flour (or ¼ cup all-purpose flour + ⅓ tsp baking powder + pinch of salt)
• Zest of ½ lemon
• Juice of ½ lemon + 1 tsp sugar (for drizzle)

Method

1. 01

   Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a small ramekin or mini loaf pan.

2. 02

   Beat butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg.

3. 03

   Fold in the flour and lemon zest until just combined — don't overmix.

4. 04

   Spoon into the ramekin and bake 20–25 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

5. 05

   Mix lemon juice and sugar. Poke a few holes in the warm cake with a skewer and pour the drizzle over. Let it soak in before eating.

Slow Beef and Vegetable Stew

A stew that rewards patience. The kind of cooking that fills the house with something that feels like safety. Make it on a cold afternoon.

Ingredients

• ½ lb beef chuck, cut into chunks
• 1 small potato, cubed
• 1 carrot, sliced
• ¼ onion, diced
• ¾ cup beef stock
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• A sprig of fresh thyme and 1 small bay leaf
• Salt and pepper, olive oil

Method

1. 01

   Brown the beef in batches in a heavy pot with olive oil. Set aside.

2. 02

   Soften the onion in the same pot, then add tomato paste and cook 1 minute.

3. 03

   Return beef, add stock, herbs, and vegetables. Bring to a simmer.

4. 04

   Cover and cook on low heat for 2.5–3 hours until the beef is very tender.

Thanksgiving for One

The holidays can feel different when there is an empty chair at the table. Cooking for one may not be the Thanksgiving you once imagined, but you are still worth setting the table for. Make the foods you love, use the good plate, thank God for what was and what still is, and give yourself permission to celebrate the day however feels right. Cooking for one isn't about making Thanksgiving smaller. It's about making room for yourself at the table.

Ingredients

• 1 small turkey tenderloin (about ¾ lb)
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• ½ tsp dried sage
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
• 2 tbsp butter + splash of warm milk (for mashed potatoes)
• 1 cup stovetop stuffing mix + ¼ cup each diced celery and onion
• A handful of green beans, trimmed
• 1 tbsp butter + 1 small garlic clove (for green beans)
• 2 tbsp turkey gravy (jarred or from pan drippings)
• 1–2 tbsp cranberry sauce
• 1 apple, peeled and chopped (for dessert)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar + ½ tsp cinnamon + 2 tbsp oats + 1 tbsp butter (for apple crisp topping)

Method

1. 01

   Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix softened butter with sage, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub all over the turkey tenderloin.

2. 02

   Place tenderloin in a small baking dish and roast for 45–55 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

3. 03

   While the turkey roasts, boil the potato until tender. Drain and mash with butter, warm milk, salt, and pepper until creamy.

4. 04

   Sauté the diced celery and onion in a little butter until soft, then prepare stovetop stuffing according to package directions, stirring in the cooked vegetables.

5. 05

   Steam or sauté the green beans until just tender. Finish with a pat of butter and a little minced garlic.

6. 06

   For the apple crisp: toss chopped apple with cinnamon and brown sugar in a small ramekin. Mix oats and butter into a crumble and spread over the top. Bake alongside the turkey for the last 25–30 minutes until golden and bubbling.

7. 07

   Plate everything together — turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, a spoonful of cranberry sauce, and a drizzle of gravy. Set the table. Sit down. This meal is for you.

Simple Green Salad with Lemon

Fresh, bright, and done in minutes. A reminder that not every meal needs to be an act of endurance. Sometimes simple is the whole point.

Ingredients

• Mixed salad leaves
• ½ cucumber, sliced
• A handful of cherry tomatoes
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar

Method

1. 01

   Combine leaves, cucumber, and tomatoes in a bowl.

2. 02

   Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and sugar together.

3. 03

   Dress the salad just before serving.