For some, dinner for two means flowers, candles and romance; for others, it’s TV trays and dinner on the couch. Whatever the case, the average household size is shrinking, and dinner for two is more common than ever. Still, most recipes are designed to feed four to six, leaving singles, empty-nesters and small families with leftovers that may last up to a week. Given the scenario, we asked our readers to share recipes that serve two.
Our featured dish is a scaled-back recipe from “Dairylicious! Cooking with Dairy” by Kitchen Kimberly and the Southwest Dairy Farmers, available at Amazon.com.
Caprese Toast Bites for Two
3/4 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup canned petite diced tomatoes (drained), or chopped fresh tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 pound sourdough bread (2–4 slices), thickly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in tomatoes and fresh basil. Reduce heat to medium and cook about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
3. Toast bread slices on a baking sheet about 5 minutes or until lightly toasted. In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese with the Parmesan cheese.
4. Spread warm bread slices with softened cream cheese mixture, and then spoon warm tomato mixture over the cream cheese. Sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella.
5. Return bread to oven and bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
Servings: 4. Serving size: 1 slice toast. Per serving: 174 calories, 8.57 g protein, 6.51 g fat, 19.02 g carbohydrates, 1.09 g dietary fiber, 394 mg sodium, 1.84 g sugars, 20 mg cholesterol
Cook’s Tip from Kitchen Kimberly:
