Dinner for one

It's so nice to have a night to myself.

For some reason my "Meal for One" has remained the same since I was in college: Pan seared salmon with lemon pepper and baked red potatoes with butter. Actually, perhaps I know why it has remained the same since college - because it is simple, easy, fast and delicious without creating a ridiculous amount of leftovers I would most likely forget about in my fridge.

You'll notice from my shot that I have "matured" the meal a bit with some roasted asparagus and a glass of Riesling. But it's essentially the same meal I'd make for myself all those years ago.

It goes like this:
1) Stop by the grocery store on the way home from work and pick up a nice 1/2 pound piece of (preferably wild) salmon, a couple red potatoes, a lemon and a bunch of asparagus.

2) Break the "woody" ends of the asparagus off as you wash them and drop the stalks onto a small baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss. Season with salt, pepper and a bit of garlic powder. Toss. Put into a 425° oven for about 10-12 minutes.

3) Season the fish with a couple shakes of sea salt and a few more generous shakes of lemon pepper. Place the fillet skin-side down in a hot skillet drizzled with olive oil. Cook about 6 minutes before flipping for another 4-5.

4) Wash potatoes and place them in the microwave (you read that right). Heat them on high for 6 minutes - that's right: no pricking. They've never burst on me in 10 years! If you want a crisp skin, run them through the toaster oven for a cycle or two once they're done.

5) Top the fish with generous squeezes of lemon juice and the potatoes with melty pats of butter.

6) Pour a glass of cold white wine.

7) Turn on the TV, pull up the folding table and watch that show you've been thanking Tivo for all day long - in between sips and bites, of course.

Aside from that melty butter - I feel good about eating this too!