While we all love Thanksgiving, and acknowledge that life is really all about family and friends and all of that, there is a particularly light and joyous feeling that overtakes us when said family and friends have finally left and life is our own once again. There's no one to impress, no one to frantically scrub the floors for. Just you, at home, back to normal. Take the time to fix yourself something special and truly tasty -- like HalfPint's Lemony Sardine Pate -- a little more than cheese and crackers, but hardly more work. Sometimes the most luxurious meal is a meal cooked for one, and Rhonda35's spaghetti with fried eggs celebrates just that. Feel free to eat it straight out of the pan -- we won't tell. 

The Menu

Click through on the recipe photos or titles to see (and save and print) the full recipes, but we've also written you a handy grocery list and game plan below.

Lemony Sardine Pate by HalfPint

Photo by James Ransom

Rhonda's Spaghetti with Fried Eggs and Pangritata for One by Rhonda35

Photo by Sarah Shatz

The Grocery List

Rosemary
Thyme
Parsley
Sardines

We bet you've already got olive oil, lemons, eggs, pasta, garlic, butter, black pepper, capers, Aleppo or other spicy pepper, hard cheese (like Pecorino Romano), and stale bread for bread crumbs lurking around in your kitchen, but if somehow you don't, you'll be needing those, too. 

The Plan 

1. There are a few ways to go with this dinner. It all comes together pretty quickly and easily, so it isn't really one of those meals where it matters all that much what you do first. 

2. That said, why not make the pate first so you have something to nibble on while you make the pasta? Whizz it all up and set it out with some crackers (or anything cracker-like that you have around). You might even open a nice bottle of wine, and sip. That's just generally good practice.

3. When you're ready, whip up the pasta: toast bread crumbs, boil water, fry eggs. And that's it! Enjoy any which way you like, and indulge in the pleasure of eating without your entire extended family.

Like this post? See last week's Dinner Tonight menu: Pumpkin Baked Pasta & Shaved Brussels Sprouts.