Solo

Do you have secret stashes of sweets you hide from the kids? Maybe you've shoved the last bit of ice cream to the hidden recesses of the freezer?

Chips in your car? Snickers in the drawer of your desk?

Do you wait until everyone leaves the house to fry up bacon, or eat that slice of pie for breakfast?

I'm not sure if you listen to anything while you work, cook or fold clothes, but I do. I have a rotation of shows and podcasts that I like playing in the background. They vary in many ways; from something to feed my spirit, mindless entertainment, and talk of food.

One of the first food podcasts I listened to was Spilled Milk. I'm sure you've heard of the hosts? Do Orangette, and Hungry Monkey ring a bell? Yeah, good stuff for sure.

Their podcasts are fun and the recipes on the site are ones that I've kept in rotation. I'm not usually one to remake too many recipes, but this thai salad dressing is a constant. Almost addicting.

One show that had me thinking a lot was their episode on Spouseless Eating. What do I eat when no one is around?

Here's the breakdown of my solo eating after about a month of observation:

• I will eat dessert for breakfast all too often if there's pie and I'm alone.
• I eat a lot of scraps. I make entire meals out of kids scraps. I can't decide if this is a good thing (economically speaking), or just sad.
• I eat leftovers - A LOT.
• I drink more soda alone.
• I find sweets to be perfectly acceptable meals when the kids nap.
• I also can make entire meals out of one side dish. This is the most repetitive thing I eat. Sides.
• So pretty much I sustain myself on sandwich crusts, leftover side dishes and dessert.

I thought it would be the best time to share one of my favorite sides ever. It's perfect to eat with a hearty meal next to some nice meat and potatoes and a guest, or a la carte - all alone.

Favorite Green Beans

3 cups fresh green beans
8 slices of baco
2 cups ground tomatoes in juice
1/4 of a small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from the skillet and reserve 1 tablespoon of the fat, discarding the rest. Add the green beans and chopped onion to the pan and saute for one minute over medium heat. Stir in the tomatoes and place a lid on the pan. Let the beans simmer slowly for 10 minutes. I like my beans done fairly well with just a hint of crisp to them. Some people like crisper green beans so test after about 7 minutes for your preference. Remove the lid and add the sugar and cider. Let simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Add the bacon back in and stir. Season with salt and pepper.

I was thinking about what my husband eats when I'm not there. I was going to ask, but I already know. He eats what I feed him or he calls the pizza joint down the street. No mystery there.

Now that I've revealed how I eat when I'm alone, I need some validation that I'm not the only one. What do you find yourself eating when no one is watching? Do you eat differently when your spouse is home? Are there certain things you eat only when your kids aren't looking?