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Cooking for One


Basilgirl

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I am another one that uses my limited freezer space for ingredients. I was discussing with the kids and some of their friends about looking around in the "pantry" to decide what to do with leftover chicken and how having things on hand makes it a lot easier to cook up something for one. They launched into this comedy routine about what might be found in "Mom's Pantry."

Daughter: Reduced stock

Son: Heavy cream.

Daughter: Chile paste

Son: Heavy cream

Daughter: Onion confit

Son: Heavy cream

Daughter: Tomato sauce

Son: Butter

Daughter: Pesto

Son: Heavy cream

You can see where this is going. We were in tears by the time they got through.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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Yesss, I'm with you, I have days worth of the tomato soup I made yesterday, but I find that after eating it two times, I wind up throwing it out.  My staples are like yours also, Mizducky.  So, that's why am trying to figure out how to have diversity, i.e. roast a chicken and then next day having chicken fried rice.  I'm not too creative in this department.  Bond Girl's class is great though.

Emma, I love making soup precisely because I always freeze a few containers of it! Then when I'm having a nutty week with no time to cook, I can pull one out for lunch. I'm pretty good about eating leftovers a few times in a row before I get sick of a dish, but this solves the problem pretty easily. And I've gotten REALLY good at the spacial relations aspect of filling my freezer, too! :laugh:

"I'm not eating it...my tongue is just looking at it!" --My then-3.5 year-old niece, who was NOT eating a piece of gum

"Wow--this is a fancy restaurant! They keep bringing us more water and we didn't even ask for it!" --My 5.75 year-old niece, about Bread Bar

"He's jumped the flounder, as you might say."

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I cook for myself only a lot of the time, when my husband is away on business. He is very much into simple food and does not like anything eggy or anything with beans in it. So I usually take advantage of his being gone to make quiche, omelets, onion tarts, red beans and rice (like my gramma used to make) and all the other things he won't eat. I love cooking by myself - no pressure to get the meal on the table by a certain time, if I screw something up I can throw it out and start over. It's luxurious to cook a great meal for yourself, open up a bottle of wine, and spend time enjoying your meal alone, IMO.

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My husband and I work different shifts, so I cook for myself most nights, and for both of us on weekends. Before I caught The Crud That's Going Around I was doing a lot of cooking for myself. I think that was in February. This particular viral strain produced symptoms for about 10 days, and incredible fatigue for about 6 weeks after that. So I'm just now beginning to think about cooking again.

I find it works best to alternate simple meals with more complex meals. One night, I might have peel & eat shrimp and something wonderful like an artichoke or asparagus. Other simple meals include one of my specialties, "salad bar stir-fry". I just pick up whatever on the salad bar that looks like it would be good in a stir fry, and then stir fry it with beef or chicken. I'm trying to make the transition from using bottled stir fry sauces, to concocting my own sauce, and suggestions or recipes would be welcome.

A more complex meal would probably be a two night affair. On a night I cook a simple meal, I might also stew or roast a chicken, with the meat to be used in some other dish on a second night.

And on the nights I'm just too tired to cook, it's indulgence city. A couple of nights ago, I ate avocados with lemon juice. Dessert was strawberries dipped in sour cream and then brown sugar. Oink, oink. :biggrin:

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My husband and I work different shifts, so I cook for myself most nights, and for both of us on weekends.

You have the best of both worlds. (Except for The Crud That's Going Around... Hope you are able to get back to cooking soon.) Your ideas sound so good.

Life is short; eat the cheese course first.

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Emma, I love making soup precisely because I always freeze a few containers of it!  Then when I'm having a nutty week with no time to cook, I can pull one out for lunch.  I'm pretty good about eating leftovers a few times in a row before I get sick of a dish, but this solves the problem pretty easily.  And I've gotten REALLY good at the spacial relations aspect of filling my freezer, too!  :laugh:

Well, I took your advice and froze the soup Curlz, and I think it's great! The freezer is the single cook's best friend for sure.

Last night I made a braised chicken dish, thanks to Fifi. I read the braising disscussion on EGI, and I thought it was so good because it was really the first time I was working without a recipe, yet with a process. I made a delicious dish. I braised two chicken breasts, 2 slices of bacon, carrots, onions, garlic and chicken stock. I browned the breasts in olive oil, butter and bacon fat. I love when chicken falls off the bone and remains tender. The breasts must have come from a mammoth chicken (each weighed 3/4 pound), and I could only eat half a breast, so I have lunch and freezer food.

Emma Peel

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I live alone and mostly grill steaks, and chicken on a Staub cast iron grill. I usually have a salad with it. I will sometimes make broccoli rabe, or stir fry some veggies or braise some chicken, turkey and potatoes in a small LC wok. I also have about $2,000 worth of LC and A-C still in the box. One day I will REALLY cook ;-). Any cute chefs out there who want to marry me for my cookware...lol?

The Boyfriend will be gone for a few days, and I usually don't cook when he's not around SO...when you're dining solo, do you cook or just grab some cheese & crackers?

Any ideas for quick & easy things to make for one? And please, no Celeste-Pizza-for-Ones.

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. . . . .

I read the braising disscussion on EGI, and I thought it was so good because it was really the first time I was working without a recipe, yet with a process. I made a delicious dish. 

. . . . .

:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

You just made my day!

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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  • 2 weeks later...
I like to cook for others, but I love to cook for myself.  It's fun.  Recently, I found these menus from Gourmet Magazine's Dinners for One.  I made the Moroccan Dinner, and it was fantastic,  not to mention, easy.  I don't subscribe to the magazine, does anyone know if they have discontinued this column?

You might want to try the author's (Joyce Goldstein) book, Solo Suppers, which she was inspired to write after doing the Dinners for One column. Lots and lots of recipes and tips.

Erin
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I'm trying to make the transition from using bottled stir fry sauces, to concocting my own sauce, and suggestions or recipes would be welcome.

One sauce I found works well for one to two-serving sizes is from Prevention Magazine:

big clove of garlic minced and one Tbs minced ginger sauteed for one minute in a Tbs of toasted sesame oil. then add 2 tsp cornstarch to 1/2 cup water [add a bit of the water to the cornstarch to make a slurry before adding the rest of the water] and add to the ginger/garlic. cook a minute or so until it thickens - pour over and mix with the stirfry.

And then there's a terrific and easy one from Ed Shoenfeld from a thread several years ago, that I'll have to dig out

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I’m perpetually mystified and puzzled by the general attitude towards solo cooking and dining. After all, are we not as worthy as our mate, family or invited guests? Should we not reap the benefit of our love of food and cooking?

I cook for myself whenever I find myself alone at mealtime. Not only do I prepare with the same care and attention to detail as I would when cooking for another or a crowd, but I also treat myself to my nicest table setting and plating.

Whether it’s a simple omelet or an elaborate multi course meal, I utilize what’s on hand and what is fresh and available at the market. Likewise, cooking for yourself is the perfect opportunity to test a new recipe, experiment with new variations or try your hand at developing something new.

Therefore, I encourage you to adjust your portions accordingly, prepare what you’re carving and sit yourself down to the fruits of your labor. Pop the cork on a nice bottle of wine, crank up your favorite CD or plop yourself in front of the TV. By all means, do enjoy the process as well as the results.

Eliahu Yeshua

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.

- Alice May Brock

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I’m perpetually mystified and puzzled by the general attitude towards solo cooking and dining. After all, are we not as worthy as our mate, family or invited guests? Should we not reap the benefit of our love of food and cooking?

I cook for myself whenever I find myself alone at mealtime. Not only do I prepare with the same care and attention to detail as I would when cooking for another or a crowd, but I also treat myself to my nicest table setting and plating.

Whether it’s a simple omelet or an elaborate multi course meal, I utilize what’s on hand and what is fresh and available at the market. Likewise, cooking for yourself is the perfect opportunity to test a new recipe, experiment with new variations or try your hand at developing something new.

Therefore, I encourage you to adjust your portions accordingly, prepare what you’re carving and sit yourself down to the fruits of your labor. Pop the cork on a nice bottle of wine, crank up your favorite CD or plop yourself in front of the TV. By all means, do enjoy the process as well as the results.

I think many of us share your love of cooking and eating alone, as you will see as you read through the pages of this thread and others. Glad you enjoy it, too.

Welcome! :smile:

Life is short; eat the cheese course first.

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My husband is out of town a lot, and when he's gone I don't cook any less, but I do have a tendency to cook lighter. He's such a meat and potatoes guy, I find it a welcome change to do stuff like eggs (soft boiled, omlettes, scrambled...whatever) fish and salads when I'm cooking for just myself.

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Thank you so much for your kind welcome Susan in FL. :smile:

My remarks were not necessarily directed at the previous posters. Obviously, there are others who enjoy cooking for themselves.

My comments are based on personal observations and in response to the original question posed by Basilgirl. Many people feel that they don’t merit the same well-prepared meal that they would offer to others. My contention is that we are equally as deserving and that we can derive benefits beyond nutrition by cooking well prepared meals for ourselves.

Elie

Eliahu Yeshua

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.

- Alice May Brock

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