Cooking for one - please share recipes and tip

[Sachita]

Originally Posted by Dance-with-me

I have a Cuisinart grill and it rocks - works a lot better than the Foreman that I had before, in that it gets a lot hotter (so it can put a real sear on meat) and the plates are removable and interchangeable. I just saw that the newest model has flat plates, ridged ones for meats, AND waffle plates!


I've been buying pre-packaged chicken breasts at BJs, but they're a serving for 3-4 in a package. But still that would fit with trying to cook in advance, and I could find enough stuff to do with one small package in a week.


I'm going to have to read more about using the crockpot for one person. Mine is big, so it just doesn't seem to fit for me to do that.

Thanks for the ideas!

ooooooo love my Cuisinart grill.


I cook for myself. I often cook enough to freeze and save. But I also need to eat fresh food. I'm staying away from grains right now but really digging making these lettuce wraps. I like romaine but my favorite is boston bibb lettuce because I can make it taco like. You can fry fish, chicken, shrimp almost anything along with tomatoes, cukes, salsa or any sauce then wrap. I keep grilled chicken in the fridge and its easy to grab.

But the key, IMO to cooking single is preparing things ahead that you can defrost and reheat.

woks are also great for cooking healthy and fast.

[Tommi]

Okie doakie. Thanks Dance.

I am buying a grill this weekend, and will buy food to cook too (making list from posts) . Seeing some of these recipe's makes me hungry) , and ..will check in and see what ya'll are cooking up by the weekend. I envy the great cooks in the crowd.

My Mom booted me out of the kitchen when I was a tiny tyke/dyke ( my lame excuse ) and told me to go play, so, I have ever since.

Roasting is done in the oven where pots and pans live.

[Dance-with-me]

Not sure of your overall skills and talents but what got another butch friend of mine to start feeling comfortable in the kitchen wass to point out that it's really no different than a house project: Measure, combine using the right (or a substitute set of ) tools, follow the directions (which are usually far clearer for cooking than for many house projects), and don't be afraid to screw it up, toss it out, and start over.

And honestly, if you have a skillet (probably non-stick would be best at your skill level) you don't need the grill - we can walk you through turning the stove on...

There are cookbooks out there that start at the "how to boil water" stage and work their way up from there that you might want to try. I know some great vegetable/vegetarian cookbooks as well for anyone who wants to focus on seasonal fresh vegetables - let me know and I'll post the link.

[Tommi]

Yes, i can do that and more. I am Rocky running up the stairs~~ puff puff huff



Here is a smile for those in the know.
I can do this ..i can I can I can.

My 2X4 skills. Bought the house sans stove. Said I don't need one, hung a painting I did and set up the cat food in Stove alcove. Well, how can someone come and cook for me ..duh..

I measured the opening in the counter for the new gas stove and the new exhaust hood and microwave.

Delivered, installed, and all the tape and packaging removed. my gleaming stove sat there all pretty. Phew it all fit in nicely. .

As I went to empty the dishwasher, in the adjacent counter, the dishwasher door hits the new oven door. I forgot to measure the depth needed for the stove. So, if you open the oven door all the way, you can open the dishwasher all the way, and load the bottom of the dishwasher. I used to have a painting I did in the place where the oven now is.

So, a Cuisin ~ART grill will be in my life soon. I do have ground plug receptacles.

Outpost Outwest .

[Rockinonahigh]

I got a seal a meal bag thingy and think it rocks,I only cook for two now insted of eight so it was a shock to cook for so fue.Now I get chicken brest or strips prepare it how I want the seal it in a bag to cook later.If I make stew or gumbo I always have leftovers so I use freezer safe bowls for enough for two at each meal.

[Sun]

*Bump*

Hi All,

A few people in the "Something Delicious" thread have asked about Cooking for One so I am glad that this thread is here.

I know that cooking for one can present a challenge but you all have some great ideas posted in here.

Sun

[lusciouskiwi]

Originally Posted by Sun

*Bump*

Hi All,

A few people in the "Something Delicious" thread have asked about Cooking for One so I am glad that this thread is here.

I know that cooking for one can present a challenge but you all have some great ideas posted in here.

Sun

Thanks for bumping Sun! I'm subscribing.

[CherylNYC]

This is one of my favourite 5 minute meals for one:

Ingredients-
angel hair pasta
frozen peeled shrimp
frozen or fresh broccoli
frozen pesto (or pesto-like sauce for those of us who can't eat cheese)

Boil water with a little salt and olive oil in a small to medium pot. Add only enough pasta for one person! (That means a round handful about an inch in diameter.)

If you're using fresh broccoli, cut it up.

Defrost or just soften the pesto in the microwave.

As soon as the pasta is ready, (should be only a few minutes if it's angel hair), turn off the stove.

Add the shrimp and the broccoli, then cover the pot. Wait a minute or less. The shrimp should have turned red, but not rubbery. Drain everything in a colander, then dump it on your plate. Put a few spoonful of the softened pesto on top and mix it in. If the sauce isn't melting, 20 seconds in the microwave should take care of business.

Grind some pepper over the top, and you'll have the tastiest 5 minute meal you ever ate.

[aishah]

i worry about you too tommi! wish i could come cook for you.

i love cooking and am forever cooking like i'm feeding a small army. even after living alone for 7 years. it's a holdover from childhood (when i WAS cooking to feed a small army).

things i do that i find helpful...

cook up things that can be easily made and frozen in batches of 2-3 servings (spaghetti, soup).
cook up lots of veggies i like and reheat them throughout the week...typically this means saute or roast a big pan of broccoli, mushrooms, and peppers with some garlic and rosemary.
i have a collard green habit that won't quit so i buy a few lbs. of collard greens when i go to the store and cook up 1-2 lbs. at a time and eat that throughout the week. collard greens are extremely easy and forgiving to make - just throw them in a pot on the stove with some water and garlic, salt, pepper, hot sauce (if you're into that), etc. then boil for 30-45 minutes. or throw them in a crock pot with some water and leave it on for several hours.
i buy big packs of chicken breasts and split them up - put 2-3 breasts in individual ziploc freezer bags and freeze. then when i'm hungry, take them out in the morning and let them thaw all day. then throw some garlic and rosemary on them, add butter or olive oil, and bake at 350 for around 45 minutes. enough chicken for 2-3 meals. i usually put foil in my baking pans so i don't have to wash them that often.
potatoes are awesome - scrub, poke holes in them, and microwave for 4-5 minutes. add butter/broccoli/cheese/ranch dressing/whatever and voila, instant side dish.
i'm also the queen of pasta with sauce from a jar. hey, it works. i like making homemade sauce but i rarely have the time/energy.
i'm a huge fan of roasted sausage with peppers, onions, and mushrooms - chopping the veggies takes time but you can put foil in the baking pan and toss everything in and cook for around an hour and it's basically a one pot meal with very few dishes.
sweet breads (like pumpkin or banana bread) freeze well if you can't eat a whole loaf by yourself and don't have anyone to share it with. as far as baking goes, they're also one of the most forgiving things to bake and usually you only need one bowl and a spoon to mix all the ingredients.
one of my partners is a confirmed bachelor who hasn't used the oven in several decades. he roasts steak and chicken using a countertop convection oven (again, using foil to minimize dishes) and swears by it.

[Dance-with-me]

OH! Another great single (and EASY) nutritious and seasonal food: Sweet potatoes! SO much better for you than regular potatoes, and you can toss them in the oven while something else is baking or just microwave them for a couple of minutes each side. (Tommi, you could do this!)