Foo - Cooking for one...

I live alone for the first time in a while and i'm cooking for myself atleast 4 days a week.. Does anyone find it tuff to cook for one? The good thing is i'm only buying fresh meats and veggies. But portion control is tuff. I find myself making too much or not being able to find things small enough for one meal.

The conversation suxs too.. lol

http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/9509/dscn3387vl1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Most of the time I cook a batch of stuff and then either have it for lunch during the week or freeze it for sometime in the future when I don't feel like cooking.

It is tough to cook for 1. Something you can do is to buy for several meals and portion out by serving size. Put the uncooked protiens and veggies a bunch of tupperware. That way you save what you don't use without cooking it. Freeze if you need for long term storage.

find someone to eat with, that's what I did in college.
platonic friends rocks. I hate eating alone

it is tough.

i usually cook for 2 and..
a) invite a friend over
2) refrigerate or freeze the other portion for lunch/tomorrow's din.

find someone to eat with, that's what I did in college.
platonic friends rocks. I hate eating alone

My GF lives and works on LI and will only stay in the city a few night a week. I can't afford to cook for a friend right now. Budget is getting tight like most.. I need to learn to like left-overs..

Most of the time I cook a batch of stuff and then either have it for lunch during the week or freeze it for sometime in the future when I don't feel like cooking.

In the winter I do this with soups. I'll make one on sunday and get a few meals out of it. This Sunday was Escorole with tiny meatballs.. Makes a good meal with good crusty bread.. Next sunday is lentil...

with winter coming we need a good soup recipe thread (hint hint;))

do you live downtown by any chance?

with winter coming we need a good soup recipe thread (hint hint;))

do you live downtown by any chance?

Perry street.. My Escorole soup.. It's tasty. And it cleans out your belly 4 ya..


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I cook for just myself all the time and I do fine although having someone around to do the dishes would be nice. Can I suggest you get a foodsaver to vacuum pack your leftovers and the other half pound of meat you didn't use today? Stuff stays fresh for ages in those bags and there's never any freezer burn.

Vacuum sealer and a kitchen scale.

Buy what you want, portion it out in to single servings, and vac-pack/freeze what you're not going to use immediately.
I do this with things that are on sale but I know I don't need immediately, but I might be put-off from buying them routinely when they're not on sale.

Edit: Hahaha Silverserpent beat me to it by 1 minute.

I'm not a fan of frozen. I prefer to go to the farmers market and the butcher or fish monger once or twice a week.

I cook stuff like pasta sauce.. Easy to refrigerate :D.

I eat out a lot though.

MII - care to share the recipe for the first dish you posted as well as the second? pm if you don't want to post...

The first is just Streak w/ salt and pepper. Roasted red bliss taters with some herbs and fine diced onions. ****ake and baby potabella shrooms, with parsley, shallots, and garlic..

Soup: First saute 1 cup onions and 1 cup celery and 1 clove garlic
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/341/dscn3389kk3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Once translucent add 1/2 head of escorole and sweat.
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/6846/dscn3391fj4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Add 2 quarts of chicken stock ot water or one of each.
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/7797/dscn3392br3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Roll and add little meatballs (ground mix chop meat, bread crumbs, parnisan cheese)
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/5764/dscn3393nn3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
add 2 wisked eggs (optional)
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/6866/dscn3394om0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Rind of parmisan reggiano. This way you don't need to add salt.
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/9761/dscn3397ap5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

cool!:)

There is/was a little place called the Blue Spoon cafe (Chambers, just west of Bwy) that had the most amazing soup of any place like that I've found. I brought some home for my wife a few times and she was equally impressed (she knows food, I don't).

Their best was the lentil....:love::love::love::love: you triggered my memories..... I gotta go down there and see if they're still open.

cool!:)

There is/was a little place called the Blue Spoon cafe (Chambers, just west of Bwy) that had the most amazing soup of any place like that I've found. I brought some home for my wife a few times and she was equally impressed (she knows food, I don't).

Their best was the lentil....:love::love::love::love: you triggered my memories..... I gotta gp down there and see if they're still open.

I make a mean lentil.. I'll post next Sunday..
LOL

Nothing like a soup place in NYC where you can charge 10 bucks a pint.

damn...i'm gonna have to try that when i get back from ny. yummmmy!

I make a mean lentil.. I'll post next Sunday..
LOL

Nothing like a soup place in NYC where you can charge 10 bucks a pint.

yeah, These guys weren't too bad. Nice young woman and her brother ran it, they sold high-falutin' pastries and the usual paninis and wraps along with H&H bagels - but the soups were all made in house and again, idk from how to make 'em but they were really really good. Very hearty, tasty, very natural but flavorful - like you said, with cheese or some other flavoring, not a bucket of salt.

Anyhoo, I'm sure yours and most homemades are as good or better, but fyi if you're down that way, worth a taste. Very nice folks and a cute little place. It was new when I started down there in '05.

Do you use the Union Square Market much?

Looking forward to that lentil soup recipe next week .... If I still have an appetite after Thursday!

I cook stuff like pasta sauce.. Easy to refrigerate :D.

I eat out a lot though.

hey do you have a link to your sauce recipe? I recall you posted it and I didn't print it out (my printer keeps dying intermittently...)

ok...needz to start a recipe thread, if one's not already started somewhere....

hey do you have a link to your sauce recipe? I recall you posted it and I didn't print it out (my printer keeps dying intermittently...)

The key to a good pasta sauce is the tomatoe's. You must use san marzano.

This is a very simple and tasty dish...

Curried chicken with applesauce with some shredded carrot, steamed spinach, and a mix of red and white rice that was leftover from our stir fry last night.

The applesauce is also curried... it tastes much like chutney.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/chickencurryandsauce2.jpg

When the girls are not here I will make a double portion of whatever I make and take the extra with me for the next day's lunch but tonight my youngest daughter and I enjoyed this while my oldest daughter opted for sandwiches since she was feeling picky.

omg. y'all stop it!!! i have not eaten supper yet, for all my running around & packing this evening!

A single dish chicken curry...

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/chickencurry1.jpg

SixtyFiver likes his chicken spicey...

yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmy. you realize i havent' had supper yet, right??

I'm scrolling through this thread while eating graham crackers.

I make my own curry and because of the girls I don't make it smoking hot... I can kick it up a few notches when it's just me.

Who has time to cook with all that sitting alone and crying to do?

I usually just cook way too much and subsequently eat way too much as well. Who wants to clean tupperware, or exercise self control?

I find that it is really hard to cook for one... eating has to be one of my favourite activities but when I am alone I don't feel nearly as inspired.

A friend of mine and I agreed to take turns making one dinner a week...

Last Saturday we went shopping and afterwards she made dragon bowls... it's stir fried kale topped with tofu, shredded carrots and beets, and is served on a bed of rice with a nice garlic and ginger saucer made with miso and tahini.

It is my turn to cook on Sunday...

Some y'all know how to cook.

and some of us fail at making tea or toast:(

I made some nice Italian bean soup last night... whatever isn't devoured this evening will get stored and frozen for a later date.

Lentil Soup:

1/2 cup celery, 1/2 cup carrots, 3/4 cup onion, 2 cloves garlic, pinch crushed red pepper, 1 cup lentils, 1/2 cup of pancetta, 3 cups chicken stock, 2 cups water, rind of parmigiana reggiano.

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7193/dscn3399my9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Sauté onions, celery, garlic, carrots, and pancetta in 2 tbs. of olive oil. When translucent, add lentils and stock/water and cheese rind. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. Till lentils are tender. Serve with crusty bread...

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/9133/dscn3404xn4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Same for Pea soup. Just pea's instead of lentils...

First, don't eat out of tupperware. That's depressing. Set a proper table with decent dishes. You deserve it!

Good cookbook: Going Solo in the Kitchen. My ex gave it to me when I left. It has all sorts of good advice about buying for one, storing and freezing, and making multiple meals out of one chicken.

I use my crock pot to make a big lasagne and then freeze it in dinner-sized portions.

pancetta:love:

Just save extra for leftovers. The Mrs and I usually cook enough for 4 to 6 when we cook, so
we pack up tons of leftovers for lunches and then we take a couple days off from cooking.

This reminds me of my favorite Elaine Boosler quote:

"Didja ever read the directions on a can of Campbell's Soup For One?

- Heat it up

- Don't heat it up, who gives a ****, you're alone!"

soo hungryy now....drool

Okay I must admit. That looks pretty darn good.

Your dishes look pretty good, man!

I cook for myself all of the time, and it's pretty tough. Unless I cook in batches (i.e. cook ALL of the chicken, ALL of the shrimp, etc.), items will get thrown out. The best way to do it, like Cbadrider (I think) suggested, is to cook in batches, and then refrigerate/freeze for later use.

I think cBad will agree that soup goes best when served with Tran-ya (http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Tranya)
http://www.bikeforums.net/image.php?u=29430&dateline=1228235155

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3175/2915913116_ca81804701.jpg?v=0

http://www.henrytapia.com/images/content/clint-howard3.jpg

especially in rooms with very low ceilings

Star Trek is everywhere.

Okay I must admit. That looks pretty darn good.

incorrect.

I can almost never cook for one. I have this habit of making enough food to feed an army. But at least there are always leftovers.

He is back with his one word nonsense.. Your little minions missed you. They even started a thread. I'm sad to see you back, but glad you didn't get run over and died..

I can almost never cook for one. I have this habit of making enough food to feed an army. But at least there are always leftovers.

I stated earlier that I hate left overs and hate to throw away food..

I stated earlier that I hate left overs and hate to throw away food..

Always cook with friends around? Whenever I do that, I never have any leftovers. :lol:

So any time after work during the week, I should have friends over to eat. Thats not a good solution Shadiyah.. That will cost me more then it does to feed myself in NYC.. Times are tight here...