Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Food Fun For One (or 2)

 It can be hard to cook for one person - especially if you have been used to cooking a lot.  I used to cook for 2, but G loved to eat - so he would eat a big meal and would eat all the leftovers for either breakfast or lunch!  I enjoyed cooking.  We used to have family get togethers and I could cook up a storm.  I have always loved to cook.  
I started my cooking when I was my parents' home.  Helped Mom a lot and then when they both worked in my early teens, I would fix dinner for them.  My specialty was spaghetti with homemade sauce.  I think my Daddy got pretty tired of spaghetti!  LOL

Now that I am alone - cooking isn't nearly as much fun.  For a long time, I pretty much ate sandwiches and salads.  Then I started cooking again.  I am slowly learning ways to make less.  I still share some with neighbors and I still freeze leftovers for another day - but that is all better than wasting food.
I have always loved to use fresh ingredients and from scratch.  Sometimes a little CHEAT is in order now.  You know what?  That is OK!!!!!!  
Whatever works for you!  It doesn't matter what others do or think - you need to cook what you like and what works for you.

I love spicey/tangy beans and rice or dirty rice.  All the recipes I have are for huge amounts!  Even when I try to reduce them, well it is a lot!  I now get boxed beans and rice and dirty rice mix.  I buy it at Aldi, as it is just as good as the brand named ones and it costs less.


I LOVE meatloaf.  I don't want to always heat up the oven just for me.  I make up the ground meat with all the ingredients to make meatloaf (using just a half pound of meat) - and then I make up patties and fry them.  YES, you can make fried meatloaf.  It tastes wonderful and you can always have it for a couple days or you can freeze the extra burgers for another day - to just heat up!
You get that nice crust on each side and all the yummy flavors on the inside.

Here is a meatloaf burger with cheese melted on top.  Cheesy potatoes and corn.  This was a hearty and filling dinner.

SOUP - I LOVE soup as well!  Oh heck, who am I kidding - I love food.  Making soup, never comes in small batches for me.  It is hard to make a small amount.  I cheat on this sometimes as well.  I got a lot of soup mixes as part of a gift during the holidays.  I do use them, but I do NOT use them as the package says!!!!  Yeah, this girl often colors outside the lines!

I made potato soup earlier with this mix.  I added leftover corned beef hash to the mix and lots of cheese.  I like having bites of food in my soup - not just creaminess.  I always add chopped potato, and sometimes carrots or ham pieces.

I mentioned last week about making beef enchilada soup.  Yep, this is the mix I used s a starter.  No, I didn't make it according to the package.  I used ground beef instead of chicken.  I didn't use all the water - I used a can of tomato sauce, a half pint of my home canned seasoned tomatoes and a can of water.  I threw in leftover corn and leftover mashed potatoes (to help thicken).  I added a can of kidney beans.
I love thick soup (not watery).  This was wonderful.  I ate 2 meals from it and froze one.

Have fun with your food.  I often get asked what my recipe was - and my response is many times "what is the recipe thing you speak of?"  LOL.  I usually just wing it.  G used to say he really liked something, and would tell me, I should make that again.  OK - if I can remember what I did!!!!  Most things are never made exactly the same way twice!!!

I have learned to make smaller batches of mac n cheese from scratch.  I cook about a handful and a half (that is how I measure it!) and then add whatever cheeses I want or whatever I have.  I may end up with a little left - but may eat it the next day or as a snack later on.

I like melted cheese on things.  Well making a batch of cheese sauce just isn't feasible for one.  I sometimes use jarred cheese (Mexican cheese dip) or I will maybe use a packet of the Velveeta melted cheese ($1).  It is easy and it is tasty, and I don't have waste with it just being me.

This is also a good way to get a cheese topping.  Use straight from can or add just a bit of milk - makes a cheesy topping.  Very tasty.
Velveeta cheese sauce comes in regular and jalapeno.  Both are tasty and packages are not big.

It is fine to use a little help, whether you are cooking for one or for more.  I love scratch cooking - just somethings are totally logical for me to do any more.  
There are so many products out there that make cooking easier and makes it so you don't have to get bored with your food.
I like variety.  It is easy to get in the habit of having the same old thing all the time.

Meals don't have to be complicated, and they don't have to have a bunch of courses!  I tend to eat one or two things - as long as I am full - that is all that matters to me.
                    Simple open face sloppy Joe, cauliflower with jarred cheese sauce = yummy
                                      Hotdogs with home canned relish and some cheesy puffs
                                                         Grilled cheese and tomato soup

Think about egg, chicken, tuna or ham salad sandwiches or served on a bed of lettuce.  Breakfast for dinner.  Biscuits and gravy are easy.  Fried egg sandwiches.  Cold cuts or ham or chicken or fish sandwiches.  Burger and oven fries.  Chili.  Soup.  Tacos or taco salad.  Fried rice.  Rice can be blended with meats to make all kinds of dishes.

There is no need to get bored.  Cook what you like.  If you don't make it all from scratch, don't beat yourself up.  It is a job trying to cook for one!
Experiment a little.  Have fun with your food.  Color outside the lines or work outside the box!!!  
Being one - doesn't mean no variety!!!

24 comments:

  1. Cooking for one can be a challenge. I'm fortunate that I like to cook and eat; I'm not sure which I like more. I'm also fortunate that I don't mind leftovers, sometimes made over. It's not unusual to eat something 2-3 days in a row. I sometimes cook for the freezer and do freeze some leftovers. The challenge is to remember those things are in the freezer. I get a monthly lifestyle magazine (Canadian Living) and watch cooking shows, both fodder for menu planning. Like you, a recipe is a suggestion. Your choice of products interests me; some are new to me, i.e. Velveeta cheese sauce. Prepared frozen meats are my go-to menu helper on occasion - precooked breaded chicken/wings, dry boneless ribs, ginger fried beef.

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    1. I van eat leftovers too and have no problem doing so. I like to reinvent foods into new meals as well.
      It is so amazing to me that products I mention are not available or seen in other places.
      I like watching cooking shows as well. The Pioneer Woman and back in the day Semi Homemade gave lots of ideas using prepared items.

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  2. Cooking for one or two requires a completely new mindset. You have lots of excellent examples for thinking outside the box. It's good you have room in your freezer for extras. This kind of reminds me of the woman who used to cut her ham in half to cook it. Someone asked her why and she said that her mother used to cut hers in half. When inquiring of the mother why she did that she said her mom cut the meat in half. Come to find out Grandma cut the meat in half so it would fit in her baking dish. We do things because they have always been done that way! Sometimes one thing is just enough for a meal. The Urban Farmer came from a family of big eaters and his mom was pleased as bunch if you ate until you were ready to burst. We are trying to break that tradition.

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    1. Yes, many things are done the ways of our ancestors.
      Mom always wanted to fee everyone and we sure obliged her! Her cooking was so good.
      O am fine with a bowl of something! No need for half dozen items. Full is full!

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  3. I had a terrible time downsizing from cooking for 7 to 2. Yes they left home one by one but it was a hard adjustment and took me about two years to adapt. We freeze a lot of food. A batch of spaghetti sauce makes eight meals now so seven for the freezer and so it goes. A casserole that goes in a 13 x 9 dish goes in 4 loaf dishes, one to eat and three to freeze. Some weeks we mainly thaw and heat and eat and it feels like cheating but then I remember all the years of meals for seven and I don't feel bad at all.

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    1. It is tough - I would imagine even worse with that many to have fed.
      Those pull out and heat meals are wonderful. You cooked once - so no need again. That is just smart planning to me. Sounds like you have a handle on it!

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  4. Girl, that meatloaf plate looks delish!!

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    1. It was!!!!!! I love corn and mashed potatoes together too.

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  5. There is one positive thing about cooking just for myself and that is that I can cook only the things I like. That way I don't mind if I eat leftovers for a few days. I also try to avoid wasting food whenever possible. I freeze a lot of stuff. For example, I really like commercially prepared eggnog but since I can only get it during the holiday season I freeze some in small water bottles. An empty eight ounce bottle holds one serving when you allow room for expansion when frozen. When I get ready to drink it I just thaw it overnight in the fridge and give it a good shake. It tastes just as fresh as when I bought it.

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    1. Smart cookie you are! Planning ahead.
      Yep, you can eat only what you like and don't have to cook something you don't. Luckily I like most everything!
      I have a lot of individual size pop bottles that my neighbors gives me, so I could do that with various seasonal drinks as well. Love that idea.

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  6. Even though it is just the 2 of us, I make a 2-lb meatloaf. We eat as much as we want during the week, then I cut it into slices and freeze them individually. Then when I want a meatloaf sandwich, I only have to defrost a slice in the fridge overnight. Very tasty. Just this week I froze half of a deconstructed lasagna casserole in individual servings. Husband doesn't care for it, and I can have it for lunch or when he wants something for supper that I don't care for. Saves of work and energy, too.

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    1. Your lasagna casserole sounds yummy. Great ideas and you are always ready with something.
      It sure is nice to have options, when you don't particularly feel like cooking.

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    2. Husband finds regular lasagna too messy to eat, so instead of lasagna noodles, I layered fusilli pasta, the cheeses, and the marinara sauce/ground turkey and baked it. The fusilli and ground turkey were freebies from the Tuesday food boxes. It would have been better with a hollow pasta to hold more sauce, but I used what I had on hand. Very yummy!

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    3. Sounds good to me! Good job using what you have and getting creative.

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  7. Yes, the adjustment is REAL. Meatloaf -- I make 1/2 batch, cutting everything in half, except the egg. The extra as a binder won't hurt. I'll divide the mix into 2 mini loaf pans, one for now and one for the freezer. I simply pull the frozen one the night before, and let it thaw in the refrig. I also like the mini packs of biscuits and crescent rolls, when I can get them, baking 4 rather than 8. And don't forget that, at the meat case and at the deli, it's OK to get one of this and one of that, or a 1/2# ground beef or 1/4# of bulk sausage (i.e. italian sausage or marinated chicken) or 1/4# of deli turkey, ham, or cheeses, and one scoop of bean, mac, or potato salad. You don't have to fill the container. Get just the amount that you'll use.

    If my freezer is running low on ground beef and I buy in bulk, I'll freeze it in 1/2# packages, and press them flat (they thaw quicker). The 1/2# packs are easier for making 1/2 recipes that call for 1# of ground beef.

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    1. ... it's OK to get one of this and one of that (i.e. Italian sausage or marinated chicken), or a 1/2# ground beef or 1/4# of bulk sausage, 1 pork chop, etc., ...

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    2. I buy ground beef when on sale and divide into half pound packs also. Flattening before freezing really does save a lot of room and yes they do thaw so much quicker.

      Great suggestion - to get just what you want at the deli or meat counter. I think when going to the deli we all think we need to get a pound or so. No need. That is why they have scales.
      Mini packs of rolls or biscuits make it easy when in a rush. Nothing wasted.

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    3. I agree on the meats as well. I usually get a pack if on sale - then divide up at home with a chicken breast per pack, or a pork chop or two per pack. I go the cheapest route.
      But sure, buy what you can eat and what you need.
      I have even fried an entire chicken - then froze pieces in small packets. A few minutes in the oven or an air frier and it is wonderful - just like freshly fried.

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  8. EVERYTHING LOOKS SO NUMMY, YOU SHOULD BE A FOOD EDITOR. I also love to cook and hubs is too good an eater and like yours always eats what is left over for breakfast/lunch. I have a very hard time cooking for just the two of us. Nothing makes me happier than cooking for a crowd, but the clean up.... that is a different story.

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    1. Yes, the clean up isn't all that fun! Aren't you sweet!
      I really love to cook and I really like to eat. I should be as big as a barn, that is why I eat just one meal a day!

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  9. After my mother died I took over the majority of the cooking for a total of 6 people so when I started living on my own it was very hard to adjust.
    During the Winter I cook from scratch and freeze the extras. This gives me a break every now and again when I get really busy - plus what I often do is batch cook some proteins, a carb, a variety of veg and then mix and match throughout the week.
    In the Summer I give myself a few months off. The most cooking might be a big tray of chicken thighs but more likely it will be a rotisserie chicken, cold cuts, eggs, cheese, salads and a lot of fruit. By the time we hit mid-September I'm actually looking forward to cooking again.

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    1. I do look forward to summer - lots of veggie salads, cold meat salads, all kinds of salads! Eggs, cold cuts, frilled food - yum.
      I am right there with you!!!!!

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  10. I love making dishes by "winging" it. They never come out the same twice and sometimes they are not as good as other times, but I enjoy just putting things in a pot or slow cooker and waiting to see how it comes out.

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    1. I have always cooked this way. No, never the same twice, but that is the fun of it!

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