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BS: Cooking for single people--help!
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Subject: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Scoville Date: 20 Nov 06 - 03:30 PM Okay, this is a bit weird, but a friend of mine was lamenting recently how boring eating had become. She was irritated that recipes all seem to say "serves 4" or "serves 6" or whatever, and she doesn't want to eat the same thing all week, but she does want to follow the recipe to make sure things taste right and to avoid dealing with weird subdivided measurements. I've tried poking around online but haven't had much luck. Does anyone know of any modern singles-oriented (one or two serving portions per recipe) cookbooks? Preferably something that doesn't require expensive specialty ingredients or loads of preparation time. Like I said, she cooks but she's not really INTO cooking. Failing that, I'll take any favorite hints, recipes, etc. that would fit the bill and compile the sucker myself. I was hoping to get it to her for Christmas but she said I could design her a tattoo instead, so that gives me a year to get it together if I have to. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: jeffp Date: 20 Nov 06 - 03:33 PM Go to amazon.com and search on cooking for one. It brought up 6549 results. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Lox Date: 20 Nov 06 - 03:35 PM Cook for your friends regularly. Get a culture going where you all cook for each other on different nights. Become so familiar with cooking that you are able to visualise and create recipes for yourself when noone is available. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Wesley S Date: 20 Nov 06 - 03:36 PM Freeze it. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: MMario Date: 20 Nov 06 - 03:41 PM I would say a freezer is one of the biggest helps in cooking for singles; larger dishes can be subdivided and portions put away for another time; you can make a big batch of something and not have to eat it for 6 days running. Creative seasoning can also help - the same basic ingredients can be very different when seasoned differently - Scrambled eggs in the morning are extremly different then a supper omelet with diced chicken and salsa. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: ClaireBear Date: 20 Nov 06 - 03:55 PM Assuming your friend is not vegetarian, my suggestion is to develop a collection of rubs, spice blends, and marinades to enhance the flavors of salmon, chicken, steak, pork chops...and some kind of grill (I use a Korean-style stovetop grill, a dome-shaped thingy that sits on a moat-shaped water reservoir...but actually a good, heavy griddle will do the job almost as well). Then the next task is finding a live butcher (as opposed to a grocery-store meat department) who will sell the above meats in units of one or two. A baked potato or yam -- or rice for one, easy enough to do -- a generous serving of steamed vegetables, and maybe a luxurious salad makes a feast fo one -- and it's even reasonably healthful, unlike many stews, casseroles, and big-production dinners that have to be made for 4 to 6. Also, pasta sauces -- bolognese, pesto, marinara, etc. -- freeze well in small units once made, and then you can cook just a little pasta to go with. Oh, and to drink...roll glass marbles gently into the wine bottle to bring the level of wine back to the top of the bottle (preventing oxygenation), recork, and the same good bottle of wine will go with several days of those excellent meals. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Peace Date: 20 Nov 06 - 03:57 PM Can, can opener, spoon. Let your imagination be your guide. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: MudGuard Date: 20 Nov 06 - 04:13 PM It is often very difficult to cook for just one helping (some ingredients come in packages too big for that, and will spoil if not used quite fast). Therefore, besides cooking equipment, get yourself: Freezer + Microwave Oven + Tupperware. Step 1: Cook 4 or more helpings, eat one, put rest in Tupperware, freeze. Step 2: goto step 1 till freezer is full. Step 3: eat meals from freezer (heat in Microwave oven) till there is room for 3 or more helpings. Step 4: cook again for 4 or more helpings, eat one, freeze 3 (or more) till freezer is full. Step 5: goto step 3. Whenever you feel like it, you can interrupt above mentioned proceedings with single helping stuff like pancakes, scrambled eggs or whatever. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Lox Date: 20 Nov 06 - 04:15 PM Peace LOL You are a bad person ;-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Scoville Date: 20 Nov 06 - 04:16 PM Damn--Amazon was giving me crap a minute ago. Will try again. She's not a vegetarian, luckily. But she has a roommate and thus only has use of technically 1/2 of the freezer (and the roommate is a Jewish vegetarian so they don't share a lot of food). She does freeze stuff, but . . . well, you know how that goes. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: lady penelope Date: 20 Nov 06 - 04:19 PM Er, just use less ingredients? Honestly it's not rocket science. If a recipe says it makes 4 portions divide by 2 or 4. Go mad, experiment. Even if you follow a recipe exactly it doesn't mean it'll necessarily turn out the way you like it. I like soup, I like to make my own soup. Soup is down right impossible to make in single portion batches. But as has already been stated, this is where the freezer is your friend. Look at it this way. If you find you really one recipe, you can a huge batch and freeze it and you only have to cook the once!!! Cooking's all about taste - what are you hungry for? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: SINSULL Date: 20 Nov 06 - 04:25 PM There are a number of cookbooks about "Cooking For Two" geared towards newlyweds and empty-nesters. If I can find mine, you are welcome to it. Some dishes, especially stews, soups, chilis and casseroles just don't work for one or two unless you can freeze or use leftovers. I freeze. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Rowan Date: 20 Nov 06 - 04:37 PM Freezing has a few myths attached. Many vitamins are destroyed by freezing so don't rely on frozen food for more than the basic nutrients, the taste and texture etc. It takes a little while though, and you can always add fresh greens to anything recooked, either as garnish or as substantive ingredients. Cheers, Rowan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Liz the Squeak Date: 20 Nov 06 - 04:43 PM Delia Smiths 'One is fun' is pretty good.... look out for my father in law's handiwork in the photos - he put the kitchens in her home and her studios. LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: jeffp Date: 20 Nov 06 - 04:52 PM Rowan: can you be specific about which vitamins are destroyed by freezing? Many more are destroyed by cooking. The heat contributes energy which can break the chemical bonds. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Scoville Date: 20 Nov 06 - 05:02 PM Okay, now Amazon is behaving. I must have had it set on DVD or something. Not many DVD's on that subject. Well, freezing sometimes makes things turn to goo and taste like crap, too. And, like I said, the freezer isn't large and it's not all hers. Look--can we do this with a minimum of smart-assery? I was asking for suggestions. She's not a kitchen incompetent, she'd just like some imaginative recipes but isn't the type to accumulate cookbooks, etc., like I am. She needs quick, inexpensive, and easy, without tasting like what we ate in grade school cafeterias. I was just trying to find a girl a Christmas present. Sheesh. ***** Actually, I'm thinking of the intro to the cartoon "Futurama", which sometimes featured a billboard for a product called "Bachelor Chow". Ha ha. But, seriously, we're trying to avoid the Alpo food aesthetic. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Rowan Date: 20 Nov 06 - 05:07 PM Vitamin C is particularly fragile in both treatments; I flinch when I see people freezing orange juice because they've got it in bulk. My parents' generation used to boil vegies to within an inch of their lives, removing many vitamins in the process. Most modern cooking of green vegies (woks, steaming etc) usually leaves them with some crisp crunch by exposing them to only a minimum of heat. This leaves some of the vitamin content intact. Most nutritionists emphasise the intake of fresh fruit and vegies as a major part of our intake and this is part of the reason. Cheers, Rowan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Richard Bridge Date: 20 Nov 06 - 05:46 PM Curry. Spagh bol Stew. Eat for 3 or 4 days at a time. Saves wasting a lot of time pfaffing around cooking, which must be the most boring job ever invented. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: artbrooks Date: 20 Nov 06 - 05:56 PM I don't know anything about your friend's basic cooking skills, so I'll throw this in the pot..if it's inappropriate feel free to throw it back out again. Several years ago my job required me to live single for a year and, for one reason or another (home to army to marriage), this was really the first time in my life that I had had to do so. My wife and daughter gave me a neat book called Dad's Own Cookbook, which included basic information on such things as how many tablespoons are in a teaspoon and how to boil water. While it does have recipes for the multitudes, it also provides good guidelines on how to reduce them to meals for one. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Linda Kelly Date: 20 Nov 06 - 06:12 PM Cheerios Weetabix and for special occasions-honeynut crunch cornflakes. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: jeffp Date: 20 Nov 06 - 06:29 PM So you said many, but only listed one. Are there others? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 20 Nov 06 - 06:32 PM Now this will be controversial. *1) depends on the ambient temperature - not recommended in 40 deg C/100+ F. A pot of stew (or similar), if left unopened with the lid firmly on after boiling for at least 5 minutes, is likely to stay 'mostly sterile' - if then simmered/lightly boiled for 5 minutes is usually safe - unless your kitchen is next to an open sewer... I've done that sort of thing for years, and it never affec... affec... affec... affec... affec... affec... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Peace Date: 20 Nov 06 - 06:50 PM "tablespoons are in a teaspoon" It's the other way around, and I think there are three teaspoons in a tablespoon. Some tips for those of you who like to cook. 1) Make enough so you can freeze two or three portions 2) When you cook pasta, make enough for about four meals, because when it's done al dente it will keep in the refrigerator. You can also freeze some, but it's better to freeze with the sauce already mixed with the pasta 3) If you like pesto sauce, freeze some in an icecube tray. When you are gonna have pasta with it, put the frozen cube or two on the pasta and nuke it for a few minutes 4) Bread will keep well in a freezer, but it sucks if you leave it in the fridge portion of your refrigerator 5) If you buy ground beef, buy the leanest you can get. Use a plastic wrap and put a 'scoop' of the meat in. Then fold the plastic wrap to the sixe you want the patties. Push down and it will assume the shape and size of the plastic wrap. Then put it in a freezer. You can take it from frozen to a fry pan and cook it. It still tastes like what I call hamburger 6) Salads are OK. but some kinds of lettuce do not keep worth a darn, so find someone else you can split a head with. Do not put salad dressing on the salad and then store in the fridge, because the whole darned thing turns to mush. Add the dressing just before you eat 7) When tins of stuff you like are on sale, buy lots 8) When I eat properly, I find it convenient to have left-over stuff which becomes lunch the next day 9) If yer gonna make rice which isn't the %-minute stuff, the recipe is basic and fundamental. Two cups water to one cup rice. Bring water to a boil and add rice. Wait until it comes to a boil again and let it for about two minutes. Then cover and put that burner on simmer. Leave it alone for about 25 minutes. Rice will keep for a few days in the fridge 10) If yer in a hurry, peanut butter is OK, but keep in mind that peanuts are not particularly good for guys with any prostate difficulty 11) If you like sweets, get frozen bars--ice cream thingies--because after a week, ice cream in thos plastic tubs gets 'freezer burn'. 12) Wnen you make a sauce for spaghetti, make lots. Freeze in individual portions 13) McDonald's may be the place you end up, but ending up there too often isn't such a good thing 14) Avoid foods that have lots of sulphites and sulphates. They will make your urine smell funny and neither of those things are good for you 15) Remember when you are eating oats for the tenth time in two weeks that some people around the world would envy you, especially if you have milk and sugar to go with the oats |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: LilyFestre Date: 20 Nov 06 - 07:11 PM This is one of my favorite recipe sites. www.allrecipes.com You can type in however many servings you want to make. Yes, you will get some weird measurements that way...but sometimes not and there is even a section for meals for one or two BUT you can make up a batch of whatever and freeze it. There are also plenty of sites for foods to cook in batches and freeze. That's always handy....just thaw, reheat and yum! All the taste and none of the work after a long day at work! Michelle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 20 Nov 06 - 07:35 PM "If yer gonna make rice which isn't the %-minute stuff, the recipe is basic and fundamental. Two cups water to one cup rice." Ah - there is another way - put the rice in the pot and add water to "the first knuckle" over the top - i.e. if you put your hand flat over the rice, it will just cover your hand - the same height can be gauged by touching the top of the rice with your finger tip and the water will reach up your finger to the first finger joint - for techies like me - that's about an inch. You cook with the lid on basically as the rest of this tip from Peace said. Got this tip from "Simply Ming" - a TV cooking show by an American Chinese restaurant owner named Ming - search the web. "If you buy ground beef, buy the leanest you can get. ... etc" Actually we can get various grades of things called "steakettes" - which are square patties separated by paper strips. Good ones at some old fashioned butchers - if you can find them. "Rice will keep for a few days in the fridge" Made up sushi does not, however. "Salads are OK. but some kinds of lettuce do not keep worth a darn, so find someone else you can split a head with." In Australia, you can now get various types of 'salads' in sealed clear plastic bags - they are very expensive compared with the basic ingredients - but yo can get them in overall smaller quantities than the basic ingredients - they often clear old older stock - often up to half price - then they become on a price par with throwing away most of the uneaten basic ingredients! They will last a few days unopened in a fridge - they are supposedly sealed in pure nitrogen - these come with any dressings - and some of the ingredients like cheeses or ham pieces sealed in small bags inside. "When tins of stuff you like are on sale, buy lots" This saves money! We now have places like "Crazy Clarks" here - these are sorta like 'dime stores' used to be - and how Coles and Woollies were before they owned 80% of the market - they often have food cans etc (non-perishables) much cheaper than the big chain stores. "If yer in a hurry, peanut butter is OK," In Aus - we use Vegemite (none of THOSE problems!) .... :-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: jeffp Date: 20 Nov 06 - 08:00 PM "When tins of stuff you like are on sale, buy lots" This does require sufficient storage space. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Peace Date: 20 Nov 06 - 08:03 PM Under the couch, jeff. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 20 Nov 06 - 08:17 PM "was lamenting recently how boring eating had become. She was irritated that recipes all seem to say "serves 4" or "serves 6" or whatever, and she doesn't want to eat the same thing all week, but she does want to follow the recipe to make sure things taste right and to avoid dealing with weird subdivided measurements." Sadly - this is the attitude of a depressed 'consumer'. 1) Seriously, think about medical help and antidepressants. 2) Start experimenting - you can't poison yourself by mixing things at random - but you WILL get some weird tastes... 3) Some single serve things like "Pot Noodles" exist, but are more expensive than bulk ingredients. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Peace Date: 20 Nov 06 - 08:21 PM Nothin' like cold pizza with peanut butter and jam. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 20 Nov 06 - 08:32 PM "you can't poison yourself by mixing things at random - but you WILL get some weird tastes..." Well there ARE exceptions, Peace... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: GUEST Date: 20 Nov 06 - 08:36 PM That explains it . . . . |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: jeffp Date: 20 Nov 06 - 09:04 PM I've only got 1/2 inch under my couch. Just enough room for the cats to hide pens and such. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: bobad Date: 20 Nov 06 - 09:42 PM "I've only got 1/2 inch under my couch. Just enough room for the cats to hide pens and such." Four thick books would be a solution. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Peace Date: 20 Nov 06 - 09:47 PM Great minds . . . . BUT, the same thickness. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Peace Date: 20 Nov 06 - 09:52 PM Something along these lines, but a couch and books, not . . . . |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: jeffp Date: 20 Nov 06 - 09:52 PM Naah. I'm not the one with the storage problem. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Rowan Date: 20 Nov 06 - 10:55 PM Someone earlier posted about relative sizes of cooking measurers. American and UK sizes for such things are different and Australian ones are often different from both. For many things such differences will be unimportant but for others they can be very important. As an example, a friend of mine wanted to bake a particular bread recipe and could never get it right. Her recipe was from an American book; knowing I might be able to help her out she asked me whether American cup measures were the same as her Australian ones. I happened to have an American measure in my kitchen and so found out that it contained 200ml rather than the 250ml she was used to. But the most important bit is to have fun cooking and enjoy the eating. Cheers, Rowan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Bert Date: 21 Nov 06 - 01:21 AM If you cook it properly in the first place then the left overs won't taste all that bad. *GRIN* When I was on my own I'd make a stew and it would be at least three days before I got tired of it. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: MudGuard Date: 21 Nov 06 - 02:07 AM "I've only got 1/2 inch under my couch. Just enough room for the cats to hide pens and such." Four thick books would be a solution. What a waste of can storage place. Use four of the cans instead of the books ;-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: GUEST Date: 21 Nov 06 - 02:43 AM If you are American, you could simply buy an English cookbook - you'll find that 4 English portions equals one American portion...... cheers, Terry |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Paul Burke Date: 21 Nov 06 - 04:48 AM When Sue's away (I should be so lucky), I do a lot of quick one-man cookery. Not the ready- meals sort; since the kids left we've been about two-thirds veggie, so I can do a really quick veggie stirfry with noodles (cooking time 20 minutes tart to finish) and infinitely variable- different veg, hot/sweet/sour ring the changes, use tofu, liquid made with leftover wine, stock cubes, anything that comes to hand. Alternatively a quick microwaved veg with rice- selection of ingredients according to what's in, chop up, put in Pyrex dish, sprinkle on olive oil, soy, garlic, wine vinegar. two minutes, shake, another two minutes, done. Put the rice on first, 15 minutes in advance- Basmatti is best, because it works well in small quantities. rice, 2.5x as much water, a lickul salt, boil and let boil dry on a very low heat (heat mat useful if you can't turn the gas down to a glimmer). My taste says don't put parsnips in because they're too sweet. Just shallow fry them and sprinkle with chili. One of the big dangers of solo cuisine is a surfeit of eggs, as ommelettes are so easy and tempting. the other big danger is that there's no one else to share the bottle(s). |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Moses Date: 21 Nov 06 - 05:40 AM "Rice will keep for a few days in the fridge" I've heard that cooked rice can harbour some VERY nasty gut-rotting bugs. Not sure what they are called but exercise some caution here, just like you would with chicken or pork. Someone will have the details but cooked rice is not as benign as you would think, I'm told. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: John MacKenzie Date: 21 Nov 06 - 05:44 AM Anything that contains starches and sugars can ferment and breed bugs. G |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: GUEST,Mr (boring recipes) Red Date: 21 Nov 06 - 05:48 AM I make a packet of suasages last a week. The only alternative is to buy in small quantities which ups the cost and time in shops. Alternatively if there is a friend who would buy similar things they can be shared but it is a complication not entered into lightly. Freezers are not the whole answer. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 21 Nov 06 - 06:24 AM I always peek in the 'throwouts bin' in the supermarkets - often they have things that are excess or obsolete, or near to expiry date. I picked up this way "Lingham's Sweet Chili Sauce" - brilliant! Also things like 'Wasabi Sauce' and all sorts of things that I add to cookups to modify flavour - occasionally, as with the Lingham's, I hit a real winner! I found it on the normal shelves later - that batch was just close to the expiry date. Things like curry lentil pie, and other 'on the spot - not advertised - specials' which I normally would not buy, but look for now as 'regular items'. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Grab Date: 21 Nov 06 - 06:34 AM For rice, I never found that "two water to one rice" worked well. Usually it ran out of water and welded itself to the pan. I've since found that "three water to one rice" works better - just drain at the end and leave it to stand for a minute, and there's nothing to scrape off the bottom of the pan. How much rice makes "one" will depend on how many people and how hungry you are. Half a cupful usually does me, but if it's a rice-heavy meal like curry then you'll want more. Also, *always* rinse your rice. My preferred method: rice in pan, water in pan, swish it around with your fingers for 10s or so, drain, and repeat twice more. The cloudy starch that you'll get rid of by doing this is what makes rice turn into a stodgy porridgy mush. Unless you're doing paella or a Chinese rice thing, in which case you might want the porridgy texture. Or rice pudding, of course. Graham. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Folkiedave Date: 21 Nov 06 - 06:41 AM Try and get hold of a copy of Katharine Whitehorn's "Cooking in a Bedsitter" on ABE books. Brilliant book - I know many people who learnt to cook from this. It is designed as a cookbook for one. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 21 Nov 06 - 06:44 AM "Unless you're doing paella or a Chinese rice thing, in which case you might want the porridgy texture. Or rice pudding, of course." Or Sushi. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: bobad Date: 21 Nov 06 - 10:40 AM "three water to one rice" I've discussed this with others who cook rice regularly and find everyone has their own method, the 2 - 1 formula being probably the most popular. This doesn't work for me. For a serving for 2 (which is what I mostly do) I use either 8 or 10 oz. rice to 10 or 12 oz. water respectively. When the water comes to a boil I put in the rice and when it once again comes to the boil I reduce the heat to the barest minimum on a gas burner. This simmers for 17 minutes after which it is stirred up and allowed to sit for 5 minutes or more. Perfect rice every time and no sticking. This works with jasmine scented Thai rice and basmati which are what I use mostly except for risotto which is a completely different trip. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: GUEST,pattyClink Date: 21 Nov 06 - 02:09 PM perfect Southern 'dry' rice: |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Tweed Date: 21 Nov 06 - 04:45 PM Make spaghetti sauce. Make chili, and lots of it. Aslo pot roast, taters, carrots garlic, and onions. Don't forget to add a packet of lipton's dry onion soup mix to yore roast water. I've survived for weeks on this stuff. Put it in containers and freeze yore cache. The only drawback is thinking far enough ahead to get something outta the freezer and defrosted in time for supper, in which case I generally will drop back to peanut butter and jelly with a couple three beers. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Peace Date: 21 Nov 06 - 07:55 PM In a pinch, the sandwich isn't necessary. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: pattyClink Date: 21 Nov 06 - 08:23 PM sorry about the above whoops, I wrote a post and only the first line translated. I'll spare you the rest of my culinary wisdom, but on the rice subject, there is a kind of separate-grains rice that is much admired by some: 'southern dry rice' the experts call it. Use 1 cup converted ("parboiled") rice, 1.5 cups water, 1 T butter, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp lemon juice. Dump in a rice cooker, or simmer in a glass pan so you can see when it gets done. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: GUEST,Nick Date: 21 Nov 06 - 09:02 PM Well I'm not sure where you live but the supermarkets around here have gone BIG TIME into preparing small meals.... The freezer section has great stuff too, just heat up if you call that cooking. Good Luck Whack Fall The Day Nick |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Rowan Date: 21 Nov 06 - 10:37 PM Ah, for a nice roast leg of two-tooth, punctured all over with garlic and rosemary. When cooking for the family, two-tooth (weaned sheep that aren't full grown, often called "hogget" in some places) is my preference, as it has more flavour than spring lamb. A leg of spring lamb is still a bit big for one person though. But think what you can do with the left overs. Slices in sandwiches for lunch. Chunks put in a stew, or a casserole. Smaller chunks skewered as part of kebabs. Minced up and mixed with herbs and then grilled on skewers. Freshly prepared vegies every time? Why not? Boil up the bones for soup stock. You could go on forever. Yummmmmm! Cheers, Rowan |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: JohnInKansas Date: 22 Nov 06 - 02:28 AM Only a couple of things that might be helpful. Rinsing rice: Much of the rice sold in US markets is "vitamin D fortified." If the package is so labelled, the vitamin D is added as a dry powder, and rinsing will remove it. If it's not labelled it may be preferable to rinse it; but I don't usually bother. Stickiness of your rice can be minimized by bringing the water to a brisk boil before adding the rice, and using the minimum amount of water necessary. The 2:1 ratio is what it takes to soak and cook most rice. If you find you need more water, it's probably because your pan lid doesn't fit tightly, or your burner's too hot, and the extra that you have to add is what boils off during the cooking. I do find that my Basmati "likes to have" a bit of extra water (compared to lesser kinds) and an extra minute or two on the heat. Cooking for one, a cup of dry rice is far too much. I saved a couple of cans from some chopped olives (4.29 oz) and one canful of dry rice, with two of water (measured in the other can so you have a dry can to measure the rice), makes a bit more than two of us usually want if we're having something else with it. (4 oz is a 1/4 cup measure in the US, but who keeps two sets of measuring cups?) Lettuce: Assuming we're speaking of the "head lettuce" which is most common, sometimes called "iceburg lettuce." The best cook I've ever known quoted her teacher as saying "the best thing you can say about it is that you don't have to use it." That being accepted, if you hold your new head of the stuff with the core end down you can whack it on the table top and the "core" will separate and can be easily pulled out. With the core removed it's claimed that it will last about three(?) times as long as if you just toss the head into the refrigerator. Although the decline of civilized eating began the first time someone said "take one can of cream of mushroom soup..." for small, simple meals, you can add this stuff to almost anything. Cream of celery or cream of asparagus condensed soups work similarly for a little variety. Cook any meat, preferably small pieces, add some rice (cooked), slather on one of these pastes, bring the whole mess back up to simmer temperature, and it will probably be edible - disgusting as it sounds. For the single cook, lentils have similar protein content to dried beans, but don't need to be soaked before cooking and cook quite quickly. I prefer a fair dollop of onions in my lentil soup, and often add a handful to stews. For soups and stews dehydrated chopped onions will reconstitute in the pot and keep indefinitely, so they're worth considering as a standby if you can buy them in reasonably large packs. (My "bulk store" has 14 oz "jugs" that last me several months.) For some uses of course you'll want "real onions." Be adventurous. The two rules of "bachelor cooking" are that: It must be reasonably identifiable at the time of preparation. It must be dead (if it may have wiggled when alive). You can gnaw on anything that meets these two requirements. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: autolycus Date: 22 Nov 06 - 03:01 AM 2 book thoughts. The reference section of the public library is there to a)answer,b)point you in the direction of the answer, to ANY question you have. Make friends with your bookseller. They know , or know how to discover, whatever you're looking for. Best wishes, Ivor, a 61-y-o who usually feeds himself. I suppose you might have enough to be getting on with. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 22 Nov 06 - 08:35 AM Useful Tip: Do NOT try to hard boil eggs in the Deep Fyrer... Been there, Done that, Got out alive... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Scoville Date: 22 Nov 06 - 12:32 PM To be honest, I always look forward to pounding the head of lettuce--sorry, I'm one of those cretins who grew up eating iceberg--on the counter to break the stem. I did that at a friend's house once and she thought I was nuts until I showed her how easily I could then pluck out the stem, with no risk of gashing myself with a knife. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: JohnInKansas Date: 22 Nov 06 - 02:42 PM A few decades ago Tupperware had a "lettuce keeper" that had a small spike in the middle of a tub. You were instructed to "whack the lettuce," remove the core, and then you stuck the head in the tub with the spike where the core had been. The recommendation was that you add a small amount of water in the bottom of the tub to make sure the lettuce didn't dry out. I suspect they still make it. A first objection to it, although it did seem to slightly lengthen the time you could store a head, is that every head of lettuce you have then takes a little more 'fridge space than the largest head of lettuce that Tupperware imagined you might ever hope to have*. A second objection to it was that ... ... ... it was Tupperware.** * It seems to be a general rule one can rely on that anything that claims to make it "easier" to store some particular kind of thing always takes at least 1.7 times as much storage space as thing being stored - and often much more. Anything that claims to make it easier to store some particular kind of thing and is CUTE requires at least 3.9 times as much storage space as the thing being stored - and often MUCH MORE. ** I do use, by choice, a set of tupperware cannisters. They are quite good. No other Tupperware is allowed in my home, as there are better alternatives for all other purposes. I am slightly disappointed in the cannisters, as durability seems a bit questionable. Two of the cannisters in my set have started developing slight cracks in the lids. I've only had the *&@!% things since 1982! They likely will be replaced by a set of old metal coffee cans (hand painted of course) - the "next best" cannister, although the plastic lids need frequent replacement - when I get around to it. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Scoville Date: 22 Nov 06 - 03:28 PM We have a lettuce bowl minus the spike (it has a domed lid to accomodate larger heads of lettuce). I'm a big fan of Tupperware popsicle molds myself. They only come with Mickey Mouse head handles now but the ones we had when I was a kid were definitely better than the paper-cup-and-stick method. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: When the Roll is Cold Baloney From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 22 Nov 06 - 07:02 PM When the roll (bompabom!), is cold baloney; When the roll (bompabom!), is cold baloney; When the roll (bompabom!), is cold baloney: When the roll is cold baloney, I'll be there! There! Now it's a Music Thread! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Peter Kasin Date: 23 Nov 06 - 04:36 AM I'm biased in this, but my sister wrote a vegetarian cookbook, published by Dutton, now in paperback from Plume, called "Heaven's Banquet," and I continually find interesting, delicious, and workable recipes easily adaptable for one person. Check Amazon.com and other online sellers. Chanteyranger |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Liz the Squeak Date: 23 Nov 06 - 05:04 AM * It seems to be a general rule one can rely on that anything that claims to make it "easier" to store some particular kind of thing always takes at least 1.7 times as much storage space as thing being stored - and often much more. Anything that claims to make it easier to store some particular kind of thing and is CUTE requires at least 3.9 times as much storage space as the thing being stored - and often MUCH MORE. How true... we have lots of plastic boxes for storage of foodstuffs/sandwich carriers etc... but they're taking over the kitchen! In about 6 weeks, there won't be a single box to be found and I'll go and buy some more.... so it'll start all over again. And what is it with men who can't stack stacking boxes? Anyway.... Having lived in bedsits where minimal storage space and others 'borrowing' your milk was the norm, I learned a few tricks. Share as much as you can with your roomie. Things like eggs, milk, bread, rice, pasta, toilet paper etc. A housekeeping pot is useful for this. Each put in say £10 a week and use it to buy the staples you both use. It may take a few weeks and you may find you need to put in more money but it'll work itself out and you may even get a bit left over for treats. Take it in turns to have 2 or 3 days a week where you each cook for both if that's feasible. That way you can try out recipes for later use by halving the ingredients you used. Start your own recipe ringbinder. I did this years ago and it's been really useful. It's a cheap ring binder with plastic pockets in it, where I've put clippings, handwritten recipes, odd pages torn from magazines, a bibliography of my cookbooks and which page to find that certain recipe, useful tips like how many teaspoons make up a tablespoon and where to get powdered eggs (I've got some VERY old cookbooks). It's this sort of useful information that can be made up into your own recipe book, especially if you haven't had much experience in the kitchen or have a brain like a colander. One day I'll type mine up properly and sell it to other CRS sufferers! LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Grab Date: 23 Nov 06 - 05:28 AM Re "vitamin fortified" rice, if you need the extra Vitamin D then you're either not getting enough proper food, not getting enough exposure to sunlight, or you have a genuine medical condition. There's better fixes for all of those than adding some random powder to your rice. :-) Ditto for pretty much everything "fortified" with whatever. I love the two rules of bachelor cooking! My experience of cooking with mates at uni suggests a third:- "It must have seemed like a good idea at the time." Graham. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: lady penelope Date: 23 Nov 06 - 03:31 PM For all those adding vitmin D to their food....erm stomach acids destroy it! It's the one vitamin your body has to make itself. For that you need a good supply of all the other nutrients you should be taking in orally and a reasonable amount of daylight. Added vitamin D? Cor, some people will swallow anything...... :0) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 23 Nov 06 - 06:12 PM "For all those adding vitamin D to their food....erm stomach acids destroy it" While I don;t have the scientific knowledge to know whether that statement is true off hand (and can't be bothered researching at the moment) - it does not surprise me in the least. The main reason 'things are added to our food' or we are urged to buy, is because someone makes a profit out of it! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Bunnahabhain Date: 23 Nov 06 - 08:58 PM The main source of Vitamin D for most people is the action of UV radiation on the skin. It is present in the diet, and can be absorbed through the GI system, but is almost impossible to overdose on. Very high doses during prgnanacy are bad news. Really, really high doses are not good for anyone, but are quite hard to achive. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 24 Nov 06 - 02:57 AM Don't eat dog livers... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: JohnInKansas Date: 24 Nov 06 - 05:17 AM The addition of vitamin D to rice was at one time mandatory under US Federal regulations for commercial food distribution, beginning ca 1920 or so when it was discovered and its effects demonstrated. It appears not to be required (in rice) now, but does appear at times. The move to make this addition was based on a dietary deficiency common in people who subsist on diets where rice is a principal component of the diet and other foods are not available or not used in sufficient amounts. Nearly all commercially sold milk in the US is supplemented with this vitamin, although milk products like cheese generally are not. Medical researchers maintain that for most people, except in the tropics, it is not possible to manufacture sufficient vitamin D from exposure to sunlight to meet normal body requirements for good health, and a significant part of it must come from the diet. Even in the tropics, in dark skinned people the skin melanine may block enough UV to cause deficiency. The amounts required are quite small, but are necessary to avoid rickets in children during the period of bone development and osteoporosis in adults. (Recommended amounts increase significantly for older people.) Deficiencies are implicated in a number of other diseases and illnesses, including some cancers. Wikipedia indicates that a recent Austrialian campaign to get people to "cover up" to avoid skin cancers from UV exposure were so successful that a majority of Australians now are considered "vitamin D deficient." Dietary supplements, either by modification of diet or by food additives, are recommended for most people who live above 30 degrees latitude due to their lesser exposure to UV in sunlight, and for people at all latitudes who do not spend significant parts of their time outdoors in sunlight. A number of fairly common foods can supply the necessary amounts for people with insufficent UV exposure; but at higher latitudes consuming enough of these natural foods to supply healthy quantities of vitamin D often leads to displacement of other food types needed for good health - and/or to obesity. There is some, but limited, excretion of this vitamin by breakdown in the body, but since it is a fat soluble material, it is only slowly broken down and excreted, and it is efficiently stored and accumulated in fatty tissues. Overdose can result from accumulation if extreme amounts are ingested artificially, but the tolerance range is very broad. Ingestion of both shark and polar bear liver is discouraged, since these animals (that share low exposure to UV for very long periods) accumulate extremely high concentrations of vitamin D in the liver, and ingestion by humans of significant amounts can produce vitamin D toxicity. If you are a shark or a polar bear you may omit adjustments in your diet and the taking of suplements. If you are not a shark or a polar bear, you should make sure that your diet accomodates an effective intake of foods that are a source for this vitamin, OR you should use products in which supplemental additions can provide it. Long experience has shown that doing both won't harm you. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Liz the Squeak Date: 24 Nov 06 - 05:29 AM So should this be 'cooking for single polar bears'? LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 24 Nov 06 - 06:10 AM Don't eat dog livers... specially if you are in Antarticta, and you lose your provisions, and start eating the huslies.... some of the explorers did die. They HAD planned on eating the dogs when they organised the expedition, but no one knew about not eating the livers. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 24 Nov 06 - 08:29 AM er - try huskies... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: Rowan Date: 24 Nov 06 - 10:41 PM And try Antarctica |
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Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help! From: JennieG Date: 25 Nov 06 - 06:56 PM Have you looked in the cookery section of your local library? They might have a book or 2 that has ideas. Cheers JennieG.....librarian for over 30 years......! |
