BS: Cooking for single people--help!

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.

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.

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.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help!
From: Wesley S
Date: 20 Nov 06 - 03:36 PM

Freeze it.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help!
From: Lox
Date: 20 Nov 06 - 04:15 PM

Peace

LOL

You are a bad person ;-)

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.

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?

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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?

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...

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

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

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!) .... :-)

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.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help!
From: Peace
Date: 20 Nov 06 - 08:03 PM

Under the couch, jeff.

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.

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.

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...

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help!
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Nov 06 - 08:36 PM

That explains it . . . .

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.

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.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help!
From: Peace
Date: 20 Nov 06 - 09:47 PM

Great minds . . . .

BUT, the same thickness.

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 . . . .

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.

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

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.

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 ;-)

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

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).

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.

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

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.

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'.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking for single people--help!
From: GUEST,pattyClink
Date: 21 Nov 06 - 02:09 PM

perfect Southern 'dry' rice: