Recipes for 2

mrsc_2008

18 years ago

I have just discovered this forum on Garden Web. I am now an "empty nester" and unfortunately recently widowed. My problem is cooking interesting meals for one or two. Most of my recipes would feed an army and although I managed to "tweak" some of them I still seem to be eating a lot of leftovers.

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Comments (21)

Terri_PacNW
18 years ago
Welcome to the group!
Martha Stewart Everyday Food mini mag..has some yummy sounding cooking for 1 or 2 recipes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Everyday for One
deborah_ps
18 years ago
Yes, Welcome!

I'm so sorry for you loss.

What types of food are make your mouth water? Once we know that, you'll be flooded with ideas from all sides! LOL.
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Barbara, On any of the below recipes, you can use all jalapenos or a mix of any kind of pepper as long as the total amount of peppers used equals the total amount of peppers specified in that recipe. To me, napalm jam is the best and, if you use only jalapenos it is fairly mild. On the other hand, if you use all habaneros, it gives new meaning to the word "hot". NAPALM JAM 1 1/4 cup peppers 1 1/2 cup vinegar 6 cups sugar 1 package powdered pectin Prepare jars, lids, rings as usual. Puree the peppers along with the vinegar in a blender. (You can use a food processor, and when I do that, I don't add the vinegar. The main reason to add the vinegar in the blender is so all the peppers don't clump up around the blade at the bottom of the blender jar.) Be sure to remove food processor lid or blender lid carefully because the fumes will be very strong and very concentrated. Place the pepper puree in a non-reactive saucepan. If you did not add vinegar while pureeing, add it now. Add powdered pectin and stir to dissolve. Place over high heat, stirring constantly, and heat until mixture comes to a very hard boil that cannot be stirred down. Add sugar and bring back to a full rolling boil while stirring constantly. Boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Skim foam. Ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Seal. Process in BWB for 10 minutes. (The original recipe I found omitted the processing step, but I do it anyway.) JALAPENO PRESERVES 3 medium red bell peppers (you can substitute a like amount of jalapenos or any other pepper), seeded and coarsely chopped 6 jalapeno peppers 4 cups sugar 1 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 3/4 cup liquid pectin In a heavy nonreactive saucepan over high heat, conbine peppers, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Watch carefully as this tends to boil over if not in a very tall pan. Remove from heat and stir in pectin, mixing well. Return to heat and cook on high until the mixture returns to a full boil. Pour into sterilized jars, cap and seal, and process in a BWB for 10 minutes. REFRIGERATOR CANDIED JALAPENOS -- not jam, but a pretty good substitute 1 1/4 cup fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup water green food coloring Combine sliced jalapeno pepper slices, sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes until jalapenos are cooked and the liquid has boiled down to a thick syrup. Remove from heat and add desired amount of green or red food coloring, if desired. Place in a jar and keep in refrigerator. BONUS: Tomorrow we'll be working in the garden all afternoon, so for a treat I am going to mix up some semi-homemade pepper ice cream for an after-work treat. Here's the recipe for it. I use habaneros, but you can use the pepper of your choice. 3 or more habanero peppers, seeded and finely minced 1 to 2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream--softened enough that you can stir it Mix all the above ingredients together. Put into a container with a lid and return to the freezer to refreeze for 1 to 2 hours. Serve it any way you want. It is especially yummy with a cinnamon-sugar coated baked or fried tortilla or with cinnamon graham crackers. Dawn
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Hi C! Sorry it took me so long to type out the chard recipe. I love this recipe. Even my 5 and 1 y.o.s scarf it up. We got chard in our farm share box many times this year so we ate it often. Swiss Chard Gratin Butter a gratin dish and coat with 2-3 T bread crumbs. Prep chard: Cut 1 pound chard into 1 1/2" pieces. (Split leaves through the ribs if stems are 1" thick or more.) Wash in deep basin of cold water. Drain but don't dry. Heat 1T olive oil in Dutch oven. Cook 1 finely chopped shallot and 2 cloves minced garlic about one minute until soft, but not browned. Add chard and sprinkle with 1/2t salt. Cover tightly and steam 2-3 minutes until chard is wilted to half the original volume. Remove lid and cook, turning with tongs, until water has evaporated, 3-5 mins. Season with pepper. Sauce: Melt 2T butter over medium heat. Whisk in 2T flour until it bubbles and lightens. Whisk in 1 1/2c milk, 1/4t salt, and 2 fresh bay leaves (or 1 dried) and continue whisking until it boils and thickens. Reduce to low and simmer 2 mins. Stir in 2T chopped fresh oregano, 2t chopped thyme, and 1/2c grated Gruyere. Remove bay leaves. Stir sauce into chard. Check for seasoning. Spoon into gratin dish. Sprinkle with 1/4c bread crumbs, then 1/2c grated Gruyere. Bake at 400 until bubbly and top is browned, 25-35 mins. Serve hot! -------- I didn't get a chance to make your pasta yet. I ended up using my Sungolds on black bean enchiladas with tomatillo salsa as our farm share box had tomatillos that week. Do you like fava beans? I've got a great recipe for a spread for bruschetta.
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mrsc_2008
Original Author
18 years ago
My goodness - you guys are quick to respond! Thanks for the info on Martha - I always thought she did really big elaborate meals. I'll have to check it out. I did check out a few Food Network programs - I think just watching Paula Deen would cause a heart attack - all that butter! I always enjoyed cooking for my family, but sort of lost interest when there is just me. I actually enjoy most food - the only thing I cannot eat is grapefruit because it reacts with medication. Other than that I'm not at all picky.
mtnester
18 years ago
Hi mrsc, and welcome to the CF! I'm very sorry for your loss.

I'm an empty nester, too (hence the screen name). One thing the CF has taught me is the beauty of cooking a large quantity of food with the intent to save leftovers that can be POOF'ed (pulled out of freezer) later. I've done this with meatloaf, crab cakes, lasagna, chicken and turkey dishes, noodle kugel, soups, and many other dishes. That way, you don't need to eat the leftovers the next day; you can wait till a day when you don't have the time or energy to cook. And, as a bonus, you can have much more variety in the course of a week.

Sue
dgkritch
18 years ago
Cooking for Two magazine has some interesting ones. Some are also adapted for restricted diets and they are all coded. Nice format.

welcome to the forum.............HANG ON!!!!!!

Deanna
kathleen_li
18 years ago
Welcome, mrsc, and sorry for your loss...my mom was widowed at 49 and always cooked herself a healthy meal. I admire you wanting to do the same.
Just 2 of us, but I love having extra to freeze for another day.
Taste of Home Mag also has a cooking for 1 or 2 section. The folks here are very helpful, so just ask and they will answer!
mrsc_2008
Original Author
18 years ago
Thank you soooooooo much to all of you! I guess I was going through a bit of a "feeling sorry for myself" time and just couldn't be bothered to cook. Happy to say I'm feeling tickety boo again and looking forward to turning on the stove. I have a small stand up freezer (the only thing in there at the moment are ice packs) and will certainly follow your lead, Sue, and start freezing meals. I do cook when my family visits, but I usually send the leftovers home with them - maybe I'll start hanging on to some of it. My daughter and her family are coming for dinner tonight to celebrate her birthday and I do have a prime rib roast in the oven which smells awesome. Her kids don't like cake, so I made a couple of pies - now I just have to try to get candles into them! Thanks again for your help and your sympathy!
Carole.
annie1992
18 years ago
mrsc, welcome to the cooking forum, a great place to hang around and talk to your "imaginary friends" (which is what my youngest daughter calls us all).

I'm sorry to hear about your husband, and I certainly know what you mean about cooking for one. My fiancee lives 3 hours away, I see him a couple of times a month. My oldest daughter is grown, has her own home and a couple of kids and my youngest is in college and isn't home much. It's mostly me, and I don't cook as much as I used to.

I've gotten to be an expert on leftovers for lunch at work, though, and I take leftovers to my daughter, my Dad, my boss. I'm going to cook, by gosh, and they aren't going to stop me! (grin)

So, what kind of pie did you make?

Annie
grainlady_ks
18 years ago
I have the Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks - "Meals for One or Two", "Cooking for Two", and an assortment of books for using a toaster oven. Because of it's smaller size, the toaster oven recipes have a smaller number of servings per recipe. Check your local library for similar books. The Better Homes and Garden books include a guide to small-scale cooking.

For the two of use, I also consider regular recipes as a way to cook once and eat several times by storing food in 1 and 2 serving sizes in the freezer, as others also shared. I don't really like to cook and depend on whole foods for most of our meals, so regular-sized recipes are my abbreviated version of Once-a-Month cooking.

As an example: A batch of spaghetti sauce is stored in 1-cup containers (which is enough for 2 servings at our house). I boil 2 servings of pasta (of choice) then top it with the sauce heated up from the freezer. I do the same thing with Hamburger Stroganoff - freeze the topping in 1/2-cup portions (enough for one serving) and cook the number of servings of noodles or penne pasta needed and top it with thawed-in-the-refrigerator and reheated Stroganoff from the freezer.

Chili is also stored in 1-cup containers. It can be used for a filling in a taco salad or a topping for a baked potato, as well as chili.

I also package meat into small portions. After the first go-around, roasted beef or bison will end up sliced for sandwiches, shredded for bbq sandwich meat or additions to soup or rice dishes in user-friendly amounts. My FoodSaver vacuum sealer is a must.

The salad bar at the grocery store is a good friend when you only need small amounts of those foods they have already taken the time to chop for you. When you make homemade pizza you can get all your toppings at the salad bar. Need a couple T. of green onions or a few mushrooms - get them from the salad bar instead of loading your refrigerator with foods you might have a problem using.

-Grainlady
User
18 years ago
Hi mrsc lovely to have you join us!

There are lots of folk on this forum cooking for one or two each day but sometimes wanting ideas for those family get togethers or a special party.

Watch the "Whats for Dinner Thread"...almost all the dishes there are for two and leftovers can be set aside for another day.

When I think of it is is amazing how many on this forum are cooking for just one or two on a daily basis.

Stay with us.... we are family, all my sisters and me, we are family...OK I'm loosing it but we do want you here.
changeling
18 years ago
I have to admit I was unfamiliar with these terms but I think you mean that the kids are grown and your husband passed away. I am very sorry and believe it are not I totally understand!

First off, don't even try to cook "all" the time for "1". It's boring as hell, call a friend or relative that you have a close connection to (attend church dinners,etc,.) and the two (or more) of you go to places you never went before (restaurants).
Like, I bet you never thought about eating Asian/Chinese and Japanese/ Mexican/Italian/whatever, etc,.
The main thing is to get yourself back into the mainstream of life. You have suffered some very hard times in losing your husband, but that's not the end of life.
There is a whole world out there different than what you are probably used to, give it a go/chance
The main objective here is to get your butt back into the mainstream of living life and enjoying it.
I don't mean to sound unsympathetic, believe me I'm NOT! But it's not the meals for one you need, it's some friends around you and "Time"!
There is a saying that "Time heels all wounds" and basically it is very true. However it doesn't mean you don't hold love and memories in your heart.
If you need someone to just talk to send me an email, call friends, whatever.
And if you still need a recipe for cooking for one I'll give you a couple dozen. Take care and call a friend.
mrsc_2008
Original Author
18 years ago
Ohmygosh - what a great group! I wish I had found this site sooner. I want to thank you all for your encouragement. I'm usually a very "up" person but I let myself get lazy or whatever and just couldn't be bothered cooking for a while. I have had so many changes happening that I don't think my head caught up with everything. I took early retirement and my husband was going to cut back to part time, but unfortunately that didn't happen. I sold my home (which I loved) to clear up my husband's business expenses before I closed it. I also had to have both hips replaced (no problems there anymore - absolutely brilliant!)Before I had my surgery there was such a long waiting list and I had a lot of trouble getting around that my family convinced me that I should be closer to them. I now live on my son's property in the country in a granny flat with two fat cats and a dog. The dog actually belongs to my son, but she moved right in when I moved here and I think she just let's me live here with her. It's like a one bedroom cottage and I really like EXCEPT for this @#% snow! I live in Canada, so I should be used to this. Maybe I had a bit of cabin fever too. Anyway I'm well on my way now and so look forward to getting some great ideas from you all.
Thanks grainlady for the salad bar idea - I usually end up tossing things because they came in such large packages and I couldn't use everything up. I kept the leftovers from dinner last night and I'm going to have some cauliflower soup and a beef sandwich tonight. I'll still have beef left so I'll probably make shepherds pie with some of that.
Annie I made a banoffee pie and an apple pie. I still have half of the apple pie left so I cut it into wedges and froze it.
I am not on a restricted diet - just have to keep an eye on my cholesteral, other than that I'm as healthy as a horse.
The snow seems to have stopped here so I'm off to the grocery store to stock up and start cooking again. I was thinking that I should also visit the library's cookbook section. Thanks again for all your help.
Carole.
annie1992
18 years ago
Yum, apple pie, that sounds delicious and it freezes well. But what in the heck is Banoffee Pie? And, by the way, we'll expect a recipe, LOL.

Annie
mrsc_2008
Original Author
18 years ago
Here's the recipe for Banoffee pie Annie. It tastes like bananas and toffee so I guess that's where the name comes from. I think this must be a British recipe. I grew up in the north of Ireland and I remember my mum making this for us. It's not difficult to make - you just have to wait for the caramel to cook. My grandkids love this, but I find it a bit too sweet.

Banoffee Pie

You will need a graham cracker pie crust. I use 1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs and 8 - 10 tblsp. melted butter. Bake at 350 for 5 - 7 mins. and let cool.

Toffee filling: 2 cans Eagle Brand Sweetened condensed milk

Pour milk into a 9 x 12 glass baking dish and then put the baking dish into a larger pan. Add enough warm water to come halfway up the outside of the glass pan. Cover with foil and bake at 300 for 1 1/2 hrs. Cool.

When filling is cool pour half of it into the pie crust. Cover with a layer of sliced banana. Then cover with the remaining caramel.

Top with whipped cream OR 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Whip till thick and top pie.

Enjoy.

I think is should have written heavy cream and powdered sugar rather than whipping cream and icing sugar - same thing?
Lars
18 years ago
Sorry to hear about your loss. I have to cook for just two, and it's difficult for me as well. I find that it's better to try to cook things that will freeze and reheat well - that also frees up more of my time.

Mtnester - I always thought your name meant "Mountain Ester"! I never got past the "mtn" as "mountain". I guess I should have gotten a clue when you signed your messages "Sue".

Lars
mtnester
18 years ago
Lars, I chose my screen name "back in the day," when we could have upper and lower case letters, so I started out as MTnester. But then, some people thought I was from Montana!

Carole, that banoffee pie sounds scrumptious! I'll have a slice with a cup of coffee, please! :-)

Sue
bubbeskitchen
18 years ago
Welcome Carole.

Sounds like you have a very tough adjustment to make and the folks around here will offer not only recipes, but support, intellect and laughter (see chicken feet threads).

Banoffee pie, hum, sounds yummy.

Bubbe (aka RenÃ©e)
BeverlyAL
18 years ago
Hi Carole, I'm so sorry for your loss.

I want to welcome you to the forum and I hope you stick around and enjoy it. This will definitely give you something to do.

There are just two of us and I either cut recipes in half or try to freeze part for another time. I lived alone for many years and I always enjoyed cooking for myself. Sometimes I would share it with my friends. There aren't many recipes where cutting each ingredient by half doesn't work, especially since I rarely bake. If I do bake I make the whole recipe because my DH will eat the whole thing. ;)
msafirstein
18 years ago
Welcome Carole!

I'm another one that cooks and bakes for 2. I've had little problem with the recipes from this forum. I'm pretty sure you will be able to find many dishes that will suit your style and taste.

By next year, we'll have you canning peach jam and putting up tomatoes and dill pickles! :)

Michelle
hawk307
18 years ago
Hi Carole: Welcome to the FF.
I am an empty nester for a couple of months now.

Haven't got past the Empty Nest stage yet.

I have been cooking meals and making servings for two.
Placing them in square containers that stack easily in the freezer.
Then they are Labeled and Dated.

If you can get plastic containers.
All the same size, 6x6, 2 1/2 in., they will fit and store in the freezer, easier.
And if they are all the same make, it's easier to find lids.
You can cook just about anything and divide this way.

I just cooked a Turkey with stuffing,when the kids came up.

The leftover's are in the freezer , separated into meals.

Bake a Pizza and Portion it. Wet it when you put it into the Toaster oven.
Just made Lasagne. that's all in there too.

I probably will have to take over my wifes job.
Visiting Nursing Homes, to cheer up the Inmates.

We also did Toy's for the Kids, treating in Our Hospital.
Still recieving Donations, for this, to the Ladies Aux. VFW.in Memory of.

I try to keep busy. I hope you do the same.

Come on over for dinner, I'll take 2 containers, out of the freezer!!!
LOU
mustangs81
18 years ago
Carole, Welcome to the 'Friendliest Place on Earth', well next to Disney. I'm sorry for you loss, it's got to be a challenging adjustment on several fronts.

If you are going to get ideas, this is the place. I really enjoyed the new containers FoodSaver Lunch and Leftovers Containers as I'm always having a serving or two leftover. If you don't have a FoodSaver, then I hear the new Reynolds Handi Vac is good for short term storage.

Recipes for 2

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