Cooking for One

It is often frustrating to attempt to plan meals that are designed for one. Despite this fact, we are seeing more and more recipe books and Internet websites that are dedicated to the act of cooking for one. Divorce and the death of spouses or grown children leaving for college are all reasons that someone accustomed to cooking for more than one would suddenly need to learn how to adjust all the cooking practices utilized before into a streamlined plan of cooking that is more efficient for one person creating less waste.

The mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make cooking for one a challenge rather than a trial. Use this opportunity to try new and exciting cuisines. Perhaps one of the greatest things about cooking for one is the fact that it isn't quite as expensive as cooking for two. This means that you have a little more money in the grocery budget with which to plan and prepare your meals.

One thing you may want to keep in mind however is that when cooking for one, if you prepare foods that are freezable. It may save more time (and in the end money) if you cook the full 2-4 servings that most recipes call for and freeze the leftovers in single serving portions for a later point in time. This leaves you with a freezer full of foods for those nights when the thought of cooking just seems beyond your capabilities. This also leaves you with doing the work once and enjoying the fruits of your efforts many times over. This is a great position to be in if you ask me.

We are finding more and more recipes and cookbooks that are designed around the concept of cooking for one. No matter what situation placed you in the position of cooking for one, there is no reason that you shouldn't enjoy great food that is exciting and pleasant simply because you are dining alone. There is no harm in enjoying a fabulous meal with a glass of wine and great music whether you are cooking for one or one hundred.

Remember you are what you eat and if you relegate yourself to boring meals that lack excitement and spice that is what you will become. However if you decide to reach out and try new and exciting dishes with every meal you prepare when cooking for one, it will show in the way you embrace life in other areas as well. While we should not live to eat, we should also not limit ourselves to eating to live. Enjoy the foods you prepare whether the portions are large or small in size.

If you do not want to invest heavily in cookbooks that relate to cooking for one, it is quite possible that your local public library will have a few from which you can find some excellent recipes tips and resources. While you are there be sure to check out their selection of exotic food cookbooks in order to spice things up a bit. You never know what treasures you may discover on the shelves or your local library. You may even find local resources on classes that center on the idea of cooking for one. If the library proves to be a bust as far as resources go, the Internet is full of recipes, tips, and hints for those who are cooking for one.

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ORIENTAL CHICKEN WINGS

Ingredients

• 6 chicken wings
• 1 sm. clove garlic
• 1 scallion
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 2 tsp. rice-wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp.g rated ginger
• 1/2 tsp. oriental sesame oil
• Pinch of cayenne
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander or parsley

Instructions/Steps

Remove wing tips and cut wings in half at the joint. Mince garlic and scallion. Combine soy sauce, honey, vinegar, garlic, ginger, oil and cayenne in a microwave safe dish. Add wings and turn to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes, turning twice. Put larger wings at the edge of the dish. Cover with plastic and vent. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Rotate plate and cook 5 minutes longer. Transfer wings to a serving plate. Return marinade to oven and cook, partially covered on high for 2 minutes. Pour marinade over wings and turn to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, scallion and coriander. 12 pieces.

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Alexander Espresso

Ingredients

• 1 c Cold water
• 2 tb Ground espresso coffee
• 1/2 ea Cinnamon stick (3" long)
• 4 ts Creme de cacao
• 2 ts Brandy
• 2 tb Whipping cream, chilled
• 1 ea Grated semisweet chocolate

Instructions/Steps

Break out your espresso machine for this one or just make really strong coffee w/ a small amount of water. Break cinnamon stick into small pieces and add to hot espresso. Allow to cool for 1 minute. Add creme de cacao and brandy, and stir gently. Pour into cute demitasse cups. Whip the cream, and float some cream on top of each cup. For looks, garnish with grated chocolate or fancy chocolate curls. Multiply proportions by six and it's perfect for a party. Serves 2

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IRISH CREAM PUDDING

Ingredients

• 1 (3 5/8 oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding
• 1 env. whipped topping mix
• 1 c. milk
• 8 tbsp. Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur

Instructions/Steps

Empty contents of pudding and whipped topping mix into mixing bowl. Add milk and mix at high speed until thick. Add 8 tablespoons Irish Cream liqueur and mix until thoroughly blended. Chill and serve. Will serve 6 people.

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BLUEBERRY PUDDING

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. unflavored gelatin (1 env.)
• 1/4 c. boiling water
• 10 oz. tofu, drained
• 5 tbsp. apple juice concentrate, defrosted
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 pt. fresh blueberries, rinsed, drained and divided, about 16 oz.

Instructions/Steps

Serves 4. About 2/3 cup per serving. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water, stirring until crystals disappear. In a blender or the workbowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, blend dissolved gelatin, tofu, apple juice concentrate, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon and 1 cup of blueberries until smooth. Pour pudding into a bowl; fold in remaining cup of blueberries. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours, or until set. Serve cold. The sweetener in this recipe is apple juice concentrate. That's a good way to cut down on processed sugar.

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Pleasure Cooking

Far too often we get caught up in the necessity of cooking in order to eat and forget the absolute joy that can be found through the act of cooking. Of course this isn't limited to stovetop cooking. There are many men and women around the world who find baking to be an extremely pleasurable pastime in addition to traditional stovetop cooking or even barbecuing on a grill. The main distinction occurs in how you perceive your cooking projects.


How Do Your View Cooking?

While this question is asked somewhat rhetorically, it is a question you should ask yourself and answer. Do you view cooking as a chore or duty or do you view it as a project? There is something much more exciting about embarking on a new project than getting around to a loathsome chore. If you do view cooking as a chore the more important question might be why?

Some common reasons that people dislike cooking include the following: lack of skill, lack of confidence, boredom, or you could simply dislike the inevitable clean up far more than you enjoy the process of cooking. For each of these, there are solutions if you are willing to make the effort.

A lack of skill when it comes to cooking can be easily corrected in most cases by taking a few cooking classes. Classes are offered for varying degrees of skill sets and are meant to help you develop your cooking talents while teaching you the basics of meal planning and preparation. You can increase your skills by taking more classes down the road.

While a lack of confidence is a little more difficult to address having a few 'dinner parties' in which your quests can compliment your culinary talents can often solve this particular dilemma. The key in this process is to plan your menu carefully and remain well within your comfort zone. You will be amazed at the wonderfully rich and delicious meals that can be prepared with very little effort if you are willing to sift through the recipe books in order to find them.

Boredom in the kitchen is perhaps one of the easiest problems to fix there is. The solution is exceedingly simple-find a challenge. Try cooking Thai or Indian cuisine. Try more difficult recipes. Try making only meals from scratch or simply try broadening your use of spices and seasonings. There are many things you can do in order to bring some excitement back into your kitchen. You may even discover hidden talents and tastes in the process.

There will always be clean up. My suggestion is to make a deal with either your partner or your children and they can draw straws over who cleans up. Of course if this won't work in your family, you could always turn over a new leaf and clean as you go whenever possible. This makes the clean up process after dinner so much simpler to handle that it is well worth a few extra minutes during meal prep.

Cooking for pleasure is really the only way to cook. If you have difficulties when it comes to finding the enjoyment and entertainment value of cooking, perhaps it's time you bring some fun back into your kitchen. If you're barbecuing, put on some Jimmy Buffet and dance around your kitchen. If you're cooking Italian find some nice Italian music to set the mood. Bring the fun back into your kitchen and you will find that cooking is a pleasure rather than a chore.

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CREAM OF FRESH TOMATO SOUP

Ingredients

• 1 sm. onion, finely chopped
• 6 med. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded
  and chopped
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. dried sage
• Garnish: dollop of sour cream and chopped parsley
  

Instructions/Steps

Saute onion for 5 minutes in butter in a 4 quart saucepan. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, baking soda and sage. Saute for 10 - 12 minutes or until thickened and pasty. Remove from heat and stir in cream. Taste for seasoning. Return to heat and heat through. Serve in heated cup or refrigerate and serve chilled with a dollop of sour cream and chopped parsley.

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BROCCOLI, ASPARAGUS OR CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1 bunch (10 oz.) fresh broccoli
• 1 sm. onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 qt. chicken stock or broth
• 1/2 c. heavy cream, warmed
• Salt and pepper

Instructions/Steps

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan, stir in flour. Cook 3 minutes over low heat, stir constantly. Cool. Set aside. If using broccoli: Wash and trim off tough part. Separate and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. In a large saucepan saute onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Stir in broccoli, cover and cook 3 minutes. Stir in stock or broth, heat to simmering. Stir small amount of liquid into cooked flour and butter mixture until smooth; return mixture to saucepan; stirring until smooth. Simmer, covered until broccoli is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly. Puree in electric blender, return to saucepan. Blend cream into soup. Taste and salt and pepper if needed. Serve.

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