Cooking for One

[stephie61706]

Does anyone have any good recipes for one? I'm not a fan of left-overs but I hate to waste food.
TIA

[KarenS]

I find that when I cook for just me, I tend to stick to really simple things like a single grilled or baked chicken breast or a single filet of fish or a single serving of pasta with some shrimp or scallops. Or a big salad. Things like casseroles and soups and whatnot are really hard to make for one - although it's possible.

If you can give some ideas of what kind of food you like, I can probably come up with some recipes for you.

Karen

[Rose]

When I cook for myself I usually don't pair down the recipe to one serving because I like to have leftovers. If I am going to the trouble then I like to get more then one meal out of it unless it's like an omlette or salad, or something that doesn't save well.

[vee05]

I agree with Rose but i do use my George foreman grill a lot when its just me. grill some chicken,fish with veggies in a simple lemon marinade yummmm...

[CarolinaGirl]

I boil a few frozen shrimp in a little beer with some old bay seasoning added.
or I might make an egg sandwich or microwave some Campbells Firehouse Chili, or microwave a Boca burger since they come in individual serving pkgs.
I mainly stick to simple things when it's just me. Actually I stick to simple things when it's just DH and me. Oh, I microwave a lot of frozen veggies too.

[Asha]

i don't mind leftovers, so i usually would cook a regular portion and eat it for a couple of days. though, they make cookbooks designed for cooking for one. my mom gave me one for xmas one time.

[KarenS]

Ok, just in the nature of a cranky Saturday morning vent here - the OP came asking for recipes 3 days ago. A couple of people have responded and I asked what she liked to eat and I'd post recipes ... and nothing.

Come on people. If you ask a question and someone wants to help you, have the courtesy to respond to them. This is one of my message board gripes. Don't ask a question and then just bail.

*sigh*

Karen

[Asha]

somehow double posted...

[Asha]

given her low post count, i don't think she frequents the board as much as you, karen, and me. she'll probably be back. give her time. :D

[KarenS]

I know that not everyone sits in front of a computer every day, but if you ask a question, you should at least make a point to check back w/in 24 hours or so to see if anyone has responded. It's just polite.

Grumble. I'm just cranky today becuase I can't figure out this ^%#$&% perl script.

Karen

[stephie61706]

Sorry I didn't respond sooner......

I eat a lot of chicken and pasta, not too much red meat and no fish. When it comes to food, I like pretty much everything. The only thing I can't eat is really spicy things, I don't have the stomach for it.

[andrew&shannah]

Cooking Light just did an article (with recipes) on cooking for one. Here are some of them:
Parmesan Chicken

1 (6-ounce) skinned chicken breast half
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon (1/4 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of black pepper
Cooking spray
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 400°.
Brush chicken breast half with olive oil. Combine cheese and next 4 ingredients (cheese through pepper) in a small bowl, and sprinkle cheese mixture over both sides of chicken. Place chicken in a shallow dish coated with cooking spray, and pour broth over the chicken. Cover, and bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until done.

Yield: 1 serving

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 294(32% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 3.2g,mono 4g,poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 46.1g; CHOLESTEROL 122mg; CALCIUM 132mg; SODIUM 501mg; FIBER 0.1g; IRON 1.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.5g

************************
Steak-and-Bean Burrito
Cooking spray
2 ounces boned round steak, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup fat-free beef broth
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (8-inch) flour tortilla
3 tablespoons fat-free sour cream, divided
2 tablespoons bottled salsa, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped romaine lettuce

Heat a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add beef, and sauté 2 minutes; remove beef from pan. Add onion and garlic to pan, and sauté 2 minutes. Stir in beans and broth; cook 1 minute. Mash bean mixture with a fork; stir in pepper and cumin. Spread bean mixture over tortilla, and top with 2 tablespoons sour cream, spreading to cover. Place beef strips down center of tortilla; top with 1 tablespoon salsa. Roll up tortilla; place, seam side down, on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until burrito filling is hot. Top with 1 tablespoon sour cream, 1 tablespoon salsa, and lettuce.

Yield: 1 serving

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 448(14% from fat); FAT 7.1g (sat 1.7g,mono 2.3g,poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 33.6g; CHOLESTEROL 41mg; CALCIUM 118mg; SODIUM 1mg; FIBER 8.5g; IRON 5.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 62.2g
*************************
Chicken Caesar Salad
Salad:
1 (2-pound) whole roasted chicken, skinned
11 cups torn romaine lettuce (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 cup red bell pepper strips

Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 1/2 cups plain croutons
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

To prepare salad, remove chicken from bones; shred with 2 forks to measure 3 cups meat. Combine chicken, lettuce, and bell pepper in a large bowl.
To prepare vinaigrette, combine oil and next 7 ingredients (oil through garlic) in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour over salad; toss well. Sprinkle with croutons and cheese; toss gently to combine.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 306(47% from fat); FAT 16g (sat 4.3g,mono 8.2g,poly 2.2g); PROTEIN 29.4g; CHOLESTEROL 78mg; CALCIUM 171mg; SODIUM 445mg; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 2.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.3g
********************************
Pork-and-Vegetable Stir-Fry
Cooking spray
1 (4-ounce) boned center-cut loin pork chop (about 1/2 inch thick) cut into 1-inch strips
1 cup small broccoli florets
1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup vertically sliced onion
1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup hot cooked rice

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot; add pork strips, and sauté 2 minutes. Remove pork from skillet. Add broccoli and sliced bell peppers to skillet, and stir-fry 2 minutes. Stir in onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook 2 minutes, and return pork to pan. Combine chicken broth and next 5 ingredients (broth through sugar), and stir with a whisk. Add to pork mixture. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes or until sauce thickens. Serve over rice.

Yield: 1 serving

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 422(19% from fat); FAT 8.7g (sat 2.6g,mono 3.1g,poly 1.2g); PROTEIN 29.1g; CHOLESTEROL 59mg; CALCIUM 95mg
****************************
Sautéed Pork with Sweet Onion Relish and Corn Fritters
1 (4-ounce) boned center-cut loin pork chop (about 3/4 inch thick)
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1/4 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup bottled sweet onion relish
Corn Fritters

Trim fat from pork; sprinkle with pepper and salt. Heat a small skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add pork; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Add juice and vinegar; simmer 3 minutes, turning pork occasionally. Serve warm with relish and fritters.

Yield: 1 serving (serving size: 1 pork chop, 1/4 cup relish, and 3 fritters)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 430(25% from fat); FAT 11.9g (sat 3.4g,mono 5g,poly 2.4g); PROTEIN 29.4g; CHOLESTEROL 59mg; CALCIUM 73mg; SODIUM 906mg; FIBER 3.7g; IRON 2.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 53.6g

[andrew&shannah]

From Everyday Italian:

Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese

1 cup dried orecchiette pasta
2 cups Mediterranean-style mixed salad greens
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil), chopped
1 tablespoon goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the water.
In medium bowl, mix the salad greens with the sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and Parmesan. Top with warm pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss to combine and wilt the greens. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper, or to taste. Garnish with additional Parmesan, if desired, and serve.
***********************
Petite Filet with Gorgonzola and Porcini Mushroom Sauce
Filet:
1 (4 to 6-ounce) petite filet of beef
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
Gorgonzola and Porcini Mushroom Sauce:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4-pound (about 1 cup) dried porcini mushrooms, soaked and strained
1 shallot, sliced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces (about 3 tablespoons) Gorgonzola
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard


For the beef:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Sprinkle both sides of the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe medium skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully place the filet in the pan. Cook until browned on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes a side. Transfer the steak to the oven and bake until a meat thermometer reads 130 degrees F. for medium-rare, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the beef from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

For the sauce:
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and the shallots and cook until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme, white wine, salt, and pepper and continue to cook until all of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 more minutes.

Meanwhile, put the Gorgonzola, mayonnaise, and mustard in a food processor and combine until smooth. Transfer the Gorgonzola mixture to the skillet with mushrooms and shallots. Gently stir the cheese mixture into the mushroom mixture.

Slice the beef and serve topped with a dollop of the cheese sauce. Reserve leftover sauce for another use.

[pride&prejudice]

Try the Taste of Home (http://www.tasteofhome.com/Default.aspx?r_d=y) website. I get their cookbook and its has a cooking for one and two section. HTH.