Cooking for two - or one

[Rembrandtfan]

How do you do it? Any good tips or recipes?

I have a tendency to make too much and then we get sick of it and throw some of it away because it ends up going bad. I am trying to freeze what I can, but I am not sure of what all freezes well and what doesn't. I like the idea of doing this, because it means we will have some quick meals handy on the days we don't feel like cooking. A lot of times, we end up eating out because we don't feel like cooking, or I forgot to thaw out any meat. I want to cut down on that to save money.

Sometimes we give our leftovers to DH's eldery parents who live close by, and actually, I am glad to do it.

 

[snoochface]

We cook for just the two of us, but a lot of times there are leftovers. I make a lot of crock pot dishes because I just find them convenient, and we both like saucy, cheesy, meaty meals -- so the crock pot usually works well when I cook.

I've made huge pots of beef or multi-meat stew that last us for days. We don't get tired of food easily if it's good. I do more than him, actually. So if I make a big stew on Monday, a lot of times we'll be finishing it off on Thursday and we're okay with that. If we do get tired of it, especially if the weather changes and we don't want a hot, stick-to-your-ribs meal, we'll put it in GladWare containers (which are great, very cheap, freeze well, microwave well, wash well) and freeze what's left for another meal later.

When my husband cooks, he'll usually cook at the stove or grill, and he'll make chicken and rice, or steak and a baked potato. We get big rib-eye steaks from Costco and split one between the two of us, and we'll split a baked potato too. They are big enough for two really, so we don't feel like we're wasting anything (neither of us really care for reheated steak).

When he makes teriaki chicken, or chicken with rice, or chicken with veggies, there is sometimes a portion leftover for one of us to have for lunch the next day. We, again, get boneless, skinless chicken thighs from Costco which they package into individual servings of 4-5 pieces each (the boneless, skinless breasts are packaged the same way). So one of those packs will give each of us two pieces of chicken and sometimes part of another, or a leftover lunch portion.

The biggest time we have leftovers are when I make a roast or he makes a ham. We'll usually have that for a couple of days, but then I get tired of it. We slice the leftover meat really thin, like deli sliced, and put it in baggies to freeze. They work great for lunch meats and sandwiches for a good long time.

I'm happy to share any of my recipes with anyone who wants them.

 

[California Dreamin']

I honestly admit I'm not much of a cook, and do cook too much.. for either myself or when my fiance is visiting. We generally go to restaurants, but it is starting to become very expensive. I'll let him do the cooking, that's his profession, but it's hard to find something we BOTH like.

I think he's only cooked once for me.. when I had my tonsils out!

 

[Rebekka]

subscribing - don't have time now - great topic!

 

[Rebekka]

I must admit that it's hard for me to cook just enough for the two of us, so we do have leftovers sometimes - or we eat more than we need (it's hard to not finish everything if it's good - and my food is good). When I moved out of my parents' house I had to learn how to cook for one, and that was pretty hard, I was so used to cooking for three. I hadn't fully mastered cooking for one by the time I met my husband. So in a way I think I still cook for three (my parents have very small appetites, my husband can eat what they eat).

I try not to throw anything away. I freeze a lot. Some things can't be frozen: cooked pasta is disgusting defrosted. But pasta sauce freezes very well. Meat freezes better raw than cooked IMO.

All things considered being childfree is the right decision for my husband and me, and we have no regrets whatsoever, but there are a few situations where I sometimes wished I had a larger family, and cooking is one of them! I have cookie baking genes. I love cooking larger pieces of meat. And I want someone to tell me how wonderful the kitchen is smelling! (My husband loves my cooking, but he has completely lost his sense of smell. )

(Two other situations where I miss having a child is reading bedtime stories - I love children's literature - , teaching my child, and getting to name someone. My future cats will have wonderful names, LOL.)

 

[Rembrandtfan]

I have cookie baking genes.

I'm lacking a bit on the cookie genes , and there's nothing I love more than a fresh baked cookie and a cup of joe!

 

[Rembrandtfan]

The biggest time we have leftovers are when I make a roast or he makes a ham. We'll usually have that for a couple of days, but then I get tired of it. We slice the leftover meat really thin, like deli sliced, and put it in baggies to freeze. They work great for lunch meats and sandwiches for a good long time.

That's a great idea. I will keep that in mind, and it will come in handy for DH and I to pack in our lunches for work.