doni49:

I learned that I like having company when I'm making something that only works well in large batches, so I don't have to deal as much with the leftovers (have you ever tried to eat an entire lasagna?  I love lasagna with homemade sacue... but it gets old eating it day after day after the first several days).

I like to make a batch and then put individual servings in separate freezer bags.  They freeze well--just don't pile them together or put things on top until they solidify.  You should be able to enjoy one batch of lasagna for a while.

I've done this before with other types of food, but with lasagna, I find it falls apart too easily.  Have you ever tried to bake smaller portions, such as in a loaf pan?  Or how about lining a loaf pan with wax paper, assembling the lasagna, freezing the uncooked lasagna in the pan, then removing and placing in a large freezer bag?  I've never tried this, but I'm thinking it might work. 

Yesterday, a friend showed me how she does meals. She cooks, puts leftovers into a single-serving gladware container, and freezes them. When frozen, she pops them out and puts each portion in a reusable vacuum bag with a sticker on it (date and entree). If it's soup or a casserole, it's a complete meal. If it's something else, she just adds some frozen or fresh veggies. It's perfect! She's very wise!

And, Deb, you are a beacon. Your words always make me smile.

How kind of you, Falcon in Burgundy, to say that about me.  But I just reflect the vitality of all Forumites; we all aim sunbeams at each other.  Yours in Him, Deb

Very very good ideas here ..

Are there any recommended cookbooks or cooking magazines that deal with meals for one? I think there is a popular cooking magazine ("Southern Living," maybe?) which came out with a "Meals for One and Two" issue every few months or so. I've seen some meals-for-one cookbooks before, but never picked one up to see what I thought of it. Sometimes I make big batches of food intending that my husband, my sister, and I will all eat it and have enough for three or four freezer meals later, only to have them hate it!

Hi ... With the girls out of the house, most of our meals are for two now. Still ...we make extra, just in case they stop by and freeze portions for later. Most recipes can be cut in half or more, depending on how much you want make. I don't pay for recipes or magazine because the internet provides them to me for free.

These two sites have whole recipe sections devoted to 'cooking for two': http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Everyday-Cooking/Cooking-for-Two/Main.aspx   and  http://www.pillsbury.com and search 'cooking for two'.

This site has some recipes to view, but is for the Taste's of Home - Cooking for 2 magazine (15.00 a year - 4 issues/about 70 recipes per issue): http://www.cookingfor2.com/

My local library has many books, magazines, and dvd's. Also, the Inter-Loan Book Program - I can search for a book, make a request and it is delivered to my local library for pick-up.  

Maybe make a small (normal) meal first and see how well it is liked - early on, I made many meals that were not well received. Also, one girl will not eat 'left-overs' (while with her mother, she got multiple sicknesses from spoiled food when smaller), so we re-created 'new' meals and 'left-overs' was never spoken at our house. Happy Cooking !  

Taste of Home! That's the magazine I was trying to think of. Thank you! :-)

I too had to learn how to cook for one :-)

I buy, divide, & freeze. I have a foodsaver that helps with this.

I use my toaster oven religiously.

Some of my favorite meals are:
**Grilled fish (White fish-tilapia, cod, or flounder-put a lil greek seasoning on it & a spritz of lemon), steamed (frozen) veggies, and roasted garlic pasta (I roast a whole bulb of garlic, mash & mix it with some margarine & use it throughout the week) - Yummy, low fat, omega-3s, etc...This is a cheap & quick meal. Takes about 10min from start to finish!
**Grilled chicken breasts & a baked potato: I always marinade my chicken in greek or italian dressing OR bbq or chipotle marinade. Baked potatoes cook up in the microwave in minutes. The marinade can be added to the chicken in the foodsaver bag.
***Nachos! I LOVE tex mex! I will chop up an onion, caramelize it & add refried beans. This stores in the fridge for a week. I can pull out a lil, add cheese -- heat, then add a dollop of sour cream. Not low fat at all, but so YUM! And really cheap!
OR I take a chicken breast that i've marinated in chipotle marinade and shred it up as I cook it to have chicken nachos.
***Potato soup: I love potato soup in its simplest form. 1 potato, chopped & boiled, then drained. I mash a little bit of it up, add butter & milk, s&p....voila!
***Ramen: I add more water + buillion, frozen veggies or a can of chinese stir-fry veggies.
***I buy the little packages of beef filets wrapped in bacon. Put a lil seasoning salt, grill on my grill pan. Can have a baked potato with it.

 I am a bachelor and love cooking.  What I've learned is fresh fruits and veggies often go bad before I can use them all.  What I do to combat this is make soups or smoothies, and if there is too much, invite some friends over.  Soups are great because you can change them by adding curry or other spices and a few new ingredients to make a completely different meal.  It's also a great way to get people over to socialize cheaply! By cooking ahead and freezing, I'm able to save quite a bit on meals at work.  Also, I do not have access to libraries or bookstores for cookbooks, but I've found www.allrecipes.com has every recipe I could ever dream of, and it's all free.  You can choose the number of portions and the recipe will automatically update to reflect the amounts you need to use.  Scrimp on the small stuff but never sacrifice taste :)

Peace,

David M.

karenteacher:

I do that sometimes... the problem is, I tend to forget things like that are in the freezer... and then they get freezer burned.  I really need to work out a better system for freezing leftovers - and for remembering to eat them!

 

have you tried putting a list on the freezer and marking it off as you eat them or adding to it as you make new food?

cyn