Cooking for one
Author
Discussion

whythem

Original Poster:

773 posts

201 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
Yeah I know, sad init. Can anybody recommend a good book with recipes for one. It is not that I cannot cook too well, but more that I seem to be going to the supermarket everyday, rather than once a week. So anybody know of a good book that teaches you to shop for the week?

OllieWinchester

5,695 posts

216 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
Cook bigger portions and freeze. Bolognaise, chilli, casserole, etc are very good for this sort of thing.

Mobile Chicane

21,828 posts

236 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
Not 'cooking for one' exactly, but Nigel Slater's '30-minute suppers' has lots of quick recipes which can be scaled up / down for as many as you are catering for.

Also lots of ideas for 'leftovers'.

Colonial

13,553 posts

229 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
either quarter them or cook more and reheat. Done.

Mexico.

1,254 posts

211 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
OllieWinchester said:
Cook bigger portions and freeze. Bolognaise, chilli, casserole, etc are very good for this sort of thing.
What he/she said spag bol chilli curry lasagna homemade soup freeze it all in little tubs jobs a good un smile

bazking69

8,620 posts

214 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
As above, I do a big cook up once a month that could feed 60 people, put them into takeaway containers and freeze them.

I have various curries, chilli con carnes, cottage pies, spag bols and other meals just a defrost and zap away. I know exactly what is in them too and it works out so cheap to do it in bulk, even if the initial outlay on ingredients seems a bit steep (like £20 of chicken breast per cook up)

Pasta sauces are always good too. Don't bother with the jar ones, make your own and freeze them in portions. Then all you have to do is cook some pasta.

Also, cooking for two myself on the actual evening as opposed to cooking from frozen, I tend to do enough for 4 or 6 and freeze the other portions, as quite simply some evenings I can't be bothered to come in and cook from scratch.

spitfire-ian

4,115 posts

252 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
Mexico. said:
OllieWinchester said:
Cook bigger portions and freeze. Bolognaise, chilli, casserole, etc are very good for this sort of thing.
What he/she said spag bol chilli curry lasagna homemade soup freeze it all in little tubs jobs a good un smile
Indeed, also look on the BBC Food website especially at recipes from programs like Ready Steady Cook as these are often portioned for 1 person anyway smile

Cotty

41,961 posts

308 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
I was given a book called Cooking For Blokes about 10 years ago and it was very good at meal planning and how you should by food.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooking-Blokes-Duncan-Ande...

Cotty

41,961 posts

308 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
Delia Smith's One is Fun is also good for meal planning, but the recepies use about a billion ingredients each, not what you want when cooking for one.

Shaw Tarse

31,836 posts

227 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
Like others have said cooking for 1 can be difficult to get motivated.I have phases where I'll cook lots of stuff, then other times can't be arsed & will buy takeaways, or or ready meals.
Get a slow cooker, useful for lots of things, stes, chilli etc.
Roasting a chicken works well, if you get one big enough:
Sunday roast with trimmings.
Monday lunch chicken & mayo sarnie.
Monday dinner, salad, or add to sauce & pasta.
Boil bones for stock to make soup or gravy lick

shirt

25,078 posts

225 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
try this book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bowl-Food-Comfort-People-C...

recipes are easily scalable or things that freeze well. all quick to prepare from scratch - no cheats!

also the wagamama cookbook is worth a look.



Mexico.

1,254 posts

211 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
You do have an oven and a nukeawave whythem ? smile

Papoo

3,931 posts

222 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
Get one of these

Or these


And head for the meat isle. Fire is fun. Even if you torch your food, you've had a good time.

Seriously though, I make my own pastramis and stuff for lunchtime, and cook up whole birds, or briskets or pork shoulders, and throw them in the freezer. Ace. And again, don't subdue the pyromaniac in you.

shirt

25,078 posts

225 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
Papoo said:
Get one of these
£31?! i am getting one. realised i needed a new one just to make your rib recipe from another thread but thought i'd have to spend more than that!

Papoo

3,931 posts

222 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
You'll probably have to get the 18.5 incher to do a slab of ribs though, my friend. Or just cut the slab in half, I guess.

Do it, maybe get more than one. A house without a Weber 'appliance' is like a child without a mother. I have 2. I don't use them at all. I'm not sure I ever will. I've another charcoal grill I use every day, a (very nice but very GAY) gas grill, and another smoker, yet I can't bring myself to get rid of the Webers. They're part of the furniture, and I need to know that they are there.

Edited to clarify - when I say "I have 2...", I mean Weber grills. NOT mothers.

Edited by Papoo on Tuesday 18th August 16:51

shirt

25,078 posts

225 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
i'm getting one, perfect way to spend the bank holiday weekend - grilling/eating/drinking!

Papoo

3,931 posts

222 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
clapclap

juice

9,614 posts

306 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
Papoo claims another convert...lol

shirt - This is what's gonna happen to you now.

a) You'll buy meat you never considered before.
b) You'll buy meat in massive quantities now.
c) Your other half will just roll their eyes when you mention the words "This looks like an interesting recipe for the BBQ"

biggrin

Papoo

3,931 posts

222 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
juice said:
Papoo claims another convert...lol
biggrin
hehe I'm a one-man sales team of gargantuan abilities. There's no stopping me now. Just waiting for the next bh to ask a question on how/what/who to cook, and I'll be on them like flies to terd with pictures of burning lump charcoal and 'primal fire-loving man' nonsense.

shirt

25,078 posts

225 months

Tuesday 18th August 2009
quotequote all
juice said:
Papoo claims another convert...lol

shirt - This is what's gonna happen to you now.

a) You'll buy meat you never considered before.
b) You'll buy meat in massive quantities now.
c) Your other half will just roll their eyes when you mention the words "This looks like an interesting recipe for the BBQ"

biggrin
a] i know where i can buy snake by the lb
b] bring it the fk on [1 man, 2 toilets!]
c] single, so more for me!

omyomyom biggrin