The Single Gourmet

Good morning.

What is a single serving?  It would be different for a young, active person than for a person who spends the day at the computer or sewing machine.  Everyone should judge what their personal single serving is and find what is just right for them.

When I started single cooking, I also downsized my pots and pans. It make it much easier to cook smaller when the pots and pans are small.

Some of my favorites are  a set of covered glass dishes that can go in the oven, to the table and then to the freezer if there are any leftovers.

A  7″ pie plate will make a small pie that is just right. You could make many different kinds of pies with the very tiny pie plate. Little doughnut bakers can be used for doughnuts, molded jello or little cakes.  The metal pans are just right for a meat loaf for one.  With several of these pans, I can make a regular size meatloaf and freeze several for a later date.

There will be less leftover when cooking in the small crock pot.   The large crock pot isn’t used very much, but I do use it when I take something to a pot luck dinner.  I made the most delicious small pot roast in the small crock pot.  The gravy was yummy. Some of the left over pot roast and gravy were placed in the freezer to warm up some night when I didn’t feel like cooking.

By the way, the most important appliance in the kitchenfor single cooking is a freezer.  Leftovers can be frozen, labled with content and date.  If you cook for two for a month, you can eat free for the next month by freezing half of the meal.  Not all meals can be frozen.  Some dishes are better heated up in the regular oven than in the microwave.  Experiment to find out which is best.  If you use only part of a can of tomato sauce or paste or anything else, freeze what you don’t use in ice cube trays.  Then pop them out and place in a freezer baggie.  Then you will have just the right amount for your recipies.

Here are some examples of my other small dishes.

Portion control is very hard when cooking for one.  We were taught to clean our plate so we tend to eat more than we should.  I have even downsized my dinner plate.  If I’m still hungry or it is really good, I can go back for a second helping.

Enjoy your day.  Keep quilting and cooking.