Food Fun For One (or 2)

 It can be hard to cook for one person - especially if you have been used to cooking a lot.  I used to cook for 2, but G loved to eat - so he would eat a big meal and would eat all the leftovers for either breakfast or lunch!  I enjoyed cooking.  We used to have family get togethers and I could cook up a storm.  I have always loved to cook.  

I started my cooking when I was my parents' home.  Helped Mom a lot and then when they both worked in my early teens, I would fix dinner for them.  My specialty was spaghetti with homemade sauce.  I think my Daddy got pretty tired of spaghetti!  LOL

Now that I am alone - cooking isn't nearly as much fun.  For a long time, I pretty much ate sandwiches and salads.  Then I started cooking again.  I am slowly learning ways to make less.  I still share some with neighbors and I still freeze leftovers for another day - but that is all better than wasting food.

I have always loved to use fresh ingredients and from scratch.  Sometimes a little CHEAT is in order now.  You know what?  That is OK!!!!!!  

Whatever works for you!  It doesn't matter what others do or think - you need to cook what you like and what works for you.

I love spicey/tangy beans and rice or dirty rice.  All the recipes I have are for huge amounts!  Even when I try to reduce them, well it is a lot!  I now get boxed beans and rice and dirty rice mix.  I buy it at Aldi, as it is just as good as the brand named ones and it costs less.

I LOVE meatloaf.  I don't want to always heat up the oven just for me.  I make up the ground meat with all the ingredients to make meatloaf (using just a half pound of meat) - and then I make up patties and fry them.  YES, you can make fried meatloaf.  It tastes wonderful and you can always have it for a couple days or you can freeze the extra burgers for another day - to just heat up!

You get that nice crust on each side and all the yummy flavors on the inside.

Here is a meatloaf burger with cheese melted on top.  Cheesy potatoes and corn.  This was a hearty and filling dinner.

SOUP - I LOVE soup as well!  Oh heck, who am I kidding - I love food.  Making soup, never comes in small batches for me.  It is hard to make a small amount.  I cheat on this sometimes as well.  I got a lot of soup mixes as part of a gift during the holidays.  I do use them, but I do NOT use them as the package says!!!!  Yeah, this girl often colors outside the lines!

I made potato soup earlier with this mix.  I added leftover corned beef hash to the mix and lots of cheese.  I like having bites of food in my soup - not just creaminess.  I always add chopped potato, and sometimes carrots or ham pieces.

I mentioned last week about making beef enchilada soup.  Yep, this is the mix I used s a starter.  No, I didn't make it according to the package.  I used ground beef instead of chicken.  I didn't use all the water - I used a can of tomato sauce, a half pint of my home canned seasoned tomatoes and a can of water.  I threw in leftover corn and leftover mashed potatoes (to help thicken).  I added a can of kidney beans.

I love thick soup (not watery).  This was wonderful.  I ate 2 meals from it and froze one.

Have fun with your food.  I often get asked what my recipe was - and my response is many times "what is the recipe thing you speak of?"  LOL.  I usually just wing it.  G used to say he really liked something, and would tell me, I should make that again.  OK - if I can remember what I did!!!!  Most things are never made exactly the same way twice!!!

I have learned to make smaller batches of mac n cheese from scratch.  I cook about a handful and a half (that is how I measure it!) and then add whatever cheeses I want or whatever I have.  I may end up with a little left - but may eat it the next day or as a snack later on.

I like melted cheese on things.  Well making a batch of cheese sauce just isn't feasible for one.  I sometimes use jarred cheese (Mexican cheese dip) or I will maybe use a packet of the Velveeta melted cheese ($1).  It is easy and it is tasty, and I don't have waste with it just being me.

This is also a good way to get a cheese topping.  Use straight from can or add just a bit of milk - makes a cheesy topping.  Very tasty.

Velveeta cheese sauce comes in regular and jalapeno.  Both are tasty and packages are not big.

It is fine to use a little help, whether you are cooking for one or for more.  I love scratch cooking - just somethings are totally logical for me to do any more.  

There are so many products out there that make cooking easier and makes it so you don't have to get bored with your food.

I like variety.  It is easy to get in the habit of having the same old thing all the time.

Meals don't have to be complicated, and they don't have to have a bunch of courses!  I tend to eat one or two things - as long as I am full - that is all that matters to me.

                    Simple open face sloppy Joe, cauliflower with jarred cheese sauce = yummy

                                      Hotdogs with home canned relish and some cheesy puffs

                                                         Grilled cheese and tomato soup

Think about egg, chicken, tuna or ham salad sandwiches or served on a bed of lettuce.  Breakfast for dinner.  Biscuits and gravy are easy.  Fried egg sandwiches.  Cold cuts or ham or chicken or fish sandwiches.  Burger and oven fries.  Chili.  Soup.  Tacos or taco salad.  Fried rice.  Rice can be blended with meats to make all kinds of dishes.

There is no need to get bored.  Cook what you like.  If you don't make it all from scratch, don't beat yourself up.  It is a job trying to cook for one!

Experiment a little.  Have fun with your food.  Color outside the lines or work outside the box!!!  

Being one - doesn't mean no variety!!!