I have to finally admit I don't like to cook, I don't like to clean up the kitchen when I'm done and I hate the bother.
I usually cook on the weekend, a couple recipes of meat and some vegetables and dh and I just reheat for the rest of the week. Well, after 14 years of doing this we're getting tired of it. And DH is starting to make comments-he's nice about it but I can tell he's getting tired of it too.
How do you cook every night for 2 people? Do you go the store several times a week for fresh meat? I know it should be simple to cut a recipe in half, but for some reason when I do that, it doesn't seem like enough, yet a regular recipe seems like too much. I'm being winey, I can tell.
I bought my cute little grill type thing so I should start using it, but so far all I've done with it is make waffles and grilled cheese sandwiches-whole wheat and low fat of course.
I'm thinking if I learned how to cook small quantities, cooking wouldn't be such a chore now. My cooking experience has always been quantity, my first job I worked as a cook at a buffet dinner place, then I joined the army as a cook, so I've always cooked for 100-350 people and cooking for 2 is so hard. But, hey tell me to make lunch for church for 150, I'm your person. Just tell me when and where
Have you tried savingdinner.com? It is a website you can order menu mailers and they have a low carb option (which I am sure can be tailored to SBD) and you can subscribe to either a 4 person option or a 2 person option. They have a sample menu available, just click on the sample menu link up near the top left corner and then scroll down to the low carb and select the 2 person link. It will download a pdf copy of a weeks worth of dinners. I have not tried it but have been tempted to. If you don't want to make the financial committment there is also a book you can get or try your local library.
Sarah - There are three of us but some of the meals that I cook, I know my son won't eat so it is just two of us eating. On some types of meals that I cook, I know there will be extra (such as chili, soups, casseroles such as eggplant parmesan, Peking pasta, ham zucchini, asparagus pasta, etc) and the extra gets frozen in Ziploc freezer containers. I take the leftovers for lunch to work or we eat them for lunch on the weekend.
Other meals I take and divide the meat when I buy it and freeze it raw. Such as extra chicken breasts, pork chops, the extra tenderloin if the package has two, I got four meals out of the semi boneless leg of lamb I bought. Then I cook the meat along with lots of veggies and sometimes rice. many times I use my toaster oven to cook the meat since it is just the right size.
Oh, I feel for you! With 6 people at my house I don't have any other option but to cook every night and PRAY that there will be enough for 4 growing boys! But every other weekend all the boys are gone with their respective 'other' parents and I'm totally at a loss as to what and how I'm gonna cook for just the two of us.
Since it's only every other weekend I normally end up making soup or salad for the two of us...that's getting old too. More often than not we end up taking advantage of 'no kids' and going out for dinner.
Taste of Home magazine's parent company, Reiman Publications, recently started another cooking magazine, Cooking for 2. They also have a cookbook of recipes for 1-2 people. More info at http://www.reimanpublications.com/ (the cookbooks are in the Country Store section). The recipes will NOT be OP, but I'm sure many could be adapted. However, if you are prone to temptation, then I wouldn't advise you to try that.
I cooked for just the 2 of us for many years; however, we usually just ate any leftovers for lunch or froze them. I found that shopping daily was not cost-effective. I shop 1-2 times a week (usually 2), with odd trips as needed. I buy meat on sale and freeze it, but I have a chest freezer (good investment if you have space). Even if you don't have a chest freezer, you can buy enough meat for a week and freeze it in your refrigerator's freezer. I recommend repackaging meat into packages of the amounts you need, rather than trying to find just the right amount at the store. I buy ground beef, chicken pieces, fish fillets, and top round in large packages and repackage into dinner-size portions (such as 1 lb ground beef). Sometimes I will partially freeze top round, slice into strips for stirfries, package in freezer bags (be sure to squeeze the air out), and freeze.
Val - how wonderful! I'd love a house full of boys! I just have the one, but I'm hoping for at least one more. You are very lucky! Little girls are fun to dress up and all, but I'd still rather have boys. I think they are just a lot of fun (a lot of work, too)!
Heather - I think I was destined to have a house full of boys! I grew up with five older brothers...mom wanted a girl and just kept on trying...finally they gave up and adopted me
Well, with both of my pregnancies I wanted girls also...I figured I'd give up with two after what my mother went through When I met DBF and his two boys it was kinda funny...I felt like I was becoming my mother. Funny how that works.
I'm very happy with 4 boys, though...no regrets, they're all GREAT boys!
Hi Sarah!! Wow...cooking for two can be tricky as you said because it is hard to find recipes exactly the right size!!
One thing you can do this time of the year is have your husband grill whatever meat you choose...even fish is good on the grill!!! That way you only have to worry about the side dishes!!
Grilled chicken is great and you can even buy the foil bags they have now and throw the vegies on the grill at the same time!!
I also package my meat into smaller servings and freeze them. It takes less time to thaw and you don't usually end up with waste!!
I purposely cook extra sometimes. The taco bake makes a lot of food, but it is a great leftover lunch for you and your hubby and you can keep it in the frig and have the second serving about 2 days later!!!
When you get tired of grilling...or your hubby grilling, try using your small indoor grill for boneless chicken breasts, small lean steaks and fish!! I have heard that if you take wet paper towels and put them in the grill as soon as it is empty that cleaning it is much easier!
Just think, it is almost winter and stew, soup (especially split pea, lentil and multi bean) can be made in the crock pot to simmer all day and be ready when you get home!!!
I'm sure many will have more ideas than I do....good luck!!
Oh yea...I grill extra chicken breasts and make chicken salad for my salads and an occasional salad!!
Woah...just thought of two more....
Do you have a wok? It is easy to tweak stir fry to an amount just right for the two of you!!!
Last one...I promise...do you like fajitas?? It is so easy to make them in just the right amounts!! I like to eat my meat and vegies on top of some fat free refried beans!! I don't even miss the tortillas or chips!! I do use a little olive oil to cook the meat and vegies...but it is yummy!!!
I don't know if this could help but I use to have a cookbook by Betty Crocker Cooking for Two. Mybe you can gets some easy entrees from Betty Crocker.com web site.I'm lucky now that the chicks have left the nest, DH cooks reg meals & I cook the gourmet meals and with that we share the cooking of meals.
I've been cooking for two for a while and now I'm cooking for one. Most recipes can be downsized but some just don't cut it. I usually make about 3/4 the full amount of sauce - too much is better than dry! The Tex-Mex Pork Chops in our recipe section works well for two or even one!
My dh does not grill. We have one we got as a house warming present about 8 years ago, the first 2 years I used it a lot more then he did. We were in a new housing development, it's one of those large houses on small lots, houses very close in, no yards, you look at your back door into your neighbors back door almost. So, now that we are all built up, I don't want to grill outside any more, we don't have a driveway like a normal house, we have detached garages and alley ways.
My problem with cooking for dh is he's so incredibly picky. He doesn't like big hunks of meat ie steak, chicken breast, pork chops, meatloaf. He can't eat hot/spicy, italian and mexican seasonings upset his stomach. He hate beans and frozen vegetables, he wants fresh vegetables. So I wind up cooking some form of Chinese all the time, and I've just come to the conclusion I'm not a good cook. If I'm not frying something up with lots of seasonings and/or fat, I'm not that good at cooking.
I'm tired of chopping/cutting/marinading. It takes such a long time to get everything ready and the it doesn't really turn out any good. I know the basics of good stir fry, hot pan and oil, don't over crowd the pan but it tends to overcrowd anyway and I get steamed stir fry. (Yes, I know I'm whining again.)
I did buy a bag of IQF tilapia at the store on Saturday. DH said the sauce was good but tilapia is a very bland fish. I used a splash of worcheshire (sp) sauce and some sherry with a couple green onions sliced up, all sauted together.
If it were just me, I'd live on deli chicken/turkey/ham and low fat cheese with those high fiber whole wheat wraps, salads and frozen veggies.
Occasioanlly I get tired of DH and tell him it's time to order something from his favorite restaurant. Because I'm tired of trying to cook for him.
He'll eat what I cook, and won't really complain about, it's more like he won't say anything about it. Or he'll say something in passing. For the longest time I was fixing a salmon dish with miso sauce and he ate it everytime, it wasn't until after about a year he finally said that he didn't really like miso salmon. and lately he's finally mentioned that he didn't really like broccoli We've been married 14 years and you just now mention that you don't like broccoli? His response-"I just realized it."
i absolutely love to cook but hate the clean up afterwards. so i made a deal with a friend of mine. she doesn't like to cook and doesn't mind doing dishes. the solution. i'd cook for her if she did the dishes. it worked out perfectly.
personally when a recipe makes 4 servings, i make the batch and save the unused servings (you're right there's usually only about 1 serving left).
i don't have time to go to the store often so when i buy my meats (i go to a local butcher) i get them to seperate things. if i buy 4 chicken breasts I ask them to put two in one bag and 2 in another. same with buffalo...i get 1 lb of ground buffalo in one bag and another 1lb in another bag (btw i highly recommend buffalo meat to EVERYONE.
i wouldn't recommend going all out trying to start cooking every nite cause you will get bored with it. cook some nites and reheat other nites so that you get a good mix. casseroles are great to reheat so make one on monday. then maybe do a nice chicken cordon-bleu (minus coating of the chicken) on tuesday. wednesday, take a break and reheat the casserole. thursday try a ceviche. friday make something else that can be reheated easily (i love the chicken divan in this forum) so that saturday you can make a nice meal and then sunday (when i'm usually laziest) you can have some more of the chicken divan.
Oh Sarah, What a Pickle! There's already so many words of wisdom and info the gals have provided... How bout taking your husband food shopping with you ? I know that when I get into a rut with buying and making the same crap, I'll get him to come shop with me.. or I send him an email link to a recipe and ask him if he'd like to try it.. It sounds like DH is more of a vegetarian..how bout trying that "room" on the forum for some ideas?
Umm I don't know your work situation, if you/he has time or not, but have you thought about him cooking once in awhile? Maybe that will help him realize how difficult it is to come up with interesting healthy meals for a picky eater. Might get him to mention his dislikes at lot sooner too.
I usually shop once per week and just freeze my meat in meal sized portions. My DH and I both work fulltime and we have an 8yr old son. Most nights after work I would rather do anything but cook - take out/go out became routine.
In the summer we grill a lot - but I often forget to take the meat out of the freezer and refuse to defrost in the mircowave URG!
When I get organized (rarely) I will precut veggies on the weekend, and plan our dinners for the week so that cooking dinner goes faster. I also try to make an extra meal on Sunday so that I don't have to cook on Monday (a roast or something that will also provide leftovers for lunches).
Now you say DH doesn't like chunks of meat - reason for all the stirfrys, but how about just stirfrying the meat, add a tossed salad, some steamed veggies and voila - a lil less chopping for you.
I still think getting him to cook a couple times per week will help him understand your dilema.
I need a cooking-for-2 mentor
When I met DBF and his two boys it was kinda funny...I felt like I was becoming my mother. Funny how that works.
Sarah:
now that the chicks have left the nest, DH cooks reg meals & I cook the gourmet meals and with that we share the cooking of meals.
BB
and lately he's finally mentioned that he didn't really like broccoli 
