Kitchen Garden Forum

In my prime I cooked for a family of three daughters and a wife at a time vegetarians were regarded as extreme, it wasn't easy.

I am now also in my prime in a different sort of way, mortgage paid with very few needs (Rather than wants) and the company of a friend who loves and cares for me even though I don't make the bed in the mornings and file the towels away in the airing cupboard with straight corners.

Because she works away I cook for one five days a week, I'm not looking for help. Rather sharing the experience.

I can knock up a tasty meal with half a cabbage, some garlic and pasta. I have friends who say, "Richard can come and leave his dirty socks on my floor any-day".

To-be-honest, some sensible store-bought ready meals for one are a boon.

Well, I'm a great believer in reducing culinary effort (and fuel) so on occasions when I've had extended periods of just cooking for one I try short cuts like double portions that can be extended for two days, such as home made soups or casseroles, Bolognese or chilli con carne sauces, or boiling a double lot of potatoes so that the second day's batch can be turned into a tasty colcannon with a little fried bacon on onions added, or corned beef hash.

When many meals take a fraction of the time to eat that they do to prepare and cook, I tend to go for easy options. Another quick favourite of mine is one-pan macaroni cheese where I simply cook the macaroni in a non stick saucepan, drain and return it to the saucepan and throw in a generous portion of matured grated cheddar cheese. It's a lot quicker than than having to bake it in the oven and more economical on fuel.

This is where a freezer and microwave definitely come into their own.
For three years my wife lived away during the week.
Cook as you would normally and freeze the excess.
We are veggies, I appreciate this advice may not work for meat eaters.
I lived for over 50 years without a microwave, but now would struggle without.

WestHamRon wrote:For three years my wife lived away during the week.

This is our situation now and has been for a number or years, it won't matter where we live, she'll get a contract in the opposite direction.

Left to my own devices i'm a veggie, I don't cope very well with frozen veg and both of us only eat sensibly-and-balanced when we cook two. Probably because thats when we make more of an effort.