Guys, for those of you that are single or are sharing space with the dawg for whatever reason I'd be interested in hearing what you enjoy cooking.
I find it easy to over buy some of my ingredients found in some recipes resulting in eating leftovers fairly often which are very convenient but get to be boring quickly.
No doubt the vacuum bagger comes in handy as well a the frezzer but ya just can't beat fresh off the stove.
Big pot of beef stew and a shrimp casserole are on the list this week.

Suggestions ?

Denny I am the same. I still buy like we have kids at home. I use a vac sealer for things like lasagna, ribs etc and redneck tupperware (cottage cheese containers etc) for soups, stews, chilis, etc

I'll roast a fryer in my toaster oven. After making a meal or 2 of part of it, I might make sandwiches. Then the entire carcass becomes the base for chicken soup, providing several more meals.

A pound of ground turkey, combined with various on-hand vegetables (onion, garlic, broccoli stalks, celery, carrots, etc) makes a good stir-fry or stew, to be served with or over rice.

A large package of pork chops might be combined with sliced potatoes, onion and a can of cream of mushroom soup to make smothered pork chops.

Etc.

Each of these overly large dishes makes several meals for a single person, but is often even better when warmed up as leftovers. Same for pasta.

I'd ask how gourmet you want to get?

Our eldest daughter used to make a breakfast pizza with a piece of toast topped with browned burger, cheese, sauce, and whatever she found handy.

As has been pointed out, some foods improve with a bit of age, and some freeze well.

There is always the classic brats, and beans!

Doctored up hot dogs and beans with a side of slaw or red potato salad along with butter bread (real butter) is quick and filling.

Darn near any leftovers can be rolled up in a tortilla and portable as well. Save the last bite for man's best friend.

Don't forget chicken & dumplings. I like my dumplings made from rolled dough to give them a bit of a chew rather than the light and airy.

One of the best things I did was to get this little 2qt Lodge roaster/DO.

The small size really helps keep from making what seems like a lifetime supply.
You start out making what "seems" like a small batch and you'd be surprised how fast that little pot fills up.
A bonus is the lid fit's my favorite 8" Lodge skillet.



One thing I haven't figured out though is when cutting recipe's in half,,,, what the hell do you do with the other half of the onion?

I used to visit my grandmother after my grandfather died.

She had these tiny cans of vegetables on the table, smaller than a teacup. Cooking just for herself.

Meow ?

Good idea there on the small DO, FG.

I find myself cooking less and less. When I do, it's likely to be something I can eat on for a several days.
When I am down in Miami with my wife, we eat out a lot. Tons of excellent restaurants within walking distance.

Thanks Sam, I'll eat out.

HA! Yeah right...out in the snow and woods maybe.

My foraging skills are legendary.

I could bring John Colter up for consideration.

Now there was a man that could get by.

Don't make me order another book !!!

Spicy cajun shrimp bisque on the board for later this week.
yum

Although you probably meant this, tongue in cheek, when you cook for yourself every day, you likely continually use these staples a bit at a time. I place the leftover bits in the fridge, in individual Zip-lock sandwich bags, using sweet onion, for example, in salads, sandwiches, etc. When vegetables begin to fade too much for salad, make soup or stew or pasta sauce, rather than discard.

One way, or ta nother, you should read up on Colter.

Meanwhile, back to cookin'.

I gained well over 20 pounds last year due to this site. I need to start cooking for none!!

That's a big ten four!!!!

Jenny Craig would blow up like a blimp if she hung out here.

There is almost nothing more savory than the smell of bread baking. Sometimes, when I've run out of my store bought loaf, I'll mix well the dry ingredients: flour, a few packs of Equal (instead of sugar), a tiny bit of baking soda, a bit of pancake mix, more salt than you'd think is necessary, and then milk, until I have a very stiff dough. Place in pan, on Pam'd aluminum foil, and shape it with a little dry flour, so it doesn't stick to your hand. Bake at ~400* (in my toaster oven) for ~20 minutes (test with a round toothpick--when the toothpick comes out clean, it's done).

Yea,,, I was just funning .
I throw em in a pot along with any peelings and make vegetable stock for the next meal.

You gotta admit though, once you cut a sweet onion it's time is measured in hours, not days.

Nah, I stretch it for days, in the vegetable crisper, sealed in the Zip-lock.

I don't know about "days".
A day or so in a zip lock and I loose interest.

I keep em for days. They damn sure aren't as good on day 6

I live by myself and I have been making a lot of small batches of homemade soup lately. Or a steak and some potatoes and broccoli.

Easy. Steak, steak, steak and steak. Oh, and some potatoes.















Mike

well Denny, the trick is to have great restaurants, a wide variety, within easy walking distance.

Sam, what about us poor folks? And cheap folks?
Poor, and cheap folks?

McDonald's!! Double cheeseburger is only a buck!

Pretty sure that most stuff on the dollar menu costs more than a dollar now.

Yea,,, but it's a 30mi drive.

Course,,,, I wouldn't eat that chit if it were 30ft.

nice pic...

For cooking small quantities of veg, I find a microwave is a boon.

For instance, a portion of carrots (sliced into battons) takes about 4 minutes to steam in the microwave and they retain their flavour/colour better than when simmered for 15-20 minutes on the stove top..

I'm lucky, when Wifey goes to Ky. I just put leftovers in the shop fridge.

They just magically disappear.

Thinking that's your best friend. For example if I'm making lasagna I make a big pan and freeze individual portions. Chili, soups etc all the same way. Have an old freezer in the garage just for portioned leftovers.

After new Years Day feast I made up about 10 complete meals with each one containing a little of each from the day....pork, collards, peas, mac & cheese, etc. Pop one in the microwave and it's New years Day all over again.

No thanks, Sam. You're missing the gist of the thread. I spent most of my life living in large metropolitan areas (Seattle, Chicago, D.C.) and wouldn't go back if the food was free.

Sidewalk bistros ??? nah,..not for me. How's it possible that your charming wife is still smiling after all those years wit yo' grumpy ol' seff.

Peace.

Sam, if you want a change from your regular haunts..

Have you tried Blue Collar? Same guy(s) own Mignonette oyster bar. In Little Haiti/MIMO area.

Joe's Stone Crabs. I can even tell you how to get seated immediately. It's 4 simple words.

But then you likely know that secret!

I vastly prefer The Federal, over Blue Collar. I have eaten in them both, and fairly often.
The best restaurant, to my taste, in that stretch of Biscayne, is NiDo Caffe.
Others in the area that we frequent are Buena Vista, Limonni, Black Brick, Sugar Cane, Salumeria 101, City Hall and Kouzina.

Cool. Sounds like you're all dialed in for that area. I'm gonna have to try Federal.

I'll be back down in Miami around the middle of February. We should get together and have a beer and a medianoche.

can I come???? please!!

absolutely!

from our condo, we can walk to probably 50 different restaurants. One, Enriqueta's, has stunningly delicious Cuban food. The portions are large, the price is very reasonable. El servicio es malo si no hablas ingl�s.

Sounds good, Sam!

Yo hablo algo espanol. Y, yo trato siempre! Comes in handy when I'm fishin' south Yucatan, MX.

If you want to venture up above the Mason Dixon line (207th St) in the future, I've got a few favorites up here.

my last trip up to Bass Pro, decided not to come back on I-95, because of a huge wreck at the Interstate/Turnpike/Palmetto junction.
Took Old Griffin Road over to US 1, and then South. I saw a lot of interesting looking restaurants on the way down to Miami. Aventura is full of great restaurants.

Sam, now you got it. You're in my candy store.

Make friends with front entry turnstile crew and gun counter. Bring 'em some of your good schit to fondle or good pics, and they'll get to love you.

Tell the dickhead with the 400 lb hog pic up front with his daughter to GFY.

He popped that one full charge, hog quartered him, .44 mag, bang.
Phugger.

Stay off the main drags down here. They'll get you killed.

Sam, If you made it to Griffin Rd, then you're Golden. Try Dairy Belle in Dania on US1, just south of Dania cutoff canal where the big snook live.

2 Canadian girls run a converted Dairy Queen. Best burger food in town for the money. They even have Poutine. The Frogs love it.

Enjoy.

I had to Google "poutine". I'll take your word that it's good.

Here in Gainesville, we are getting our own Bass Pro shop. The site prep is going on now, and it should be open by 2016. This will be a life changer for me. The nearest one now, is down in Orlando.

That's right. Jacques Poutine...wasn't he the premier of Canada...?

and for them as well I suspect, Sam. Will you be stocking up on freeze dried foods ?

That's great news, Sam! I haunt the one here.

Denny, I have probably 60+ of the large Mountain House cans stashed away, along with many of the Mountain House pouches. I also have cases of MREs, and other similar items in the larder.
Still, if a bargain presents itself...........

Sam have you tried the Mountain House products? Assuming you did before you purchased. As I recall, you also said the Walmart products were good as well. Do you prefer one over the other is my question?

I just bought about a dozen single serving packs of Mountain House at Walmart to try. Powered eggs. beef strag, lasagna, mac and cheese, spaghetti and some others. Even bought the ice cream sandwich.

Are there any that you just absolutely disliked?

David, I have been using MH freeze dried products for many years. Can't recall any that I disliked, but there are some that I favor. I am not really a fan of the breakfast selections.
My purchases are price driven. My stock is for that possible time in the future, when 'things go South', so to speak.
Best source I have found, is Emergency Essentials They are having a sale now.
I do a lot of camping and hiking, and like the MH products for that use. Quick, nourishing, tasty.
WalMart sells MH, as well as the Coleman brand freeze dried pouches, which, parenthetically speaking, suck.
Wise brand also suck. Synthetic meat, and way too much salt.

Sam, you hit it on the head. That's the problem with a lot of those freeze dried products. Too much salt.

I've seen some of those single serving packages with 1600 mg's of sodium.

Heck, 880 mg's in some large cans of soup are a lot!

Sodium,.... ???

Made the mistake of buying a can of Spam about a year ago.

3-4 of them sliced "steaks" and the room was spinning.

Never again.

As a rule, if it is in a can, or box, best to not eat.