Does anyone know of a cookbook that specialized in 1-2 serving dishes? I love a good cookbook, but I don't need 8 servings of cake in my kitc
Looking for a cookbook that has it all, hors d'oeuvres, main dishes, sides, deserts, but not something too fussy
13 Comments
Kt4February 25, 2012
I have a 'Cooking for 2' cookbook that I love from The Pampered Chef [http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=13894&catId=7&parentCatId=7&outletSubCat=]. Great, easy recipes for appetizers, main meals, & desserts. And some more involved recipes too. I always seem to come back to their books for a majority of my recipes and I don't think I've ever had something turn out bad. Thankfully, you no longer have to know someone who sells it in order to buy it. Looking at their site tonight I realize I'm behind on getting their latest releases... mmm, chocolate ;) heehee
fiveandspiceFebruary 23, 2012
I have a friend from grad school that self-published a cookbook of one-serving meals called One Bowl . I haven't cooked anything from it, so I can't actually vouch for the recipes, just the author. But, here it is, if you'd like to check it out! http://onebowlcookbook.com/
RobertaJFebruary 17, 2012
Second, and third where appropriate, both the Yonan and Jones' books. Also "Solo Suppers" by Joyce Goldstein. She ran a famous restaurant in San Francisco called Square One. None of them really deal with baking projects (such as cakes), though Jones does talk about breads, pies and other sweets.
@Soft Punk, no, dividing does NOT always work. Spicing/seasoning can get funky scaling down (or up for that matter), and it's very risky to scale baked goods unless you are an experienced baker. And aso someone else pointed out, when you're scaling down a recipe that's written to serve 12, or even 8, you start to get into riddiculously small fractions of measurements. If the original recipe, serving 8, needs 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne, how much do you add to 1/8 of that recipe? Cutting 8 or 12 serving recipes, even in quarters, still gives a singleton a boat load of leftovers.
To the OP, the best solution I've heard for the cake dilemma is either make the whole recipe, freeze one layer, and eat one layer now, or become very generous with your friends & family !
@Soft Punk, no, dividing does NOT always work. Spicing/seasoning can get funky scaling down (or up for that matter), and it's very risky to scale baked goods unless you are an experienced baker. And aso someone else pointed out, when you're scaling down a recipe that's written to serve 12, or even 8, you start to get into riddiculously small fractions of measurements. If the original recipe, serving 8, needs 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne, how much do you add to 1/8 of that recipe? Cutting 8 or 12 serving recipes, even in quarters, still gives a singleton a boat load of leftovers.
To the OP, the best solution I've heard for the cake dilemma is either make the whole recipe, freeze one layer, and eat one layer now, or become very generous with your friends & family !
Aime.SeeFebruary 17, 2012
Real Fast Food by Nigel Slater. Makes my mouth water every time I open it.
MTMitchellFebruary 16, 2012
Thanks for asking this question...I am often too lazy to figure out how to half, quarter, etc. a recipe, and I have actually had dishes not turn out the way they were supposed to when I've done the math (which is probably more of a "me" problem and less of a "dividing a recipe" problem -- I stink at math), but there's a point at which the leftovers from a dish designed to serve 4-6 get to be a little much.
Mr_VittlesFebruary 16, 2012
You CANNOT go wrong with the America's Test Kitchen COOKING FOR TWO. It really is a gem of gems. http://www.amazon.com/Cooking...
Third F.February 16, 2012
Williams-Sonoma published a book several years ago called Cooking for Yourself. There are plenty of recipes that serve one to two people.
babytigerFebruary 16, 2012
The Family Meal by Ferran Adria. Each recipe has ingredient lists for 2, 6, 20 and 75 servings. Most of the recipes are non-fuzzy.
Amanda H.February 16, 2012
Also Judith Jones: http://www.amazon.com/Pleasures...
c.levineFebruary 16, 2012
Joe Yonan's Serve Yourself, http://www.joeyonan.com/p/serve-yourself-book.html.
healthierkitchenFebruary 16, 2012
I second this - lots of great recipes! I often upscale them for three.
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