My kitchen has terrific mood swings: I’m either cooking for twenty-plus or I’m cooking for two. After a few months of throwing out food gone bad, I think I am finally catching on to the new scheme. And, it’s loads of fun, no matter what they say about the empty nest.
At first I was totally out of my element cooking for two, and it was pretty pitiful. I would get out two chicken breasts or two fish filets and cook them up with a side of rice and some frozen green beans. (I said it was pitiful, didn’t I?) And though it was perhaps nourishing, it was very duddy.
Then I took it into my head to just go back to my old favorite recipes and cook the full amount (usually for six) and then freeze one or two meals from the leftovers. This was totally brilliant, if I do say so myself. We have a nice meal and then I have a freezer meal either to give away or to save for one of those nights when I don’t particularly want to make a mess in the kitchen.
Today I had four little grandkids for lunch, and I made calzones. I was surprised at how much those little busters ate. But I had several leftover, so you-know-who and I had calzones for dinner with a nice salad, and the rest go in the freezer for whenever. I love this.
Just thought I’d share my happiness.
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I have the opposite problem here. I was just getting the swing of cooking for two when my parents moved in with us and the two muchkins are finally starting to eat enough to count as a serving. So I am trying to figure out how to bump up the amount and tastiness of the food to be home-crowd pleasers!
That sounds just like my kitchen….either a crowd or just two 1/2….and I love it either way. 🙂
Yes, it is good to be flexible in the kitchen as it seems once we get used to one routine, someone comes home from college and stays awhile or somebody else moves out! One thing I decided recently is that I should just always make extra. That way when my boys, or their dad, pass through the kitchen and snitch, I will not be selfish with my fixings, worrying that there won’t be enough. If I start with extra, I will be generous with the snitchers and that will make me a more pleasant Mom. It took me 25 years to figure that out, I’m sorry to say! I think it started because we were on a very tight budget in the early years…
I LOVE freezing things to have on hand. Now that we have seven eating all the time, that is rarely happening, but now I’m reminded that it will happen again in the future. 🙂
What a wonderful idea! I have that issue going on here too. I come from a large family, and although it has been over 15 years since I was living “at home” and consistently helping to prepare meals, I still cannot shake the cook-for-an-army mentality. We have two small children, who, even combined, do not consume enough to count for another full serving. Expecting #3 in 7 weeks and thinking this way about the time in my kitchen is sure to ease my load a little in the weeks to come. THANK YOU!
Your post just makes me smile. 🙂
How fun! Fun to be just the two of you, and fun to have more.
Always fun to eat good food!
(and fun to be able to pull something good out of the freezer when you’re short on time or energy)
So sweet and inspiring!
Thank you, Nancy.
Married 40 years…empty nest for ten, and I’m still trying to learn how to enjoy cooking for just the two of us! Thank you, Nancy, for your encouragement!