Elementary math? It isn't quite that simple. For years I thought I was a terrible cook because none of my food came out--I was trying to halve recipes, and not all of them can be reduced really well. Spices, in particular, don't reduce that well, and calculating to cut them down often results in bland food and ridiculous measurements. That's where experimentation comes in. Sometimes I'll start with a couple of ingredients and look for a recipe with flavors I'd like to try. Like I had some sausage in the freezer and it was my grain day, so I looked for Italian Sausage and Rice recipes. Once I found one, I just listed the ingredients, not the measurements. I started with the portion sizes of the sausage and the rice, then added the chopped vegetables and conservative seasoning--and tasted. This is a lot easier than trying to halve recipes and hoping you get it right. If you are taking an existing recipe and cutting it down, retype the recipe in advance and work it out first. That'll give you a better idea of what need to buy and also help reduce mistakes. I used to cut the ingredients in half as I was cooking, and invariably, I'd forget it with one of the ingredients. If I tried writing the new measurements in the book, I'd invariably look at the wrong one. Plus, if you retype it, you can make adjustments to it based on how the recipe came out, like maybe you realized that there was too much of something.

I refuse to buy into the idea that cooking for one (or two) means eating boxed pasta or frozen dinners. I cook "good" food for myself, usually making 2-3 meals so there will be leftovers. I recently found a small jar of Mushroom & Marsala Sauce at ALDI. After browning 3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, I put them in a baking dish with the sauce poured over. In less than an hour I had restaurant quality food. I look forward to seeing more recipes for 1-2 here. Thanks!

I like to make soups, chilis and stews, which can all be frozen in single serving size portions. Many of them actually taste better after freezing. Some ingredients such as boiled potatoes and carrots don't freeze well, so I use recipes that don't include these.

Margie, How do you freeze your soups and stews? (packaging secrets, please!) Nothing is worse than pulling the delicious stash out of the freezer and it is covered with ice crystals. Any tips GREATLY appreciated.

Freezing tips: 1. Chill soup or stew completely. 2. Skim fat from top layer. This is easiest if the soup is in a tall narrow container, such as a plastic juice pitcher with a lid. 3. Spoon soup into portion sized plastic containers with lids. I use 1 pint containers. Leave about 1/2 to 1 inch of headroom for expansion in the freezer. 4. To save space in the freezer using multiples of the same type of container makes for easier stacking. 5. Place a piece of freezer tape on the lid and write the name of the soup and date of preparation in permanent marker on the tape. 6. Freeze. 7. Use oldest frozen products first. 8. To thaw remove lid from container. Turn container upside down under hot running water. Soup will pop out into your hand like a large ice cube. 9. Place frozen soup cube in microwave safe container with a lid. 10. Heat in microwave for 10 minutes on high. Stir and check after five minutes. A pint of frozen soup takes about 10 minutes to thaw and heat. Adjust time according to the amount of soup and size of your microwave. 11. If you share soup with sick friends you can either give them the frozen container with instructions on how to reheat or you can pop the soup out of the container(s) as in #8 and put frozen soup cubes in a zip lock bag and give them instructions. 12. Warning: If you give soup (either frozen or fresh) to someone who is sick, has just moved or has had a baby recently, you may become known as The Soup Lady (or Man)!

I also have the problem with ice crystals in frozen soups. I was wondering if leaving the fat on that comes to the top so that would serve as an insulator to the ice that forms. The fat portion just pops off when it's frozen.

First - I honestly can't help much with the ice problem on soup and stews. I think the main element is to completely cool the product prior to freezing and use within about 3 months. In my house soups and stews do not stay in the freezer much more that a month. Second - my approach to the cooking for 2 is 'cook once eat twice'. This would work for one person as well. Here is a sample of my menu planning for 2: 1. Oven fried catfish first night 2nd time around - fish sandwich - traditional or Vietnamese style 2. Spaghetti and Meatballs with Marinara sauce 2nd time around - meatball subs Cook extra spaghetti for spaghetti frittata, Lo Mein, or pasta with no cook sauce. 3. Roasted Root vegetables as a side dish 2nd time around - Roasted Veggie tart I also love my pressure cooker and crock pot. With the pressure cooker, I cook a whole chicken. Use the stock for soups and the chicken meat for chicken salad, chicken enchiladas, or any recipe that calls for cooked chicken or a rotisserie chicken. I use the crock pot mostly to make bean soups, or just large quantities of beans for other uses. This is my favorite appliance as I am still working and love coming home to large pot of warming soup for dinner. Very little effort - just add a salad and bread- voila dinner is ready. Hope this helps. Suze

Great ideas Suze, thanks so much! I had a pressure cooker once that I never ever used and ended up donating it to Goodwill! Maybe I should think about trying it again....