So I must admit, since I started this blog (and actually prior to it, when I started cooking for funsies) I have become a total blog fiend. A couple of my favorites are SmittenKitchen, VeganYumYum, and SassyRadish. I'd have to say that Sassy is my favorite; she reminds me of me. Her love of food affects every part of her life (or so it seems from her writings), and she integrates her other loves in life with her cooking. She writes about her experiences with each recipe, the feelings invoked in her by the particular food, and gives information about the ingredient-- which is especially helpful if they are obscure or unfamiliar, take kohlrabi for instance! I happened upon that delicious, funny-looking vegetable wonder while living in Boston and frequenting the Copley Square Farmers' Market... however, there are plenty who may not have been as fortunate as me. She believes that people who work full-time jobs can still have a blast preparing food for themselves with easy, creative recipes that totally beat the heck out of ordering take-out.
So anyways, back from my little journey into Tangent Land... I was catching up on some on Sassy's newest entries (her real name is Olga, btw) when I stumbled across a link to a recent CBS report she'd been on-- it was regarding a new book called "What We Eat When We Eat Alone". And that got me thinking... what do you all-- whoever is reading this, I don't care if I know you or not! I'm curious!-- make for yourself when it's just you for dinner? (or lunch, for that matter?)
I was thinking about this question and realized something: while it seems from the rest of the broadcast that a lot of people "dress down", culinarily speaking, when it's just them (eating snack foods/ready-made stuff/what I call "lazy food"), I tend to do the opposite. When I cook for myself, I have no one to impress... so I follow my whims, let my creativity loose and sometimes get in over my head. Sometimes I try for such elaborate and time-consuming dishes, I get too hungry and end up eating them piece at a time. ^_^
Sooo, what about you, kids? Ponder the question until next we meet.
Ciao!
Hmmm Considering that all my "nicer" dishes feed at least 4 people, I try to figure out ways to refrigerate or freeze those dishes.
ReplyDeleteHowever, by myself, I fool around with staples... like sammichez... like "how much stuff can I put on this Roast Beef sammich before it starts getting too funky? NOW GRILL IT!!!! MWAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
One time I had a week's worth of Texas-style oven-broiled brisket. THAT requires a delicate touch, or else you've just wasted 5 hours baking at insane _UTICA_ KW/h power rates. (snicker snicker) Fortunately I've found that using a 1/2 cup of brown sugar can save lots of meat dishes that get way out of hand. It's also a valuable lesson to use Sweet Baby Rays and the low-sodium Colgin's smoke sauce. Oh, and microwaving cooked meat for some reason comes out VERY tender for me. So brisket leftovers are a "win" in my book. ^_^
I eat at restaurants or fast food almost an average of twice a day, and usually by myself. As I've discussed with you before, this isn't because I can't cook or don't like to, but because I absolutely hate my kitchen.
ReplyDeleteFor those who don't know, my oven has to be manually lit, and all of my counter space, which straddles the sink, is equal in area to the stove.
At least now I have a table to put things on, so maybe I'll splurge and make a lasagna. Dangerous oven or not.
I liked your challenge of "what do we eat when we eat alone". And I relate to your returning to college, living solo on a tiny income. I have to say that I enjoy 'creative cooking' when I am cooking for myself. I'm pretty easy to please and have discovered the joys of stir-fry many years ago. I always start with a base of fresh minced garlic and butter. While the garlic is starting to crisp in the butter I make sure to start a cup of jasmine rice to accompany my stir-fry. For the actual stirfry, I pick whatever is in the fridge in terms of vegetables. This summer, I've made sure to stock zucchini and squash, and have learned to love sauteed white onions. Often I will find a forgotten tomato, and if not moldy, cut it into pieces and throw with the veggies. I have a feeling this makes it more like a version of ratatouille, but it's awfully good. With that said, I will sometimes also bake or fry chicken and also add it to the stirfry. This is my most basic and easy meal, and one can add whatever vegetables one most enjoys cooked.
ReplyDeleteHowever I must suggest my latest flavor filled endeavor- the BLT. I recently was served microwaved bacon, yellow (low acid) tomato, ice berg lettuce, on toasted oat nut bread; add a tad of mayo/miracle whip, and a glass of home brewed iced tea... quintessential summer sandwich. Fresh tomatoes are the best. :)
Anyways, thank you for sharing your thoughts, and I look forward to reading your blog.