I live alone, but I enjoy cooking and I'm inspired by a lot of the recipes
and techniques I see in the NG and in all the other foodie sources around
the web. The problem is, so many of the recipes that looks interesting
make enough to feed the entire 82nd Airborne Division, with leftovers for
Seal Team Six. I'd like to scale down some of these recipes for 1 or 2
people. But how? I mean, I'm relatively civilized and have enough grasp
of basic arithmetic to scale the amounts of ingredients. But there's more
to it than that. Cooking container sizes? Cooking times and temperatures?

Any tips or advice from the gurus out there?

Sqwertz wrote:
> On Tue, 08 May 2012 18:55:18 GMT, Alan Holbrook wrote:
>
>> I live alone, but I enjoy cooking and I'm inspired by a lot of the recipes
>> and techniques I see in the NG and in all the other foodie sources around
>> the web. The problem is, so many of the recipes that looks interesting
>> make enough to feed the entire 82nd Airborne Division, with leftovers for
>> Seal Team Six. I'd like to scale down some of these recipes for 1 or 2
>> people. But how? I mean, I'm relatively civilized and have enough grasp
>> of basic arithmetic to scale the amounts of ingredients. But there's more
>> to it than that. Cooking container sizes? Cooking times and temperatures?
>>
>> Any tips or advice from the gurus out there?
>
> Simple math and common sense. With the exception that anything that
> calls for a baking dish or pie pan of a certain size, use it and do
> not scale. Anything else baked/broiled (like fish - assuming same
> poertion sizes) or sauteed/braised (swiss steak) will pretty much take
> the same amount of time anyway.
>
> And skillet sizes are always common sense since there is so much
> variety anyway.
>
> Keep in mind that most recipes do not need to be exact unless you're
> baking bread and whatnot (and those do not scale well anyway).

yes it is difficult to scale a recipe for a loaf of bread to just one
serving, especially if you don't like the heel

On Tue, 08 May 2012 18:55:18 GMT, Alan Holbrook >
wrote:

>I live alone, but I enjoy cooking and I'm inspired by a lot of the recipes
>and techniques I see in the NG and in all the other foodie sources around
>the web. The problem is, so many of the recipes that looks interesting
>make enough to feed the entire 82nd Airborne Division, with leftovers for
>Seal Team Six. I'd like to scale down some of these recipes for 1 or 2
>people. But how? I mean, I'm relatively civilized and have enough grasp
>of basic arithmetic to scale the amounts of ingredients. But there's more
>to it than that. Cooking container sizes? Cooking times and temperatures?
>
>Any tips or advice from the gurus out there?

In almost all cases simple math (division) will work... temps remain
constant but times could change (cook until done to your liking). For
pot size use your eyeballs, same as you would judge a gal's bra size.

Sqwertz wrote:
> On Tue, 8 May 2012 19:28:09 +0000 (UTC), tert in seattle wrote:
>
>> Sqwertz wrote:
>>
>>> Keep in mind that most recipes do not need to be exact unless you're
>>> baking bread and whatnot (and those do not scale well anyway).
>>
>> yes it is difficult to scale a recipe for a loaf of bread to just one
>> serving, especially if you don't like the heel
>
> Thanks, Captain Obvious!
>
> -sw

You're welcome. After lunch I will share my recipe for toast.

On 5/8/2012 3:28 PM, tert in seattle wrote:
> Sqwertz wrote:
>> On Tue, 08 May 2012 18:55:18 GMT, Alan Holbrook wrote:
>>
>>> I live alone, but I enjoy cooking and I'm inspired by a lot of the recipes
>>> and techniques I see in the NG and in all the other foodie sources around
>>> the web. The problem is, so many of the recipes that looks interesting
>>> make enough to feed the entire 82nd Airborne Division, with leftovers for
>>> Seal Team Six. I'd like to scale down some of these recipes for 1 or 2
>>> people. But how? I mean, I'm relatively civilized and have enough grasp
>>> of basic arithmetic to scale the amounts of ingredients. But there's more
>>> to it than that. Cooking container sizes? Cooking times and temperatures?
>>>
>>> Any tips or advice from the gurus out there?
>>
>> Simple math and common sense. With the exception that anything that
>> calls for a baking dish or pie pan of a certain size, use it and do
>> not scale. Anything else baked/broiled (like fish - assuming same
>> poertion sizes) or sauteed/braised (swiss steak) will pretty much take
>> the same amount of time anyway.
>>
>> And skillet sizes are always common sense since there is so much
>> variety anyway.
>>
>> Keep in mind that most recipes do not need to be exact unless you're
>> baking bread and whatnot (and those do not scale well anyway).
>
> yes it is difficult to scale a recipe for a loaf of bread to just one
> serving, especially if you don't like the heel
>
It's been a long time since I have heard the "heel of the loaf" and I
more or less forget what is is. Is it the last crust covered piece?

--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not" in Reply To.

tert in seattle > wrote:
-snip-
>
>yes it is difficult to scale a recipe for a loaf of bread to just one
>serving, especially if you don't like the heel

I think that would be called a roll. and though it doesn't make
sense to do it that way, most decent scales will let you make a single
roll size batch of bread.

I like my freezer. I don't scale, I store.

Jim

"Alan Holbrook" > wrote in message
5.250...
>I live alone, but I enjoy cooking and I'm inspired by a lot of the recipes
> and techniques I see in the NG and in all the other foodie sources around
> the web. The problem is, so many of the recipes that looks interesting
> make enough to feed the entire 82nd Airborne Division, with leftovers for
> Seal Team Six. I'd like to scale down some of these recipes for 1 or 2
> people. But how? I mean, I'm relatively civilized and have enough grasp
> of basic arithmetic to scale the amounts of ingredients. But there's more
> to it than that. Cooking container sizes? Cooking times and
> temperatures?
>
> Any tips or advice from the gurus out there?
>
>
I use food.com a lot. In any recipe you enter the number of people you're
serving and it does all the math for you. It's very handy. Here's the
recipe for Julia Child's boeuf bourguignon. You check # of servings. It's
one of the great dishes in the world. Make sure you make enough for a
second helping on a future night.
http://www.food.com/recipe/boeuf-bou...a-child-148007

Cheers,

Kent

James Silverton wrote:
> On 5/8/2012 3:28 PM, tert in seattle wrote:
>> Sqwertz wrote:
>>> On Tue, 08 May 2012 18:55:18 GMT, Alan Holbrook wrote:
>>>
>>>> I live alone, but I enjoy cooking and I'm inspired by a lot of the recipes
>>>> and techniques I see in the NG and in all the other foodie sources around
>>>> the web. The problem is, so many of the recipes that looks interesting
>>>> make enough to feed the entire 82nd Airborne Division, with leftovers for
>>>> Seal Team Six. I'd like to scale down some of these recipes for 1 or 2
>>>> people. But how? I mean, I'm relatively civilized and have enough grasp
>>>> of basic arithmetic to scale the amounts of ingredients. But there's more
>>>> to it than that. Cooking container sizes? Cooking times and temperatures?
>>>>
>>>> Any tips or advice from the gurus out there?
>>>
>>> Simple math and common sense. With the exception that anything that
>>> calls for a baking dish or pie pan of a certain size, use it and do
>>> not scale. Anything else baked/broiled (like fish - assuming same
>>> poertion sizes) or sauteed/braised (swiss steak) will pretty much take
>>> the same amount of time anyway.
>>>
>>> And skillet sizes are always common sense since there is so much
>>> variety anyway.
>>>
>>> Keep in mind that most recipes do not need to be exact unless you're
>>> baking bread and whatnot (and those do not scale well anyway).
>>
>> yes it is difficult to scale a recipe for a loaf of bread to just one
>> serving, especially if you don't like the heel
>>
> It's been a long time since I have heard the "heel of the loaf" and I
> more or less forget what is is. Is it the last crust covered piece?

yes

and the first one too

http://vimeo.com/33256728

In article 0>,
says...
>
> I live alone, but I enjoy cooking and I'm inspired by a lot of the recipes
> and techniques I see in the NG and in all the other foodie sources around
> the web. The problem is, so many of the recipes that looks interesting
> make enough to feed the entire 82nd Airborne Division, with leftovers for
> Seal Team Six. I'd like to scale down some of these recipes for 1 or 2
> people. But how? I mean, I'm relatively civilized and have enough grasp
> of basic arithmetic to scale the amounts of ingredients. But there's more
> to it than that. Cooking container sizes? Cooking times and temperatures?
>
> Any tips or advice from the gurus out there?

Why not just make the recipe for four or six, and freeze the other
portions.

Janet

Janet wrote:

> Why not just make the recipe for four or six, and freeze the other
> portions.

Mormons aren't allowed to freeze cooked food.

On May 8, 2:55*pm, Alan Holbrook > wrote:
> I live alone, but I enjoy cooking and I'm inspired by a lot of the recipes
> and techniques I see in the NG and in all the other foodie sources around
> the web. *The problem is, so many of the recipes that looks interesting
> make enough to feed the entire 82nd Airborne Division, with leftovers for
> Seal Team Six.

Gee, I find that when it says 'serves 6', I get what I'd call 3 decent
servings. Why not try a few and freeze the remains. Or surely they
can be a next day's leftover - stuff doesn't go bad THAT fast. Or
offer to a neighbor who maybe has hands full dealing with full-time
caregiving, illness, new baby, passel of kids etc.

On 8 Mag, 20:55, Alan Holbrook > wrote:
> I live alone, but I enjoy cooking and I'm inspired by a lot of the recipes
> and techniques I see in the NG and in all the other foodie sources around
> the web. *The problem is, so many of the recipes that looks interesting
> make enough to feed the entire 82nd Airborne Division, with leftovers for
> Seal Team Six. *I'd like to scale down some of these recipes for 1 or 2
> people. *But how? *I mean, I'm relatively civilized and have enough grasp
> of basic arithmetic to scale the amounts of ingredients. *But there's more
> to it than that. *Cooking container sizes? *Cooking times and temperatures?
>
> Any tips or advice from the gurus out there?

I think you could and should beguin to use a balance! It's simplier
than cup when you have to divideDDDDDDDD
For time cookings you have only to know that small things cook in less
time: a little loaf of bread could be ready in 10 minutes instead of
one hour.
cheers
Pandora

Alan Holbrook wrote:
> I live alone, but I enjoy cooking and I'm inspired by a lot of the
> recipes and techniques I see in the NG and in all the other foodie
> sources around the web. The problem is, so many of the recipes that
> looks interesting make enough to feed the entire 82nd Airborne
> Division, with leftovers for Seal Team Six. I'd like to scale down
> some of these recipes for 1 or 2 people. But how? I mean, I'm
> relatively civilized and have enough grasp of basic arithmetic to
> scale the amounts of ingredients. But there's more to it than that.
> Cooking container sizes? Cooking times and temperatures?
>
> Any tips or advice from the gurus out there?

IANAG (I am not a guru) but I'd say look for a middle ground in your
quest to downsize - cut a recipe in half so that, e.g., you make 2-3
portions instead of 4-6, and then keep the leftovers in your
refrigerator or freezer.

I don't like freezing leftovers - frozen does not equal fresh in my
book. We usually plan to have leftovers two or three times, e.g., for
me, my wife, and our one son still living at home, we'll make enough
burgers to have them on Monday when everybody usually has them, and then
as the week gets crazy, they'll be in the fridge to be eaten by one or
two of us later in the week

E.g., I took a leftover burger last night and used it to make myself an
improvised pizza - pita (leftover from a social function we attended on
Sunday), grated sharp cheddar, swiss, and gruyere, powered garlic,
oregano, fresh ground black pepper, and a crumbled hamburger, all heated
in the microwave. I made that myself, and my wife had grilled some
asparagus so that was my veggie. It was one of those
standing-in-the-kitchen nights for dinner at our house and it worked out
perfectly for that.

Just my opinion, your mileage may vary - plan on some, just not too
many, leftovers.

-S-

when i see one that is too large i make it anyway, we eat it for a dinner
and maybe couple of lunches then i portion and either freeze or give to
someone in the hood, Lee
"Alan Holbrook" > wrote in message
5.250...
>I live alone, but I enjoy cooking and I'm inspired by a lot of the recipes
> and techniques I see in the NG and in all the other foodie sources around
> the web. The problem is, so many of the recipes that looks interesting
> make enough to feed the entire 82nd Airborne Division, with leftovers for
> Seal Team Six. I'd like to scale down some of these recipes for 1 or 2
> people. But how? I mean, I'm relatively civilized and have enough grasp
> of basic arithmetic to scale the amounts of ingredients. But there's more
> to it than that. Cooking container sizes? Cooking times and
> temperatures?
>
> Any tips or advice from the gurus out there?