Table for Two, Please

The downsizing at our house this summer is noticed quickly during mealtimes (and all that goes into them). Having four children meant big meals. Even as the older two left home for school and then families of their own, it didn’t seem to alter the meal preparation that much. With a big fridge, microwave, and busy schedules, it was easy to do leftovers, or as we prefer to call them, “twice blessed.” Even when my daughter went to college, our son’s growing appetite meant we prepared for four or five, at least.

Now, it’s going to be different. I’m finding that preparing meals for two is not the same as halving a recipe I normally used. While it sounds reasonable, many times I am finding dishes don’t reheat well, it’s nice to have something fresh every night, and there’s always the question of not using up everything before it spoils.

So, in my typical fashion, I visited my local library for some help. The result? America’s Test Kitchen’s latest cookbook, “Cooking for Two.” It contains over 150 of their best recipes, reengineered from the ground up to serve two.

I’ll let you know at the end of the summer how this experiment works!