Cooking For One (Or Two)

Customizing menus to meet budget, preference and dietary guidelines

What you’ll learn
Learn to personalize and cook menus for persons (including self) with specific needs and preferences.
Plan a shopping, storage, and cost control strategy for the above.
Plan menus that are flavorful, eye appealing and are able to maintain a high degree of interest among diners
Become familiar with and use on-line resources that allow for continuous learning on this topic
Requirements
None except an interest in cooking and in the topic
Description
Why Cook for One (Not just for those dining alone for whatever reason, but including medical, preferences, family needs, etc., When you are not the one!What you will learn:To review popular diets, restrictions and recommendations. How to make menus fit guidelines meeting a wide variety of needs,To use commonly available supermarket convenience items, such as a deli rotisserie chicken to create mediums for soup and sauce production, as well as to design 4 distinct menu items from 1 bird. To utilize the concept of seasonality to showcase farm to table best practices, to maximize purchasing power and provide healthful additions to your regular menus.To work within a conservative and reasonable budget to maximize yield and minimize waste, spoilage and over-production, Time will be spent on best practices for storage, food safety including time/temperature abuse, cross contamination and proper sanitary practices, in general. Visuals are provided for (descriptors on Paleo, Keto, Weight Watchers, Diabetic, High Fiber, Halal, Kosher, and Vegan diets.A review of Considerations for children, various handicaps and the elderly. Charts as available. Strategies for planning in these areas will be reviewed.ü Medical restrictions and allergens will be reviewed including caveats and purchasing, storage and production hints. to become familiar with how to navigate the most common food Allergens: Shellfish, gluten, nuts, dairy, and certain vegetables and fruits.ü To learn about working around food dislikes and picky eaters: strong flavors, very spicy, unfamiliar foods will be addressedTo introduce new foods and food options to the normally food timid.

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 The Rotisserie Chicken Caper

Lecture 2 Why Cook for One

Lecture 3 Keeping Notes and Records

Lecture 4 Using Templates for Cooking

Lecture 5 The Well Tempered Saucier

Lecture 6 Shopping for Economy and Storage

Lecture 7 Building Blocks: A live Pantry with Seasonal Reward

Lecture 8 Stews, Braises and Fricassees

Those wanting to personalize cooking and menu plans for themselves and others.