---

Are you and your spouse back to just the two of you at the dinner table? What goes around comes around I guess. Cooking for two can mean trying new recipes specifically for two or downsizing the same recipes you’ve been using for years. It seems that there is a lot of downsizing these days––even in the kitchen. I found it a challenge to cut down the amounts cooked after our five children left the nest. I was taught, at a young age, never to throw anything that’s edible away as it could be used in some way for a part of another meal.

Examples:

Leftover mashed potatoes became potato soup with a couple of veggies added.

Chicken ala king that was yesterday’s supper became cream of chicken vegetable soup, again with veggies added.

Oftentimes the leftover carrots or green beans became part of the addition really making the dish quick to prepare.

Anyway––it’s about cooking for two today. Most recipes can be doubled or even tripled if you are cooking for more than two so don’t skip onto another page of the paper if your family is larger than two.

+++++

So, you’ve fixed a pork roast for dinner yesterday, make the leftovers into one or two of these recipes . . .

BARBECUED PORK

SANDWICHES

3 T. chopped onion

1 T. butter or margarine

1-8 oz. can tomato sauce

2 T. brown sugar

1-2 t. Worcestershire sauce

1 t. lemon juice

1/2 t. prepared mustard

a couple drops of liquid smoke if you like that flavor (optional)

1 c. cooked shredded pork, using two forks to pull it apart or can cut pork into small cubes

2 hamburger buns, split and toasted

Saute onion in butter until tender.

Add next six ingredients; simmer about 10 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in cooked pork until hot, 4-5 minutes. Spoon over toasted buns, eating as open-faced sandwiches. Serves two.

or . . .

PORK CHOP SUEY

1 c. thin bias-cut celery slices

1/2 c. sliced onion

2 T. canola oil or vegetable oil

4 t. cornstarch

2 T. soy sauce (I use lite.)

1 beef bouillon or 1 t. granules

one half 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained*

1 c. diced cooked pork

In a deep skillet, saute celery and onion in oil under tender-crisp, 2-3 minutes. Blend cornstarch into soy sauce; dissolve bouillon cube or granules in 1-1/4 c. boiling water. Add this mixture to celery and onion. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Add water chestnuts and pork. Cook until thick and bubbly.

Serve over chow mein noodles or rice or both.

NOTE: I don’t know if you like the fatter chow mein noodles or not, but I buy the rice noodles which are the same as the regular noodles, only thinner.

*Use the other half of the water chestnuts in this salad recipe in a couple of days. Also, cook extra rice for this recipe as well. Rice will keep 3-4 days in the fridge or you can freeze it.

CHOP CHOP SALAD

3 c. thinly sliced napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage)

3/4 c. cold cooked rice

2/3 c. cooked peas, chilled

1 c. diced cooked pork

one half 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained (You might want to cut them in half if they’re quite large.)

DRESSING

1/4 c. mayonnaise

1/4 c. dairy sour cream (can use low-fat)

scant 1/2 t. celery seed

1/4 t. salt

In a medium bowl, combine first five ingredients in a medium bowl.

Combine dressing ingredients, mixing well. Fold into cabbage mixture. Chill.

Makes two or three main dish salad servings.

+++++

Turn leftover beef into tasty hash.

BEST BEEF HASH

1 T. butter or margarine

1 c. small cubed roast beef

1-1/2 c. cooked, peeled, cubed potatoes

2 T. diced onion

3 T. milk

1/4 t. milk

1/8 t. pepper

Melt butter in skillet; add onion and saute until tender. Add rest of ingredients, except milk; mixing well.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, 5 minutes. Stir in milk; cook 3 minutes longer or until heated through.

Makes 2 servings.

+++++

This chicken recipe is one that I use often. I serve it with buttered wild rice and often a small green bean casserole (the popular dish with French fried onions on the top) that bakes in the same amount of time as the chicken.

CRISPY CHICKEN

3/4 c. crispy rice cereal

1 T. flour

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. dried thyme leaves

1/4 t. poultry seasoning

2 T. butter or margarine, melted

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

In a shallow bowl (I use a pie pan.) combine cereal, flour and seasonings.

Put butter in another shallow bowl.

Rinse chicken under cold water and damp off with a paper towel.

Dip chicken in butter, then into cereal mixture, turning to coat both sides.

Put in small baking dish, drizzle with rest of melted butter (if not enough, melt a bit more). Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until juices run clear.

Makes 2 servings.

+++++

Thought for today: By the time somebody decides to make a long story short, it’s already too late.

---