Meals for Me: One Core Ingredient - Two Delicious Meals

by Sam Stern, Lisa Linder (Photographer)

More than one quarter of the US population lives alone. In addition, many other people, like students and young professionals, cook alone on a regular basis. With just a little time and some basic skills, it's easy to knock up knockout meals to enjoy on your own. And there is a clever twist. By cooking the main recipe you are halfway to preparing a second dish that you can enjoy the next day. This not only saves you loads of time and effort but also makes economic sense. How many times have you been left with a solitary chicken breast left in the pack that you don't know what to do with? With Sam's recipes, the problem is solved. Eating for one shouldn't be sad, it should be a real pleasure!

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 6, 2015

About the author

Sam Stern was raised in Yorkshire, England, with three fantastic sisters and one brilliant brother -- until they went to college and he was left to his own devices. It is not unusual that a high school student loves to eat but his ability to cook and write sets him apart. He describes one of his first memories cooking with his mother, Susan, making her famous treacle bread and opening the oven to see it and says "the smell was great!" This appreciation for cooking led him (when he was a bit older) to write COOKING UP A STORM with his mother. He wanted to write a book "for kids like me who enjoy cooking or who want to learn to cook. It's full of simple tasty recipes -- the kinds of things that my friends and I like to eat." Their second book, REAL FOOD, REAL FAST is an effort to lure all those time-pressured teens away from their fast-food fixes.

Writing and cooking share some of the same creative skills. Sam says "when I write I just like to chill. Sometimes it's so easy and the words just come flooding out. Other times I get frustrated. I like to write to music because it helps everything to flow. I like to be creative with my writing but with the cookbook, it had to be really short and sweet. It was really hard to cut it down sometimes." Regarding cooking he notes "well, I'm usually pretty impatient, but I can spend hours chopping stuff, blending, whisking, and mixing. I find all that activity really relaxing. The first thing I do when I get into the kitchen is put on some music."

Reviews

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not tried a recipe yet, but the dishes do look divine, and the book overall is beautiful. I appreciated how the author extended ingredients so they can be used for multiple recipes to reduce food waste. I wish there was a section on kitchen equipment to possess ahead of time. And this may just be me being anal, but I wish the author was specific on some ingredient amounts (e.g., how much exactly is a "glug" of olive oil?).

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

One word. Yuck.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful cookbook with lots of approachable recipes, and a good method of using leftovers. Copied several out to try, including a chicken/leek/pasta dish.