Cooking For Two, Or Even Just For You

Whether you are part of a duo or living the single life to the fullest, the fact is that we need to eat. We also want to eat well. We deserve better than TV dinners, fast food, junk food, and cereal. Going out to eat every day can leave a person penniless. We are adults with grown up palates. And at the end of a long day at work, we don't feel like doing the math of reducing a recipe meant for six down to two moderate servings that can't be properly adjusted for cooking temperatures.

Not everyone likes leftovers. Fixing it and freezing may make less spontaneous people happy, but if you prefer to live on the culinary edge, there's nothing like a meal fresh out of the oven. Especially if you didn't label your containers and aren't interested in the let down of a soggy surprise that won't yield the same flavorful punch.

If you are a member of the clean plate club, there's no greater sin than wasting food. It's also boring and depressing to eat the same thing all week long, especially if you are a finicky foodie in search of variety.

Check out the following books and bon appetit.

The Complete Cooking For Two Cookbook: 650 Recipes For Everything You'll Ever Want to Make by the editors at America's Test Kitchen

Slow Cooking For Two: Basic Techniques Recipes by Cynthia Graubart; photographs by Christopher Hornaday

Slow Cooker Double Dinners For Two by Cynthia Graubart ; photographs by Rick McKee

One Pan, Two Plates: More Than 70 Complete Weeknight Meals For Two by Carla Snyder; photographs by Jody Horton

Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes For Two by Beth Hensperger                                      

Two In the Kitchen by Christie Dufault and Jordan Mackay; photographs by Kate Sears

Small-Batch Baking: When Just Enough For 1 or 2 ... Is Just Enough! by Debby Maugans Nakos ; illustrated by Laurie Lafrance

Eating Well Serves Two: 150 Healthy In a Hurry Suppers by Jim Romanoff and The Test Kitchens Of EatingWell