My first mistake was amateur...

I admit, my first mistake was an amateur one to be sure. I bought two heads of lettuce. While this doesn't sound like a catastrophe of epic proportions, it is a mistake that was common last year and caused me to waste a LOT of food. I just didn't realize how big heads of red leaf lettuce are! (I am trying to change my ways - I used to buy pre-packed, washed lettuce)

The solution?... I need to remember to go with less and remember that Schnucks, the equivalent to Safeway, is just a short bicycle ride away. Next time I will buy fewer bananas and just one large head of lettuce - because while losing $.75 per head of wasted lettuce doesn't seem like a big deal, it can add up quickly.

My second mistake was equally disappointing... I breaded the chicken wrong. The last time I was in San Diego my grandmother made delicious chicken. When I asked her how she did it she said she put a little milk on it and flour and baked it at 350 F for 40 or 50 minutes. I tried to repeat this last night, but failed to recall that her chicken had skin while mine was skinless... and while my chicken remained moist, the breading was unfortunately soggy and icky. Next time: a little crushed cereal or oatmeal. (Or buy chicken breasts with the skin still on)

The good news: my immediate mistakes are not immensely discouraging. I see myself cooking a lot more this semester solely because I like knowing what I am eating, and eating what I like. Plus, being able to feed and satisfy yourself is just a good skill to have...

And the adventure begins...

Picture courtesy of http://wednesdaychef.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/eggplant.jpg

As my final year as an undergrad approaches, so does my apprehension about food. What will I eat? Last year was my first time living independently in an off-campus with two wonderful roommates, and while I enjoyed our group dinners and hosting tremendously, I found my solo meals lacking. In addition, I found it difficult to shop for myself. Fruit rotted, bread molded, and meat... well it was yucky. So how will I compensate this year, in an even smaller apartment (with less room to entertain), and on a smaller budget? I have decided to dedicate myself to learning the art of solo cuisine.

When I say solo cuisine, I mean learning to cook for one, learning to shop for one, and learning to buy food that has been packaged for the nuclear family without letting most of it go to waste. I initially looked up cookbooks and blogs created around solo cuisine, but was not impressed by the scope of material. Are people embarrassed to admit that they are alone? I am not sure, but I do know that food is often associated in our society with socialization, and while that is a wonderful quality of meals, its not always the reality. Sometimes we're single, we're young, or we just want to have a meal to ourselves. Whats wrong with this? Absolutely nothing, everyone should be able to enjoy a meal on their own. (I am a big proponent of self loving, this includes enjoying food on your own!)

I also see this blog having a lot of appeal to people who don't cook because they feel like they cook portions for four for one (in other words, you eat all four portions that you cook), or maybe you just don't want to eat the one meal you cooked Monday every night for a week. So prepare to read about the experiments that work, and those that fail miserably, and look for a few photos in the process. As a student I can't promise a post every day (and may even miss a week), but expect some entertaining and inspirational blogs because I am embarking on Adventures in Solo Cuisine.