Meals For One: Small Batch Cooking and Baking

Sometimes the thought of eating at the dining hall is just too much, and the prospect of yet another Subway sandwich is just as unappetizing. What, then, is a girl to do?

Answer: small-batch cooking and baking.

Equipment and recipes, though generally designed for a crowd, can be scaled down to serve you and a friend (or even just you). Here are a few retailers and manufacturers that make it easy for those of us flying solo:

A 1-quart baking dish, like this one from Cookware.Com, can do wonders in your kitchen. It holds just enough casserole or salad for two, so you can either dig in with a pal or tuck an extra portion in the fridge to munch on later.

If you’d prefer to divide out your portions, try these casserole pans available from Rachael Ray. They’re perfect for oven-baked dishes, and are high-quality for the price. If you need something cheaper to do in a pinch, though, Hefty offers disposable oven-safe single-serving casserole pans as well.

A muffin pan, staple in almost every kitchen, is far more versatile than you think. Fill any extra cups with a little water, spray the ones you’re using with cooking spray, and voila! You have cups for mini quiches, casseroles, or pies.

Finally, girls with a sweet tooth should check out one-serving cake pans, like these beauties from Target. Find yourself a small-batch recipe, and in as little as an hour you could be downing just the perfect amount of angel food cake, cheesecake, or even red velvet cake. Bon appetit!