Cooking At Home: Cooking for Three

I write a lot of recipes, particularly for main dishes that serve four people. That's interesting because at home, there are typically only two of us at the dinner table.

There are a few reasons I do this. I think most users would rather have leftovers than not have enough. I also think that it's easier to halve or double a recipe than to divide or multiply it by three or more. (Some math just seems easier, you know?) I've also found that family-size recipes typically minimize waste. A lot of foodstuffs, from packages of meat and poultry to canned goods, heads of lettuce and boxes of pasta, are sized to accommodate four or more people. Yes, I've written recipes that serve two. For cakes, pies and tarts, six to eight servings is often the right call. When I write recipes for party foods or holiday dishes and casseroles, such as turkeys, roasts and lasagnas, I understand that people often are feeding 10 or more guests. But what you very, very rarely see me write is a recipe for three people.

Even though my Chicken Orzo Skillet recipe serves three, it's a staple dinner for both my husband and me. Jerry really enjoys the leftover third portion as his work-from-home lunch the next day. It's also a great meal on nights when our daughter joins us (well, maybe not for Jerry!). Aside from being delicious, it cooks in a single pan – and quickly! In the 15 minutes it takes to finish in the oven, I have the perfect amount of time to set the table, clean up the kitchen and pour myself a glass of wine.