dinners for twoalltime bestabout this bookit’s more than cutting a recipe in half.We wish it were that easy, but cooking dinners for two is a lot more complicated than simply dividing an ingredient list in half. This carefully curated collection delivers 75 favorite dinner recipes for the two- person household, using clever techniques to scale down even the trickiest dishes. From cheese pizza, which we cook in a 12-inch skillet, to juicy pub-style burgers, where we grind the perfect amount of meat ourselves for optimal flavor, this collection truly represents the best dinners for two.be an efficient shopper. A thorough introduction section includes tips on how to shop for two to avoid waste and how to get the most bang for your buck. For example, when shopping for produce, we’ve found it’s helpful to take advantage of the grocery store’s organic section, where ingredients are often sold loose by the pound. Even the salad bar can be a great shopping for two resource; you can buy just the quarter cup of olives or handful of lettuce you need without all the leftovers. use equipment in new ways. This collection also includes a guide to essential, smaller-scale kitchen equipment that we found to be especially useful when making recipes for two (and that won’t take up too much space). And no, you don’t need all new equipment. We discovered a loaf pan was the perfect vessel for a lasagna for two, and ramekins worked well for individual chicken pot pies.4 ALL TIME BEST DINNERS FOR TWO poultry 000 chicken pot pie 000 spaghetti and turkey-pesto meatballs 000 chicken parmesan 000 almond-crusted chicken breasts with wilted spinach-orange salad 000 chicken saltimbocca 000 chicken piccata 000 parmesan and basil-stuffed chicken with roasted carrots 000 pan-roasted chicken breasts with garlic and sherry sauce pan-roasted chicken breasts with pomegranate and balsamic sauce 000 honey-roasted cornish game hens 000 moroccan chicken with green olives 000 three-cup chicken 000 sichuan orange chicken with broccoli 000 thai chicken with basil 000 chicken soft tacos 000 chicken and chorizo paella 000 white chicken chili beef 000 weeknight beef stew 000 beef stroganoff 000 pan-roasted filets mignons with asparagus 000 herb-crusted beef tenderloin 000 steak au poivre with brandied cream sauce 000 steak fajitas 000 thai-style beef salad 000 beef stir-fry with bell peppers and black pepper sauce 000 thai red beef curry 000 spice-rubbed flank steak with spicy corn and black bean salad 000 yankee pot roast 000 teriyaki-glazed steak tips 000 juicy pub-style burgers 000 classic lasagna 000 spaghetti bolognese pork 000 classic pork ragu 000 orecchiette with broccoli rabe and italian sausage orecchiette with broccoli rabe and white beans 000 pasta with beans, chard, and rosemary 000 grilled glazed pork chops with sweet potatoes 000 sautéed pork chops with pears and blue cheese 000 crispy sesame pork chops with wilted napa cabbage salad 000 bacon-wrapped pork chops with roasted potatoes 000 easiest-ever pulled pork 000 maple-glazed pork tenderloin 000 herb-rubbed pork tenderloin with fennel and artichokes 000 stir-fried pork with shiitake and snow peas 000 garlicky pork with eggplant 000 skillet pork lo mein 000 pork tacos with mango salsa 000 french-style white bean stew ALL TIME BEST DINNERS FOR TWO 5 seafood 000 mediterranean-style fish stew 000 lemon-herb cod with crispy garlic potatoes 000 braised halibut with leeks and mustard 000 thai-style fish and creamy coconut rice packets 000 chili-glazed salmon with bok choy 000 miso-marinated salmon 000 crispy salmon cakes with sweet and tangy tartar sauce 000 seared scallop salad with snap peas and radishes 000 shrimp scampi 000 campanelle with roasted garlic, shrimp, and feta 000 singapore noodles with shrimp 000 pad thai 000 steamed mussels in white wine with parsley steamed mussels in coconut milk with cilantro steamed mussels in white wine with tomato and basil 000 clams with israeli couscous, kielbasa, and fennel vegetarian 000 risotto primavera 000 penne with red pepper pesto (pesto calabrese) 000 penne arrabiata 000 garlicky spaghetti with artichokes and hazelnuts garlicky spaghetti with lemon and pine nuts garlicky spaghetti with capers and currants 000 pasta with roasted cauliflower, garlic, and walnuts 000 soba noodles with roasted eggplant and sesame 000 potato gnocchi with browned butter–sage sauce 000 baked manicotti 000 skillet eggplant parmesan 000 easy skillet cheese pizza 000 asian braised tofu with butternut squash and eggplant 000 stuffed acorn squash with barley 000 fennel, olive, and goat cheese tarts 000 asparagus and goat cheese frittata 000 skillet summer vegetable tamale pie ALL TIME BEST DINNERS FOR TWO 7chicken pot pie1. Adjust oven rack to middle posi-tion and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Unroll dough onto prepared sheet. Using 12-ounce ovensafe ramekin as guide, cut out 2 rounds of dough about 1/2 inch larger than mouth of ramekin. Fold excess dough under and crimp outer 1/2 inch of dough, then cut 3 vents in center of each dough round. Bake until crusts just begin to brown and no longer look raw, about 7 minutes; set aside.2. Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, celery, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables are softened and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.3. Slowly whisk in broth, cream, and soy sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle chicken into sauce and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate; let cool slightly. Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces.4. Meanwhile, return saucepan to medium heat and simmer sauce until thickened and measures 2 cups, about 5 minutes. Off heat, return shredded chicken and any accumulated juices to saucepan. Stir in peas, parsley, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.5. Divide filling between two 12-ounce ovensafe ramekins and place parbaked crusts on top of filling. Place pot pies on baking sheet and bake until crusts are deep golden brown and filling is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Let pot pies cool for 10 minutes before serving.why this recipe works Chicken pot pie is an indulgent cold-weather din-ner, but when cooking for only two, a whole pot pie is overwhelming—not to mention a lot of work to feed a small household. We wanted a recipe that was streamlined enough to make a small batch worthwhile. Two 12-ounce ramekins had enough depth to accommodate plenty of filling and enough surface area to allow for a good amount of crust. For the chicken, we found that one 8-ounce boneless, skinless breast was just right. We whipped up a traditional white sauce enhanced with thyme and parsley, plus a dash of soy sauce to punch up the flavor. With the sauce assembled, we added the chicken breast and simmered everything briefly. Once the chicken was cooked, we shredded it before returning it to the sauce; this ensured tender pieces of chicken in every bite. For the vegetables, we went with peas and carrots. The peas we could simply stir into the sauce right before baking the pies. The carrots, however, required more time to soften, so we jump-started their cooking by sautéing them with onion and celery. For ease, we used store-bought crust, first baking the dough rounds on their own on a baking sheet and then letting them finish baking atop the pies. We use ovensafe 12-ounce ramekins to make these pot pies, but if you don’t own any, you can use 14-ounce disposable mini loaf pans; cut the crust to fit.1 package store-bought pie dough2 tablespoons unsalted butter2 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick1 small onion, chopped fine1 small celery rib, sliced 1/4 inch thickSalt and pepper2 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme3 tablespoons all-purpose flour13/4 cups chicken broth1/3 cup heavy cream1/2 teaspoon soy sauce1 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed1/4 cup frozen peas2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley1/4 teaspoon lemon juiceserves 2total time: 1 hour 30 minutes8 ALL TIME BEST DINNERS FOR TWOyankee pot roast1. Adjust oven rack to middle posi-tion and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch ovensafe skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown steaks on both sides, about 3 min-utes per side; transfer to plate.3. Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to now-empty skillet, and heat until shimmering. Add chopped carrot, chopped onion, celery, and 1/2 tea-spoon salt and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, soy sauce, thyme sprig, and bay leaf and bring to boil. Return steaks and any accumulated juices to skillet. Cover, transfer skillet to oven, and cook for 11/4 hours.4. Flip steaks and add carrot pieces, onion wedges, and pota-toes to skillet. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender and fork slips easily in and out of meat, 50 minutes to 1 hour.5. Using slotted spoon, transfer steaks and vegetables to platter; tent with aluminum foil. Using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of braising liquid; discard thyme sprig and bay leaf. Bring liquid to boil over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to 1 cup, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in parsley and vinegar. Sea-son with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over steaks and vege-tables and serve.why this recipe works Yankee pot roast—a big piece of beef braised slowly with lots of onions, carrots, and potatoes—is a hearty one-pot dinner meant to feed a crowd. In a household of two, though, that same roast becomes a week’s worth of boring repeat meals. We wanted a recipe that wouldn’t leave us with days of leftovers—a scaled-down version featuring supertender meat and a full-flavored sauce. We started with beefy top blade steaks, which are nicely marbled. To ensure our vegetables turned out tender, not mushy, we waited until the last hour of braising to add them. For the braising liquid, tasters favored chicken broth for its clean, savory flavor. Sautéed aromatics and a bit of tomato paste and soy sauce contributed depth of flavor that further enhanced the sauce. A dash of bal-samic vinegar added at the end rounded out the sauce with a bit of acidity. If your skillet doesn’t have a lid, use potholders to cover it with foil.2 (8- to 10-ounce) beef top blade steaks, trimmedSalt and pepper4 teaspoons vegetable oil3 carrots, peeled (1/2 carrot chopped fine, 21/2 carrots cut into 11/2-inch pieces)1 onion (1/2 onion chopped fine, 1/2 onion cut into 4 wedges through root end)1 celery rib, minced2 garlic cloves, minced2 teaspoons tomato paste13/4 cups chicken broth2 teaspoons soy sauce1 sprig fresh thyme1 bay leaf10 ounces red potatoes, un-peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley1 teaspoon balsamic vinegarserves 2total time: 3 hoursNext >