I still remember the exact moment Mary first told me about her idea for a simple recipe website that could be dedicated to those, who for one reason or another, find themselves needing to only cook for two.
We were actually sitting down for our own “dinner for two” this past summer on our back porch. Something we do quite frequently now that all four of our children have grown into adults with careers. Which, by the way, seems as though it happened in the blink of an eye!
She started the conversation off that night with a simple question. “Do you know how we always get emails asking how to cut a recipe in half, or how to make something for just two instead of always serving four to six?”
It was certainly an easy question for me to answer. After all, I knew from our daily email answering sessions just how many times that question arrives in our inbox. But when I answered “yes” – I can honestly say I didn’t see what was coming next.
Filling A Void – How To Cook For Two
“Well, I have to tell you”, she continued, “now that we are cooking for two nearly all of the time, I am realizing just how hard it is to create and make recipes without having days and days of leftovers. Not to mention, the more I research recipe ideas for two, the more I realize how little is out there for small batch cooking.”
The more I thought about it, the more I began to realize just how right she was. For every family needing recipes for four to six servings, there were so many more out there needing to be able to create meals for two. Empty nesters. New couples. Newlyweds. Single parents…and the list goes on and on!
All we needed to do to confirm the theory was look at our own immediate family. We have Mary’s parents and our own kids, who with their significant others all now cook for two. As well as my five brothers and sisters and Mary’s siblings, who with their own children grown and gone, all are cooking for only two too!
As we sat there talking, she then cut right to the chase. “So what do you think about creating a website dedicated to cooking for two?” And, right then and there, i cook for two was born!
I Cook For Two
Sometimes, things just work out like they were meant to be. One of the hardest things about creating a new website is finding a name that fits the theme. The only problem is that nine hundred, ninety-nine times out of a thousand, the name that works is long gone!
But as crazy and unbelievable as it was, Mary’s first choice of I Cook For Two was available for the taking. About 5 minutes into the dinner, the name was registered, and the rest, as they say, is history!
Something Different, Something Simple
The fact is, there are thousands upon thousands of websites filled with recipes of nearly every type of cuisine and cooking method you can imagine. But there are just a handful truly dedicated to cooking delicious, simple meals for two – no matter the occasion.
Mary’s goal for this site is to truly fill that void ,whether it is everyday meals, holiday dinners or meals for special occasions. The fact is, not everyone has 20 people over for Thanksgiving, Christmas or a birthday dinner. Sometimes, it might just be a special day for two – and I Cook For Two will have recipes to fit the need.
As a great example, one of the most popular recipes on the site so far has been Mary’s Easy Meatloaf Muffins recipe. (See Recipe Here) Not everyone needs a recipe for meatloaf that makes one or two giant loaves. Especially if you are cooking for just two!
But these meatloaf muffins are the perfect answer. The simple recipe calls for just 3 ingredients, and can be on the table in as little as 30 minutes. And the muffins work out perfectly for feeding two people.
A Little Something For Everyone – I Cook For Two
Needless to say, we are super excited to debut the site here today. In addition to new recipes each week, the website has categories for all kind of cooks and cooking styles.
From classic oven and stove top recipes, to crock pot, air fryer and instant pot recipes, there really is something for everyone. Each recipe comes complete with a printable recipe card, and includes nutritional information as well.
As the calendar rolls around, Mary will continue to post seasonal recipes. In fact, this week’s new recipe highlights the Halloween season with Jack-O’Lantern Stuffed Peppers! See Recipe Here : Jack-O’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
To check out all of the categories, you can head over to the Recipe Index section of the site. And for recent air fryer converts, be sure to check out the Air Fryer cheat sheet as well. It is a great resource for time and temperature settings for some of the most common foods for air fryer cooking.
Finally, we would love to hear from you if there are any recipes for two you would like to see in the future. Just drop us a line at thefarm@owgarden.com and give us your ideas! Here is to cooking for two, and enjoying life to the fullest. Happy Cooking! Jim and Mary.
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.
As always, feel free to email us at thefarm@owgarden.com with comments, questions, or to simply say hello! You can sign up for our free email list in the subscribe now box in the middle of this article. Follow us on Facebook here : OWG Facebook. This article may contain affiliate links.