Hi, I'm Lisa. I've been reading the posts on this board the last few days and thought I might be able to contribute some suggestions.

I've been cooking mainly for 1-3 for 25 yrs. (I am now 42) always on a tight budget, and know what a challenge it can be to adapt recipes designed to serve 4-8. Even if you like leftovers, and freezing them for later, it can still get tiresome having the same meal 4-6 times during the month.

I am currently living alone (well, with 2 cats) so I am cooking just for myself and occasionally my boyfriend. I have the time to cook and find it a creative outlet, but often just don't have the inclination to make something for one. As a previous poster noted: It's soooo easy to convince yourself cheese and crackers are a healthy meal. I had to smile...been there, done that!

In the past year I've come to see it's important to treat yourself sometimes when you are "cooking single". I love shellfish, particularly crab legs and shrimp, but I never bought it often believing it was too expensive and something for a special occassion. I read the sale circulars for my nearby supermarkets and have found snow crab legs go on sale for $3.99 lb. or less, at one market or another, every 4- 6 weeks.

This is a deal especially if you are only cooking for one or two. A lb. of crab legs is 4-5 clusters and depending on your appetite and sides, just 1 or 2 clusters may satisfy you. The math works out to a treat that costs about the same as a single serving frozen dinner!

I buy several pounds at a time FROZEN, if you buy them at the seafood counter on ice, they have been thawed after previous freezing and you need to use whatever you purchase that day. Buying a bag of frozen ones, you can put the bag in your freezer and just take out as many as you want at a time. Perfect for cooking for just one or two.

I have also found you can microwave frozen crab legs to perfection in just minutes. They are already cooked when you buy them, so you just need to heat them. Put a frozen cluster or two on a plate, heat on high 2 min., then check. You might need another two min. or so, keep checking. You don't want to overcook them, the meat will shrivel and be too tough to eat. You can repeat the process with more clusters--the added benefit of not having to eat boiled crab legs gone cold.

I serve my crab legs simple. I microwave steam enough fresh, or frozen asparagus(that I've also bought on sale) for my appetite, cut on the diagonal into dipping size, and Italian bread slices warmed plain in the oven, or toaster oven. I melt butter or butter flavored spread in the micro, and season it with my choice of a dash of lemon juice, a pinch of minced garlic, or garlic powder, a sprinkle of salt, a sprinkle of Old Bay, or other crab boil seasoning. Then I take turns dipping crab pieces, asparagus pieces, bread into the seasoned melted butter. With sliced tomatoes and/or fresh sliced fruit this makes a simple, delicious meal without becomming too expensive.