Couples and other smaller families shouldn't have to rely on recipes for four or six. Here, the experts and recipe testers in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen take the guesswork out of small-batch cooking and share their favorite weeknight meals such as Pan-Fried Chicken with Lemony Roasted Broccoli, Air-Fried Steak Fajitas, Speedy Eggplant Parm, Short Ribs with Polenta, and Seared Pork Chops with Cherries and Spinach Plus: you also get the Test Kitchen's secrets on how to downsize any recipe, including your own family favorites. You'll never get stuck with endless leftovers again!

Inside you'll find:

• Cooking techniques such as how to perfectly sear a chicken breast, clever shopping strategies to reduce food waste (ask the butcher to split a package of meat, roast veggies to extend their tastiness), and storage tricks to ensure freshness

• Mix-and-match options like delicious pan sauces (Mushroom Wine, Poblano Cream) and simple sides (Bacon-Roasted Potatoes, Coriander-Maple Glazed Carrots) so meals are always exciting and varied (1,300 possible combinations!)

• Stews and soups (Creamy Corn Chowder) and cozy casseroles (Loaf Pan Lasagna) to satisfy comfort food cravings

• Wow-worthy recipes for occasions such as date night, anniversaries, holidays, or weekend brunch so you can feast but not cook for a crowd.

• Happy hour menus such as Staycation Sips and Dips or For Brunch Lovers that bring the party to your home

• Special treats like Skillet Brownies, Freeze-and-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Small-Batch Cupcakes for occasions when you want to bake a smaller batch

• Leftovers reimagined so cooking once, eating twice are both meals to look forward to

Kate Merker is the Chief Food Director and oversees the food
content appearing in several of Hearst's top titles, including Good
Housekeeping. After attending Yale University, she graduated first in her class at the Culinary Institute of America.