SUNDAY, October 11th - Thanksgiving Dinner
We should have had our Thanksgiving Dinner over at my Sister's on Sunday. Alas, Eileen wasn't up for walking and going up stairs, etc. Very understandable seeing what she has been through. We are taking major surgery here. My sister, kind person that she is, packed everything up and brought us a dinner, along with enough leftovers for the next day.
There was Roast Chicken, mashed potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, my mom's potato dressing, carrots, homemade gravy and homemade cranberry sauce. I cooked a swede here at home for us to enjoy and Eileen had her favorite mint jelly, a habit she picked up from her ex husband's family.
And then for dessert we had blueberry crumble pie and ice cream. I had picked up the pie at Pelton's the day before and taken it to my sister's for the big feast.
We were able to enjoy a lovely meal here at home. All I had to do was to warm everything up. We were both very grateful for my sister's kindness. We had a lot to be thankful for this year. Eileen's being told she was cancer free. Her getting through the operation safely. Healing. Family. Home. Faith. The whole shebang.
MONDAY, October 12 - Hot Chicken Sandwich
We had enough leftover chicken and gravy to make hot chicken sandwiches for our tea on Monday. Tender slices of roast chicken between two slices of white bread and slathered in gravy. So good. A real favorite for us, although we shared one between the two of us as we neither one of us could eat a whole one. I also warmed up any leftover vegetables for us to enjoy along side of the sandwiches.
There was stuffing left, a bit of potato, and some carrots and swede. We were completely satiated and grateful. Since we had split a piece of the blueberry pie the day before, we had another piece to split on the day as well, although to be honest, we were both really stuffed.
.JPG "Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup")
TUESDAY, October 13th - Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
Believe it or not we still had a bit of chicken left and I used it to make us a small batch of this Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup. There is nothing out of the ordinary required, just some stock, carrots, carrots, celery, pasta or noodles and chunks of leftover chicken. Very simple and very delicious.
We enjoyed this with a grilled cheese sandwich for Eileen and some crackers for me. It was a simple, yet hearty supper for us both.
WEDNESDAY, October 14th - Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos
Usually on Wednesday nights we go out to supper with my sister, father and his friend Hazel. Eileen is still not up to going out so we had a taco night at home. Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos. Everything, Beef, spices, onions, garlic, lime juice, adobe paste and stock get put into a slow cooker and cooked long and slow until the beef is melt in the mouth tender. Ready to shred and pile into warm soft tortillas.
We enjoyed these with soft charred flour tortillas, and our favourite taco toppings. Shredded lettuce, olives, salsa, tomatoes, cheese and sour cream. A delicious party in the mouth.
THURSDAY, October 15th - Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
On Thursday we had homemade Teriyaki Meatballs. These Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs are tender, juicy, and coated in a sweet and savoury homemade teriyaki glaze that is simply irresistible. Easy to make and packed with flavour, they're perfect served over rice with your favourite vegetables for a quick weeknight supper that tastes like takeout, only better.
On this occasion we enjoyed them with some veggies and fried rice, homemade. They are tender and delicious. You can also make them with beef, chicken or pork if you would rather. They are quite adaptable.
FRIDAY, October 16th - Pork Chops with Cream Gravy
I took a couple of pork chops out of the freezer on Friday and had cooked us Pork Chops with Cream gravy for our supper. I also made us some fluffy mashed potatoes to enjoy with them. I am trying to tempt Eileen's appetite as she has been a bit off her food.
I love this pork chop recipe. It always tastes so good. The chops are tender and juicy and that gravy is delicious. We enjoyed with a nice tossed salad on the side. It made for a delicious, yet simple supper that we both enjoyed very much.
.jpg "Onion Pan Burgers")
SATURDAY, October 17th - Burger Suppers
I decided to treat us to a burger supper from DeeDee's Diner on Saturday. A reward for Eileen having endured another week and because we were craving burgers and DeeDee's makes really great burgers. Eileen likes the Mushroom Melt Burger and I go for the Classic. Both come with Chips and are really reasonably priced. I also got Eileen a milkshake, vanilla. We both enjoyed our meals very much.
In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Onion Pan Burgers. These are everything a great homemade burger should be — juicy, flavorful, and irresistibly messy in the best possible way. Inspired by a diner‑style technique, the onions aren’t just a topping… they’re cooked right into the burger, infusing every bite with sweet, savory goodness.
You start with simple, well‑seasoned ground steak mixed with a touch of garlic, shaped into hearty patties and seared in a hot skillet. Then comes the magic: a mountain of sliced onions goes straight on top of the burgers, softening and caramelizing as they steam into the meat itself . When you flip the patties, the onions stay underneath, turning golden and delicious while the burgers finish cooking.
A slice of melty burger cheese goes on top, and the buns get a clever diner trick of their own — the tops steam over the cheese while the bottoms warm right on the onions, soaking up all that incredible flavor. These are quite simply fabulous. Everyone always loves them. They go great with potato chips, oven chips or even just a salad on the side.
And there you have it, these were my Meals of the Week for the past week. I think we ate pretty well. What do you think? None of it was very complicated at all, and except for the burgers out everything was homemade within budget! I do hope that you will be inspired to cook some of these tasty meals for yourself and your loved ones!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
If you have tasted the OMG Cinnabon Clusters and fallen in love with them like I did this is a quick, easy and tasty copycat recipe that you can make right in the comfort of your own home. Clusters of cinnamon flavoured white chocolate, Golden Grahams cereal, Heath Bits and toasted pecans, put together in the easiest and most delicious way.
Prepare to fall in love.
- 12 ounces (340g) good quality white chocolate
- 1 1/2 to 2 tsp good quality ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups of Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Golden Grahams Cereal (about 65g)
- 1/2 cup (80g) of Heath Toffee Bits
- 1 cup (99g) toasted pecan nuts
- You will want to toast your nuts first. Spread them out onto a baking sheet. Toast in a moderate oven (350*F/180*C/gas mark 4) for 8 to10 minutes. Keep a watch on them so that they don't burn. (I use a sheet pan with a lip. Make sure you lay them out in an even layer.)
- Leave to cool, then chop. (I just chop coarsely with a sharp knife.)
- Line a baking tray with some baking parchment. Set aside. (You want one large enough to hold all the clusters without them touching. You also want it to fit in the refrigerator.)
- Break your chocolate up into pieces and place into a microwave safe bowl.
- Microwave on medium at 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until it has melted completely. Whisk in the ground cinnamon and salt. Taste and adjust as required. (Do not over heat. It will only take about one and a half minutes tops. I sifted the cinnamon over top and whisked it in so that it didn't clump.)
- Stir in the chopped nuts, cereal and toffee bits, mixing together to combine well. (I used a metal spoon for this.)
- Drop by heaped tablespoons onto the baking sheet leaving some space in between each cluster.
- Chill in the refrigerator until solid. (You could also place in the freezer which will harden them up quicker.)
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Copycat Cinnabon Clusters
This is a copycat recipe for the "OMG" Cinnabon Clusters that you can get at Costco now. There is no Costco near where I live. I managed to get a bag a number of weeks back and fell in love. This is my homemade version. I have to say they came out pretty close to the original!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (340g) good quality white chocolate
- 1 1/2 to 2 tsp good quality ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups of Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Golden Grahams Cereal (about 65g)
- 1/2 cup (80g) of Heath Toffee Bits
- 1 cup (99g) toasted pecan nuts
Instructions
- You will want to toast your nuts first. Spread them out onto a baking sheet. Toast in a moderate oven (350*F/180*C/gas mark 4) for 8 to10 minutes. Keep a watch on them so that they don't burn.
- Leave to cool, then chop.
- Line a baking tray with some baking parchment. Set aside.
- Break your chocolate up into pieces and place into a microwave safe bowl.
- Microwave on medium at 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until it has melted completely. Whisk in the ground cinnamon and salt. Taste and adjust as required.
- Stir in the chopped nuts, cereal and toffee bits, mixing together to combine well.
- Drop by heaped tablespoons onto the baking sheet leaving some space in between each cluster.
- Chill in the refrigerator until solid.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
You could stick these in the freezer to harden which will be a lot quicker.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
That original recipe was pretty primitive compared to the granola that I make today. Through the years I have experimented and adapted it to use different flavors and additions, and I have also tried other people's recipes with great success.
What can I say? I LOVE GRANOLA! It can be a really healthy and delicious way to get protein and fiber into your diet without adding a lot of fat or sugar. It's all in the mix, and if you add fresh fruit and some yogurt when you are eating it (my preferred way to eat it) then you have a really delicious and healthy breakfast option.
This version I am sharing today is a pretty simple and basic version. You can vary it a bit by following some of the suggestions below. All told however, it is really delicious as written. I often enjoy some of this with a dollop of thick plain Greek yogurt, along with a drizzle of Date Syrup on top. Heaven. Pure Heaven, or fresh or frozen berries if I have them. Enjoy!
- 2 TBS sunflower oil (I tend to use light olive oil these days. You could also use coconut oil.)
- Scant half cup (100ml) pure maple syrup
- 4 TBS clear honey (Use a nice floral honey, such as a clover honey)
- 1 TBS good vanilla extract (I used Kirkland)
- heaped 3 cups (300g) large flake rolled oats
- 3 TBS (25g) sunflower seeds
- 6 TBD (50g) pumpkin seeds
- 7/8 cup (100g) flaked or chopped nuts (I like to use whole nuts, cashews, blanched almonds, macadamia)
- 3/4 cup (50g) coconut chips (3/4 cup) (Large flakes of unsweetened coconut)
- 2/3 cup (100g) dried fruit (Sultana raisins, dried cranberries, blueberries, etc.)
- natural yogurt and fresh fruit (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 150*C/300*F/ gas mark 2. Have two baking sheets ready. (I spray with non-stick cooking spray. You can also line with baking paper.)
- Weigh out the oats, seeds, nuts and coconut chips into a large bowl. (Give them a good toss together with your hands so that they are evenly mixed.)
- Whisk together the oil, maple syrup, honey and vanilla. Pour this over top of the dry ingredients and toss together to mix completely. (I like to use a spoon to make sure everything gets an even mix.)
- Divide between the two baking sheets, spreading it out in an even layer. (Spread it out with the back of a metal spoon. Making sure it spread out ensures that there are no thin spots where the cereal will burn.)
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir. (Level it out again.)
- Return to the oven, switching the placement of the trays (top to bottom and bottom to top) and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes.
- Give a good stir and allow to cool completely. Stir in any dried fruit and mix all well together. (I like sultanas, dried sour cherries and cranberries.)
- Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks, or freeze in an airtight container for longer.
Nutty Honey & Maple Granola
A simple to make and delicious granola, chock full of goodness!
Ingredients
- 2 TBS sunflower oil
- Scant half cup (100ml) pure maple syrup
- 4 TBS clear honey
- 1 TBS good vanilla extract (I used Kirkland)
- heaped 3 cups (300g) large flake rolled oats
- 3 TBS (25g) sunflower seeds
- 6 TBD (50g) pumpkin seeds
- 7/8 cup (100g) flaked or chopped nuts (I like to use whole nuts, cashews, blanched almonds, macadamia)
- 3/4 cup (50g) coconut chips (3/4 cup)
- 2/3 cup (100g) dried fruit (Sultana raisins, dried cranberries, blueberries, etc.)
- natural yogurt and fresh fruit (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150*C/300*F/ gas mark 2. Have two baking sheets ready. (I spray with non-stick cooking spray)
- Weigh out the oats, seeds, nuts and coconut chips into a large bowl.
- Whisk together the oil, maple syrup, honey and vanilla. Pour this over top of the dry ingredients and toss together to mix completely.
- Divide between the two baking sheets, spreading it out in an even layer.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir.
- Return to the oven, switching the placement of the trays (top to bottom and bottom to top) and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes.
- Give a good stir and allow to cool completely. Stir in any dried fruit and mix all well together.
- Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks, or freeze in an airtight container for longer.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
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