Hello everyone and welcome to my Meals of the Week post, for this the first week of December 2025. Every week on a Sunday I like to share with you, my sweet readers, all of the deliciousness that I have enjoyed as my main meals over the past seven days.
That's seven days of tasty recipes and menu suggestions. I try to keep everything realistic in my cooking, affordable and as nutritious as I can, although to be sure I do sometimes eat something not so healthy like a pizza or what not.
As an older person on a fixed income who lives by themselves, cooking and eating can be a bit of a challenge at times. It can often be very difficult to get in all of the fruits and veggies that we should be eating. I do my best, but I know that I could do better!
I do make a real effort to cook everything for myself wherever possible and from scratch. I am not a person who is very fond of ready-meals or frozen dinners, as easy as it can be to pop one of those into the microwave. They are usually loaded with fat, sugar and salt, not to mention more often than not disappointing. I prefer to cook my own meals.
Nothing I cook is really complicated. I like to keep it fairly simple most of the time. I also like to keep it affordable. I often pare down the sizes of my recipes to make only one or two servings and in the instances where I can't, I will freeze the excess in single serving amounts, ready to take out and enjoy on a day when I am pressed for time and won't be able to cook much from scratch.
I normally eat my main meal around early to mid-afternoon. Breakfast is usually a protein shake, granola or toast. I will have a very light meal later in the day and by that, I mean usually a salad, or some toast, maybe some fruit and sometimes even a bowl of cereal. (My favorite is rice crispies with bananas, or granola with yogurt and a squirt of date syrup.)
I do like to keep my food varied as well. I don't like being bored, so I try to make my meals as interesting as possible. And with all that having been said, here are the main meals I enjoyed over the past seven days. I hope you will be inspired to want to cook a few of them for yourself as well!
SUNDAY, November 30th - Dinner at Cindy's
I had a delicious family dinner at my sister's place on Sunday. Roast chicken with stuffing and roasted veggies. She did not make gravy this time she had a Swiss Chalet Style dipping sauce. It was all very delicious. In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Another Roast Chicken. Can you ever have too many roast chicken recipes? I think not! This one is spatchcocked and roasted on a bed of veggies.
I am also including my homemade recipe for the Swiss Chalet Dipping Sauce. This tastes just like the real deal. I developed it when I was living in the U.K. and could not get the dipping sauce packets there. This is fabulously tasty, and great with chicken on the day or leftover chicken. Great any time!
MONDAY, December 1st - Easy Cauliflower & Cheese Soup
It was a cold and blustery day. I wanted something quick and easy that would warm me up quickly. I also had a cauliflower that needed using up. Cue in a delicious soup. Cauliflower and Cheese Soup, one of my favorites! Ultra creamy with very simple ingredients.
There really isn't anything out of the ordinary here. I love recipes like this that take ordinary ingredients and turn them into something out of this world delicious, and without a lot of effort! I enjoyed a nice bowl of this with more cheese crumbled over top and some crisp crackers on the side. It was most satisfying!
TUESDAY, December 2nd - Flat Meatballs and Gravy
On Tuesday I enjoyed Flat Meatballs and Gravy which is one of my absolute favorite meals. II actually had some hamburger that I needed to use and so I made myself a small batch of these flat meatballs. I absolutely love this dish. It was always a favorite of my children also.
These are so simple and so delicious. Beautiful, tender meatballs in a lush mushroom gravy. Quick and easy to make. I enjoyed with some cooked rice and carrots on the side, and had enough to freeze for another time.
I had dinner out with Cindy and Dad on Wednesday night. We went to The Big Scoop. The snow had cleared enough by then that the roads were not too bad and Dad really enjoys eating out on Wednesday nights. If we didn't go with him he would try to take himself and we don't want him doing that.
We went to The Big Scoop which is a local place. The food there is pretty much hit and miss. The food used to be really good there, but since they changed ownership I think the quality has gone down a lot. I ordered a Denver Sandwich with some onion rings on the side. I am not sure what they brought me, but it wasn't a Denver Sandwich. I was all egg and onion and there was chips, not onion rings. I don't like their chips they shake them in some kind of seasoning that I don't really enjoy. Far too salty.
In its place I am sharing my recipe for a Baked Western Sandwich with Oven hash. This is another small batch recipe and makes enough for two sandwiches. The omelet bakes in the oven on a small sheet pan. Some hashed potatoes and onions bake separately. Altogether this makes for a really delicious meal that I always really enjoy every once in a while. Economical too.
I like a pork chop every now and again and because I don't eat them very often, I really want it to be tender, juicy and to taste good. I had made this before and it was really good. The recipe makes one serving, but can be multiplied.
I was really craving some fish on Friday. I like to have fish at least once a week if I can. Usually, it will be in the form of tinned tuna or salmon, which are real budget savers. They are also considered oily fish which is very good for you.
This week I made myself a Tuna Loaf with Mustard Cream. I downsized the recipe to make a much smaller portion, cutting the original recipe in half. I also chose to bake it in custard cups rather than in a loaf tin. Difference size, but still delicious. It also cut the bake time down a bit.
I did make the lush mustard cream to go with it. The two are perfect partners. I confess this time I enjoyed it with some oven wedged potatoes that I cooked in the oven as well and some mixed frozen vegetables. This was a delicious and simple meal. I was able to freeze the extra portions of the tuna for another time.
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
These Mincemeat Cookies are soft, spiced, and filled with rich fruit flavor. Made with buttery dough and classic mincemeat, these festive cookies are easy to bake, wonderfully nostalgic, and perfect for Christmas trays, holiday gifting, or cozy winter afternoons.
An added bonus is that they smell fabulous while they are baking!
- 3 1/4 cups (406g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (227g) butter
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (150g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups (350g) mincemeat (Not hamburger but the type for making mince pies with dried fruit and spices in it.)
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6. Line two large baking sheets with baking parchment. (You may need to do this on three cookie sheets depending on the size of your baking sheets.)
- Using an electric whisk cream the butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy. (About two minutes.)
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla, salt, and the mincemeat on low speed until combined. (You don't want to break the mincemeat up too much.)
- Sift the flour, spices and soda together. (This helps to evenly distribute all of the spices and the soda.)
- Start beating the flour mixture into the creamed mixture a little bit at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. (I use a low speed for this, and finish incorporating the flour by hand with a wooden spoon at the end.)
- Scoop into TBS sized balls (I used a TBS sized cookie scoop) and drop onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches in between each cookie. (These cookies do spread so don't skip the space in between.)
- Bake, one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes until the tops have set and the edges are a light golden brown.
- Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all the dough has been used and baked.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container with wax paper between the layers.
- Read through the recipe several times before baking to help familiarize yourself with any ingredients or equipment needed.
- Gather all of your ingredients together before you begin. This can help to prevent you from leaving out something integral to the recipe.
- Be accurate in your measuring. Baking is an exact science.
- To keep cookies from spreading too much, chill the dough for half an hour before scooping and baking.
- Lining the baking sheets with baking parchment promotes even browning and can help prevent the cookies from sticking.
- Avoid overbaking or underbaking. Remember that the cookies will continue to bake for a few minutes after you take them out of the oven on the heat of the baking sheet.
Mincemeat Cookies
Sweet, spicy, crisp edges and chewy middles. These smell like Christmas when they are baking. Quick and easy to make. Bake time reflects the time to bake all three sheets of cookies at 10 minutes per sheet.
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups (406g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (227g) butter
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (150g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups (350g) mincemeat (Not hamburger but the type for making mince pies with dried fruit and spices in it.)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6. Line two large baking sheets with baking parchment. (You may need to do this on three cookie sheets depending on the size of them.)
- Using an electric whisk cream the butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla, salt, and the mincemeat on low speed until combined.
- Sift the flour, spices and soda together.
- Start beating the flour mixture into the creamed mixture a little bit at a time, until thoroughly incorporated.
- Scoop into TBS sized balls (I used a TBS sized cookie scoop) and drop onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches in between each cookie.
- Bake, one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes until the tops have set and the edges are a light golden brown.
- Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all the dough has been used and baked.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container with wax paper between the layers.
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
Gnocchi with Spinach & Roasted Butternut Squash is a cozy, flavorful dish that combines pillowy potato gnocchi with sweet roasted squash and tender fresh baby spinach leaves. Soft goat's cheese adds a rich and tangy finish.
This easy recipe comes together in about half an hours' time, making for a comforting vegetarian meal which is perfect for busy weeknights! It is a small batch recipe that feeds two people generously, but can easily be doubled as well to feed more. I had also added some tasty suggestions on how to amp it up or switch it out a bit, so read on!
This simple, yet delicious dish is one that I have adapted from a cookery book I have entitled The Family Meal Planner by Good Food. It is one of the books that I had in the U.K. that I decided to replace after I moved back to Canada. It is filled with lots of thrifty and time saving recipes that are very family and budget friendly.
This recipe really appealed to me on a variety of counts. First, it used things I almost always have in the house. Second, it made for a delicious meat-free option. Third, it promised to be a recipe that went together quickly and easily without a lot of effort. A great last-minute meal as it were.
I did take the liberty of cutting the recipe in half to make only two servings. It was really good as is, but I can think of a few ways to make it even better. When I make this again, I will boil the gnocchi, drain and then tip them into a skillet with a knob of foaming butter or ghee. Toasting them to create some sticky buttery edges, injecting even more flavor into those gorgeous little pillows.
I love goat's cheese, and it does go very well with butternut squash and spinach. I think if you wanted to you could also add a warm balsamic dressing and a few toasted broken walnuts to add even more flavor and some crunch. (Just my suggestions.)
In any case it was simple and delicious. I recommend serving this with a tossed salad on the side.
- 1/2-pound (225g) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
- 1 small clove garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 2 cups (250g) fresh potato gnocchi
- 4 ounces (100g) fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and trimmed
- 2 ounces (50g) soft goat's cheese
- salt and black pepper to taste
I love butternut squash. It has a lovely sweet and mild flavor and lends itself beautifully to roasting. The squash I bought at the shops had no seeds in it at all. I think that is because we had such a dry summer this year. It cooked beautifully however and tasted delicious.
Use quality fresh potato gnocchi.
If you don't have any small cloves of garlic, you can use half of a large one. Alternately you can use 1 tsp of refrigerated garlic paste.
Wash your spinach in several changes of cold water and drain it well. I use a salad spinner to do this. I also trim off all of the stems as they are quite unpalatable when cooked and make for a stringy finish.
Use a good quality soft goat's cheese.
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a lipped baking tray with some baking paper. (This will help prevent the squash from sticking to the pan as it roasts.)
- Peel the squash, deseed, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Toss together in a bowl with the garlic, oil and some salt and black pepper to taste. (Alternately you can use 1/2 tsp refrigerated garlic paste.)
- Pour onto the baking tray, spreading it out in one layer. (You want the squash to roast, not stew.)
- Roast for 20 minutes, giving it a stir halfway through the roasting time. (This helps to gild all of the sides of the squash.)
- Close to when the squash is finished roasting cook the gnocchi in lightly salted boiling water according to the package directions. (Mine cooked in 2 minutes. Don't overcook it or it will get gummy.)
- Drain the gnocchi and return to the saucepan. Add the spinach and toss together to wilt the spinach. Toss in the roasted butternut squash. Season to taste with some salt and a grinding of black pepper. (A grating of nutmeg also goes well with the squash and the spinach.)
- Divide between two heated pasta bowls and divide the goat's cheese between the two, scattering it over top. Serve immediately.
- Make sure you cut all of your squash into a 1/2-inch dice. That way it will all finish cooking at the same time and begin to caramelize a bit.
- If your spinach is not already washed, make sure you wash it well in cold water, changing the water a few times and drain it well. (I use a salad spinner.)
- DO remove the stems from your spinach. They can be a bit unpleasant to eat.
- Use good quality fresh potato gnocchi and drain it well after cooking.
Gnocchi with Spinach & Roasted Butternut Squash
This delicious dish tastes luxurious but uses only a very few ingredients. it also goes together in about half an hour making it ideal for a day when you are rushed off your feet. Can easily be doubled to feed more people.
Ingredients
- 1/2-pound (225g) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
- 1 small clove garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 2 cups (250g) fresh potato gnocchi
- 4 ounces (100g) fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and trimmed
- 2 ounces (50g) soft goat's cheese
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a lipped baking tray with some baking paper.
- Peel the squash, deseed, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Toss together in a bowl with the garlic, oil and some salt and black pepper to taste.
- Pour onto the baking tray, spreading it out in one layer.
- Roast for 20 minutes, giving it a stir halfway through the roasting time.
- Close to when the squash is finished roasting cook the gnocchi in lightly salted boiling water according to the package directions.
- Drain the gnocchi and return to the saucepan. Add the spinach and toss together to wilt the spinach. Toss in the roasted butternut squash. Season to taste with some salt and a grinding of black pepper.
- Divide between two heated pasta bowls and divide the goat's cheese between the two, scattering it over top. Serve immediately
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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