Hello everyone and welcome to my weekly Meals of the Week Post. Normally on Sundays I like to share with you all the delicious recipes and meals that I have enjoyed over the past seven days. That's all of the main meals that I have eaten along with any recipes and menu suggestions.
SUNDAY, December 14th - Roast Chicken with Lemon & Herb Stuffing
Most Sundays I will have a family dinner with my sister, brother-in-law, and dad, but this week I stayed home. My sister wasn't cooking a big dinner and the weather was lousy. I had taken a very small chicken out of the freezer on Saturday night, knowing I would be staying home and so I made myself a roast chicken for my supper.
This Roast chicken with Lemon & Herb Stuffing is one of my favorite Roast Chicken Recipes. The chicken always comes out delicious, tender, juicy with a lovely gravy. I also love the stuffing. I ended up with a lovely meal on the day, plus one to send next door, plus some meat leftover for sandwiches and possibly a casserole later in the week! You cannot go wrong with a roast chicken!
MONDAY, December 11th - Lasagna Roll Ups
I cooked a small batch of Lasagna Roll Ups based on a recipe that I adapted from Natasha's Kitchen. If you are looking for a full batch do check out her recipe. My adaptation made four roll ups, which was enough to enjoy on the day for myself and then another serving to freeze. The recipe feeds two people generously. This week I am restocking my freezer with some meals to eat at a later date as I have now eaten all that I had reserved. (I did make a full sized recipe this time as I will be having family to visit after Christmas and I am wanting to have some quick and easy meals for my grandsons in the freezer.
This is one of my favorite ways to make Lasagna. Rich and delicious I love how this lasagna doesn't slide all over the plate. Everything is compact in a nice neat little package. I enjoyed with some crusty bread and a salad on the side.
TUESDAY, December 16th - Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole for Two
I spent a great part of the day out shopping with my sister and I was pretty tired when I got back. I got everything put away and then just opted for a simple supper of Fish Fingers, Chips and Beans. This is a great comfort food kind of a supper. It can be as simple as opening frozen packets and tins, popping the fish and chips into the oven and the beans into a saucepan to heat up. I, however, always like to add a little twist to my baked beans. They always come out flavorful and tangy.
I know I had only had fish for my supper on Wednesday night, but you know, I could eat fish every night of the week and be quite happy with it. This was perhaps not the healthiest option, but not the worst either! Made a nice change, albeit a bit naughty! You could make your own fish fingers from scratch if you are really keen. There is a great recipe here.
.JPG "Skillet Sausage and Vegetable Dinner")
I love skillet meals where everything cooks in the one skillet. No fuss and no muss. You can actually vary the vegetables if you wish, but usually I will have a nice meaty sausage, some golden-brown fried potatoes, cabbage and carrots.
My sister and I make our own sausage from scratch most of the time. This was an apple one that we had made which is lovely. You really don't need anything else with this meal. I like to serve a grainy mustard on the side for dipping that tasty sausage in. Simply perfect.
And there you have it! My meals of the week for this the last week before Christmas 2025. I think I did really well. I kept things tasty and within budget. I didn't get around to making my pot of chicken soup, but the bones and scraps were frozen so that I can make one sometime in January. I hope you have enjoyed seeing what I ate and that you will be inspired to want to cook some of these meals for yourself!
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
Sometimes you just want pie… but not a whole one. This Apple and Cranberry Pie for One is the perfect solution: a single-serving dessert that’s bursting with tender apples, tart cranberries, warm cinnamon, and a buttery, flaky crust. It’s cozy, festive, and just right when you’re craving something sweet without the fuss of baking a full pie.
This recipe is ideal for holiday evenings, quiet afternoons, or anytime you want a little taste of comfort. The combination of apples and cranberries gives a beautiful balance of sweet and tangy, while the spices make every bite feel like a hug. Best of all, it’s quick to make and doesn’t leave you with days of leftovers—just one perfect pie, made just for you.
- 1/3 cup (50g) of plain all-purpose flour
- 2 TBS (30g) cold butter, cut into bits
- pinch salt
- 1 tsp water
- 1 large cooking apple, peeled and chopped
- 2 dessertspoons fresh cranberries (about 1/4 cup)
- 2 1/2 TBS sugar
- 1/2 tsp apple pie spice (see notes)
- pinch salt
- butter for dotting
- milk for brushing
- demerara sugar for sprinkling (Turbinado sugar)
- Heavy cream to serve (Or ice cream) or warm custard
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Have ready a large wide brimmed mug, large enough to hold your filling. Mine is about 4 inches in circumference. (It would hold a good 1 1/2 cups of tea or coffee.)
- Sift the flour into a bowl with the salt. Drop in the cold butter. Rub the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the water and toss together with a fork. Bring the mixture together into a ball, kneading lightly. (Alternately you can put the flour, salt and butter into a food processor and process until the mixture resembles fine dry crumbs.)
- Remove about 1/3 of the ball and roll it into a long rope, long enough to measure around the circumference of your mug. Brush the edge of the mug with some milk and then press the rope around the edge to adhere. (This is what your top pastry will stick to.)
- Toss the chopped apple and cranberries together with the sugar, spice and salt. Put into the mug. Dot with butter. (I like to make sure my apple pieces are roughly the same size as the berries.)
- Roll out the remaining pastry, on a lightly floured surface, into a round large enough to cover the mug and then some. I used a floured 4 inch round fluted cutter to cut out an exact circle shape to fit on top. Brush the pastry edge of the mug lightly with some milk. (Brushing the edge of the pastry will help the lid to adhere properly.)
- Place the round on top of the filling in the mug and press along the pastry edge to adhere. Flute gently if desired. Cut a few steam vents. (Steam vents are important.)
- Brush with some milk and sprinkle with some demerara sugar. (If you have any pastry leftover, you can cut into shapes and put on top. I cut some leaves and a small apple. I added a dried clove for an apple stem.)
- Place onto a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and the apples are cooked. (A knife should pierce them easily.)
- Serve warm with or without pouring cream or custard. (A small scoop of vanilla ice-cream also works very well.)
- Read through the recipe thoroughly before beginning to help familiarize yourself with any equipment or ingredients needed.
- Assemble all of the ingredients you need to make this dessert before beginning. This simple act can serve to prevent you from leaving anything important out.
- Make sure your butter for the pastry is really cold.
- Make sure that the mug you use is large enough to hold your filling and that it is heat proof and will not shatter in the oven.
- Place the filled and topped mug on a small baking tray to protect your oven in case of any spill-over.
.JPG "Apple and Cranberry Pie For One")
Apple and Cranberry Pie For One
A simple and delicious pie baked in an oven-proof mug, sized perfectly for one person to enjoy, and why not!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (50g) of plain all-purpose flour
- 2 TBS (30g) cold butter, cut into bits
- pinch salt
- 1 tsp water
- 1 large cooking apple, peeled and chopped
- 2 dessertspoons fresh cranberries (about 1/4 cup)
- 2 1/2 TBS sugar
- 1/2 tsp apple pie spice (see notes)
- pinch salt
- butter for dotting
- milk for brushing
- demerara sugar for sprinkling (Turbinado sugar)
- Heavy cream to serve (Or ice cream) or warm custard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Have ready a large wide brimmed mug, large enough to hold your filling. Mine is about 4 inches in circumference.
- Sift the flour into a bowl with the salt. Drop in the cold butter. Rub the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the water and toss together with a fork. Bring the mixture together into a ball, kneading lightly.
- Remove about 1/3 of the ball and roll it into a long rope, long enough to measure around the circumference of your mug. Brush the edge of the mug with some milk and then press the rope around the edge to adhere. This is what your top pastry will stick to.
- Toss the chopped apple and cranberries together with the sugar, spice and salt. Put into the mug. Dot with butter.
- Roll out the remaining pastry, on a lightly floured surface, into a round large enough to cover the mug and then some. I used a floured 4 inch round fluted cutter to cut out an exact circle shape to fit on top. Brush the pastry edge of the mug lightly with some milk.
- Place the round on top of the filling in the mug and press along the pastry edge to adhere. Flute gently if desired. Cut a few steam vents.
- Brush with some milk and sprinkle with some demerara sugar. If you have any pastry leftover you can cut into shapes and put on top. I cut some leaves and a small apple. I added a dried clove for an apple stem.
- Place onto a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and the apples are cooked.
- Serve warm with or without pouring cream or custard.
Notes
Make Your Own Apple Pie Spice: Mix together 1/4 cup ground cinnamon, 1 TBS ground allspice, 2 tsp ground nutmeg, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground cardamom. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
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.
Start your day with a slice of holiday magic! This Breakfast Stollen Slice takes all the cozy flavors of traditional German stollen—candied fruit, nuts, warm spices, and a hint of almond—and transforms them into a lighter, easier bake that’s perfect for mornings. It’s soft, slightly sweet, and studded with festive flavors that make every bite feel like Christmas.
Unlike a heavy fruitcake, this stollen-inspired loaf is tender and comforting, ideal for breakfast, brunch, or enjoying with a hot cup of coffee. Best of all, it’s simple to prepare and makes a beautiful centerpiece for holiday gatherings.
- 1 1/3 cups (280ml) of buttermilk
- 3 cups (360g) plain all-purpose
- 1 TBS caster sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter, cold, cut into small bits
- 1/4 cup (25g) mixed candied peel
- 1/3 cup (50g) pistachio nuts, chopped
- 1/3 cup (50g) dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup (50g) raisins
- 1 TBS brandy or rum
- 1/2 pound/8 ounces (225g) marzipan (store bought or homemade)
- 2 TBS apricot jam
- 1 TBS brandy or rum
- Icing sugar to dust (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a large baking sheet with grease proof baking paper. Set aside.
- To make the filling, combine all of the dried fruits and pistachios in a bowl with the brandy and then set aside. (Make sure you leave them to sit for at least 15 minutes so that they soak up all the brandy and plum up nicely.)
- To make the dough, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter. (Make sure your butter is really cold.)
- Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, or two round bladed knives, until the mixture resembles very coarse meal. Some bits can be pea sized. (You don't want the butter to be too finely cut in. The larger bits are what help make these so flaky.)
- Make a well in the middle of the dry/fat mixture. Add the buttermilk all at once. Stir together with a fork, just to combine. (Do not overmix, but all the dry ingredients should be damp.)
- Tip out onto a lightly floured board. Knead a couple of times to help bring the dough together and then lightly pat it out about to a large rectangle about 1/2 inch in thickness. Spread the fruit mixture over the dough to within about 1/2-inch of the edge. (Leaving an edge is important when it comes to rolling the dough up and sealing it closed.)
- Take your marzipan and shake it into a long sausage, the length of the longest edge of the rectangle of dough.
- Lay this sausage down along the pastry's length over top of the fruit filling about 1 inch in from the edge. Begin from that edge and roll the dough up around the marzipan and continue until you have a long, fairly tight sausage of dough. (You want to have the fruit and marzipan completely enclosed.)
- Trim off the ends. Cut the sausage into 12 equal slices. (Just like you would a jelly roll.)
- Lay the slices in a ring on the prepared baking sheet, slightly overlapping the slices. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until well risen with a nicely golden-brown crust.
- While the rolls are baking heat the apricot jam and brandy in a small pan, letting it bubble up a bit for about a minute. (Push through a sieve. This makes for a smooth mixture for brushing over the slices.)
- Brush this glaze over top of the rolls while they are still warm. Dust lightly with icing sugar, if using. Cut or break the rolls apart to serve. Best served on the day.
- Read through the recipe several times before beginning to help familiarize yourself with any ingredients or equipment needed.
- Gather all of your ingredients together before beginning. This can help to prevent you from leaving out something important.
- Make sure your butter is really cold before adding it to the flour mixture.
- Leave your fruit to macerate in the brandy for a good 15 minutes before using so that they soak up all the flavor and plump up nicely.
- Do not overwork the dough. Use a light hand.
- Make sure you push the jam through a sieve to remove any lumps and give you a smooth mixture for glazing.
- Don't dust with the icing sugar until just prior to serving.
Breakfast Stollen Slice
A delicious adaptation of the ever popular Christmas Stollen bread. This is a lot easier, and very, very nice. Perfect for a holiday brunch or breakfast!
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups (280ml) of buttermilk
- 3 cups (360g) plain all-purpose
- 1 TBS caster sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter, cold, cut into small bits
- 1/4 cup (25g) mixed candied peel
- 1/3 cup (50g) pistachio nuts, chopped
- 1/3 cup (50g) dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup (50g) raisins
- 1 TBS brandy or rum
- 1/2 pound/8 ounces (225g) marzipan (store bought or homemade)
- 2 TBS apricot jam
- 1 TBS brandy or rum
- Icing sugar to dust (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a large baking sheet with grease proof baking paper. Set aside.
- To make the filling, combine all of the dried fruits and pistachios in a bowl with the brandy and then set aside.
- To make the dough, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter.
- Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, or two round bladed knives, until the mixture resembles very coarse meal. Some bits can be pea sized. You don't want the butter to be too finely cut in. The larger bits are what help make these so flaky.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry/fat mixture. Add the buttermilk all at once. Stir together with a fork, just to combine.
- Tip out onto a lightly floured board. Knead a couple of times to help bring the dough together and then lightly pat it out about to a large rectangle about 1/2 inch in thickness. Spread the fruit mixture over the dough to within about 1/2-inch of the edge.
- Take your marzipan and shake it into a long sausage, the length of the longest edge of the rectangle of dough.
- Lay this sausage down along the pastry's length over top of the fruit filling about 1 inch in from the edge. Begin from that edge and roll the dough up around the marzipan and continue until you have a long, fairly tight sausage of dough.
- Trim off the ends. Cut the sausage into 12 equal slices.
- Lay the slices in a ring on the prepared baking sheet, slightly overlapping the slices. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until well risen with a nicely golden-brown crust.
- While the rolls are baking heat the apricot jam and brandy in a small pan, letting it bubble up a bit for about a minute. Push through a sieve.
- Brush this glaze over top of the rolls while they are still warm. Dust lightly with icing sugar, if using. Cut or break the rolls apart to serve. Best served on the day.
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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