Those things are kind of expensive though . . . especially when you have five children, and they're full of preservatives and all sorts. Not ideal. He liked toast, but it could only be a certain colour . . . not too dark, or too light. It was hit and miss.
- 2 thick slices of your favorite bread (Raisin bread is particularly nice!)
- 1 TBS softened butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup icing sugar
- ½ TBS water
- 1/8 tsp vanilla
- Spread both sides of the bread with the softened butter and then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon. (No sugar needed. Just cinnamon.)
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. (It should be hot enough that you can just barely hold the palm of your hand over it, but not red hot.)
- When hot put the bread in and brown on both sides. When done, remove to a plate. (Don't be in a rush.)
- Whisk together the icing sugar, water and vanilla until smooth and drizzle over the top of the hot toast. (Totally optional but very nice.)
- Serve warm.
Cinnamon Roll Toast
This delicious and easy version of Cinnamon Toast is a real winner. You can multiply the ingredients to suit any amount of people you want to serve this too. Simple and very tasty!
Ingredients
- 2 thick slices of your favorite bread (Raisin bread is particularly nice!)
- 1 TBS softened butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup icing sugar
- ½ TBS water
- 1/8 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Spread both sides of the bread with the softened butter and then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- When hot put the bread in and brown on both sides. When done, remove to a plate.
- Whisk together the icing sugar, water and vanilla until smooth and drizzle over the top of the hot toast.
- Serve warm.
Notes
You can make this with any type of bread you wish, plain white, whole wheat . . . I just happen to prefer the cinnamon raisin bread!
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
SUNDAY, October 25th - Roast Pork with Lemon & Potatoes
We were still not able to go to my sister's for Sunday dinner so I made dinner here at home for Eileen and myself. Roast Pork with Lemon & Potatoes. Adapted from a recipe from Nigel Slater's kitchen diaries, what you have here is a tender and juicy pork roast, browned and then roasted in the oven with potato and lemon wedges which have been tossed together with some oil and fennel seed. The whole thing is magnificently delicious.
We enjoyed this cut into slices and served with some of the potatoes, pan juices spooned over top and some brussels sprouts that I had roasted alongside the pork in the oven.
MONDAY, October 26th - Amish Savoury Pork Pie
I had leftover cooked pork to use up and so I made this recipe for Amish Savoury Pork Pie that I had not made in a long time. This is not a pie in the real sense of pies. There is no top or bottom crust. Just a type of a biscuit cobbler topping. The leftover pork is browned in a skillet along with a few other bits and then you add potatoes, etc. create a gravy and simmer it until nice and thick. This goes into a casserole dish, dumpling batter is dropped on top and then the whole lot is baked until the dumplings are golden brown.
This made a lovely supper with some salad on the side. Nobody was complaining about having leftovers, and I got to use them up. It was a win/win all round. That's the key to using up leftovers. You have to reinvent them into something that is just as delicious if not more so that the original meal! I did cut the recipe down to make only two servings.
TUESDAY, October 27th - Creamy Italian Sausage with Bow Ties
I know, pork again. I had thawed out what I thought was a package of hamburger but it ended up being ground pork. I made some of my homemade sweet Italian sausage meat and then used some of it to make this Creamy Italian Sausage with Bow Ties.
This is really, really, REALLY good! The sauce was rich and flavorful. There is the perfect ratio of sauce to pasta. The quickness and ease of preparation, plus the deliciousness of it means that it is something we enjoy fairly often. We like easy in this house. With it's creamy tomato sauce, rich flavourful Italian sausage meat and scrumptious pasta, it always goes down a real treat.
Nothing special needed on the side except a salad (we did) and for the heartier eaters some crusty bread to mop up all that delicious sauce!
WEDNESDAY, October 28th - One Pan Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta
We were able to get out for a family dinner at the Big Scoop on Wednesday night. We had not been for several weeks while Eileen was recuperating from her operation. This was going to be Hazel's last week joining us due the the clocks changing on the 1st November so Eileen really wanted to see her. Thankfully she did not find it all that hard to get around. She's doing so well.
The special was this Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta Bake (with garlic bread) which is what Eileen had. She loves her pasta. The rest of us had very disappointing fish and chips. Cindy actually sent hers back and got another piece, but it was as bad as the first one. They just can't seem to get fish right for some reason.
In any case, I am sharing my recipe for this tasty One Pan Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta in place of what Eileen had. (She really enjoyed her dinner.) With plenty of tender pieces of chicken, penne pasta, crispy tender broccoli florets and a creamy white cheesy sauce that can be as high or as low fat as you like. Its delicious and you get in one of your five a day at the same time. All you need on the side is perhaps some crusty bread to make sure you can mop up all of that tasty sauce!
THURSDAY, October 29th - Fruity Sausage Burgers
Without meaning to we have had a very porky week. On Thursday I made us some Fruity Sausage burgers, using some British banger sausage meat. They are very simple to make, only three main ingredients. Sausage meat, dried cranberries and toasty pinenuts. This gets mixed together and shaped into patties. Ready for baking or frying to succulent perfection.
Tucked into soft rolls with a bit of spicy mayo and some rocket leaves, these always go down a real treat. All you need on the side is some salad perhaps, or some oven chips, maybe potato salad if you are not into oven chips. In any case, quick, easy to make and delicious. Works for me every time!
FRIDAY, October 30th - Turkey Sub Sandwiches
Eileen had a birthday lunch out with her friends on Friday. They went to Angie's right behind where I live. She wanted me to make Sub Sandwiches for our supper and who am I to refuse my beautiful daughter! I made us each a six inch sub sandwich. loaded with plenty of fresh ingredients. Red onion, lettuce, Havarti cheese,sliced deli turkey, sliced peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes. Pickles, hot peppers and black olives (for me.) All tucked into a six inch sub bun with plenty of garlic mayonnaise. They were really good.
I didn't have anything with mine. In fact, I could only eat half of it. Eileen had hers with an instant cup of soup. (Cheese and Broccoli) I couldn't finish mine. But there were very good. For the heartier eater you might want to add some potato chips or even oven chips. Both would work well.
SATURDAY, October 31st - Early Dinner/Late Lunch out
Saturday being Halloween and Eileen feeling so much better, Eileen and I decided to celebrate by having lupper (lunch supper) out. We went to Dee Dees which is a place just down the road that we both like very much.
Eileen wanted a hot dog and chips and I had their classic burger, which I really love. They will be closing soon for the Winter so this was also one last chance to enjoy their food, which is superior to the other place we go to with Dad.
In place of Eileen's hot dog I am sharing my recipe for Air Fryer Hot Dogs. Toasty soft-sided buns, topped with cheese and crispy fried onions, these always go down a real treat. I like to use all beef frankfurters. We use the soft sided New England style buns. So yummy and the crispy onions add a lovely crunch.
The hearty eater could add some oven chips on the side, or Mac & Cheese, potato chips, potato salad, well, anything really. These go very well with most things.
And there you have it, my meals of the week for this, the last week of October, 2026 (How did that happen? Time is passing by so quickly!) We did have a pork heavy week, and a bit sandwich type of meal heavy as well, but, well . . . some weeks are just like that!
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
Pumpkin Bread with Spiced Maple Butter - Moist, Easy, & Full of Fall Flavours
Saturday, 31 October 2026
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large free range eggs
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (see notes)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (190g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (180ml) vegetable oil (I use light olive oil)
- 3/4 cup (140g) tinned pumpkin
- 1/3 cup (50g) sultana raisins
- 1/3 cup (50g) dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup (55g) chopped toasted pecans
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter at room temperature
- 2 TBS pure Maple Syrup
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Plain All-Purpose Flour
- First make the maple butter. Using an electric whisk, whisk all of the ingredients together until well combined. Spoon into a serving dish. Keep refrigerated and covered, until you are ready to use. Serve at room temperature. (This is entirely optional, but it does go together very quickly and is a delicious addition.)
- Preheat the oven to 325*F/165*C/ gas mark 3. Butter a 9 by 5 inch loaf tin and line it with baking paper. Set aside. (I line it with a strip that goes lengthwise and then one that goes widthwise. placing them on top of each other.)
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Toss in the raisins and cranberries and jiggle them around to coat. (This helps to keep the raisins and berries from sinking to the bottom of the loaf while it bakes.)
- Whisk together the eggs, vanilla, sugar, vegetable oil and tinned pumpkin to combine well. (I use a wire whisk to do this.)
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and stir in the wet just to combine. Everything should be moist, but it is not necessary for them to be completely smooth. Spoon into the prepared baking tin. (A few lumps are perfectly acceptable and in fact desired. You just don't want any big dry streaks.)
- Sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly over top.
- Bake for 1 1/4 hours until the top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (It may take slightly longer depending on your own. If you think the nuts are getting too brown, top loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil.)
- Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack to cool. Cut into slices to serve. Store in an airtight container.
Pumpkin Bread with Spiced Maple Butter
This is a moist and spicy pumpkin bread, loaded with sticky raisins and dried cranberries and topped with the tasty crunch of toasty pecans. What's not to love?
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large free range eggs
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (see notes)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (190g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (180ml) vegetable oil (I use light olive oil)
- 3/4 cup (140g) tinned pumpkin
- 1/3 cup (50g) sultana raisins
- 1/3 cup (50g) dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup (55g) chopped toasted pecans
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter at room temperature
- 2 TBS pure Maple Syrup
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- First make the maple butter. Using an electric whisk, whisk all of the ingredients together until well combined. Spoon into a serving dish. Keep refrigerated and covered, until you are ready to use. Serve at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 325*F/165*C/ gas mark 3. Butter a 9 by 5 inch loaf tin and line it with baking paper. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Toss in the raisins and cranberries and jiggle them around to coat.
- Whisk together the eggs, vanilla, sugar, vegetable oil and tinned pumpkin to combine well.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and stir in the wet just to combine. Everything should be moist, but it is not necessary for them to be completely smooth. Spoon into the prepared baking tin.
- Sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly over top.
- Bake for 1 1/4 hours until the top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack to cool. Cut into slices to serve. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Make Your Own Pumpkin Pie Spice: Mix together 1 TBS ground cinnamon, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp ground allspice, 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg and a pinch of ground mace or 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
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