How can it already be Sunday again!  This week has just flown past, and here I am once again sharing a Meals of the Week Post with you!

This is something I decided to start doing about a month or so ago now.  Not only does it help me to keep track of everything I have eaten over the past week, but it helps me to plan my meals for the next week, so that I don't end up repeating myself too much!

I had a pretty busy week, but it was a very rainy week off and on, so a bit of comfort food still figured here and there.  I also took a meal over to my daughter and her husband as a bit of a treat for them. My daughter has had an earache this week so was not feeling too well.

Even on a day when I was not feeling entirely well myself (rain and arthritis = a very bad combo) I managed to make myself something pretty decent to eat for my tea. Simple but filling and delicious.

Having found myself living on my own after having cooked for a whole crew and others for over 50 years, I am determined I am not going to be that person who eats out of tins or who fills up on ready meals.  That is okay every now and then, but so long as I am capable of doing so, I want to cook proper meals for myself.

I hope you don't mind me taking you along. Perhaps I can inspire you as well and give you a few ideas on what you can cook as well. I promise you nothing is extremely complicated and it is all delicious! I did eat a lot of chicken this week, so must take care to get in a bit more variety next week!

SUNDAY June 11th - Chicken Cordon Bleu

I had my usual Sunday Dinner at my sisters.  This week instead of a roast dinner she did Chicken Cordon Bleu which we enjoyed with  wild and white steamed rice, roasted asparagus and roasted  broccoli. It was those frozen cordon bleu things that you can buy ready made from Prime, but I found a really lovely looking recipe that you could use to make your own on Carlsbad Cravings. I am going to give that a try sometime and downsize it for two people. The photo above is one I made on The English Kitchen about  7 years ago now. Also very good and linked above next to the date.

MONDAY, June 12th - Croissant Turkey Club Sandwich

My arthritis was playing up really bad on Monday so I took the simple route.  Supper was a cup of soup and a Croissant Turkey Club Sandwich.  I love club sandwiches, with thinly sliced deli turkey, crisp smoky bacon, sliced tomato and crunchy shredded lettuce.  You could also add a slice of cheese if you wanted to. Harvarti is awfully nice with this.  I loved the Harvarti we used to get in Germany. 

This sandwich reminded me of the cold meats, cheeses, fresh  brochen, etc. that we used to get at the breakfast buffet in Germany when we travelled there. Yes, I am a sandwich for breakfast kind of a girl. 

On this night I enjoyed this sandwich with a few cheeky potato chips, a rare treat.  I buy my potato chips in these large bundles of small single serve bags. That way I don't have to worry about them going stale before I can finish eating them, plus it keeps me in check and I eat a more reasonable amount!

TUESDAY,  June 13th - Mini Quiche for Two

I had not had quiche for dinner for a very long time. Mostly because I don't want to have to deal with a whole quiche. I downsized my favorite recipe and made a small six inch deep mini one, and then took half over to my next door neighbor Sheila who declared it totally delicious when she returned my container the next day.  I used my Butter/Lard pastry recipe for the crust.  I think homemade pastry is so much nicer than anything you can buy ready made.  

Now that I am living on my own, I still make the full recipe for a two crust pie, but I divide it into four small flat discs, wrapping each one really well and then I freeze the discs in an airtight container.  Homemade ready made pastry at my fingertips. It only takes about half an hour to thaw, and will keep in the freezer properly wrapped for up to six  months.  And it is enough for four mini single crust pies, or two mini double crust pies.

WEDNESDAY, June 14th - Dinner out with Dad

On Wednesday nights I always have dinner out with my dad and his friend Hazel. Sometimes my sister comes with us. This week was no different.  I enjoy these meals out with dad. It was something I could only dream about doing when I was living in the UK.  This week I had my usual small eaters Turkey dinner  with coleslaw instead of a roll. Hazel had a one piece fish and chips.  I was treating dad for Father's Day so he had a burger and chips.  He couldn't finish it. 

He would have been better off with this Pub Cheese Open Faced Burger! Not too much bread, lovely grilled and caramelized onions, melted cheddar spread and a tomato and lettuce on the side.  This with a few oven chips would make a really great midweek supper!

THURSDAY, June 15th - No Fuss Chicken Dinner

On Thursday I cooked something to take over to my daughter. I did enjoy one serving of it myself.  This No fuss Chicken Dinner cooks nicely in the crock pot all day. It is a perfect midweek dinner, especially for those days when you know you are not going to have a lot of time to cook. It tastes a lot like a chicken pot pie without the crust. Pop everything into the crock pot in the morning and just get on with your day.

I sprinkled some crispy fried onions on top for a bit of crunch when I served it. It had potatoes, carrots and a flavorful gravy along with the tender and juicy chicken. I cooked some peas and corn on the side for Eileen and Tim.

FRIDAY - June 16th - TikTok Feta Baked Pasta for two

I had been intrigued with this viral TikTok recipe for a while. I am not one to go with trends, but it really did look good and sounded dead simple. I decided to try it, but downsized it for just two servings. This was AMAZING!  I couldn't believe how simple and easy it was to make. I channeled two separate recipes and created one by using bits of both.

I thought it would be ultra salty with the feta cheese, but it wasn't salty at all. The sauce was rich and creamy with lots of bits of tomato.  I actually am still thinking about how delicious it really was!!  You really need to try this.  I enjoyed it with some crusty bread and a bit of salad on the side.

SATURDAY, June 17th - Cast Iron Roasted Butterflied Chicken & Potatoes

I was inspired by a new cookery book I had just gotten and adapted this Roast Chicken recipe for a father's day celebration. The cookbook was called The Prairie Kitchen Cookbook, by Kayla Lobermeier of Under a Tin Roof. I switched out the flavors a bit. Hers was a Buffalo Roasted Chicken. I am not overly fond of the spice of Buffalo chicken so I created a delicious BBQ rub to use on mine in it's place.

The chicken is butterflied open and rubbed with a tasty rub both under and on top of the skin and then placed on a bed of baby new potatoes, onion, and garlic in a cast iron skillet.  Roasted to perfection and basted with butter at 20 minute intervals, the end result is a delicious moist and flavor filled chicken. Those potatoes get all sticky and filled with lovely chicken juice flavors as well.  Altogether very delicious. I served with some baby peas and carrots on the side.

And there you have it, my meals for the past week. I ate something delicious and yet simple every day.  It was a really tasty week!  I also now have some roasted chicken to use in sandwiches, etc. over the coming week and some bones in the freezer to make soup at a later date!

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 

Here I am with another Sunday round up of my Meals of the Week.  On Sundays I like to share with you, my readers, all the things that I have cooked and enjoyed eating over the previous week.  It helps me to recap the things I have eaten and then to plan my meals for the week to come.

As a person who lives on their own I am determined that I am not going to be someone who eats totally out of cans, jars and boxes.  Frozen dinners are not for me!  Not unless they are meals that I have prepared and frozen myself.

I am very much a person who enjoys cooking and I also enjoy eating good food.  I don't know about you, but a steady diet of ready meals and food from cans is very boring. I want fresh and deliciously cooked food, which means I have to cook it myself!  If I don't like what's on the menu I have only me to blame!

I do usually have Sunday dinner with family and every Wednesday night I eat out with my father and his friend.  Sometimes my sister will join us.  On those days I have endeavored to include a tasty recipe that you can make at home which is close to what I have eaten whilst out and about.

My sister was over here the other day, helping me to organize my cupboards.  She is really good at that sort of thing. We determined that I have no need to buy any canned, boxed or jarred goods for quite some time. Nothing too exciting.  Just a few different vegetables, plenty of soups, baked beans etc.  I need to be using those up before I buy more.

Funny story. My mother used to pick up a few tins of salmon every time she went to Walmart. When she passed away the store shelf she had downstairs was filled with tins of salmon, many of which were out of date and needed to be disposed of.   

I have realized over the past week that Sugar-Free Jell-O is my tinned salmon. I think I have about 20 boxes of it that I need to be using.  I love fruit jello and every time I see it, I end up buying a box or two.  I don't have a favorite flavor. I love them all!!  I need to be using these. What is the point in having them if you are not going to eat them!

SUNDAY June 4th - Air Fryer Roast Chicken

I had Sunday dinner with my sister, brother in law and father.  My sister had prepared a Roast Chicken in the air fryer along with an assortment of roasted vegetables.  This was delicious.  If you have a small enough chicken, they cook very well in the air fryer basket.  You can find the link to my recipe for how roast a whole chicken in the air fryer above.  

Also if you are wanting a tasty gravy to serve with your meal, I have a brilliant and easy to make recipe here for Perfect Gravy from Scratch.  It always turns out beautiful.

For dessert we had some chocolate cake with frosting. Again, very yummy.  Especially with some squirty cream on top!

 

I've been thinking a lot lately about all the things that I miss from the UK foodwise.  I lived there for over 20 years and I think its fair to say that their culture and food became firmly entrenched in my being. 

I can remember being told before I moved over there that it rained all the time and that the food was awful.  I thought to myself, what the heck am I letting myself in for!

Contrary to popular opinion it doesn't rain all the time, although it does rain a lot.  The rain is a part of what makes this such a beautiful green and lush country.  I soon learned that you don't melt in the rain and I came to embrace it.  There is nothing you can't do in the rain with a good brolly and a pair of Wellingtons.  There is naught so bracing as a walk in the countryside in a gentle rain, culminating in a pub trip at the end of the walk and a lovely Pub lunch.

Which brings me to the food. I think it is a fair statement to say that you can come across horrible food anywhere. I have to say my experience eating in the UK was, to be honest, simply wonderful.  Admittedly they don't really do salads very well, those are always hit and miss, but living back here in Canada my heart yearns for the meats, cheese, dairy and fresh produce of the UK.  

It really was some of the best in the world in my opinion. A fresh British strawberry during Strawberry season is a little taste of heaven. The UK is filled with wonderful producers of meats, fruits, vegetables, cheeses, poultry, etc. and most of them deliver all over the country, usually overnight.

I know it is a much smaller country, and that is a lot easier to do in a smaller country, but I find myself really missing good home food delivery, amongst other things.

There are some foods that the British do better than anyone else. Today I am sharing my top ten list of what they do really well. (Of course this is just my opinion and you are free to add your own in the comments below!)

SANDWICHES

Nobody does sandwiches better than the British.  They invented them. They love their sandwiches and the country is filled with lovely sandwich shops selling some of the best sandwiches you could ever buy. Most Brits will happily chow down on a sandwich from one of these shops for their lunch and what Tea Party is complete without an assortment of finger sandwiches.

When I first got there I was astonished by the variety of sandwiches on offer.  Cheese and Tomato, Cheese and Onion, Tuna and Sweet Corn, Tuna and Cucumber, Roast Beef,Rocket and Horseradish, etc. That is just tip of the ice berg. 

One of my favorites was the cheese and pickle sandwich.  Buttered white bread sandwiched together with a nice layer of Branston's Pickle and a good cheddar cheese.  I love LOVE Cheese and Pickle sandwiches. Thankfully I can get Branston's here in Canada.  Good British Cheddar too.  So I am still well able to enjoy them. 

Other favorites were Egg and Cress (egg mayonnaise with layer of mustard cress sprinkled over the egg filling), a Chip Buttie ( hot fresh chips (French fries) sandwiched between slices of buttered white bread.) I always loved having a slice of buttered bread with my fish and chips just for that purpose. A bit of salt some vinegar, a few hot chips and that buttered bread and I was in sandwich heaven.

TOAST

Nobody does toast better than the British.  Always lovely and crisp.  I used to love stopping in coffee shops and having a hot drink and a slice or two of hot toast.  They have the nicest thick white bread called Toastie. It has to be about an inch thick.  

I worked in a Care Home in the kitchen when I first moved over to the UK and all the staff would enjoy a hot slice of toast on their morning break time.  It would pass through this toasting machine which would toast it slowly on both sides so that it came out lovely and crisp.

Toast in the cafe's always arrived at the table un-buttered with butter on the side ready for you to spread onto it yourself. This actually allowed the toast to cool down a bit so that it didn't become soggy once buttered. I think that is one of the secrets to good toast!

They eat a lot of toast and love to top their toast with a variety of things. Beans on Toast are a real favorite. Often, when you can't think of anything to make for supper, Beans on Toast makes a delicious and quick supper that most people enjoy.  Cheese on Toast is another favorite.  

The British actually love eating things on toast. You will often see them eating tomatoes on toast, mushrooms on toast and scrambled egg on toast. All  make fabulous simple suppers for those nights when you can't be asked to cook.

MEAT PIES

The British love their pies and they do them really well. Of course there are cheap and nasty ones (aren't there everywhere!), but if you were willing to fork out a tiny bit more dosh you could always get a really beautiful meat pie.  Steak and Mushroom, Steak and Kidney, Chicken and Mushroom, Lamb and Mint, even vegetable pies, etc. Beautiful pastries, ample rich fillings. All a delight served warm with mash and gravy.

Pork Pies were also a lovely British specialty. Made with hot water pastry, they were lovely served cold at picnics with a bit of pickle on the side.

I used to love ordering the pies from Piper's Farm.  They had a lovely assortment. I never had one that I didn't enjoy.  Thankfully I can make myself my own homemade pies.  A favorite is this Steak and Potato Pie.  I also make a really good Chicken and Mushroom Pie.  

THE BRITISH TAKEAWAY

When referring to a British Takeaway you are not just referring to food that you take away to eat in the comfort of your own home, but an actual shop that specializes in this type of food. Every community/village has at least one or two of these and most people have their favorite establishment that they love to buy their takeaway from.

You cannot eat a meal in most Takeaways. You can only purchase food to bring away to eat elsewhere.  Popular options include:

• Kebabs - Meat or chicken grilled and cut into slices and then folded into hot pita bread with salad, tomatoes and sauce.
• Sausage rolls and meat pies.
• Fried chicken.
• Burgers
• Fish and chips
• Chinese and Indian food

FISH AND CHIPS

This should come as no surprise.  Nobody does Fish and Chips better than the British. Most people do not cook this at home. They will pick up a frozen version or they will get some at their local Chippie.  It is a dish that most wouldn't make at home and really, when you can buy really good fish and chips ready made and hot, why would you want to.

I can remember the first Fish and Chips I had in the UK.  Bought at the my local Parade of shops in Blacon, Chester. The piece of fish so large it was hanging off the sides of my plate. The chips thick and crisp. Both  came sprinkled liberally with salt and malt vinegar and then wrapped in plain newsprint.  So delicious.

Most Friday nights the line up at Fish and Chip shops will go out onto the street, filled with people waiting to pick up their Friday night supper and yes, a slice of buttered white bread goes very nicely as does mushy peas.

It is also impossible to go to the Seaside without treating yourself to fish and chips. They always, always have really good fish and chips there. Nothing tastes better, eaten on a bench on the boardwalk, looking out over the water with the smell of salt water and the sound of gulls in the air.

Failing that, I do have a lovely recipe for Homemade Beer Battered Fish and Chips, which is delicious. 

SAUSAGES

Oh how I miss the great British Sausage.  They make the best sausages in the world and almost every area in the UK has a sausage that they are well known for. I was never enamored with sausage prior to moving to the UK. I just didn't find them very exciting, but I fell in love with the British Sausage, also lovingly called Bangers. Of course there are cheap and nasty ones, but nothing is more delicious than a quality British Banger in my opinion.  Plump and meaty and full of flavor.

My favorites are Cumberland and I do love a good Pork and Apple sausage. My sister and I have made our own from scratch back here in Canada and they were really good. There is a shop around the corner from me that sells the casings, etc. and I have a sausage making attachment for my Kitchen aid. I did post a great Tutorial here on how to make your own.

Classic Bangers and Mash is a favorite British Supper as is Toad in the Hole, which is sausages baked in a Yorkshire Pudding batter and served with gravy and mash. Sometimes I wrap the sausages in bacon before making that dish.

Bacon is something else they do really well and it comes in two types, smoked and unsmoked. You can get it with the rind still on, or the rind removed. Streaky (which is like North American Bacon, but meatier) and Back, which is lovely whole medallions.  Or you can get middle bacon with is like the one in the photograph above which has a piece of the back with some streaky still attached.  Dry or wet cured.  

See, no end to the options. I preferred Dry cured myself.

Perfect for a Bacon Sandwich, stuck between two slices of white bread and slathered with brown sauce.  I worked at a service station for a time and we sold bacon and sausage baguettes, and bacon & sausage baguettes.  The lineup used to be out the door every morning of working class men wanting their morning Butty and hot coffee.  Never underestimate the deliciousness of a good Bacon Sandwich.

THE FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST

I fell in love with what is lovingly referred to as The Full English. Every decent B&B in the UK has on offer one of these lovely breakfasts.  When I first moved to the UK, on Saturday mornings we would treat ourselves to a Full English in town at the BHS store.  You paid by the item.  Baked beans, grilled tomatoes, bacon, sausage, grilled mushrooms, black pudding, hash browns, fried bread.

Only the heartiest eater could  manage to eat all of that. I usually just had bacon, sausage, egg, beans, mushrooms and tomatoes. Sometimes I would treat myself to a slice of fried bread. You can get my take on the Traditional English Fry Up here.   Bring your appetite!  I also have a recipe for Fried Bread here.  So good.

And there you have it, 10 Foodie things that I think the British do better than anyone else!  Have you travelled or lived in the UK?  If so what were some of your favorite foodie experiences?  I really want to know!  Just leave a comment below.  Let's talk!