I like to cook, and I like to eat, and I don't ever want any of it to be boring. Now, in my golden years, I find myself having had to go from cooking for a large family down to cooking for just myself. I also find myself having to live on a limited budget, so meal planning is something which really works for me.
When you live on your own, the temptation can be strong to want to eat only ready meals, or frozen dinners, or from cans. It can sometimes seem like too much effort to cook for only yourself. But, I am here to tell you, YOU ARE WORTH THE EFFORT! You really are.
Even if you are a smaller family, or a couple of empty nesters, cooking for yourself is so much healthier and cheaper. All of those processed foods are always high in salt, sugar and fat. Cooking for yourself helps you to control that and to eat much healthier and actually, cooking from scratch, you get a lot more bang for your buck as well!
Why waste time and money on highly processed foods when, with only a tiny bit of effort and a lot less dosh, we can cook simple, nutritious and healthy meals for ourselves. That is my goal. And in that process my goal is to also share them with you in an effort to inspire you to want to do the same!
Whether you cook for yourself, or a small family, or a large family. There are plenty of things here to tempt your tastebuds. And all of them are quite adaptable to cook for a large family or a small family or a singleton. Got questions about that? Just ask and I am only too happy to help!
Usually I will eat my main meal at noon. For breakfasts, I normally have a protein shake or some overnight oats, sometimes a bowl of oatmeal. My suppers are usually something light, such as a sandwich, or a salad, sometimes toast and occasionally a bowl of cereal. This week was a bit different as I have my daughter here with me fulltime for a while as she recuperates from her operation. Its nice to have her here and I confess I am spoiling her a bit. We are just so grateful to get her through this.
Here are the main meals that we indulged in over the past seven days. I truly hope that you will find something here to tempt your tastebuds to want to cook for yourself also!
.jpg "Date Me Chicken")
SUNDAY, October 4th - Sunday Dinner with the family
My sister cooked a lovely family dinner for us on Sunday. Eileen had gone into Halifax in preparation for her operation on Monday so I was all on my own. My sister cooked a delicious chicken dish called Date Me Chicken. It was super tasty.
A simple one pan entree that was the perfect balance of sweet and savoury flavours. Juicky golden browned chicken thighs, pan roasted with caramelized dates, tender shallots, fresh lemon, garlic, and thyme, then nestled in a rich white wine and Dijon mustard sauce. A dish that was elegant and delicious.
We enjoyed it with some rice and string beans on the side. I printed out the recipe so that I can make a smaller batch of it for just Eileen and I. Yes, it WAS that good!
MONDAY, October 5th - Garlic Cashew Chicken
This is something that I had not made myself in a very long time. It is a dish I really enjoy. I love any kind of casserole filled with veggies and color. They are also a great way to stretch a small amount of meat.
With an abundance of crunchy vegetables and a delicious sauce, this tasty casserole appeals on many levels. It's also healthy and diabetic friendly. A very tasty meal in one, although you could certainly enjoy a salad or some crusty bread on the side if you are a really hearty eater.
I cut the recipe down by 2/3 to make only 2 servings and froze the second serving to enjoy at another time.
Eileen had her operation in Halifax on Monday and I was on pins and needles all day.
TUESDAY, October 6th - Individual Chicken Pot Pies
Eileen was coming back on Tuesday from Halifax. I wasn't sure how hungry she would be, or even if she would feel hungry. I had individual chicken pot pies in the freezer that I had baked on another occasion. She was starving when she got in so I cooked us each one of those and we had some salad on the side.
Perfectly portioned and baked until beautifully golden brown, these little pot pies feel both cozy and special. Comfort food at its finest. Beneath a golden flaky crust lies a creamy filling loaded with tender chicken and vegetables in a rich, flavourful sauce that's sure to warm both the heart and the soul.
These went down a real treat. Eileen really loved it.
WEDNESDAY, October 7th - Oven Braised Beef Stew
Eileen and I both love a good stew, and I felt she was in need of some real comfort so I made us a pot of this delicious oven braised stew. With beautifully browned, tender pieces of beef, potatoes and carrots, all oven braised to perfection in the oven. It makes a delicious gravy. Simple and tasty, very comforting. This is a stew that also freezes very well, so it makes sense to make a full pot of it.
We enjoyed it simply with slices of buttered white bread and some pickles on the side. I like pickled beetroot and Eileen went for the sliced dills.
THURSDAY, October 8th - Crispy Chicken Sandwiches
Yes, I AM spoiling my girl. We had homemade crispy chicken sandwiches and were both in chicken sandwich heaven. Complete with a garlic mayo, brioche bun and a tangy homemade coleslaw vinaigrette, this homemade version is pretty hard to beat!
This is a beautiful combination of flavours and textures. The bun is all toasty, and the garlic mayo goes so well with that chicken. You can use a pre-made frozen breaded chicken breast if you wanted to, or you can make them from scratch like I did.
The coleslaw vinaigrette gets piled on top of the chicken for one amazingly delicious bite. These are fantastic. I don't mean to brag. You will have to try them and see for yourself! We enjoyed with some oven chips.
FRIDAY, October 9th - Pepperpot Soup
A windy rainy day, I decided some soup was in order. Pepperpot Soup is an old favorite. It is a very simple soup and one which I have been making for years. I got the recipe from the Fanny Farmer Cooking School Cookbook, and it is delicious with potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, green peppers, all in a creamy base. Extraordinarily flavorful and it also freezes well.
Eileen and I enjoyed this with grilled cheese sandwiches for a simple supper. I also treated Eileen to a cheesecake pot from Pelton's farm for her dessert. She was well pleased. Her stitches were really bothering her. I hate to see her feeling so uncomfortable. She is such a brave soul and inspiration to me.
.jpg "Salmon & Broccoli Cakes")
SATURDAY, October 10th - Salmon & Broccoli Cakes
I will put my hand up right now and admit to all and sundry that I am not fond of traditional Nova Scotia Fish Cakes. They use salt cod to make them, or chicken haddie and it is not my favorite thing at all.
If I am going to enjoy a fish cake, I prefer to make my own, and these Salmon & Broccoli Fish Cakes are a real favorite of mine. They are a delicious fish cake made from poached salmon, broccoli and potato, with dill and lemon. You can also use tinned salmon to make them in a pinch. I used some leftover cooked salmon I had in the freezer Waste not want not!
You know salmon and broccoli are beautiful flavor partners, and these fish cakes are really delicious. Two of these really fill me up. I enjoyed with a wedge of lemon and some salad on the side. For Eileen who is younger and wanting a heartier meal I added some macaroni and cheese on the side as well. I confess she is not overly fond of fish, but she really enjoyed the macaroni and cheese.
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
There's something special about the combination of apples and warm baked goods on a crisp autumn day. This Caramelized Apple Cornbread brings together those comforting flavours in one simple delicious bake. Sweet, golden apples are caramelized in butter along with some sugar and spices before being folded into tender cornbread that's perfect served warm with butter and honey or a hot cup of tea.
There is nothing out of the ordinary here. Simple ingredients done well.
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 medium honey crisp or gala apple, peeled, cored and cut into a 1/4 inch dice
- 1/2 TBS soft light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp ground allspice
- 3 TBS (64g) liquid honey
- 3 TBS (35g) light olive oil
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk (see notes)
- 1/2 cup (63g) all purpose plain flour
- 1/2 cup (85g) yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- butter and honey
- First make the caramelized apples. Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Swirl to coat the pan. (Let the butter start to foam slightly.)
- Add the apples, brown sugar and spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and caramelized. This will take 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside. (Keep an eye on it so that it doesn't catch.)
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 9 by 5 inch baking dish. Line with some baking paper. (I used my vintage Pyrex loaf pan.)
- Whisk the honey, buttermilk, eggs and oil together until smooth in a medium sized bowl. (I used a small wire whisk.)
- Whisk the flour, soda, cornmeal, and baking powder together until evenly combined. (Again, I used a small wire whisk.)
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, folding them together just to combine. Fold in half of the caramelized apples. (Do not over mix.)
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining caramelized apples over top. (Try to get them evenly scattered.)
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. (Mine took 35 minutes.)
- Cool slightly on a wire rack, then cut into squares to serve.
- Serve warm with butter and honey.
Caramelized Apple Cornbread (small batch)
This is a delightfully delicious cornbread, studded generously and topped with sweet and spicy caramelized bits of apples. Butter and honey go very well with this.
Ingredients
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 medium honey crisp or gala apple, peeled, cored and cut into a 1/4 inch dice
- 1/2 TBS soft light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp ground allspice
- 3 TBS (64g) liquid honey
- 3 TBS (35g) light olive oil
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk (see notes)
- 1/2 cup (63g) all purpose plain flour
- 1/2 cup (85g) yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- butter and honey
Instructions
- First make the caramelized apples. Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Swirl to coat the pan.
- Add the apples, brown sugar and spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and caramelized. This will take 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 9 by 5 inch baking dish. Line with some baking paper.
- Whisk the honey, buttermilk, eggs and oil together until smooth in a medium sized bowl.
- Whisk the flour, soda, cornmeal, and baking powder together until evenly combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, folding them together just to combine. Fold in half of the caramelized apples.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining caramelized apples over top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. (Mine took 35 minutes.)
- Cool slightly on a wire rack, then cut into squares to serve.
- Serve warm with butter and honey.
Notes
No buttermilk? You can make your own substitute in one of two ways.
- Whisk together whole milk and a tablespoon of either lemon juice or white vinegar. Leave to clabber for 5 minutes.
- Whisk together equal amounts of Greek yogurt and whole milk. Leave to clabber for 5 minutes.
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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