Hello and welcome everyone to my Sunday Meals of the Week post! Every Sunday I do a round up for you, my dear readers, of all the deliciousness that I have enjoyed over the past seven days as my main meals. I really enjoy looking back and seeing what I have eaten and from the feedback given, this is also something all of you enjoy seeing.
I am determined not to be that person who lives on their own that eats nothing but highly processed ready meals, frozen dinners, takeaways or toast. I also don't like waste, so I have been downsizing as many recipes as I can to make only one or two servings.
Wherever possible I do give the links most of the time for full sized recipes for those of you with larger families. I do see a need however for smaller sized options for people who find themselves to be empty nesters or someone who is living all on their own for the first time in their lives.
If I can inspire you to want to cook for yourself, then I would consider that a job well done. I hope that I will and that you will continue to enjoy these curated posts. Also if you have any ideas of things you might like for me to cook or try or downsize in the future please do leave a comment below!
SUNDAY, June 14th - Smoked Pork Chops with Green Beans & Crispy Roasted Potato Nachos
Normally on Sunday we would go to my sister's for a family dinner. We skipped that this week as Eileen was not feeling well. We stayed home and I cooked us some smoked pork chops, along with some green beans and an old favorite of ours Crispy Roasted Potato Nachos.
We love these potatoes, they are oven roasted and crispy golden brown nuggets of potato, given the nacho treatment. With just the right amount of spice that you can tailor to your own tastes. Topped with grated cheese and spring onions, they are perfectly delicious served with a dollop of sour cream or any other nacho toppings you enjoy. We both enjoyed this supper very much!
MONDAY, June 15th - Cold cuts, Easy Low Fat Pot Luck Salad and Crispy Rolls
Eileen and I were both pretty tired after a trip to the ER on Sunday night so we kept it pretty simple on Monday. I served us some sliced cold meats from the Deli-counter (turkey and ham) and made us a delicious low fat layered salad. We also had some jarred three bean salad and crispy rolls.
This low fat Pot Luck Salad is an old family favorite which I have adapted to modern tastes and flavors. The original version was much higher in fat, calories and carbs. This delicious salad is something that I often make to take to pot luck suppers, BBQ's and get-togethers. Its easy to make and keeps very well. Unlike the other layered salads you can also put it together at the last minute. There is no need to let it sit for 24 hours before serving and eating it. You can also easily adapt it to feed as few or as many as you like. I have even made it in a jar. Eight simple layers and a drizzle of low fat dressing on top, it always pleases.
TUESDAY, June 16th - Skillet Pork Chops & Rice
I cooked us a simple skillet supper on Tuesday. Skillet Pork Chops & Rice. Tender boneless pork loin chops are browned to a golden finish before simmering gently on a bed of aromatic rice seasoned with onion, garlic, oregano, coriander, chili powder, and a touch of cayenne for gentle heat . Everything cooks together for a no‑fuss, no‑muss meal that’s hearty, satisfying, and full of layered flavour.
It is finished off with chopped dry‑roasted peanuts and a bright, herb‑flecked lime and honey vinaigrette. This vinaigrette is the star of the dish. It gives adds a lovely touch of sweet and sour that lifts everything. This is a tasty one pan dish that delivers a perfect balance of savoury, spicy, sweet, and tangy in every bite! We enjoyed it with s salad on the side. Eileen also enjoyed a crusty roll with hers. We were both very happy campers!
WEDNESDAY, June 17th - Dinner out with the family
Most Wednesday nights we go out together as a family for a meal at a local restaurant. This week was no different. Eileen really enjoys these suppers and I am really grateful for the time we all get to spend together as a family.
Their special this week was the Belly Buster Burger Combo which came with fries, coleslaw and a drink. That was what Eileen chose to enjoy. Cindy and I both had the one piece fish and chips. Hazel had her usual grilled haddock and dad enjoyed a cheeseburger and chips.
I am highlighting Eileen's choice by providing you with the recipe for The Perfect Burger. This is a tutorial on cooking the perfect burger with all of my hints and tips for a really great pan burger. Topped with cheese and golden fried mushrooms, and served on a toasted bun. You can enjoy this open faced with a knife and a fork, or sandwiched in the bun as a regular burger. It is delicious either way and all depends on your appetite. Moist and very tasty!
This is the simplest and best way to enjoy Chicken Thighs when you don't want to be putting a lot of effort into your supper/tea. They cook in about half an hour on a really hot baking sheet in a really hot oven and come out of the oven tender and juicy with a perfectly crisp skin that almost shatters in the mouth. My goodness but these are some good!
I made a double batch so that we could enjoy some cold on another night. On this first night we enjoyed them hot from the oven with plenty of buttery mash and some peas/carrots on the side. These were so delicious that we each enjoyed two pieces! I highly recommend!
.JPG "Classic Potato Salad, small batch")
FRIDAY, June 19th - Leftover chicken from Thursday, along with Classic Potato Salad
We had the leftover chicken, cold, on Friday. I had cooked extra potatoes on Thursday so that I could make a potato salad with them. This is my recipe for a Classic Potato Salad, but it is the small batch recipe, designed to serve the smaller family. You can find the full version of it here. (For your convenience.)
Its a really lovely potato salad that benefits from an initial soak in a simple vinaigrette. Once the potatoes have absorbed that you add everything else. Boiled egg, onion, celery, cucumber (if desired) and a mayonnaise dressing. We don't like it too gloopy. Some people like to throw everything into their potato salad but the kitchen sink. That is not our way. We like to keep it simple.
We enjoyed the chicken with the last of our crusty buns, the potato salad and some sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. It was a simple and satisfying supper that didn't take a lot of effort to put together. Lazy summer days.
.JPG "Ham & Cheese Bow Ties")
SATURDAY, June 20th - Ham & Cheese Bow Ties
Another simple day of puttering around the house. Eileen had a yard sale to go to for her People's First Group and I wanted to tackle a few tasks in my bedroom. Getting rid of the dross. Anyways, a simple supper was the order of the day. It comes from the pages of my Big Blue Binder, and is something which my family has always enjoyed. It was only natural for me to downsize it to a recipe for the smaller family.
With a rich and cheesy sauce, chunks of smoky ham, and bow tie pasta, it always goes down a real treat. This is a really delicious way to make a bit of ham and some pasta go a long way! You can use sliced ham that you buy for sandwiches, but I find it much more economically sound to buy a quarter boneless ham, which comes in handy for making all sorts. We enjoy it in fried rice, pan fried with eggs, deviled ham for sandwiches, etc.
Anyways, today we enjoyed it in this old favorite. I served some cooked vegetables on the side. We had a cheeky Cheesecake Pot for dessert and were completely stuffed!
And there you have it. My Meals of the week for this the third week of June. I think you will agree that, although we ate very simply, our meals were also very tasty! I really hope you will be tempted to cook a few of them 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.
If you love a brownie that’s rich, fudgy, and just a little bit nostalgic, these Rocky Road Brownies are about to become a new favourite. Inspired by the British version of Rocky Road — the kind made with glace cherries, toasted walnuts, and soft mini marshmallows — this recipe takes a classic chocolate brownie base and gives it a fun, old‑fashioned twist.
Each square is studded with sweet cherries and crunchy walnuts , then topped with a smooth chocolate glace icing and a scattering of mini marshmallows that gently adhere as the icing set. They are then topped with a smooth chocolate glace icing and a scattering of mini marshmallows that gently adhere as the icing sets. . The result is a brownie that’s moist, sturdy, and wonderfully moreish, with little pops of cherry and nutty crunch in every bite.
Perfect for bake sales, weekend treats, or anytime you’re craving something chocolatey and fun, these Rocky Road Brownies are easy to make and even easier to love. Just be warned — they are incredibly moreish.
- 1 cup (225g) butter, melted
- 3/4 cup (100g) plain all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (140g) granulated/caster sugar
- 3 TBS cocoa powder, sifted (not drinking mix)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 large free range eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup (70g) glace cherries, quartered
- 2/3 cup (70g) toasted walnuts
- 1 1/2 cups (200g) icing sugar
- 2 TBS cocoa powder, sifted
- 3 TBS evaporated milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (60g) mini marshmallows
- I used salted butter. I only keep salted butter in the house. There is no salt called for in the recipe.
- Use plain flour not self-rising flour. Self-rising flour will alter the texture of the finished product.
- Make sure you use cocoa powder, not hot chocolate or milk chocolate drinking mix. Make sure you sift it to get out any lumps.
- I used large eggs.
- Glace cherries are real cherries that have been pitted and preserved in a candy syrup. You will need to rinse the syrup off of them and dry them well before using.
- Toasting walnuts enhances their flavor and texture and can be done in the oven, on the stove top or in the microwave. I usually spread them out onto a baking sheet and toast them in a moderate oven (350*F/180*C) for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Evaporated milk is a type of processed milk product which comes in a can. The milk has been heated until some of the water in it has evaporated and condensed it. Do NOT mistake it for Sweetened Condensed Milk which has had sugar added and is much thicker. There is no sugar in Evaporated Milk. The brand I use the most is Carnation. You could also use half and half or single cream in it's place.
- I used colored marshmallows, but plain white ones are the normal. Do use mini marshmallows.
- Preheat the oven to 165*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Butter a 9 inch square baking tin and line with baking paper. Set aside. (I like to line the pan with paper so that I can left them out easily for cutting into squares.)
- Whisk together the melted butter, eggs and vanilla. (Make sure the butter is not hot.)
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in the sugar. (This ensures that the cocoa powder is evenly distributed.)
- Make a well in the centre. Add the wet ingredients all at once. Beat well to mix together smoothly. Stir in the cherries and walnuts. (I used a wire whisk to mix the batter, then I fold in the cherries and nuts with a spatula.)
- Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until just firm on top. Leave to cool in the tin. (Do NOT overbake.)
- To make the frosting, place all of the ingredients into a bowl and beat together with an electric whisk to give you a spreadable consistency. (You want it to be nice and smooth.)
- Spread over the cooled brownies. (It won't be really thick, but it shouldn't be runny either.) Sprinkle the marshmallows on top, pressing down slightly.
- Leave to set before cutting into squares to serve. Store any leftovers in a tightly covered container.
• Rinse and dry your cherries well. Glace cherries come packed in sticky syrup, which can make your batter streaky. Rinsing them in warm water and drying them thoroughly helps them distribute evenly through the brownies.
• Dry maraschino cherries thoroughly if using them. You can substitute maraschino cherries, but they must be dried very well so they don’t add excess moisture.
• Toast your walnuts for extra flavour. Toasted nuts add a deeper, richer flavour and a lovely crunch in every bite. They really shine in the finished brownies.
• Don’t overbake — look for “just firm” on top. These brownies should be moist and fudgy, not dry. Bake until the top is just firm, then let them cool in the tin to finish setting.
• Use the right icing consistency. The chocolate glace icing should be spreadable but not runny — smooth enough to glide over the brownies, but thick enough to hold the marshmallows in place.
• Press the mini marshmallows in gently. After spreading the icing, lightly press the marshmallows on top so they adhere without sinking. This gives that classic Rocky Road look.
• Let the brownies set before cutting. Allowing the icing and marshmallows to firm up makes slicing much easier and gives you neat, beautiful squares.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container. These brownies stay moist and delicious when stored properly — keep them tightly covered to maintain freshness.
• Aim for fudgy, not soupy. A good brownie should hold together and be easy to pick up — not wet or molten in the middle. Your recipe achieves that perfect fudgy texture without being messy.
• Beware: they’re dangerously moreish! You even warn readers that these brownies are so irresistible, they may find themselves sneaking back for “just one more sliver.” And honestly… they will.
The Best Rocky Road Brownies
Quite simply delicious. Not the North American version of Rocky Road, but the British with glace cherries, walnuts and marshmallows.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (225g) butter, melted
- 3/4 cup (100g) plain all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (140g) granulated/caster sugar
- 3 TBS cocoa powder, sifted (not drinking mix)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 large free range eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup (70g) glace cherries, quartered
- 2/3 cup (70g) toasted walnuts
- 1 1/2 cups (200g) icing sugar
- 2 TBS cocoa powder, sifted
- 3 TBS evaporated milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (60g) mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 165*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Butter a 9 inch square baking tin and line with baking paper. Set aside.
- Whisk together the melted butter, eggs and vanilla.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in the sugar.
- Make a well in the centre. Add the wet ingredients all at once. Beat well to mix together smoothly. Stir in the cherries and walnuts.
- Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until just firm on top. Leave to cool in the tin.
- To make the frosting, place all of the ingredients into a bowl and beat together with an electric whisk to give you a spreadable consistency.
- Spread over the cooled brownies. (It won't be really thick, but it shouldn't be runny either.) Sprinkle the marshmallows on top, pressing down slightly.
- Leave to set before cutting into squares to serve. Store any leftovers in a tightly covered container.
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.
- 8 (6 to 8 ounce) bone in, skin on, chicken thighs, trimmed
- 1 1/4 tsp table salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- vegetable oil cooking spray
- Trim off any excess fat and discard. Likewise, trim off and discard any excess flaps of skin. Bear in mind the skin will shrink while the chicken cooks.
- You could use fancier salts if you wish, or rubs, but there really is no need. Plain salt will give you the best result and crispiest skin.
- I used regular ground black pepper.
- I used avocado spray oil.
- Arrange your oven racks to the middle and lowest part of the oven. (This is important.)
- Preheat the oven to 450*F/232*C/gas mark 8. Line your baking tray with non-stick aluminum foil. Place into the oven to preheat while you prepare your chicken. (A lot of fat will be rendered from the chicken so the foil makes for an easy clean up.)
- Trim your chicken thighs, removing any excess clumps of fat and skin. Pat the chicken completely dry using paper towels. Using a metal skewer, poke about 12 holes into the skin of each thigh. (Do not pierce the meat.)
- Season the chicken thighs all over with the salt and pepper. Spray the skin side lightly with some cooking spray. (This helps to really crisp up the skin.)
- Place onto the heated baking tray, skin-side down. (Do not crowd the chicken, allowing for plenty of air to circulate between the pieces.)
- Place the baking sheet into the oven on the lowest rack.
- Roast in the preheated oven on the preheated baking sheet for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the tray after 10 minutes. At the end of 25 minutes, the skin should be starting to brown, and the chicken should have reached the internal temperature of 160*F/71*C). (Rotating the tray allows for even browning.)
- Remove the chicken from the oven and preheat the broiler to high. Flip the chicken to skin side up.
- Place the baking sheet of chicken on the upper rack of the oven and broil for 5 to 8 minutes, rotating the pan as it browns for even browning. (Keep an eye that it doesn't burn.)
- Remove from the oven to serve. The internal temperature of the chicken should register 175*C/79*C. (Use an instant read thermometer.)
- Transfer to a serving platter and leave to rest for five minutes before serving.
Handling raw chicken carefully is crucial to kitchen and health safety. Too not do so carries the risk of food poisoning or worse. Here are some safety points to consider!
- Always thaw raw chicken overnight in the refrigerator, and store it carefully separated from anything else. It is not safe to thaw it at room temperature. Store raw chicken on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to prevent its juices from leaking out and contaminating any other food.
- Use separate cutting boards and utensils for chicken to avoid cross contamination.
- Chicken needs really diligent handling as it often carries harmful bacteria which can easily be spread around the kitchen. There is no need to wash raw chicken prior to using it. This often spreads bacteria needlessly. Simply pat it dry with some paper kitchen toweling and dispose of the paper toweling promptly.
- Wash your hands carefully after handling raw chicken to avoid spreading any bacteria to other things. Do not use the same utensils, plates, cutlery, etc. with other ingredients if you have used them to handle the raw chicken. Also take care to clean any surfaces such as countertops, sinks, etc.
- Do not use the same kitchen tools and plates with the cooked chicken that you have used with the raw chicken. It is not safe.
- Ensure that cooked chicken reaches the internal temperature of 165*F/75*C.
Perfectly Roasted Bone-In Chicken Thighs
Succulent and juicy chicken thighs with a crackly layer of crisp, browned skin. You will need a large heavy-duty baking sheet.
Ingredients
- 8 (6 to 8 ounce) bone in, skin on, chicken thighs, trimmed
- 1 1/4 tsp table salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- vegetable oil cooking spray
Instructions
- Arrange your oven racks to the middle and lowest part of the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 450*F/232*C/gas mark 8. Line your baking tray with non-stick aluminum foil. Place into the oven to preheat while you prepare your chicken.
- Trim your chicken thighs, removing any excess clumps of fat and skin. Pat the chicken completely dry using paper towels. Using a metal skewer, poke about 12 holes into the skin of each thigh. (Do not pierce the meat.)
- Season the chicken thighs all over with the salt and pepper. Spray the skin side lightly with some cooking spray.
- Place onto the heated baking tray, skin-side down.
- Place the baking sheet into the oven on the lowest rack.
- Roast in the preheated oven on the preheated baking sheet for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the tray after 10 minutes. At the end of 25 minutes, the skin should be starting to brown, and the chicken should have reached the internal temperature of 160*F/71*C).
- Remove the chicken from the oven and preheat the broiler to high. Flip the chicken to skin side up.
- Place the baking sheet of chicken on the upper rack of the oven and broil for 5 to 8 minutes, rotating the pan as it browns for even browning.
- Remove from the oven to serve. The internal temperature of the chicken should register 175*C/79*C.
- Transfer to a serving platter and leave to rest for five minutes before serving.
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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