Meals of the Week, April 23rd to April 29th

 

Something which I have started doing here in The English Kitchen over this past month is sharing my Meals of the Week with you at the beginning of every week. I share all of the main meals that I have cooked or shared with family over the previous week, along with links to recipes, etc.

For me, it is good to be able to look back and see how I have eaten, and maybe where I could do better.  Having this as a goal at the end of each week also inspires me to want to cook better meals for myself so that I can share them with you.

I like to think that is also helps in your meal planning, whether you are a family or a single person living on your own.  A bit of inspiration always goes a long way, especially when it comes to meal planning.

Sometimes when you are living on your own, such as I do, the temptation can be to want to open a can or heat up a tv dinner.  Occasionally I will do just that, but most of the time I like to cook from scratch. Not only are my homemade meals much healthier, but they are more often than not much lower in salt, fat and sugar.  Homemade is always best. 

I do enjoy two meals out a week. I am very fortunate in that I live near family and so most Sundays I will share a Sunday dinner with my sister, her husband and my father, and on Wednesday nights my father and his friends like to get together at a local eatery for a meal. I usually tag along and sometimes I even get my sister to come with us!!

My breakfasts and lunch's are normally quite simple although I did treat myself to some homemade Copycat Waffle House Waffles one day this week.  Most mornings I will enjoy some homemade granola along with some Greek yogurt, or toast.   

Lunches will sometimes be leftovers from the night before if there are any, or a sandwich, or sometimes a frozen mini pizza, or even a salad. I love salad lunches!! They are my favorite things to eat for lunch!

Here is what I ate over the previous week for my main meals. I hope that you will be inspired to want to try some of the recipes perhaps, or at the very least to want to cook some good food for yourself! Just because you are on your own there is no need to think you aren't worth the effort.

You totally are!

 

SUNDAY APRIL 23rd - Roast Beef Dinner at my sisters

Most Sundays I enjoy a family dinner at my sister's home with my sister, her husband and my father.  I really enjoy these family times that we get to spend with each other. Roast beef was on special last week and so my sister cooked a pot roast again. 

My sister makes the best gravy.  You can make great gravy from scratch, even if you don't have any drippings. You can find my recipe for that here. 

We had roasted carrots, potatoes and roasted tender stem cauliflower with it, or caulilini as it is also called. It is so delicious. Its not something either of us had tried until this year and now we can't get enough of it!

We had lemon pie for dessert, leftover from my place on Saturday night.  All of it was so yummy, but the best part of course was being together!!

MONDAY APRIL 24th - Loaded Baked Potato Casserole for two

I had some leftover baked potatoes that I had baked on Saturday night for the family dinner and so I used them to make a delicious smaller sized version of an old casserole that I really enjoy.  

All of the flavors that you love to enjoy with a baked potato are included in this easy, all-in-one bake.  Cubed potatoes, cheese, bacon, sour cream, spring onions.  Its so delicious. I could make a meal of this and nothing else. 

I had some leftover roast chicken in the freezer, so I just warmed some of that up along with some steamed green beans. This was a simple and tasty meal.

TUESDAY APRIL 25th - Steak & Eggs

I had gone to the store to pick up some buttermilk and spied a nice looking steak that was marked down because it was on its sell by date. 

I snapped it up and made myself some tasty Steak & Eggs for my supper.  It is a breakfast dish I know, but a pretty hearty one. I am a gal that enjoys having breakfast for my supper! 

 

This was really really good. I added a cheeky baked hashbrown patty on the side, otherwise it would have been a totally low carb dinner for those who are low-carbing it!

(source)

WEDNESDAY APRIL 26th - Fish and Chips with my dad and his friends

On Wednesday nights I always go out for supper with my dad and his lady friends.  We usually have fish and chips and this week was no different. We are a family that loves our fish and chips!  Not that healthy for you, I know, but always delicious. I usually get the hand cut chips and of course there is tartar sauce. No mushy peas here in Canada however.  I miss them.

I do have a lovely recipe for a Garlic Herbed Cod and Chips that you might enjoy.  Perfectly cooked cod loins with a tasty garlic and herb coating, roasted in the oven along side some home cut oven chips with the skins on. No frying in this one.

THURSDAY APRIL 27th - Street Cart Chicken and Rice

This is one of my favorite ways to cook chicken.  I froze 3 servings of the chicken and the rice in individual servings for another time (minus the lettuce and tomatoes.)  I also did not freeze the sauce.  This might look like a lot of work, but it really isn't.  I can promise you that it is worth every bit of effort and incredibly delicious.

You might not be able to freeze the sauce or the other bits, but things like this are great to have in the freezer. I just break it down into individual servings in small square freezer containers, ready to take out and heat up as and when. Its easy to add the fresh bits and the sauce on the day.

FRIDAY APRIL 28th - Macaroni Cheese & Tomato Bake

This is a recipe that I just love. I had not made it in a while because the original recipe serves four people. On this day I decided to cut the recipe in half and make just two servings.  

Oh, how delicious it is.  Macaroni is stirred together with a quick and easy tomato sauce and spread in the bottom of the baking dish. A lush layer of cheesy bechamel is spread over top and it is topped with buttery cracker crumbs prior to baking for a deliciously satisfying meal for two.  

All you need on the side is some crusty bread and perhaps a salad. That is how I enjoyed it at any rate!

SATURDAY APRIL 29th - Skillet Beans and Weiners

This is one of those quick and easy suppers that I just love.  I love hot dogs and beans anyways, and when they are combined together in a delicious and easy skillet supper like this one, I am one very happy camper.  Its not something that I eat very often, but something that I really enjoy when I do.  

We used to have beans and weiners a lot when I was a child on Saturday nights.  Sometimes my mom would buy a huge can of tinned spaghetti and we would have weiners with that. Not only were these economical meals, but they were delicious as well. Maybe not the healthiest, but when you are watching the pennies, sometimes you just have to do what you have to do!

A little bit of what you love to eat now and then never did anybody any harm.

I enjoyed with some crusty bread leftover from Friday night and some packaged scalloped potatoes.  This was a real treat.

 So here we are, right on the cusp of the lovely month of May. Temperatures are warming now and appetites are wanting lighter, fresher foods. Not so much comfort foods.  I am looking forward to the warmer sunnier days, salads and such.  How about you?

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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Queen Anne Squares

 

It won't be very long now before the Coronation of King Charles. Many people all over the world will be taking the opportunity to celebrate the occasion in one way or another. 

It could be by having a street party, a special breakfast a luncheon or a tea party. Personally I opt for a tea party!  I thought it would be fun today to share a teatime treat that you might enjoy serving.  The very Royal,  Queen Anne Squares.

 

Here in the Maritimes these lovely squares are usually served at Christmas time as part of a Christmas Dainty plate.  A Dainty Plate is something you would have seen at wedding and baby showers many years ago. 

They were plates composed of a variety of sweet cookies and squares. All cut into bite size and meant to be enjoyed with finger sandwiches and copious amounts of hot tea.

Whether you are a Royalist or not, this is going to be a very historic occasion, and not one that many people will get to enjoy more than once in their lifetime.  It deserves to be marked in some way.

 

Queen Anne Squares are a wonderful sweet treat deserving of being served on such an auspicious occasion.  With their brownie type of base, sweet coconut macaroon filling and chocolate buttercream frosting, they always go down a real treat.

They are very sweet  so they should be cut into small 1-inch squares.  You might be forgiven  for eating two of them however, as they really are that delicious.

This recipe I am sharing with you has been adapted by one found on Lord Byron's Kitchen.

 

I took the opportunity on this day to serve these delicious squares on my Grandmother's Woodworth's wedding plate.  It was given to her and her husband on the occasion of their wedding in August of 1928.

It was a gift from her last sister Adelaide and her husband Ralph (Connell).  I am so grateful to have this plate.  It holds a lot of meaning for me.  I am the only one of my siblings who actually remembers our grandparents.

My Grandmother actually took care of me for a while when I was a baby. As a new mother and a very nervous mother my mother practically had a nervous breakdown when I was an infant.  I guess I cried constantly.

 

My father came home from work one day just in time to catch my mother getting ready to shake the Dicken's out of me. He was able to grab me away from her and then decided that they would take me to my grandmother's to live for a while, so that my mother could get a rest and maybe my grandmother could calm me down some.

I would live with my grandmother until my mother got ready to move to Germany when my father was posted there with the Canadian military about a year later.

Hence the close bond I had with my grandmother and indeed  my mother's youngest sister,  Freda, who was always like a sister to me.

Long story short, special treats deserve special plates!  I also dragged out some of my Beatrix Potter figures that were a gift from a much beloved friend, as well as my tea cozy which was a gift from another friend, and a small Beatrix Potter book my sister gave to me.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE QUEEN ANNE SQUARES

Simple baking cupboard ingredients. There is nothing too out of the ordinary here. I think it is so magical that you can put these simple things together and come up with something so delicious! 

For the brownie bottom:

• 2/3 cup (151.5g) butter, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup (145g) soft light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 cup (140g) all purpose plain flour
• 4 TBS (28g) unsweetened cocoa powder (not drink mix)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large free range egg

For the macaroon filling:

• 14 ounces (397g) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups (152g) sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting:

• 2 cups (260g) icing sugar, sifted
• 3 TBS (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder (not drink mix)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 TBS (46g) whole milk
• 1/4 cup (57g) butter, softened
• desiccated coconut to decorate (optional)

 

Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before you begin. I always take them out about half an hour prior to beginning. Its just something I've always done.

Make sure you use sweetened condensed milk and by that I mean milk which has been heated with sugar and reduced to a thick and creamy sweet product. I do not mean evaporated milk.

The most popular brands are Nestles, Carnation and Eagle Brand.

Also do not use chocolate drinking mix.  You need to use baking cocoa powder. They are not the same thing. The drink mix has been mixed with milk and sugar. Cocoa powder is just dried and powdered cocoa beans and is not sweet at all.

 

 

HOW TO MAKE QUEEN ANNE SQUARES

These are very simple to make. Just follow the instructions to the letter and you won't have any problems.

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter an 8-inch square baking tin and line it with some baking parchment, making sure you have an overhang to lift the squares out with after. Set aside.

To make the brownie bottom, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla and egg until well combined.

Sift in the cocoa powder and flour, Stir until well amalgamated.

Pour into the prepared baking tin, smoothing it over evenly.

To make the macaroon filling, stir the vanilla into the sweetened condensed milk to combine and then stir in the coconut, mixing everything thoroughly.

Spoon the mixture over the brownie mixture, taking care to keep the mixtures separate. (The best way to do this is to make small tablespoon sized dollops all over the base and then gently smooth it out with a palate knife.)

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan completely.

Using an electric hand whisk beat all of the icing ingredients together until well combined. Spread evenly over the coconut layer. If desired you can sprinkle a bit of desiccated coconut over top to decorate.

Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour before lifting out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares with a sharp knife. Store covered in the refrigerator.

 

These really are delicious, but as I said they are very sweet.  A little bit does go a long way.

Every bite delights with a bit of brownie, macaroon and that sweet icing mingling together in your mouth. I would not add anything else to these, they are perfect as they are.

The brownie base has a tendency to want to stick in the pan a bit so do make sure they are well chilled before you cut and remove them. 

Some other sweet squares and bites on here that are worthy of a King's celebration are:

GINGER CRUNCHIES -  With a spicy ginger shortbread base topped with a sweet ginger glaze and candied ginger garnish these are a real treat for the ginger lover!  Crisp, buttery and short. These are fabulously tasty! 

PEPPERMINT PETTICOAT TAILS -  A large shortbread round, marked into wedges prior to baking and broken into crisp wedges when done. Lightly flavored with peppermint, buttery, short,  and coated with sugar, these are the ultimate teatime treat!

Yield: makes 16 squares

Author: Marie Rayner

Queen Anne Squares

Prep time: 28 MinCook time: 30 MinInactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 58 M

Normally a Christmas thing these delicious squares would be fabulous served as part of a Coronation Tea Party menu! Brownie bottoms, coconut macaroon middles and a creamy chocolate frosting.

Ingredients

For the brownie bottom:

• 2/3 cup (151.5g) butter, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup (145g) soft light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 cup (140g) all purpose plain flour
• 4 TBS (28g) unsweetened cocoa powder (not drink mix)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large free range egg

For the macaroon filling

• 14 ounces (397g) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups (152g) sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting:

• 2 cups (260g) icing sugar, sifted
• 3 TBS (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder (not drink mix)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 TBS (46g) whole milk
• 1/4 cup (57g) butter, softened
• desiccated coconut to decorate (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter an 8-inch square baking tin and line it with some baking parchment, making sure you have an overhang to lift the squares out with after. Set aside.
2. To make the brownie bottom, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla and egg until well combined.
3. Sift in the cocoa powder and flour, Stir until well amalgamated.
4. Pour into the prepared baking tin, smoothing it over evenly.
5. To make the macaroon filling, stir the vanilla into the sweetened condensed milk to combine and then stir in the coconut, mixing everything thoroughly.
6. Spoon the mixture over the brownie mixture, taking care to keep the mixtures separate. (The best way to do this is to make small tablespoon sized dollops all over the base and then gently smooth it out with a palate knife.)
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan completely.
8. Using an electric hand whisk beat all of the icing ingredients together until well combined. Spread evenly over the coconut layer. If desired you can sprinkle a bit of desiccated coconut over top to decorate.
9. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour before lifting out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares with a sharp knife.
10. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it # marierayner5530

 

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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Macaroni Cheese & Tomato Bake for two

 

Macaroni Cheese & Tomato Bake is a recipe that I love. I had not made it in a very long while, mostly because it made so much. This week I decided to downsize it to half the amount so that I could enjoy it reasonably.

My daughter Eileen and her husband make this very often. Its a recipe from my cookbook, The English Kitchen, an Anglophile's love note to English Cuisine. They just love it and I am not surprised as it is delicious! 

 

Its also very easy to make.  What you have here is a base of pasta in a deliciously simple tomato sauce.  A rich and cheesy bechamel sauce gets slathered on top and then you crush some cracker crumbs over top of that.

The whole thing then gets baked in a hot oven for half an hour to perfection. Everything is bubbling and golden brown.  It truly is delicious and such a simple make.

It is a meatless main dish that is so tasty you won't miss the meat and in this day and age when groceries are becoming more and more expensive, something economical such as this dish is really welcome.

There is no need to add any meat. It is beautiful all on its own. Rich and creamy and very flavorful. Prepare yourself to fall in love! 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MACARONI CHEESE & TOMATO BAKE FOR TWO

Simple store cupboard ingredients that you probably have in your larder already!

• 1 cup (4 ounces/115g) dried macaroni
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 TBS olive oil
• 1 14-ounce tin (400g) chopped tomatoes, drained
• 2 tsp tomato puree (tomato paste)
• 1 TBS dried basil leaves
• 2 1/2 TBS of butter
• 2 1/2 TBS plain all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
• 1 cup (240ml) of whole milk, warmed
• 1 cup (120g) of strong cheddar cheese, grated
• salt and pepper to taste
• a handful of cracker crumbs

 

You can use any kind of dried pasta or macaroni in this that you wish, but I do recommend using a pasta that will really hug that tomato sauce. Tubes are preferable.  Today I used a type of twisted tube pasta called Casarecce.

This kind of pasta is the right shape for hugging that sauce. It comes from Sicily. What you have here are a pasta that is shaped like longish scrolls. Rolled up edges with a groove down the center.  About 2 inches in length.

 

You also want to use a really good brand of canned tomatoes for this. Here in Canada I like Mutti.  They are real Italian tomatoes. They might cost a tiny bit more than other tomatoes, but they are worth every extra penny as far as taste goes.

They are really tasty with a beautiful bright red color. Today I used the Polpa tomatoes, which means finely chopped tomatoes.  They are in a lovely rich tomato juice.

 

You will want to use a nice sharp/strong well flavored cheddar for in the sauce.  I used a British white cheddar that I bought at the farm market next door.  Cathedral City.  It is a cheese I used to buy in the UK.

It has a lovely strong flavor, either eaten out of hand or for use in cooking like this.  You want a cheese that is going to impart a nice rich cheesiness to the sauce.  

It just makes sense that in a dish where the  major components are tomatoes, cheese and pasta that you would want to use the best that your money can buy.  Their flavors really count. 

HOW TO MAKE MACARONI CHEESE & TOMATO BAKE FOR TWO

There are two components to the dish, the tomato sauce and the bechamel.  It might seem fiddly, but trust me when I say it really isn't.  You can make this up ahead of time, cover it and pop it into the fridge, ready to take out and bake when you want to serve it.  Just leave it at room temperature for half an hour prior to popping it into the oven.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the onion. Cook gently until softened over medium low heat. Don't let it brown. Add the drained tomatoes and the tomato puree. Cook together for a few minutes. Stir in the basil and break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Set aside.

 

To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and mustard powder. Cook, whisking for at least one minute, and then slowly whisk in the warm milk. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to the boil, making sure it doesn't catch on the bottom. Whisk in cheese, stirring until it melts. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Cook the macaroni until al dente according to the package directions. Drain well. Stir the cooked macaroni into the tomato mixture. Pour into a large baking dish and smooth over. 

Spread the cheese sauce evenly over top. Sprinkle on a handful of cracker crumbs. (I find the easiest way to spread the cheese sauce over top is to dollop it on in a number of places and then to join the dollops.)

Bake in the heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

This truly is delicious.  The simple things in life are usually some of the best things of all, both in lifestyle and in eating.

All you really need on the side is some crusty bread to mop up all of those gorgeous sauces and a leafy salad.  You will not miss having meat in this.  Believe me.  This is incredibly rich and tasty all on its own! 

Some other economical meatless pasta dishes that you might also enjoy are:

CRUSHED MACARONI & VEGETABLES - Broken pasta is layered in a dish along with some tomatoes, cooked spinach and cheese. A mix of water, good olive oil and garlic gets poured over top. Tightly covered it is baked long and slow until all the flavors blend beautifully and the macaroni gets almost creamy.  I do like to add a splash of good Balsamic for another layer of flavor.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND GOATS' CHEESE LASAGNA -  This is one of my favorite lasagna's to make and to eat. The flavors are amazing. Rich bechamel.  Tasty sweet butternut squash. Chopped toasted walnuts.  Rich and tangy goat's cheese.  Deliciously company worthy to say the least.

Yield: 2

Author: Marie Rayner

Macaroni Cheese and Tomato Bake

I downsized one of my favorite versions of mac and cheese to serve just two people. I will leave the link to the full sized version below. Its delicious whether you are feeding two or feeding four.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (4 ounces/115g) dried macaroni
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 TBS olive oil
• 1 14-ounce tin (400g) chopped tomatoes, drained
• 2 tsp tomato puree (tomato paste)
• 1 TBS dried basil leaves
• 2 1/2 TBS of butter
• 2 1/2 TBS plain all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
• 1 cup (240ml) of whole milk, warmed
• 1 cup (120g) of strong cheddar cheese, grated
• salt and pepper to taste
• a handful of cracker crumbs

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the onion. Cook gently until softened over medium low heat. Don't let it brown. Add the drained tomatoes and the tomato puree. Cook together for a few minutes. Stir in the basil and break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and mustard powder. Cook, whisking for at least one minute, and then slowly whisk in the warm milk. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to the boil, making sure it doesn't catch on the bottom. Whisk in cheese, stirring until it melts. Set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Cook the macaroni until al dente according to the package directions. Drain well. Stir the cooked macaroni into the tomato mixture. Pour into a large baking dish and smooth over. Spread the cheese sauce evenly over top. Sprinkle on a handful of cracker crumbs.
4. Bake in the heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

If you would like the full sized recipe which feeds four people, click here.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it # marierayner5530

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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