Meals of the Week, March 2nd - March 8th, 2025

Hi everyone! Happy Sunday and welcome to my Sunday Meals of the Week Post!  Every Sunday I like to share with you, my lovely readers, all the deliciousness that I have enjoyed for my main meals from over the past seven days!  That's seven days of tasty, plus recipes, menu suggestions, etc.

As a single person living on my own cooking can be somewhat of a challenge.  Getting to share it with you not only helps to make me accountable for what I eat, but it also inspires me to want to cook meals for myself.

When you are living on your own it can often be a temptation to want to eat frozen dinners or ready meals, open a tin can, etc. I challenge myself each week to cook simple, yet delicious, main meals from scratch, using what I have in the house for the most part.

I do tend to eat out twice a week. On Sunday's I usually have supper at my sister's place. I always include a recipe that you can use to recreate this meal. On Wednesday's I usually have dinner out with my father at a local eatery.  

Eating out is not necessarily what I want to do, but my father is 92 years old now and I am building precious memories with him.  I was away from him for over 20 years, so it is a great blessing for me to be able to spend the time with him now. I also provide a recipe that is similar to whatever it is I have eaten while I am out with dad so you can recreate that for yourself also.

I try to make my meals, somewhat healthy (I am not perfect) and I try to keep them within my limited budget. As a Senior on a fixed income, this is really important to me.  I also try to make my meals interesting and never boring. At least I find that they are never boring.

This is only my main meal of the day, which I tend to eat in the early afternoon. For breakfast I will usually have a protein shake or some granola and yogurt (homemade granola) and sometimes a squirt of date syrup. Sometimes I will have leftover pizza.  That's a real treat and I am usually not very hungry for the rest of the day!

I end my days eating very lightly. I try to finish up all of my eating by 7 pm at the latest.  In the evenings I will have toast, or fruit, or a salad, sometimes a bowl of cereal and on rare occasions a sandwich, depending on how hungry I am.  If I have eaten with other people I will eat my main meal in the evening, but its not something I really like to do.  I hate going to bed with a lot of food laying on my stomach.

Anyways, without waffling on any longer, here are my meals that I enjoyed over the past seven days. I hope that you will be inspired to at least want to cook a few of them for yourself! 

 SUNDAY, March 2nd - Family Dinner at my sister's

The weather finally relented enough that I was able to get to my sister's place for dinner on Sunday. I had not been able to go for several weeks due to snow, ice, etc. My sister had prepared a hearty Lentil & Bacon Potage which was absolutely fabulous.  Best lentil soup I had ever eaten. So delicious that I had to make it again for myself at home during the week.  If you make this, you are going to fall in love. It's that simple.

We enjoyed this along with some sourdough bread, butter and for dessert, Pineapple in coconut water with some whipped cream on top. Dinner was fabulous but being with family was the best part.

MONDAY, March 3rd - Chicken Pot Pie

I adore pot pies and chicken pot pie is one of my favorites. I made some individual chicken pot pies so that I could have some in the freezer.  These have a lovely butter and lard pastry and a delicious chicken and vegetable filling in a creamy gravy. So delicious. I enjoyed this along with a salad.

I had four pot pies, three to pop into the freezer for a later date and some extra pie crusts to pop into the freezer as well.  Win/win all around!

TUESDAY, March 4th - Classic BLT Sandwich

On Tuesday I actually made the soup recipe that I had enjoyed at my sister's on Sunday for my dinner. Yes, it was that good that I had to make it again. Instead of sharing that I am sharing the delicious sandwich I had for my lupper (lunch/supper).  A Classic BLT.

You cannot beat the Classic BLT Sandwich.  Toasted bread, crisp lettuce, crisp smoky bacon, sliced ripe tomatoes and good old Hellman's mayo.  This went down a real treat and was a treat actually as I only ever rarely have bacon. Twice in one day. Yahoo! (I needed to use up the bacon left from making the soup.)

WEDNESDAY, March 5th - Dinner out with Dad and Hazel

On Wednesday I went out to dinner with my father and his friend Hazel. We went to the Big Scoop as always. My sister did not join us.  I didn't want to have anything deep fried and so I settled on the small eater's Turkey Dinner.  It came with a roll and coleslaw and had a mix of white and dark turkey, two vegetables, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy.  Oh, and cranberry sauce. I always enjoy this meal.

In its place I am sharing my recipe for Roasted Split Turkey Breast for Two. You cannot go wrong. Perfectly cooked, tender juice and ready to serve with your own favorite side dishes.  Sized for two people.

THURSDAY, March 6th - Lasagna Roll Ups

I cooked a small batch of Lasagna Roll Ups based on a recipe that I adapted from Natasha's Kitchen.  If you are looking for a full batch do check out her recipe. My adaptation made four roll ups, which was enough to enjoy on the day for myself and then another serving to freeze.  The recipe feeds two people generously.  

They are rich and delicious, and don't slide all over the plate like regular lasagna. Everything is compact in a nice neat little package.  I enjoyed with some crusty bread and a salad on the side.

FRIDAY, March 7th - Crispy Coated Honey Mustard Baked Salmon Filets

I decided to cook myself some fish on Friday. Crispy Coated Honey Mustard Baked Salmon Fillets. This was always one of the favorite ways that my boss liked me to cook salmon for them when I worked at the manor. Being an oily fish with a stronger flavor, salmon holds up very well with the zippy flavor of the Dijon mustard in that crispy coating. Tender juicy perfectly cooked fish with a beautifully flavored crisp crumb on top. This is a really lovely way to enjoy salmon.

I actually only cooked one salmon filet as I didn't want to deal with any leftovers. That is the beauty of this recipe you can cook as many or as few as you wish.  I enjoyed mine with a baked potato and some steamed string beans. It made for a delicious dinner! 

SATURDAY, March 8th - Quick & Easy Baked Chicken Tacos

I love anything with Tex Mex flavors. I had a quantity of cooked chicken in the freezer that needed using up so I made myself a really small batch of Quick & Easy Baked Chicken Tacos. (only two) The original recipe only makes four, so it was not that difficult for me to downsize it to make just two.  

I enjoyed them topped with my favorite taco toppings. On this day some guacamole, sour cream, salsa and chopped spring onions.  I also like to splash green tabasco sauce over top. This was enough for me and I didn't need anything else. You could serve a salad on the side if you wished!

And there you have it, my meals of the week for the past seven days.  I think/hope you will agree that I ate very well!

Thanks so much for visiting do come again!

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Belgian Buns

 

True confessions here. I have never had a Belgian Bun before now. They are a very popular yeast bread bun over in the U.K., similar in looks to a cinnamon bun, but that is where any similarity ends.  These delicious buns are filled with lemon curd and sultana raisins. Yes, you heard that right, lemon curd.

Now why did I never taste one of these when I was actually living in the U.K?  I have no answer to that question. Probably because I am not overly fond of store made buns.  Usually, they taste stale to me and I am not fond of stale buns.

This all changes when you make your own from scratch, and to be honest it was not something I had ever considered until . . .  one, one of my readers asked me to make them, and two, I discovered they are filled with lemon curd, and I LOVE lemon curd!

 

On this particular day I made a recipe for Belgian Buns that I had found on the BBC Food site.  I had done them previously from a recipe I found somewhere else and was not happy with the way they tuned out so those got thrown away. (I hate it when that happens.)

I trust BBC food however and so I knew their recipe would be absolutely foolproof and it was. They turned out beautiful.

The recipe does make an even dozen buns though, which is quite a few. Like any bread bun they are best enjoyed on the day of baking so if you cannot eat a dozen on one day (and who can) then I suggest you only ice half of them and freeze the rest in an airtight container, icing and decorating them on the day you decide to eat them.  Just thaw them out, ice and decorate.

These Belgian Buns were SO good I found myself wondering why I had waited so long to try them. Why indeed! Beautifully delicious as written.  I adapted the recipe to add North America measurements.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BELGIAN BUNS

Just a few simple ingredients. The cherry on top is entirely optional, but it does add to the pretty finish.

For the buns:

• 4 1/2 cups (450g) strong bread flour
• 2 1/2 tsp (7g) fast action yeast
• 6 1/2 TBS (75g) sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 fluid ounces (165ml) warm milk
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten (plus extra egg wash to glaze) (1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water)
• 3 1/2 TBS (50g) butter, melted

For the filling:

• 5 TBS lemon curd
• 1 cup (150g) sultana raisins

To finish:

• 2 cups (260g) icing sugar
• water
• 12 glace cherries

 

Strong bread flour is bread that has been grown and specifically milled to make bread with. You can use regular flour, but it will not have as high a gluten content. You can always add a TBS of vital wheat gluten to make up for that. 

Your milk should only be tepid, not hot. If it is too hot it will kill your yeast. I like to make sure all of my other ingredients (egg, butter, etc.) are at room temperature.

Lemon curd can be found in the jams and spreads section of the grocery store, or you can make your own if you are really keen. You can find my recipe to make your own here. 

You can use any kind of raisin, but sultana raisins are especially nice.

Glace cherries are awfully nice, but failing that, you could use maraschino cherries, patted dry, or leave them off altogether.

HOW TO MAKE BELGIAN BUNS

I was surprised at just how simple and easy these were to make! I used my bread machine for the dough part which made them even easier. Just follow the instructions as per your model of machine. Otherwise mix, knead, etc. as per the recipe instructions below.

Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the warm milk, butter and egg. Mix all together well until you have a soft dough. If it feels a bit too sticky or wet you can add 1 TBS flour.

Tip out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently until the dough feels smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and put into a large, lightly floured bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise for one hour or until doubled in size.

 

Line a large baking tray with some baking parchment.

Knock the dough back and then lightly roll it out to a rectangle which measures 12 by 18 inches.

Brush one long edge with egg wash. Spread the lemon curd over the remainder of the dough. Sprinkle with the raisins.

Roll the dough up tightly from one long edge towards the egg wash brushed edge, like a jelly roll to form a long log, pinching the edge shut along the egg wash.

Using a sharp knife cut into 12 equal pieces and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Cover lightly with plastic cling film and set in a warm place to rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled in size.

 

Pre-heat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6.

Once the oven is heated remove the cling film from the rolls. Brush the tops with some egg wash and then bang the baking sheet into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Bake for a further 10 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Whisk the icing sugar together with enough cold water to give you a thick white icing. Spoon this over top of the cooled rolls and top each with a glace cherry.

Store any leftovers in a tightly covered container. You can freeze these, but do so before frosting.

 

This was the second time I had actually baked these. I was not happy with the first ones I made. From another recipe, I hasten to add. These turned out lovely, with a beautiful texture and taste.  Not at all hard to do either, I confess to making the dough in my bread machine and leaving it for the first proving in the machine.

After that it was an easy roll out, topping/filling, cutting and leaving to rise again, prior to baking to perfection.  I quite enjoyed these. I took half of them to my next-door neighbor who was thrilled beyond measure.  Beautiful with a hot drink.

Do note, these are best eaten on the day.

 

Are you a lover of traditional British Recipes?  If so, you might also enjoy the following delicious temptations. 

LONDON CHEESECAKES - Not cheesecakes at all, but as per the British propensity of naming things in a quirky odd way that sounds delicious but has nothing at all to do with what they are, London Cheesecakes are beautiful puff pastry bakes, topped with a bit of jam, some almond frangipane cake topping and a glazed icing with a coconut sprinkle. Beautiful with a hot drink of course!

ENGLISH MELTING MOMENTS - With their beautiful crisp and buttery texture, these cookies/biscuits do melt in the mouth.  Crisp on the outside, short-bread-like inside, and coated with toasty whole oats for even more texture and flavor these are topped with a bit of cherry prior to baking.  Delicious with a hot cuppa!

Yield: 12 buns

Author: Marie Rayner

Belgian Buns

Prep time: 1 H & 45 MCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 2 H & 5 M

A traditional yeast bun, filled with lemon curd and plenty of sultana raisins. Beautiful served fresh along with a hot drink.

Ingredients

For the buns:

• 4 1/2 cups (450g) strong bread flour
• 2 1/2 tsp (7g) fast action yeast
• 6 1/2 TBS (75g) sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 fluid ounces (165ml) warm milk
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten (plus extra egg wash to glaze) (1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water)
• 3 1/2 TBS (50g) butter, melted

For the filling:

• 5 TBS lemon curd
• 1 cup (150g) sultana raisins

To finish:

• 2 cups (260g) icing sugar
• water
• 12 glace cherries

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the warm milk, butter and egg. Mix all together well until you have a soft dough. If it feels a bit too sticky or wet you can add 1 TBS flour.
2. Tip out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently until the dough feels smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and put into a large, lightly floured bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise for one hour or until doubled in size.
3. Line a large baking tray with some baking parchment.
4. Knock the dough back and then lightly roll it out to a rectangle which measures 12 by 18 inches.
5. Brush one long edge with egg wash. Spread the lemon curd over the remainder of the dough. Sprinkle with the raisins.
6. Roll the dough up tightly from one long edge towards the egg wash brushed edge, like a jelly roll to form a long log, pinching the edge shut along the egg wash.
7. Using a sharp knife cut into 12 equal pieces and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Cover lightly with plastic cling film and set in a warm place to rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
8. Pre-heat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6.
9. Once the oven is heated remove the cling film from the rolls. Brush the tops with some egg wash and then bang the baking sheet into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Bake for a further 10 minutes until golden brown.
10. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
11. Whisk the icing sugar together with enough cold water to give you a thick white icing. Spoon this over top of the cooled rolls and top each with a glace cherry.
12. Store any leftovers in a tightly covered container. You can freeze these, but do so before frosting.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #EnglishKitchen

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 

Thanks for visiting! Do come again!! 

 If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.

Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated!  Thank you so much!  It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!

Cheesy Corn Chowder (small batch)

 

 

As I write this on Thursday afternoon it is a cold and blustery day out. Well, not as cold as it has been, but it is raining and miserable and when you are out in it, it feels cold.  This is perfect soup weather and so I made myself a small pot of Cheesy Corn Chowder.

I do so love chowders. They are a bit heartier than just having a bowl of soup. Just the name makes you feel like you are eating something really special and this is a really special version of corn chowder.

It is a bit different than my usual corn chowder recipe in that it uses cheese and is a bit richer in flavor.  I used to make that other one every Sunday for my family after church because it was quick and easy to make and also quite economical. With five hungry children to feed it only made sense!

 

This Cheesy Corn Chowder Recipe comes from the pages of my Big Blue Binder.  This is a recipe binder that I have carried back and forth across Canada and back and forth the Atlantic Ocean. I've been lugging it around for about 50 years now.  It holds all of my tried and TRUE's as well as recipes gifted to me by family and good friends. It is like a community cookbook, except it is MY community!  The Community of a lifetime of good eating.

In a way it is like the history of my culinary journey, and it is something which is very precious to me. I like to think that when I go to the big kitchen in the sky my kiddies will be fighting over who gets it.  ha ha

One can but dream!  In any case, this is a real winner of a soup. It was a magazine clipping I clipped out many years ago, probably from Canadian Living magazine and was a prize winner back then, so you just know it is really good.  This is a small batch recipe of the original recipe that was printed.

Enjoy!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHEESY CORN CHOWDER (small batch)

Some pretty simple ordinary store cupboard ingredients. With the exception of the fresh herbs, these are things which I have to hand most of the time.  You can always use dry herbs instead of fresh.  That's what our mothers did! Just cut the amounts used in half.

• 1 1/2 TBS butter
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 small bay leaf, broken in half to release the oils
• 1/4 tsp whole cumin seeds, bruised
• 1/8 tsp dried sage
• 1 1/2 TBS plain flour
• 1 cup (240ml) chicken stock
• 3/4 cup (180ml) light cream or milk
• 3/4 cup (115g) frozen corn
• 1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
• 1 TBS chopped fresh chives
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 cup (30ml) dry white wine
• 1 cup (115g) grated strong cheddar cheese, plus more to sprinkle
• salt and black pepper to taste

 

Just use an ordinary all-purpose use type of potato. One that is good for mashing, or boiling, chips, etc.  I just wouldn't use a waxy salad type of potato.

Breaking your bay leaf in half really helps to release its flavor. Likewise, the bruising of the cumin seeds. To bruise them I just press them down hard on my cutting board with the bottom of a jar.

I use Better than Boullion Chicken stock. You could keep this vegetarian by using vegetable stock.

Light cream is the same as half and half. You could also use evaporated milk. I used whole milk this time as this was what I had in the house.

No white wine?  No problem. Use extra chicken stock. 

I used an extra strong white cheddar cheese. Grate it yourself if you can. Those pre-grated cheeses have things like cellulose or potato fiber added so that they pour out easily. You don't want that in your soup.

HOW TO MAKE CHEESY CORN CHOWDER (small batch)

This is really not all that hard to make. Just make sure that you do not let it boil once you add the cheese!

Melt the butter in a saucepan with a heavy bottom. Add the onion, potato, broken bay leaf, cumin seed and sage.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the onion is softened without browning.

Stir in the flour. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Don't let it brown.

 

Whisk in the stock and the milk.

Bring to the boil, whisking constantly until smooth. Reduce to medium low and simmer, stirring often, for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

Stir in the corn, parsley, chives, nutmeg and wine. Simmer for a further 5 to 6 minutes until heated through.

 

Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the cheese and heat over low heat, just to melt the cheese. Do NOT let the soup boil.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper. Serve hot, ladled into heated bowls with a spoonful of cheddar sprinkled over top of each.

 

This is a really delicious bowl of soup. It is hearty and filling and loaded with lots of flavor and texture. I love that it uses everyday ingredients that I have in the house most of the time. Rich and delicious, it went down a real treat on a cold, blustery and rainy day.

I enjoyed it with some of those cheeky puff pastry sticks that you can buy. So naughty but so nice.  Crusty bread or crackers would also very well with this!

 

Are you in the mood for a hearty soup?  I say let's enjoy soup weather while we still have it. Here are a few other favorites of mine!

WINTER VEGETABLE SOUP WITH CHEDDAR DUMPLINGS - Soup with dumplings?  Count me in!  Especially cheese dumplings.  Simple to make and using simple everyday ingredients. It's also a great way to use up what's in the fridge. This is a deliciously hearty soup with plenty of vegetables, ham and fluffy cheese dumplings. I guarantee your family will love this! 

BAKED POTATO SOUP - This potato soup is a delicious bowl filled with all the comfort food goodness of a loaded baked potato. Rich and belly warming, this is sure to become a favorite! What's not to like about a rich and creamy soup that is loaded with cheddar cheese, crisp bacon, sour cream and spring onions?? Nothing that's what! 

Yield: two to three servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Cheesy Corn Chowder

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 45 Min

This is a small batch recipe for an old favorite. It is rich and delicious. You can easily double the measurements to make more if you with, however I do not believe that it freezes well because of the cream in it. There is a risk of it splitting.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 TBS butter
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 small bay leaf, broken in half to release the oils
• 1/4 tsp whole cumin seeds, bruised
• 1/8 tsp dried sage
• 1 1/2 TBS plain flour
• 1 cup (240ml) chicken stock
• 3/4 cup (180ml) light cream or milk
• 3/4 cup (115g) frozen corn
• 1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
• 1 TBS chopped fresh chives
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 cup (30ml) dry white wine
• 1 cup (115g) grated strong cheddar cheese, plus more to sprinkle
• salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan with a heavy bottom. Add the onion, potato, broken bay leaf, cumin seed and sage.
2. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the onion is softened without browning.
3. Stir in the flour. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Don't let it brown.
4. Whisk in the stock and the milk.
5. Bring to the boil, whisking constantly until smooth. Reduce to medium low and simmer, stirring often, for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
6. Stir in the corn, parsley, chives, nutmeg and wine. Simmer for a further 5 to 6 minutes until heated through.
7. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the cheese and heat over low heat, just to melt the cheese. Do NOT let the soup boil.
8. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper. Serve hot, ladled into heated bowls with a spoonful of cheddar sprinkled over top of each.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #EnglishKitchen

 

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 

Thanks for visiting! Do come again!! 

 If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.

Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated!  Thank you so much!  It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!