Meals of the Week, December 29th, 2024 - January 4th, 2025

Hello everyone and welcome to the first Sunday of 2025 and my very first Meals of the Week post for the new year!  

On Sundays I like to do a recap of all of the main meals that I have enjoyed over the past seven days.  Seven tasty entrees with all of the sides and menu suggestions along with the pertinent recipes. That’s a whole lot of deliciousness if I don’t say so myself!

This was another week with a holiday meal, New Year’s Day.  I did eat at my sister’s twice this week, and everyone came to me once.  There was nothing too elaborate about any of it.

I am a senior person who lives on her own.  I love to cook, and I love to eat, and I love to share what I cook and eat with you, my dear readers.   This serves a dual purpose.

One, hopefully, it will inspire others who find themselves in the same boat to start cooking for themselves.  The temptation when you live on your own can be to just pop a frozen dinner in the microwave or to eat a takeaway.  My next-door neighbor exists on sandwiches, I am sure. I often share my meals with her just to make sure she gets something nutritious.

The sad truth is many older people are suffering from malnutrition.  I am determined that won’t be me, so I cook. My meals are never complicated but they are also never boring. At least I don’t think that they are.

Secondly, I like to cook, and I love to eat and homemade food tastes a heck of a lot better than anything else! Its also a lot healthier and more economical than eating out or buying ready meals that are loaded with salt, sugar and fat.

For breakfast most days I will have a protein shake. I buy the powder online and it comes in a multitude of gorgeous flavors. My absolute favorite is the Orange Creamsicle flavor.  

I will have my main meal around early afternoon, usually by one pm. I don’t like to have anything heavy laying on my stomach later on in the day.  I suffer from GERD and so I really need to watch things.

In the early evening, I will have a salad, or a sandwich, or sometimes a bowl of cereal or some toast, or fruit even. Nothing too heavy.

I try to make sure my meals are all nutritionally sound and budget friendly.  I think I do a pretty good job of it.  And having said all that, here are my meals of the week!

SUNDAY, December 29th - Supper at Cindy’s

I had not thought to go to Cindy’s for supper on Sunday night as I knew I was going there on New Years Eve, but she had made pizza and that is not something I can resist.  A good homemade pizza.  My sister makes really good homemade pizza. She always puts a bit of dill pickle on a corner of it for her and I.

In its place I am sharing my recipe for New York Pizza. I have never been to New York and had the pizza there, but I have heard that it is very good. A thin foldable crust with a nice sauce and toppings. I don’t know if this is authentic or not, but I can promise you my version is very delicious. The crust has a lovely flavor and is just sturdy enough to stand up to all of the toppings.  You can put on it whatever you enjoy having on a pizza.

MONDAY, December 30th - Macaroni, Cheese & Tomato Bake for two

This is one of my favorite recipes that I downsized for the smaller family.  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. 

Debunking the myths of English Cookery, one recipe at a time.
The English Kitchen
http://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.com/

Source: https://www.theenglishkitchen.co/2025/01/meals-of-week-december-29th-2024.html