Meals of the Week, January 25th to 31st, 2026

 

Hello everyone and welcome to my Meals of the Week post for this the last week of January, 2026. I don't know how it has happened but here we are again, beginning a new month. January has gone by really quickly and with all of the health issues I have been  experiencing it is a month I am happy to see the end of.

I have had to keep things pretty simple again this week due to my health issues. I find it very hard to stand for any more than 10 minutes without having to run to the loo.  Good news is I am expecting to go in on Monday for a procedure to remove the stent and all being well my recovery should work well from then on.

I have also had my daughter come to live with me for a bit while she is waiting to find a place of her own, so things have changed up a bit.  It is nice to have the company. And we get along very well with each other.

Things have been simple this week, but that doesn't mean that they haven't been delicious. I did break down and have a frozen pizza one night, and I was able to actually get out one night to dinner with my father and sister. The rest is simple wholesome food that is quick and easy to prepare.   I hope that you enjoy reading about them and that you will be inspired to want to cook at least one or two of these dishes for yourself!  

 

SUNDAY,  January 25th - Pizza Night

I am still very unwell and I did what I never do, I caved and had frozen Pizza.  Actually the one I had was not too bad. It was the Dr. Oetker Suprema Salame Romano, and it was pretty good as far as frozen pizza goes. It had a nice almost fermented dough crust, a nice flavored sauce, lots of cheese and the meat tasted good, not like the mystery meat on most pizzas. I would buy this again. 

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.

I don't know any pizza that doesn't go well with some salad on the side.

MONDAY, January 26th - 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. 

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's one of my favorite meals. You can have meat with it if you want, but I like it just as it is. Sometimes I will have some bread and butter with it, but on that day I had some frozen mixed vegetables. 

TUESDAY, January 27th - Lemon Roasted Chicken Legs 

A simple, flavorful, and reliable main dish that’s perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. This recipe uses basic ingredients like butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and simple seasonings to create tender, juicy chicken with a beautifully golden finish. The long, slow roasting keeps the meat moist, while a quick blast of high heat at the end adds color and crispness. It’s an uncomplicated, comforting recipe that works for both everyday meals and relaxed weekend cooking.

If you enjoy classic roasted chicken with bright, fresh flavors, this dish is a delicious option to add to your weekly meal rotation. I enjoyed this with some rice and mixed vegetables on the side.

WEDNESDAY, January 28th - Dinner out with Cindy and Dad

I was feeling a bit better on Wednesday or at least not in much pain. I felt like I could actually go out to supper with my sister and father.  We went to The Big Scoop which is a local place.  They had the one piece fish and chips on special for only $9.99. We could not resist and all ordered the same thing. It came with one nice sized piece of battered fish, some fries and a little pot of coleslaw. Not the healthiest for sure, but felt like a real treat for me, even just to be out of the house, even if I did end up having to go to the bathroom three times while we were there!

In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Beer Battered Fish.  This is the best battered fish you could ever want to eat. Light and crisp and the fish is beautifully flakey inside. Make sure your oil is hot before you start frying the fish. Also make sure your fish is well coated with flour before you dip it into the batter. If you follow these two rules you will be rewarded with delicious crisp battered fish, perfectly moist on the inside. 

THURSDAY, January 29th - Pork Chops with Cream Gravy

I took a pork chop out of the freezer on this day and had myself a Pork Chop with Cream gravy for my supper. I did use a pot of Instant Mashed Potatoes.  I buy the Idaho brand, and they are quite good.  They are perfect for someone who is on their own and are basically just dehydrated mashed potatoes.  It also made an easy side for me when I really cannot stand long as it is for me at the moment. 

I love this pork chop recipe. It always tastes so good. The chops are tender and juicy and that gravy is delicious. I had some frozen corn niblets with it and was quite happy with it. Anything goes well on the side of these.  Mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, boiled potatoes, chips, rice, noodles, etc. And of course any vegetable or salad that you enjoy!

FRIDAY, January 30th - Rice Krispie Chicken 

I ended up with unexpected company on Friday. My daughter has come to live with me for a while until she gets a place of her own.  I do not mind in the least. I love my daughter and am more than happy to be able to help her out.  Now I will have someone to stay with me after my procedure on Monday as well. 

We made an old favorite Rice Krispie Chicken for our supper which we enjoyed with rice and a salad that she made. This is a fabulous recipe that, on its own, is quite delicious. It is also very adaptable to a variety of flavors and seasonings.  Crispy coated chicken is something most people love.

Today I used lemon pepper seasoning to spice mine up, but you can keep it old school and simple, or add a curry seasoning if that is what you enjoy, chili seasoning, etc. The chicken always comes out tender and juicy. We enjoy this with ranch dressing for dipping.

SATURDAY, January 31st - Fish Fingers, Chips and Beans

We kept it simple on Saturday night as we were busy all day organizing ourselves, my daughter and I. We had Fish Fingers, Chips and Beans.  This is a great comfort food kind of a supper. It can be as simple as opening frozen packets and tins, popping the fish and chips into the oven and the beans into a saucepan to heat up. I, however, always like to add a little twist to my baked beans.  They always come out flavorful and tangy.

I know I had only had fish for my supper on Wednesday night, but you know, I could eat fish every night of the week and be quite happy with it. This was perhaps not the healthiest option, but not the worst either! Made a nice change, albeit a bit naughty! You could make your own fish fingers from scratch if you are really keen. There is a great recipe here. 

We got even naughtier and each had a slice of cheesecake for dessert.  I had some frozen in there from Christmas. There was a slice of plain and a slice of chocolate. I let Eileen have the chocolate and I enjoyed the plain. We were both very happy.

An there you have it, my meals of the week for this the last week of January. (How did that happen? January has just flown by.) I hope you will be inspired to cook at least a few of these things for yourself!

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