Meals of the Week, June 21st to 27th, 2026

I can't believe that is is Sunday again as well as being the end of June!  June has just whizzed by at the speed of light! 

On Sundays I like to share with you, my readers, my Meals of the Week.  All of the deliciousness which I have enjoyed eating for my main meals over the past seven days!  There's a whole lot of tasty going on here and a pleasure shared is a pleasure doubled!

Generally speaking I live by myself, although I have had my daughter living with me since January. That is soon going to end however as she is about ready to move into her new apartment. I will miss her being here with me, but we hope to get together several times a week.

As a person who lives all alone, I am responsible for cooking for myself. The temptation when you are living on your own, or even if you are an empty nester can be to want to just eat ready meals or cook out of cans, enjoy frozen dinners.  Or even to eat out or enjoy a takeaway more often than not.

That is not me. I love to cook, and I love to eat and I will be honest with you, most of those tins, cans, frozen dinners, takeaways and restaurant meals are, more often than not, very disappointing! And so, I like to cook as much as possible for myself, and I like to take you along on the journey.

I almost always eat my main meal about mid afternoon, unless I am out, or at someone else's house. I don't like to go to bed with a lot on my stomach and these days I am in bed most nights by nine PM. (I must be getting old!)

For breakfast these days I enjoy a protein smoothie/shake, or a bowl of yogurt with my homemade granola.  I really enjoy the protein shakes. They help me to keep my cravings down and up my protein, not to mention my calcium and a whole lot of other stuff.  Plus they are delicious. I usually sip on it all morning as I am working away.  It helps to keep the cravings at bay and keeps me satisfied.

I will have my main meal about 1 to 2 pm.  That will be a full dinner that I have prepared myself. Most of the time.

Supper will usually be some toast, or a sandwich, perhaps a bowl of cereal, or,  more often than not, a salad.  I love salad and they are usually filled with loads of greens, veggies, sometimes some protein (cheese, egg, chicken etc.)  I always make my own dressing and if I am feeling especially indulgent I will add some croutons or seeds or nuts as a topper.

I try to keep everything within budget. I am living on a meager pension and whatever I make on here from the ads.  (Thanks so much for visiting. You help to keep me afloat!)  I also try to keep things fairly healthy. I also try to keep waste at a minimum.

Anyways, without too much more twaddle, here are my main meals for the past seven days! I hope you see something that will inspire you to want to cook it for yourself also! For the odd time that I have eaten out of house, I have provided a suitable alternative for you, plus I have also added suggestions for any sides that will go well with the mains.

 

SUNDAY, June 21st - Father's Day Family Dinner

Sunday was Father's Day so we did our typical Fried Chicken Father's Day special dinner. Yes, we pick it up at Mary Browns and we all enjoy it.  Chicken, taters, gravy, coleslaw and buttermilk biscuits. In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Oven Fried Chicken with Chive & Buttermilk Mash. Always delicious. 

This comforting supper pairs irresistibly crisp, oven‑fried chicken with a cloud‑soft chive and buttermilk mash that’s tangy, buttery, and beautifully flecked with fresh herbs. The chicken bakes up golden and crunchy, the kind you can’t help but nibble with your fingers, while the creamy potatoes make the perfect cozy companion. Simple, nostalgic, and downright irresistible — a true family favourite in every bite.

MONDAY, June22nd - Crispy Chicken Salad

We played things a bit lighter on Monday with my favorite Crispy Chicken Salad. This always goes down a real treat.

This bright, satisfying salad brings together golden, Parmesan‑panko chicken filets that fry up irresistibly crisp served on top of a bowlful of fresh, vibrant greens, cool cucumber, sweet carrot ribbons, and de‑seeded tomatoes that keep everything crisp and flavourful . A zesty lemon‑Parmesan dressing ties it all together — creamy, tangy, and sunshine‑bright in every bite . Light, wholesome, and wonderfully crunchy, it’s the kind of summer supper that feels both refreshing and deeply satisfying.

For the hearty eater you could add a baked potato, but we were quite happy with just the chicken and the salad. We had our father's favorite, Wild Blueberry Pie for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

TUESDAY, June 23rd. - Italian Sausage Meatballs

We are meatball lovers in this house. I like to make up big batches of meatballs and freeze them, ready to take out and enjoy whenever we want them. This week we enjoyed some of my Italian Sausage Meatballs with some gravy, mashed potatoes and vegetables on the side. This is a small batch recipe which you could double or triple to freeze if you wished.

This cozy, small‑batch recipe turns simple sweet Italian sausage into tender, juicy meatballs with just a handful of ingredients and barely any effort. A touch of grated onion, cream, and breadcrumbs keeps them beautifully moist and flavorful, while a quick roast in a hot oven gives them that irresistible golden finish. Perfect with gravy and mash or tucked into your favorite sauce, they’re the kind of comforting, no‑fuss meatballs you’ll want to keep on repeat — and they freeze like a dream for easy future meals.

 

WEDNESDAY, June 24th - Dinner out with Dad and the family

On Wednesday nights I usually go out for supper with Cindy, my dad and his friend Hazel, and now Eileen. We go to the same place very week, The Big Scoop Family Restaurant and Takeaway. Sometimes it is good, most of the time it is lousy. I really only go because I want to spend the time with my dad.  

Dad had the Cheeseburger and chips. Hazel had the grilled Haddock Dinner. Eileen had the six layer Lasagna. Cindy and I both had the BBQ Crispy Chicken Burger Special.

They were an hour late bringing us our dinner as their tecchie ordering pads failed so the cook didn't get the orders.  Hazel felt her fish was overcooked. We had ordered Dad's burger without ketchup or pickles on it. It came with both. Cindy and I had requested that there be no Seasoning on our burgers. They came with the seasoning on it, but by the time we got our meals we were not willing to reorder or send anything back so we ate everything as is.  The only one who was really happy with their meal was Eileen. It's pretty hard to mess that one up. It comes frozen and they just heat it up, single serving at a time. I honestly don't know why we go back there week after week. Probably its because our dad and Hazel like it, even if the food is lousy. They've been going there for years. We have tried to get them to try different places, but they always want to go back to this place. There is a comfort in the familiarity.

I am sharing my recipe for BBQ Chicken BLT's in the place of their chicken burger.  I can assure you that they are delicious! A beautiful sandwich, simple to make with all the elements of a BLT. with some spicy sweet potatoes served on the side, this makes a fabulously complete meal for two!

THURSDAY, June 25th - Cheese Chili Jackets for Two

A perfectly baked potato with a crisp skin and fluffy flesh, topped with some delicious hot chili con carne, and loads of cheddar cheese, melting over the top. I like to garnish it with some sour cream and chopped spring onions.

Quick, easy and delicious. You can't ask for more than that on a night when you are lacking in both time and inspiration but want a tasty meal on the table pronto.  All you need is a salad on the side or some coleslaw and you have a perfectly delicious and simple meal that pleases!  Sometimes that is all you want or need.

FRIDAY, June 26th - Soup and crackers

We had spent all day out with my sister driving to farm markets, etc. We had planned to have a late lunch/early dinner out, but our plans did come to fruition.  Instead when Eileen and I got home we opened some tinned soup (Sprague Quebec Style Split Pea) and enjoyed it with buttered crackers. This is our favorite tinned soup and is as close as you can get to homemade without actually making it yourself.

In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Classic English Pea Soup.  This classic soup is everything a comforting bowl should be — thick, hearty, and beautifully simple, made from nothing more than split peas, a few vegetables, good stock, and a touch of bacon for depth. It simmers into a velvety, rib‑sticking pot of goodness that feels like pure nostalgia, the kind of soup that warms you right through on a cold Maritime day. Humble ingredients, slow gentle cooking, and a finish of crispy bacon and fresh parsley make it both rustic and deeply satisfying — a true “London Particular” in the most delicious way.

We had sugar free rice pudding for dessert. (That almost made up for the fudge we had eaten in the car. 😶) I know, very naughty.

SATURDAY, June 27th - Caprese Chicken Bites

This was a recipe that I had seen on YouTube on a channel called Feeding the Byrds.  She had adapted the recipe from my friend Kevin of A Closet Kitchen in which he used whole chicken breasts. Cutting the chicken into manageable sized bites which reduced the cook time by quite a lot.

I cut the recipe in half.  Tender and juicy pieces of chicken breast with garlic, shallots and cherry tomatoes.  Mozzarella pearls melted in amongst those delicious juices and drizzled with a sweet Balsamic glaze.  A scattering of fresh basil is thrown over top.  

This was quite simply fabulous served with some steamed Basmati rice.  If you wanted to you could serve with crusty bread to mop up all of those tasty juices, but you really don't need anything else!

And there you have it, my latest meals of the week. I think you will agree that, once again,  I have fed us very well. (with the exception of that bad burger on Wednesday and the Father's Day Fried Chicken on Sunday.)  

I really hope that you will be inspire to want to cook a few of these recipes for yourself!

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