A Meals for the Week, July 5th to 11th, 2026

 

Hello everyone and welcome to this, my Meals of the Week for the second, yet first full week of July, 2026.  Every Sunday I like to share with you, my readers, all of the delicious meals that I have enjoyed over the past seven days for my main meals. That's a whole lot of tasty!

I try to eat homemade, wholesome meals as much as possible as well as keeping what I eat within a limited budget. As a Senior, I only have so much money to work with. I also hate waste. I don't like to eat frozen or pre-packaged foods or ready meals. I try to cook as much of my own food as possible.  I do eat at my sister's for a family dinner most Sundays and on Wednesday's we have dinner out with our father at a local eatery. In those cases I have provided a similar recipe that I have cooked in their place.

This was the last week that my daughter was living with me.  She's been living here since January.  She moved into her own apartment on Wednesday, and she is missed. Mind you, she will still be going with me to my sister's on Sundays, dinner out on Wednesday's and then we have plans for sleepover/movie nights on Saturdays, so she will still be here a lot.

This list of meals does not include my breakfasts or lunches. Just my main meals. For breakfast I will usually have yogurt, fruit and granola or a protein shake.  I eat my main meal in the early afternoon most days, unless I am eating out or with others, and will have a light supper/lunch around 5:30 in the afternoon. That will usually be a sandwich, a salad, some fruit or even sometimes a bowl of cereal. I try never to eat after 7 P.M.

I try to keep my meals balanced and healthy, and economical wherever possible as well. I am sure we are all feeling the pinch in our food budgets.  But feeling the pinch doesn't mean that we can't still eat delicious meals or healthy meals. It just takes a bit of planning!

And having said all that, here are my Meals of the Week for the past seven days. I really hope you enjoy seeing what we enjoyed and that you will want to cook at least a few of the recipes yourself!  

 

SUNDAY, July 5th - Birthday dinner for my sister

We had our usual Sunday dinner at my sisters this week.  We were celebrating her birthday a day early. My sister cooked Spare ribs which we enjoyed with mashed potatoes and a vegetable.  We had Coconut Cream Pie for dessert.  

In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Best Oven Barbequed Ribs. These Oven Barbequed Ribs are everything ribs should be — tender, juicy, and falling‑off‑the‑bone delicious. Slow‑roasted with a rich homemade spice rub and finished with a glossy, sticky layer of your favourite BBQ sauce, they come out succulent and deeply flavourful every single time. No boiling, no fuss — just beautifully cooked back ribs that taste like they came straight off the grill. This is also how my sister does them.

A true crowd‑pleaser… and unbelievably easy. You can find my recipe for Coconut Cream Pie here.

MONDAY, July 6th - Healthy Bacon & Egg Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing

We had quite a warm day on Monday. Not too humid yet, thankfully, but it was a salad day and I made us a Healthy Bacon & Egg Salad. This salad is light, fresh, and full of flavor — the perfect balance of wholesome and indulgent. Crisp lettuce, juicy roasted baby plum tomatoes, lean smoked back bacon, and perfectly boiled eggs come together under a bright, creamy lemon‑Parmesan dressing that proves healthy food can still taste wonderfully rich. Simple ingredients, beautiful textures, and a satisfying finish — ideal for a quick lunch or a light summer supper.

We enjoyed this as is, but you could add a baked jacket potato for any hearty eaters in the house, or even some potato salad.

TUESDAY, July 7th - Amish Country Casserole

This was my daughter's last night living at my place. She moved into her apartment on Wednesday. We had a rather busy day getting all of her stuff ready to go.  I made us a simple supper but one that she really loves. 

This Amish Country Casserole is simple, hearty comfort food at its best — tender pasta, savoury ground beef, and a creamy blend of tomato and mushroom soup baked together until bubbling and delicious. It’s the kind of old‑fashioned, no‑fuss dish that fills the kitchen with cozy aromas and delivers big flavour from humble ingredients. Cheap, cheerful, and wonderfully satisfying — a true classic that always hits the spot. 

It is a small batch recipe, but makes four servings.  I put the extra into a container for her to take to her apartment the next day. She could put it into the freezer for later or whatever. We enjoyed this with a tasty tossed salad. Eileen had some bread and butter on the side. She likes bread and butter with pasta.

    WEDNESDAY July 8th - Dinner out with the family

Most Wednesday nights we go out to dinner as a family. Our dad likes to go out and so we go with him. Eileen also joins us now she is on her own. We usually go to the same place each week, a local restaurant that is hit and miss, but it's where dad likes to go. I am slowly working my way through the menu and trying a different thing each week.

This week Eileen had the cheeseburger special, Dad and Cindy had fish and chips, Hazel had the grilled haddock dinner and I had their Cheesesteak Sandwich with Frings and coleslaw. It was actually pretty good. I quite enjoyed it.

In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Cheese & Beef Sandwiches. These Beef & Cheese Sarnies are a hot, hearty, utterly satisfying sandwich — tender slices of rare roast beef tossed with caramelized onions, soft green peppers, garlic, and a splash of Worcestershire and soy for deep savoury flavour. Everything melts together under a generous handful of cheddar and red Leicester, then gets tucked into a buttery, toasted bun spread with garlic mayo. Quick, simple, and unbelievably tasty — a proper comfort‑food sarnie that feels like a treat.

THURSDAY, July 9th - Crispy Chicken with Creamy Garlic Pasta 

My first meal all on my own since my daughter moved in with me in January. I was missing her.  I decided to make myself something simple. This would have been our mother's 94th Birthday so I spent a part of the day up at the cemetery seeing to her gravesite and tidying things up while I thought about how much I loved her and missed her. Grief is the price you pay for love. That is so true.

This Crispy Chicken with Creamy Garlic Pasta is pure comfort — tender, golden breaded chicken served over silky, Parmesan‑rich pasta in a creamy garlic sauce. It’s quick, hearty, and deeply satisfying, the kind of meal that feels indulgent yet comes together in under half an hour. Perfect for busy nights when you still want something that tastes like a treat.

I cut the recipe in half to make only one serving and enjoyed it with some salad on the side.

FRIDAY, July 10th - Croissant Turkey Club Sandwich

I went with my sister to take our father to the mall with his friend Maryann and spent the afternoon shopping so I was quite tired when I got home. Starving as well, as we had left to go at noon. Simple, quick and easy was the order of the day.  I made myself a tasty sandwich.

This Croissant Turkey Club Sandwich is a buttery, crisp‑edged twist on the classic — filled with smoky turkey, crisp bacon, juicy ripe tomatoes, and finely shredded romaine, all tucked into a soft all‑butter croissant spread with creamy mayo. It’s simple, fresh, and incredibly satisfying… the kind of easy supper that feels indulgent without any fuss.  Not hard to do if you keep already cooked bacon in the freezer. 

I didn't have it on a croissant this time, but on a crusty roll and accompanied it with some Stonemill red potato salad that we had gotten at the Cambridge Convenience store. I also had a small taco style salad on the side, but it was too spicy for me to eat. (It was just the veggie one, but the dressing was hot, hot, hot.)

SATURDAY, July 11th - Roast Chicken Dinner

My daughter was coming to spend the afternoon and night with me so I pulled out all the stops and made us a nice roast chicken dinner. I served it with all the trimmings. I was so looking forward to having her here with me, if only for one night. 

This Ballymaloe House Roast Chicken is everything a proper roast should be — tender, juicy meat, golden crisp skin, and a fragrant herb‑laden bread stuffing that fills the whole kitchen with comfort. Simmered stock, fresh thyme, parsley, chives, and buttery onions come together to create a stuffing that’s simple yet deeply flavourful, while the pan juices whisk into a rich, old‑fashioned gravy. It’s a classic, hearty roast that feels both rustic and elegant.

I did not make the stuffing this time as my daughter wanted to try some of the Paxo stuffing mix which I had bought. Very British. We had the roast chicken with the stuffing balls, some boiled new potatoes and fresh green beans. It was delicious! We then settled in for a movie night and some snacks, although not a lot as we were both stuffed! 

And there you have it! My meals of the week for the past seven days.  I think you will agree that I ate very well, and I hope that you will be inspired to want to try at least a few of the recipes I have shared! Can you believe that we are already almost halfway through July?  I know!  Time is just slipping away from us!

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