Meals of the Week, August 23rd to 29th, 2026

 

Hello everyone and welcome to my weekly Meals of the Week post for this past week, which is pretty much the last week of August. It was a week full of family dinners as my brother and sister-in-law were still down for the first few days before returning to Ottawa and then one of their daughters happened to come down for a day to spend with us as well. She was visiting friends in Halifax.  It was so nice to see her and my sister and I were really pleased that she went out of her way to spend time with us. Not many young people these days seem to want to spend time with oldies like us! Family times are the best of times!

One of the main reasons I started doing these meals of the week roundups was because I found myself all of a sudden living on my own and having to cook for just one person. The temptation when you are living on your own can be to eat ready-meals, or frozen meals, from tin cans, or to eat out.  Not exactly healthy food.

Most ready meals, etc. are loaded with fat, sugar and salt.  I did not want that to be me. I enjoy cooking and eating far too much for that to be satisfying to me in any way.

I had to change some of the way I was cooking and eating, of course. I needed to get much more inventive with the way  I cooked and planned my meals.  I downsized a lot of my recipes and now basically my recipes only make one or two servings.  I have found that very easy to do.

I also am a Senior who is living with the budget constraints of having to live on an old age pension. Hence a lot of what I cook is now quite budget friendly as well.

I do not ever want my food to become boring.  I want it to remain exciting. I want the meals that I plan to be something I look forward to every day. I also want them to be fairly healthy.  I am bringing you along on the journey.

I like to think that my meals and menus are varied and interesting, economical and fairly healthy. I hope that by my sharing them I can inspire you to do the same! And without further adieu here are my main meals of the week for the past seven days. I hope you will see something that you will want to cook for yourself and if you do, share it with us!

SUNDAY, August 23rd - Sunday Dinner with the family

On Sunday we all gathered at my sisters for Sunday Dinner. She cooked a simple meal of oven baked chicken, rice and veggies. It was delicious as always.

In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Honey BBQ Roasted Chicken Thighs. These Roasted Honey BBQ Chicken Thighs are the perfect blend of sweet, smoky, and savoury — a simple, family‑friendly dish that turns everyday ingredients into something truly irresistible. Bone‑in, skin‑on thighs roast up beautifully juicy, while a rub of BBQ seasoning, garlic, onion powder, and black pepper builds deep flavour right from the start. A drizzle of olive oil helps everything crisp, and the finishing touch — a glossy coat of warm liquid honey — caramelizes in the oven to create that signature sticky‑sweet BBQ glaze everyone loves.

These go wonderfully with some rice, potatoes or noodles on the side and a salad or vegetables. The last time we made them we enjoyed them with some potato salad and coleslaw. Always delicious!

MONDAY, August 24th - Family Dinner at my sisters

This was my brother and sister-in-laws last night with us and so we gathered at my sister's again.  She made a huge pot of spaghetti sauce and spaghetti along with salad.  There was also bread for anyone who wanted it.

In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Instant Pot Bolognese. This Instant Pot Bolognese is a rich, hearty, deeply flavoured meat sauce that tastes like it’s been simmering all afternoon — yet it comes together in under an hour thanks to the pressure cooker . Made with three kinds of meat — ground beef, spicy Italian sausage, and pancetta — plus onions, celery, carrot, garlic, herbs, red wine, tomatoes, and a splash of cream, it cooks down into a beautifully thick, velvety ragù bursting with authentic Italian warmth. 

Its the kind of sauce that clings lovingly to pasta, feels cozy and indulgent, and delivers all of the slow-simmered flavor you adore with none of the waiting. Of course you can also cook it the traditional way. It will just take longer.

We were sorry to have to say farewell to David and Christine. When you get to our age every goodbye is special because you just don't know when you will see each other again, if ever. I suppose you could say that at any age I guess. 

TUESDAY, August 25th - Curried Pineapple Glazed Ham/Gammon Steaks

This was a dish that I love and something that I had not made for myself in a very long time. In this recipe the steaks are browned and then kept warm while you make the sauce. This sauce is very simple.  You can use fresh pineapple as I have did, or well drained tinned pineapple in juice.  Both work very well.

Tender and juicy hams steaks with a lush sweet and spicy pineapple sauce that goes so deliciously well. I enjoyed this with some steamed rice and fresh garden beans on the side. A mix of green and yellow.  I froze the leftovers to make some pineapple fried rice sometime at a later date. (Just chop up the ham and pineapple sauce and add to your favorite fried rice recipe. Delicious!)

WEDNESDAY, August 26th - Dinner at the Big Scoop with the family

Wednesday nights we always go out together as a family to a local restaurant that our father likes to go to.  This week our niece Alison was visiting with us so she went along for the meal as well. There was Dad, Cindy, Eileen, Hazel, myself and Alison.  We all had a great time. Family times are the best of times.

Dad and Hazel both had the grilled haddock dinner. Cindy had fish & chips, Eileen had the six layer lasagna, Alison had chicken strips with frings and I had the club sandwich with some sweet potato fries.

In it's place I am sharing my recipe for The Ultra Turkey Club Sandwich. This Ultra Turkey Club Sandwich is a tall, generously layered diner‑style classic built with toasted white bread, crisp streaky bacon, shaved deli turkey, juicy ripe tomatoes, shredded romaine, strong cheddar, and plenty of good mayonnaise. Every bite delivers that perfect mix of fresh, salty, creamy, and crunchy, just like the overflowing club sandwiches you’d get at a proper diner — only this one is sized perfectly to share. Simple ingredients, big flavour, and pure comfort in every stacked slice.

I had mine at the restaurant with sweet potato fries, but any kind of fries go well, or even a handful of potato chips and some pickle slices. You can't go wrong! This is a hefty sandwich that is large enough to feed two people and if you add a bowl of soup, it makes the perfect supper.

THURSDAY - August 27th - Extra Creamy Macaroni & Cheese

I just wanted something simple for my supper on Thursday so I made a pan of Extra Creamy Macaroni and Cheese. This is comfort food at it's best! 

This Extra Creamy Macaroni and Cheese is everything comfort food should be — rich, velvety, and irresistibly cheesy, with tender pasta wrapped in a smooth, luscious sauce that clings to every curve. It’s the kind of mac and cheese that feels like a warm hug: simple ingredients, cozy flavours, and that perfect creamy texture that makes you close your eyes for a moment of pure bliss. Whether served as a main dish or alongside something hearty, it’s the kind of recipe you will want to make again and again.

I enjoyed it simply with a mixed salad on the side, and I was stuffed. You could serve this as a main or as a side. It never fails to please.

FRIDAY, August 28th - Salmon Patties with a lemon butter sauce 

Again I chose something simple for my dinner. I have always loved tinned salmon and so I used some to make myself some Salmon Patties.  These Salmon Patties are simple, quick, and wonderfully old‑fashioned, made with pantry staples and tender flaked salmon folded into a light batter of eggs, cream, cornmeal, spring onions, and a touch of seasoning. Fried gently in butter until golden brown, they come out crisp on the edges and soft inside — the kind of cozy, comforting supper that feels like true home cooking at its simplest and tastiest.

I always like to make a simple lemon and butter sauce to serve with them.  On this day I enjoyed them with leftover macaroni and cheese from the day before and another tossed salad, but peas also go very well. I usually serve mac and cheese with these, but anything goes well. Rice, potatoes, noodles. Pick your carb and enjoy!

SATURDAY, August 29th - Roasted Split Turkey Breast for Two

My daughter Eileen came over for her weekend sleepover with me. I wanted to cook us something really special and I had picked up a small turkey breast at the store when I was there on Thursday and cooked it for us as a special supper which we both really enjoyed.

This Roasted Split Turkey Breast is a simple, herb‑buttered, oven‑roasted beauty that delivers tender, juicy meat every time. A generous blend of thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley, and basil is whisked into butter and oil, then rubbed under and over the skin for maximum flavour and crispness . Thanks to the smaller cut and that rich herb coating, the turkey roasts quickly, staying wonderfully moist and perfectly cooked — never dry, always delicious.  It does not take near as long to cook as a conventional full turkey would take. It’s an easy, economical, and deeply satisfying meal for two, with enough leftovers for sandwiches or a small casserole the next day. 

We enjoyed it with some mashed potatoes, stuffing/dressing, gravy, carrots, green beans and then we had strawberry rhubarb pie for dessert.  It was a real feast!

I just love these weekends that I get to spend with my daughter. They are so much fun. We eat good food, we watch good movies and we just enjoy each other's company. They are great! 

And there you have it!  My meals of the week for the past seven days. That's a whole lot of good eating and it was made all the better for having shared most of it with family. I hope that you will be inspired to want to cook a few of the recipes for yourself!

 

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