Meals of the Week, October 11th to 17th, 2026

 

Here I am again, another Sunday, another Meals of the Week post. On Sundays I like to share with you, my readers, all of the main meals and menus that my daughter and I have enjoyed over the past week. It is good for me to review what I have eaten and it helps me to plan for the week ahead so that I don't have any repeats.

When I was growing up my mother cooked the same things every week, week in and week out. You knew what day of the week it was according to whatever we were having for supper!  To be honest it was rather boring.

Mom could have made her way through the grocery store blind folded. She bought the same things every week in the same quantity. Everything was planned exactly. There no room for error and there was no waste.

As a child I longed for much more exciting meals. Mom's meals were good, but as I said, rather boring to the budding gourmand that I was!

I think when I person lives on their own, without anyone else to please, there could be a tendency to eat the same things week in and week out, or to eat out of packets.  I am determined that will not happen to me.  And so I plan. 

I try to prepare and cook different things all the time. There is no way you could figure out what day of the week it was from what I am cooking. I think that is a good thing. At least it is for me!

I have had my daughter staying here while she recovers from her operation, so it's been nice to also spoil her with  some of her favourites.

I also like to take you along for the ride.  I hope that you will be inspired to want to cook along and vary your meals as well!  So here we go!  There was nothing boring here.

 

SUNDAY, October 11th - Thanksgiving Dinner

We should have had our Thanksgiving Dinner over at my Sister's on Sunday. Alas, Eileen wasn't up for walking and going up stairs, etc. Very understandable seeing what she has been through. We are taking major surgery here. My sister, kind person that she is, packed everything up and brought us a dinner, along with enough leftovers for the next day.

There was Roast Chicken,  mashed potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, my mom's potato dressing, carrots,  homemade gravy and homemade cranberry sauce. I cooked a swede here at home for us to enjoy and Eileen had her favorite mint jelly, a habit she picked up from her ex husband's family.

And then for dessert we had blueberry crumble pie and ice cream. I had picked up the pie at Pelton's the day before and taken it to my sister's for the big feast.

We were able to enjoy a lovely meal here at home. All I had to do was to warm everything up. We were both very grateful for my sister's kindness.  We had a lot to be thankful for this year.  Eileen's being told she was cancer free.  Her getting through the operation safely.  Healing. Family. Home. Faith. The whole shebang.

MONDAY, October 12 - Hot Chicken Sandwich 

We had enough leftover chicken  and gravy to make hot chicken sandwiches for our tea on Monday. Tender slices of roast chicken between two slices of white bread and slathered in gravy.  So good. A real favorite for us, although we shared one between the two of us as we neither one of us could eat a whole one. I also warmed up any leftover vegetables for us to enjoy along side of the sandwiches.

There was stuffing left, a bit of potato, and some carrots and swede.  We were completely satiated and grateful. Since we had split a piece of the blueberry pie the day before, we had another piece to split on the day as well, although to be honest, we were both really stuffed.

TUESDAY, October 13th - Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Believe it or not we still had a bit of chicken left and I used it to make us a small batch of this Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup. There is nothing out of the ordinary required, just some stock, carrots, carrots, celery, pasta or noodles and chunks of leftover chicken. Very simple and very delicious.

We enjoyed this with a grilled cheese sandwich for Eileen and some crackers for me. It was a simple, yet hearty supper for us both.

WEDNESDAY, October 14th - Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

Usually on Wednesday nights we go out to supper with my sister, father and his friend Hazel. Eileen is still not up to going out so we had a taco night at home.  Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos. Everything, Beef, spices, onions, garlic, lime juice, adobe paste and stock get put into a slow cooker and cooked long and slow until the beef is melt in the mouth tender. Ready to shred and pile into warm soft tortillas.

We enjoyed these with soft charred flour tortillas, and our favourite taco toppings. Shredded lettuce, olives, salsa, tomatoes, cheese and sour cream. A delicious party in the mouth.

THURSDAY, October 15th - Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs

On Thursday we had homemade Teriyaki Meatballs. These Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs are tender, juicy, and coated in a sweet and savoury homemade teriyaki glaze that is simply irresistible. Easy to make and packed with flavour, they're perfect served over rice with your favourite vegetables for a quick weeknight supper that  tastes like takeout, only better.

On this occasion we enjoyed them with some veggies and fried rice, homemade.  They are tender and delicious. You can also make them with beef, chicken or pork if you would rather. They are quite adaptable. 

FRIDAY, October 16th - Pork Chops with Cream Gravy

 I took a couple of pork chops out of the freezer on Friday and had cooked us  Pork Chops with Cream gravy for our supper. I also made us some fluffy mashed potatoes to enjoy with them. I am trying to tempt Eileen's appetite as she has been a bit off her food.

I love this pork chop recipe. It always tastes so good. The chops are tender and juicy and that gravy is delicious.  We enjoyed with a nice tossed salad on the side. It made for a delicious, yet simple supper that we both enjoyed very much.

SATURDAY, October 17th - Burger Suppers

I decided to treat us to a burger supper from DeeDee's Diner on Saturday. A reward for Eileen having endured another week and because we were craving burgers and DeeDee's makes really great burgers.  Eileen likes the Mushroom Melt Burger and I go for the Classic. Both come with Chips and are really reasonably priced. I also got Eileen a milkshake, vanilla. We both enjoyed our meals very much.

In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Onion Pan Burgers. These are everything a great homemade burger should be — juicy, flavorful, and irresistibly messy in the best possible way. Inspired by a diner‑style technique, the onions aren’t just a topping… they’re cooked right into the burger, infusing every bite with sweet, savory goodness.

You start with simple, well‑seasoned ground steak mixed with a touch of garlic, shaped into hearty patties and seared in a hot skillet. Then comes the magic: a mountain of sliced onions goes straight on top of the burgers, softening and caramelizing as they steam into the meat itself . When you flip the patties, the onions stay underneath, turning golden and delicious while the burgers finish cooking.

A slice of melty burger cheese goes on top, and the buns get a clever diner trick of their own — the tops steam over the cheese while the bottoms warm right on the onions, soaking up all that incredible flavor. These are quite simply fabulous. Everyone always loves them. They go great with potato chips, oven chips or even just a salad on the side.

And there you have it,  these were my Meals of the Week for the past week. I think we ate pretty well. What do you think? None of it was very complicated at all, and except for the burgers out everything was homemade within budget! I do hope that you will be inspired to cook some of these tasty meals for yourself and your loved ones!

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