What to cook this week?
A new week means seven new lunch ideas. In our third Jernej Kitchen weekly meal plan, we’ve once again gathered a varied selection of recipes for every day of the week – from simple one-pot meals and a quick fish lunch to a couple of heartier dishes for the weekend.
Now that we’re well into October, this week’s recipes have a distinctly autumnal feel. On the menu you’ll find beans, cabbage, squash, and comforting dishes that are perfect for cooler days. We start Monday with something a little lighter, keep Friday reserved for fish, and finish the week with two slightly richer weekend meals.
And of course, we haven’t forgotten dessert. This time, we’re sharing two wonderfully homestyle treats – soft jam-filled buns and a quick fruit cake.
We hope this week’s menu once again helps answer the question: What are we cooking today?
Monday: Baked Beans from Scratch
We’re starting the week with a simple dish made with ingredients we often already have in the pantry. Baked beans in tomato sauce are slightly sweet, full of flavor, and very easy to prepare. Serve them as a main dish with toasted bread and a fresh salad, or as a side.
It’s a great choice for Monday when you want something easy, warm, and satisfying.
Recipe for Baked Beans from Scratch
Tuesday: Chicken Stew with Dumplings
On Tuesday, we’re making a comforting one-pot meal. Chicken stew is the kind of homemade dish that warms you up and keeps you satisfied, while still being easy to prepare in just one pot. We like to serve it with soft homemade dumplings and use whatever seasonal vegetables we have on hand.
It’s also perfect for making a larger batch, so you have lunch ready for the next day as well.
Recipe for Chicken Stew with Dumplings
Wednesday: Oven-Baked Kaiserschmarrn
Wednesday will be a little different — and a little sweeter. Oven-baked Kaiserschmarrn is an easy version of the classic shredded pancake, with the oven doing most of the work. The result is wonderfully fluffy, with a golden, lightly caramelized exterior.
Serve it with powdered sugar, homemade jam, applesauce, or fruit compote. It’s a great idea for a quick lunch and one that kids will love too.
Recipe for Oven-Baked Kaiserschmarrn
Thursday: Ground Beef Cabbage Stew
On Thursday, we’re returning to true autumn flavors. Cabbage with ground beef is a hearty one-pot meal that requires very little hands-on preparation, then slowly simmers until everything becomes rich and full of flavor.
Serve it with a spoonful of sour cream and a slice of good bread. Another bonus? It’s one of those dishes that often tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for preparing ahead.
Recipe for Ground Beef Cabbage Stew
Friday: Fried Hake
Friday is reserved for fish again this week. This time, we’re making a classic — homemade breaded hake. It’s golden and crispy on the outside, while staying tender and juicy inside. It’s ready in about 20 minutes, making it a great choice for busy Fridays when you don’t have much time to cook.
Serve it with potato salad, roasted potatoes, or a simple fresh salad.
Saturday: Stuffed Butternut Squash
Saturday is perfect for a slightly more special autumn dish. Roasted squash is filled with chickpeas, tomatoes, and bread, then served with a fragrant Indian lentil daal. It’s a hearty, satisfying dish packed with spices and cozy fall flavors.
It takes a little more time to prepare, which makes the weekend the perfect time for it. It’s also a wonderful meatless main course that feels special enough for a family lunch or when you have guests.
Recipe for Stuffed Butternut Squash
Sunday: Tender Pork Cutlets in Creamy Mustard Sauce
Za nedeljsko kosilo pripravimo mehke in sočne svinjske zrezke v bogati, kremasti smetanovi omaki. Vse pripravimo v eni ponvi, omaka pa je narejena iz šalotke, gorčice, vina, jušne osnove in sladke smetane. Najboljše pri vsem skupaj je, da je jed pripravljena v približno 30 minutah.
Zraven se odlično podajo pire krompir, krompirjevi svaljki, testenine ali pečena zelenjava.
Recipe for Tender Pork Cutlets in Creamy Mustard Sauce
Two desserts to end the week
Since weekends are almost always better with something sweet, we’re sharing two dessert ideas this time. One is a true childhood classic, while the other is a quick and simple cake that can easily be adapted to whatever fruit you have at home.
Buchteln
Fluffy, soft, and generously filled with jam. Buhteljni are one of those desserts that instantly bring back memories of home cooking and childhood. They’re best served slightly warm, when the yeasted dough is soft and the jam in the center is wonderfully sweet.
They’re perfect for a Sunday afternoon with a cup of coffee or tea, and they also make a lovely breakfast the next day.
Simple Everyday Fruit Cake
The second dessert is perfect for days when you’re craving something homemade but don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen. This fruit cake is soft, moist, and fluffy, and it comes together quickly with simple ingredients. Just use whatever fruit is in season or whatever you already have at home.
In autumn, pears, apples, or figs are all great choices. Serve it on its own or with a spoonful of Greek yogurt or sour cream.
Recipe for Simple Everyday Fruit Cake
What to cook this week?
We hope our third weekly meal plan makes planning your lunches a little easier and takes some of the daily guesswork out of deciding what to put on the table. Of course, you can mix and match the recipes between days, cook a larger batch of a dish, or prepare something a day in advance.
This week, we focused mostly on dishes that are perfect for cooler October days — from homemade chicken stew and cabbage with ground beef to roasted squash and creamy pork cutlets.
On Jernej Kitchen, you’ll also find plenty of other ideas for quick lunches, family meals, one-pot dishes, meatless recipes, and desserts, so you can always look back at our previous weekly meal plans for more inspiration.
Next week, we’ll be back with seven new lunch ideas to make the question “What should we cook this week?” a little easier to answer.
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