Ribs were on my mind—and everything else followed. I honestly can’t say if I’ve done this exact combo before, but it didn’t matter. The craving was real, the menu felt right, and the meal came together effortlessly. I almost—almost—enjoyed the process of making it.
Table of Contents
Guests in the House
Before I dive into lunch, let me set the scene. My husband’s niece and her two children (ages 7 and 13) are visiting from Trinidad for three weeks. They’re only staying with us for a few days before heading back to the city with my husband on Tuesday, so I’ve been racking my brain for kid-friendly meals.
It’s been a little hit or miss. Saturday morning started off with blueberry pancakes. One child loved them. The other, not a fan of blueberries. I had made a few plain ones, but my husband unknowingly devoured those before the challenge even began.
Lunch was dhal soup with dumplings—one of my go-tos when kids are involved—and they both seemed to enjoy it. Later that evening, I pulled off a surprise hit: crispy fried chicken tenders and homemade tortillas. That combo was a win. I’ll definitely be sharing that recipe soon (you might even see it before this post goes live!).
A Simple Sunday Menu
Sunday morning started early. After a quick breakfast of fried eggs with tomatoes for the guests (though no one really wanted eggs or croissants today), I pivoted quickly to lunch prep.
- Boiled the rice
- Set potatoes to boil
- Chopped the veggies for the fried rice
- Realized I hadn’t put the ribs in the oven—got those in by 11:00 a.m.
- Seasoned the shrimp for pepper shrimp
- Strained and chopped the potatoes
- Fried the rice, then cooked the shrimp in the same pot
- Assembled my creamy, easy potato salad
- Tossed together a fresh salad
- Finished the ribs under the broiler right before 1:30 p.m.
And just like that, we were ready to eat.
The Winning Combo
The meal turned out even better than I imagined. My niece took one bite of the ribs and declared, “These are the best ribs I’ve ever eaten.”
I completely agreed. The flavors just worked:
- The simplicity of the fried rice
- The creaminess of the potato salad
- The sticky-sweet tenderness of the BBQ ribs
- The spicy edge of the pepper shrimp
- And yes, the nostalgic comfort of boiled plantains—a childhood favorite that always brings me home.
After the Meal
After lunch, I did a quick cleanup, spent a few quiet moments on the hammock, had a lovely phone call with my sister, then ended the afternoon with a long, hot shower and a comforting cup of chai. No gardening today. Later in the evening, everyone went out to see the new Superman movie while I stayed back, sat at my desk, and wrote this post.
Another Sunday lunch—simple, satisfying, and soul-filling—checked off the list.
What Was on the Menu
- Oven BBQ Ribs – Sweet, sticky, tender. Recipe here
- Fried Rice – Flavorful and kid-friendly. Recipe here
- Pepper Shrimp – Spicy and saucy. (Recipe coming soon)
- Creamy Potato Salad – Light, fresh, and incredibly easy. (Recipe coming soon)
- Boiled Plantains – Soft and nostalgic. (Recipe coming soon). See Fried Plantain recipe here.
- Mixed Green Salad – For balance and crunch.
- Chai – See recipe here.
What’s Coming
- Fried Chicken Tenders with Homemade Tortillas (Posting soon – don’t miss it!)
- Creamy Potato Salad–in the interim, check out this potato salad recipe.
- Pepper Shrimp
- Boiled Plantain
All coming soon! Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter so you don’t miss a recipe.
Reflections from the Weekend
If there’s anything I’ve learned this weekend, it’s this:
You have to adjust your meals to your guests. Not everyone will love everything, and that’s okay. What matters most is that you try—and I truly did. In the end, that’s good enough.
Did You Love This Menu – Leave a Rating and Comment
If you enjoyed this Sunday’s lunch or tried any of the recipes I linked or mentioned, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the respective recipe card and share a comment below the post. Your feedback encourages me to keep sharing my favorite meals, week after week. For this specific Sunday lunch, you can also watch the video(most likely reel only since I could not film with a full house) on my YouTube channel—don’t forget to subscribe while you are there!
Questions or Concerns—Write Me!
If you have any questions or suggestions about this meal or any of the recipes I mentioned, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below or reach out via email at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you and am here to help make your cooking experience as enjoyable and successful as possible.
More Sunday Lunches to Explore
If you enjoyed this week’s menu, take a look back at the last few Sundays for more inspiration:
- Week 28 – OUTDOOR TRINIDAD BEEF ROTI WITH MANGO TALKARI, DHALPURI & SALADi
- Week 29 – SIMPLE COMFORT FOR ONE – BOILED TOMATO CHOKA, FRIED BAKE & BOILED EGG
- Week 30 – STEWED LAMB, STEWED BEANS & CURRY DUCK
And don’t forget to explore the full series here:
👉 52 Weeks of Sunday Lunches – Main Page
Keep in Touch:
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📸 Instagram: @cookingwithria
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#SundayLunch #BBQRibs #PotatoSalad #PepperShrimp #TrinidadFood #CookingWithRia
