Sunday Lunch Week 46: Fried Ribs, Fried Rice, Jerk Turkey, Corn Casserole & Pepper Shrimp

Estimated reading time: 27 minutes

This Week’s Story & How the Menu Came Together

Some Sunday lunches arrive softly, almost choosing themselves. But Week 46 came from a different place — a blend of necessity, Thanksgiving prep, unfinished recipe work, and that spark of creativity that lights up my kitchen every time multiple pots are going at once.

After sliding the turkey into the oven — part of the huge batch I seasoned the day before for Thanksgiving — I turned my attention to the fried ribs. Those, too, had been seasoned ahead of time, resting and marinating, full of promise. But before they could earn their place on the holiday table, they needed a proper test run. I wanted to photograph them, scale the recipe down for the blog, and make sure every detail worked exactly as I imagined. So I held back a few pieces from the Thanksgiving batch and decided they would become the foundation of this week’s Sunday lunch.

Then came the question: What goes well with fried ribs?
My spirit wanted something simple and comforting, nothing overloaded. A fried rice felt like the perfect balance. My husband steamed the rice that morning, and he nailed the texture — firm, grainy, each grain separate and fluffy, the way my sister loves it. One forkful and I thought, This could easily compete with the Thanksgiving sides.

And so began the debate in my mind for days:
Should I add this fried rice to the holiday menu?
Or the Uzbek inspired chickpeas pilaf that was a hit TG last year and the 4th July menu?
Maybe the holiday carrot rice that graced the Thanksgiving table for many years?
Or Mummy’s beloved rice and beans that everyone devoured last year?

A few days before Thanksgiving, Mummy settled it without knowing she did. She insisted on making her rice and beans, just like last year — a recipe already on the blog, though she somehow adds her own subtle twists every season. I still need to write down this year’s version.

If you’ve noticed recipes appearing quickly now, it’s because I’m trying to close the gap — to catch up on months of Sunday lunches without their recipes ready to support them. I never want you to read these posts, feel inspired, and then find nothing to guide your own cooking. So I’m pushing hard before Christmas arrives to get everything in place.

With ribs and fried rice decided, I added Pepper Shrimp to the menu — another recipe that needed final testing and fresh photos. I had already seasoned shrimp for Thanksgiving, so pulling a portion for this meal was easy. Pepper shrimp is always a hit in my home — bold, saucy, fiery, wonderfully addictive.

And then came the Corn Casserole, which I also needed to test and photograph. Moist, tender, sweet-savory, and comforting — though I’ll hold the final recipe until I complete testing with sour cream instead of buttermilk.

All of this unfolded while the jerk turkey breast roasted in the oven so I could refresh its blog photos. The kitchen was busy — sizzling oil, bubbling pots, the oven humming in the background — but it felt familiar, warm, alive.

I packed my daughter’s meals for the week, and later she told me it felt as though she had already enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner. To me, that was the sweetest review of all.

The ribs were heavenly, the fried rice perfect, the corn casserole moorish, and the pepper shrimp — well, the pepper shrimp was the pepper shrimp: my best version yet. When I saw my husband quietly clean his plate, I knew this menu was special.

Whether I continue this series next year is still undecided. Cooking weekly is one thing… but cooking, filming, photographing, plating, editing, washing endless dishes — fifty-two times — is quite another. And not once this year has anyone commented on these Sunday Lunch posts. I’m not discouraged — just honest. It would have been comforting to know someone was following along.

One day perhaps, when I am more established, more eyes will find these stories and meals. Until then… if you’re out there, I’d truly love to hear from you.

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This Week’s Menu & Recipes

• Fried Ribs — recipe test + Thanksgiving development –coming soon
• Simple Fried Rice — minimal ingredients, perfect texture
• Pepper Shrimp — recipe coming soon
• Corn Casserole — variation testing in progress

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Why This Menu Worked

This menu embodied:

• A balance of crisp, tender, creamy, and saucy
• Dishes that multitasked as recipe tests
• Quick cooking elements that paired naturally
• A warm, pre-holiday energy without being overwhelming

It felt festive and comforting at the same time.

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Behind the Scenes: The Prep

• Held back ribs from Thanksgiving batch to test for the blog
• Scaled rib recipe down for photographing and posting
• Husband steamed the rice — perfect texture
• Seasoned shrimp earlier for Thanksgiving and used part for this lunch
• Tested corn casserole variation #1
• Roasted jerk turkey breast simultaneously for photo updates

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My Favorite Bite of the Day

The fried rice stopped me mid-bite — firm, fluffy, perfectly seasoned.
But the fried ribs with that glossy sauce? Pure joy.

Could not stop snacking on the corn casserole way after lunch.
And the pepper shrimp, as always, stole the show.

The jerk turkey always a winner- I eat that once per month, as part of my regular diet. 🙂
A plate full of comfort and celebration.

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Would I Make This Menu Again?

Without hesitation — yes.
It was warm, balanced, satisfying, and memorable.
A combination I’ll return to long after this series ends.

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Sunday Lunch Reflections

This weekly practice has taught me more about dedication than I ever expected — the rhythm of cooking, writing, filming, editing, and showing up. Some weeks felt effortless; others felt like a mountain. But I’m grateful for every meal that found its way to this table.

And if you’re truly reading this — please leave a comment.
It would mean more than you know.

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More Sunday Lunches to Explore

If you’re new to my 52 Weeks of Sunday Lunch series, welcome. Each Sunday, I cook a completely different meal — no repeats for the entire year — and document the menu, the story behind it, and the rhythm of real Caribbean home cooking. It’s my way of preserving tradition, embracing creativity, and showing that Sunday lunch can be varied, comforting, spontaneous, or even shaped by whatever life throws our way.

Here are more Sunday Lunches you might enjoy exploring:

🌿 52 Weeks of Sunday Lunch (Full Index)

See every menu, story, and reflection in the series — from Week 1 straight through to the latest post:
👉 View the full 52 Weeks of Sunday Lunch series →

✨ Recent Sunday Lunches

• Sunday Lunch Week 45: Stewed Chicken with Red Beans, Coleslaw, Boiled Plantain & Rice
• Sunday Lunch Week 44: Mexican Steak Bowls
• Sunday Lunch Week 43: Jamaican Stew Peas and Steamed Cabbage
• Sunday Lunch Week 42: Preparing for Diwali — Our Feast & Traditions
• Sunday Lunch Week 41: Curry Channa and Aloo with Baigan and Curry Bodi
• Sunday Lunch Week 40: Curry Short Ribs with Zucchini
• Sunday Lunch Week 39: The Ultimate Corn Soup with Pigtails

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