Our Week in Meals #419

Good morning, and happy Sunday! This week included a fun thriller, winter-like weather, and a soccer tournament. You’ll find all of the highlights from the past few days, along with each of our dinners, in today’s roundup of Our Week in Meals.

For those of you who are new to the blog, Our Week in Meals is where I share a little bit about what we’ve been up to over the past week — as it relates to our dinners each night. This series gives you a glimpse “behind the scenes” at some highlights from our life, shows you how I balance a busy schedule with feeding my family, and offers a few new ideas for your own weekly meal plan.

Now, let’s back up to last weekend…

Sunday started bright and early with a walk at Mollie’s farm with a few of my friends.

Afterwards, the boys and I made our way to the Barnes and Noble in Charlottesville to do some book shopping! Spencer requested gift cards for his birthday the week before, and that money was burning a hole in his pocket. He loved being able to pick out a new stack, including a couple of Smithsonian books, tales of World War II, this novel, and this very cool illustrated timeline (would make a great gift for a kiddo in your life)!

Burritos, burrito bowls, chips, and guac for lunch at Qdoba before heading back to Madison!

We had beef and beer chili for supper,

with Jiffy corn casserole on the side. And an evening of football-watching on TV…

Let’s chat books! My mother-in-law gave me The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden for my birthday a couple of weeks ago, and I flew through this thriller! It’s a quick read, with a surprising twist. I spent the whole novel trying to figure it out, but I definitely did not predict this ending. So fun!

Keith and I took advantage of a gorgeous Monday with a walk up the road once the boys were off to school.

Gibbs played golf with a friend that afternoon, I took Spencer to a follow-up doctor’s appointment for his ear infection (better now!), and Casey had PT for his knees.

A stop at Yoder’s after the doctor’s office for ice cream, a few groceries, and a visit with the animals…

I kept dinner simple: a Dorito chicken casserole with a side of guacamole and a southwest chopped salad kit.

A walk with Ashley on Tuesday morning, followed by a golf lesson and a Zoom meeting…

I took Spencer to soccer practice that evening, and came home to Crock Pot beef stew and yeast rolls for a late dinner.

Wednesday was gray and a little rainy, but Mollie and I managed to get out for a morning walk before the weather turned.

I photographed a couple of recipes that afternoon, ate a bowl of vegetable soup with crusty bread for lunch, and Keith took Spencer to another late soccer practice that night.

We had sheet pan honey glazed salmon with broccoli for supper, which I served with a couple pouches of microwaveable rice. Quick and easy with minimal dishes to wash at the end!

Thursday was one of those days where I felt like I did nothing but drive circles around Central Virginia. Between school drop-offs and pick-ups, a walk with Ashley, errands in Culpeper, the orthodontist for Gibbs, and golf for Casey and Spencer, it was a day spent in the car…

We have a few remaining fall leaves still hanging on the trees, but it’s really starting to look (and feel!) more and more like winter around here…

For dinner that night, I turned to my “weeknight” chicken and dumplings (with frozen dumplings)…

…paired with a skillet of cornbread!

My dad took this photo of the Three Ridges from my parents’ house on Friday morning. Our Blue Ridge Mountains had a dusting of snow!

Ashley and I went to Pilates, and then enjoyed our weekly gingerbread lattes at Raven’s Nest afterwards. The perfect way to end the week…

After Gibbs’ golf lesson, we had “breakfast-for-dinner” that night: 5-ingredient baked pancakes with pancake mix along with fresh berries, yogurt, and maple sausage. To serve my hungry boys, I’ve been preparing a bigger batch of the pancakes using a rimmed baking sheet (instead of a 9 x 13-inch dish). Those instructions are included in the post as well!

And that brings us to the weekend!

While Gibbs and Casey played golf with friends on Saturday, Spencer had a soccer tournament in Northern Virginia. We bundled up and braved the cold wind to cheer on the sidelines. Teddy loves watching the kids play!

Keith and Spencer didn’t get home until late after the last game, so they picked up food on their way. Meanwhile, I let the older boys choose our meal at the house. They voted for fried chicken sandwiches (using these frozen chicken patties), mac and cheese, and a maple bourbon bacon chopped salad kit. Simple!

So there you have it, friends — another week of easy dinners! I hope that you’ve found something new to add to your own table in the days ahead. Thank you for being here, have a wonderful Sunday, and enjoy a very happy Thanksgiving!