Good morning, and happy Sunday! The first week of July included fireworks, peach picking, and lots of summer desserts. 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.
This Week’s Meals
Now, let’s back up to last weekend…
Sunday started off with an early walk to beat the heat, followed by some gardening and church.
The boys helped Keith with yard work that afternoon, I tested a couple of new recipes, and we watched a lot of soccer on TV (Gold Cup, Women’s National Team, and Club World Cup).
For dinner, Keith grilled a whole chicken…
…and I prepped the sides: sauteed asparagus, crispy seasoned roasted potatoes,
and cornbread muffins.
Book time! This week I read Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams. This is book #3 in the When in Rome series, and I think they’re just perfect for summer. It’s a cute enemies-to-lovers romance about two feuding second grade teachers who find themselves teaming up to help each other. A great easy, breezy beach read!
Monday morning!
My niece, who is the same age as Spencer, sent me this 4-ingredient air fryer Nutella dessert recipe that she recently made and loved. Of course, Spence had to try it (and of course, it was a hit)! Breakfast of champions…hahaha
It was a work day in the kitchen for me, Gibbs played golf, and I took the younger two to the pool for a very brief outing before the thunderstorms rolled in.
Casey and Spencer had pick-up soccer at the high school that evening, so we had one-skillet egg roll in a bowl with a side of rice for an early supper beforehand.
Ashley and I walked our dogs together on Tuesday morning, I made a quick stop at Yoder’s for groceries, and Casey and I joined his friends for peach picking at Chiles Orchard that afternoon.
We also brought home peach cider donuts and enjoyed soft-serve peach ice cream afterwards! Such a fun summer afternoon…
Knowing that we would be gone until dinnertime, I prepped our meal in advance. We had these easy chicken enchiladas (I used leftover grilled cilantro lime chicken that I stashed in the freezer last week)…
…along with tortilla chips, guacamole, and a tomato salad. To give the salad a little bit more Mexican-inspired flavor, I swapped basil for cilantro and used apple cider vinegar instead of balsamic.
I went to a Pilates class on Wednesday morning, Spencer’s friend came over for the afternoon, and I joined Mollie for a walk at her farm later in the day.
Used Mollie’s fresh lemon verbena and mint to flavor a pitcher of sweet tea, too!
Before the boys headed out for youth group, we had this Cajun shrimp and rice recipe for supper.
Plus a loaf of Ashley’s sourdough bread and a side of Mrs. Peachey’s roasted yellow squash.
I got out early on Thursday morning…
Spence joined me in Culpeper for errands after breakfast, Gibbs spent the day at a friend’s house, and then Keith took the older boys to weight training that afternoon.
For a late supper when everyone was back home, I served Kentucky Hot Brown sliders with potato chips and fresh fruit on the side. The boys love any variation of these little baked sandwiches…
Friday was the 4th of July!
I met Ashley for a walk that morning, and spent much of the rest of the day cooking.
We had a classic American cookout that evening, including the best grilled hamburgers,
and a fresh summer peach salad. Keith made peach-lime margaritas, too!
Plus, for dessert these one-bowl brownies and a peach cobbler with Jiffy mix. Clearly, we took full advantage of the peaches that Casey picked earlier in the week!
I also have to share the beautiful holiday cake that Abby (my niece) made in Florida. She’s a future food blogger, and she makes me so proud!!!
We ended the night with friends at the fireworks show at Graves Mountain Lodge. Trucks all lined up and waiting!
And that brings us to the weekend!
Keith and the older boys went to play golf at Wintergreen, so Spence and I spent the afternoon swimming at the lake at my parents’ house.
We stayed for supper, which included Mom’s leftovers from their 4th of July cookout: burgers, baked beans, potato salad, fruit salad, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert!
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, and have a wonderful Sunday!
Good morning, Blair, the picture of Ashley’s cake is very impressive!
Have a great week!
The cake Ashley made is beautiful. She should go on one of those kids baking competition shows. Have a great week!
Thank you! Abby is very talented!!
So grateful, always, for your blog! A Sunday tradition for me. Hugs.
Thank you for reading each week, Rebekah!
Thanks, Ann! Yes, Abby is a special kiddo!
Ashley’s cake looked wonderful, she’s clearly inherited a family knack for baking!
Yes, Abby definitely knows her way around the kitchen. She’s starting early!
We need the recipe, Abby. It looks delicious. Have a great week.
Thank you!! I know — I don’t have the recipe, but maybe she’ll share it with us for next year!
I look forward to your email every week! Thank you for sharing your delicious recipes, glimpses into your family life, as well as beautiful Virginia photography!
Thank you so much, Willow! I appreciate you being here each week!