Good morning, and happy Sunday! This week included a holiday, a good book, storm prep, and cookies. 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…
We went to church on Sunday morning, and then spent the rest of the day in Charlottesville since Spencer and Casey both had indoor soccer games. It snowed most of the afternoon (but nothing really stuck)…
For dinner that night, Keith grilled salmon, which we paired with pesto pasta, a salad, and a loaf of no-knead Dutch oven bread.
Shall we chat books? I recently finished Lisa Jewell’s thriller, Don’t Let Him In, and it was one of the best I’ve read in a long time!
In this novel, three women slowly realize their lives are tangled up with the same charming man, and the deeper they dig, the more unsettling the truth becomes. It’s a tense, twisty story that starts quietly and then pulls you into a dark web of secrets where nothing is quite what it seems.
Keith and the boys had Monday off for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, so we enjoyed a long weekend!
I took Spencer to a dentist appointment to have a couple of stubborn baby teeth pulled (ugh!), and then Casey and I stopped at Yoder’s to pick up a few groceries and some triple chocolate ice cream for the patient!
Keith was in charge of the Texas chili for our football-watching supper. Instead of beef, he used venison that our neighbors shared with us. It was great!
On the side, I made cornbread with cake mix (a personal favorite if you like sweet cornbread) and plenty of toppings like cheese, jalapeno, and cilantro.
Back to work and school on Tuesday!
I met Mollie and Adria for a morning walk, and otherwise had a full day at the computer.
For supper before Gibbs’ driving class, I used some leftover taco meat (thawed from the freezer) to make a 5-ingredient taco casserole.
Plus a side of tortilla chips and guacamole!
And a batch of the absolute best soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies for dessert…
Wednesday was another typical work and school day. Since it was 12 degrees that morning, I decided to wait and walk once it warmed up a little bit. Lots of layers and some sunshine made it tolerable!
Prepped a double batch of the kids’ favorite waffles to have on hand for easy breakfasts…
We had a full evening, complete with basketball practice, behind-the-wheel, and youth group, so we ate an early supper before heading out. On the menu: roast chicken and vegetables paired with a box of Stove Top stuffing.
Thursday started with an early walk with Ashley and Adria, before I returned to the kitchen to work on some new recipes.
Here’s how Teddy prefers to spend a chilly winter day…
I took the boys to get haircuts after school, and then we enjoyed this broccoli Alfredo pasta bake for supper with a side of garlic bread.
I went to Pilates on Friday morning,
and met my mom and my aunt for lunch at Mezzeh in Charlottesville.
Gibbs had golf that afternoon, and we picked up pizzas for supper afterwards. It’s always nice to have a day off from the kitchen!
That brings us to Saturday! Like most of the east coast, Virginia is in the path of a major winter storm. Casey’s outdoor soccer was canceled (thanks to the frigid temps), but Spencer was still able to squeeze in a basketball game that morning.
Keith made a last-minute stop at Yoder’s for a few extra groceries, while I made a big pot of winter vegetable soup (from page 147 in my cookbook) for supper. We ate the soup alongside grilled cheese sandwiches using a loaf of Ashley’s sourdough bread. (Those boys who didn’t want veggie soup got canned tomato soup instead.)
This was the perfect cozy, nourishing meal for a very cold night! Now we hunker down and wait for the snow…
So there you have it, friends — another week of meals! 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, safe, and warm Sunday!
Blair, it’s always a pleasure to read your posts on Sunday morning. I’m currently at home with my husband, who’s been battling cancer for the past 3 1/2 years, & his health has declined since Christmas. He’s now in the care of Hospice. I was blessed to take a leave of absence from my part time job for a month, so I can be at home to take care of him as he wanted. So thankful that even though I was scheduled to be work this weekend, now I don’t have to attempt to drive in this snow. I live in KY, & it’s bitter cold here,with snow. I love reading about your boys & Teddy. Haven’t tried your recipes yet, but I have every one of your posts saved in an email folder on my phone, once I’m ready to try. Hope you have a blessed day.
Leslie, this made my day. I’m so glad to add a little bit of sunshine to an otherwise very difficult period for you. I’m praying for you and your husband. What a gift that you can be home with him during this time. You will be on my mind and in my continued prayers. Stay warm and safe in Kentucky! It’s bitter cold here, too — with lots of ice and snow. ❤️
Sending prayers for you and your husband, Leslie. God bless.
Good morning, Blair! Stay safe and warm! Saw several recipes to add to the potluck/ bring a meal list in future.
I baked brownies and a coffee cake yesterday to have on hand in case we lose power here in RVA!
Hi, Ann! That was smart to prep the brownies and coffee cake. I should have done the same! Stay warm and safe!
We’ve already got a good 6-inches here in Frederick, MD, and like you, will get more.
I was lucky to find baby back ribs this week, so will be making your baby back ribs in the slow cooker recipe today!
I’ve also got some buttermilk to use up, so will probably make your easy, one-bowl chocolate cake recipe as well. It’s the best!
Enjoy the snow!
Sounds like the PERFECT menu, Renee. Stay safe and warm in MD! It’s definitely still coming down hard in VA…
Good Morning, Blair!
With wintery weather heading our way (we’re in Southeastern NC) we decided to make your Slow Cooker Pot Roast recipe for dinner last night. I used regular cream of mushroom soup and Lipton Beefy Onion soup mix because that’s what I had on hand but it still came out great; it’s savory, beefy and comforting! I’m sure the leftovers will be delicious tonight!
And poor Spencer, ugh. I had to have a couple of baby teeth extracted when I first got braces as a 7th grader; that was many years ago but I don’t remember it being very fun!
Stay warm and safe and thanks for another great recipe!
Kim
Great minds think alike, Kim! We are having the slow cooker pot roast this evening. 🙂 Hope you stay warm!!
Thanks Blair! Surprisingly we missed most of the snow and ice down here on the coast but our thoughts are with all of our neighbors to the west and north! Thankfully there’s golf, NFL football playoffs on TV, and good food to get us through. Y’all enjoy your pot roast tonight, too!
So glad to hear that you weren’t hit too hard! We loved the pot roast…and finished the entire roast. 🙂
Well, I had to circle back to this comment thread when I saw the weather forecast today. So I’m busy getting my grocery and storm prep list together before I head to my local Food Lion (along with everyone else in town) ahead of the impending winter storm heading south this weekend. Needless to say, there will be lots of comfort food on the menu in our near term future for sure!
We hope you enjoy, Kim, and stay warm and safe!
Praying for you and your husband, Leslie
Hi, Blair! From below zero Nebraska, we’re sending prayers that everyone is safe, sheltered, and warm during this widespread winter storm!! Always enjoy reading about your family’s activities each Sunday morning, along with your wonderful recipes. I was delighted to see your review of Lisa Jewell’s latest thriller. She is a favorite of mine and this one is her very best so far, one that keeps you guessing. Take care this week!
Thank you, Stephanie! I agree — that book was definitely her best yet. So glad that you enjoyed it as well. Stay warm and safe out there!
Hi Blair, wondering if your cornbread with cake mix recipe can be divided in half and baked in an 8 or 9 in pan? Guessing that will work and wondering about how long to bake that. Love your Sunday weekly dinner ideas email, always look forward to reading it. Those boys of yours are growing up fast and such beautiful scenery in your part of the country! Thanks for sharing your family activities, pictures, and delicious recipes with us! Stay warm and safe!
Hi, Sally! Yes, that will definitely work. You’ll obviously need to cut all of the ingredients in half, so you’ll need to weigh out half of the box of cake mix. The rest of the ingredients should be very easy to cut in half. It will work in either the 8 or 9 inch pan. Just reduce the total baking time (probably by about 5-10 minutes). Hope you enjoy!
Hello Blair, Here in southwest PA we got about 10 inches of snow and extreme cold is on its way. A big pot of delicious chicken noodle soup hit the spot. Thanks for all the delicious recipes. I agree with Teddy! Stay warm. Praying for you and your husband, Leslie.
Hi, Jill! Sounds like you have a lot of snow that’s not going anywhere any time soon. We got more ice than snow, but the same arctic temps will have it hanging around all week. Glad you’re staying warm with soup! Hope you have a great week!