Good morning, and happy Sunday! We wrapped up the month of February with spring sports, a fun thriller, and a lunch date. 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…
It was a slower, very rainy Sunday. And as gross as the weather was, we were so relieved that Central Virginia dodged the big snowstorm that hit the northeast. We’re ready for spring!
Keith and Casey returned home from Casey’s soccer tournament in Williamsburg, and we had baked shrimp po’ boys for supper. Plus potato chips and cut-up veggies with dip on the side.
Book time! I recently finished Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston; another great Book of the Month selection! This was a fun, fast-paced mystery-thriller with so many twists and turns — but not too scary or creepy.
In this novel, two women swap identities for one night to dig into the secrets of a powerful husband, only to wake up to his murder and realize that only one of them has a solid alibi. What follows is a twisty game of lies and survival as they try to outsmart each other and uncover the truth before it’s too late.
The boys returned to school on Monday, and I spent the morning running errands — including a stop at Yoder’s for some groceries.
Casey’s high school soccer season started that evening, so he had practice after school every day. Keith was gone for a work event that night, which meant a really simple for me and the kids.
We had the dump-and-bake spaghetti with marinara and veggies (from page 51 in my cookbook), as well as garlic breadsticks on the side.
It was so good to see the sun on Tuesday!
I met Mollie for a walk that morning, and took Spencer to a doctor’s appointment for his broken foot that afternoon.
His orthopedist at UVA Children’s Hospital has a very sweet service dog that she uses to make the kids feel more comfortable. Best of all, we were so relieved to learn that he doesn’t need surgery, and instead will be in a walking boot for a while (not ideal, but the best case scenario given his injury)…
When we were all back home after Casey’s practice, I made moo shu pork for supper, which we paired with tortillas, rice, and frozen egg rolls. Such a delicious and satisfying 30-minute meal!
Ashley and I walked our dogs together on Wednesday morning, and then I came home for a full day of work: updating photos for an old recipe and hopping on a Zoom meeting around lunchtime.
When Casey was home from soccer and Gibbs was back from golf, we had this easy taco soup for supper with a side of quesadillas, chips, salsa, and guac.
Another walk with Ashley on Thursday morning, followed by a day of cooking and photographing recipes.
Casey’s class went to D.C. for a field trip, and he had practice that evening, so we ate a later dinner once everyone was home.
On the menu: creamy Tuscan chicken pasta with a side of steamed green beans and a loaf of crusty bread from the Costco bakery.
Friday!
I had a fun lunch with my aunt at the Blue Ridge Cafe, and then did the evening shuffle between golf and soccer practices.
Supper was about as easy as it gets: our favorite 5-ingredient chicken parm sandwiches paired with crispy seasoned roasted potatoes and a Caesar salad.
And that brings us to the weekend! Casey and I headed up to Fredericksburg on Saturday for more soccer training with one of his other teams.
Keith and Gibbs went to the UVA vs. Johns Hopkins men’s lacrosse game in Charlottesville, and we all rendezvoused that evening for a takeout pizza dinner!
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!
We were spared the brunt of the blizzard in southeastern PA too. Originally calling for 20 inches, my area got 7. Glad your son doesn’t need to have surgery. Have a nice week.
So happy for you, Janine! That’s a much more manageable amount of snow! Hope you have a warm, sunny week ahead!
Good morning, Blair! Very glad to hear Spencer only needs a walking boot and no surgery.
By the end of this coming week, temperatures will be close to 80 degrees and things will start to bloom, nothing as lovely as springtime in Virginia!
Have a wonderful week!
I agree, Ann — we are so looking forward to a colorful, sunny spring. Thanks for your note, and have a great week!
I’m glad Spencer doesn’t need surgery. I can only imagine how relieved he (and you!) must be. I love the picture of the service dog. What a beauty, and such a great idea for a doctor to do that for kids. Labs are the best.
So relieved, Renee! The dog was such a hit with the kids. 🙂
Thanks for reading today. Hope you have a nice Sunday!
Really, pizza once a week. I am sure you could/do make pizza at home and many would appreciate the recipe.
Besides scrimp (which I do not like ) other seafood recipes would be appreciated.
Thanks
Hi, Karen! Yep, definitely pizza once a week more often than not. It’s an easy, affordable option that everyone in our family likes, so it’s an obvious go-to when I need a night off from cooking. If you want to check out my homemade pizza recipes, here are some favorites (there are other options on my site as well if you use the search bar):
– Homemade Pizza Dough
– Veggie Pizza
– Deep Dish Cast Iron Skillet Pizza
– Flatbread Pizza
You can find all of my seafood recipes here (there are plenty of options with salmon, tilapia, clams, cod, crab, scallops, and more): https://www.theseasonedmom.com/category/recipes/dinner/seafood/
Hope that helps, and thanks for reading!
Hi Blair – so glad that Spencer doesn’t need surgery…it’s always such a worry when that word is mentioned for our children…we still have about a foot of snow on the ground and it is -11C here today but it’s sunny and that just gives you such a good feeling…pizza once a week? I think it’s great and the fact that YOU don’t have to make it yourself is fantastic…we know you can make your own but how nice not to be the cook for at least one night!!! I have had a severe flair-up of arthritis in back, hip and inflammation in my replaced knee but blessed that it was just that and no damage or loosening of the implant…so pizza ordered in sounds really good!!! Have a blessed week for you and all the family…thanks for some more recipes for my collection!!!
Thank you for your kindness, Wendy! You’re right — I can (and do) make my own pizza sometimes, but it’s tough to beat the convenience of take-out when I’m short on time and/or energy.
I agree; even when it’s cold out, the sun makes a huge difference in our mood. I’m glad that you’re getting some of that warmth in spite of the snow on the ground.
I hope that your arthritis is feeling a bit better soon. I’m sorry that you’re suffering with that, but glad that your knee is otherwise ok. Hang in there, and have a great week!