Our Week in Meals #225

Good morning, and happy Sunday! It was another routine week around here — complete with school, spring-like weather, and plenty of good eats. All of the highlights from the past few days, along with our easy dinners, are included in today’s roundup of Our Week in Meals.

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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 poured rain all of Sunday morning, so Keith and the boys stayed busy with intense card games (this is the current favorite), while I baked a batch of Blueberry Muffins.

When the rain let up after lunch, I headed over to a friend’s farm for a walk outside.

Gibbs requested Steak Fajitas that evening, so Keith grilled the meat while I prepped the veggies inside.

We paired the fajitas with tortilla chips, guacamole, salsa and refried beans.

It was another rainy morning on Monday, but Spence returned to school, the older boys stayed home to work on their virtual assignments, and I baked a loaf of No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread to have with dinner that night.

Fortunately, we were able to get outside for some fresh air and a walk with friends later that afternoon when the weather improved.

Dinner was perfect for a damp, chilly day: 30-Minute Tomato Basil Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches! I used the homemade bread that I baked earlier in the day to make the sandwiches, so they tasted even better than average.😊

The sun was back out on Tuesday, but the rest of our day was a repeat from the day before.

We filled our time with school, dog walks, and house chores — not too exciting!

I made another kid-friendly meal for dinner that night: Fried Chicken Tenders!

Plus Baked Potato Wedges and Roasted Broccoli on the side…

All three boys are home with me on Wednesdays, so we were very fortunate to have another beautiful day.

Once they finished their school work, we headed out for a hike with friends along the river.

They built a fort and enjoyed the 60+ degree temps!

I made Sloppy Joes for dinner that night, which I served with carrot sticks, spinach dip, and potato chips. Quick, easy, and always a hit!

This Country Sampler magazine came in the mail that day, too! My Layered Cornbread Salad was published on page 94 (which was fun to see), but the issue is also just really great to look through. Definitely pick up a copy on newsstands if you can find it!

The boys returned to school on Thursday, so I had the day at home to myself. I took the dog for a walk, photographed a new recipe, and had a meeting with our architect for an upcoming renovation project. So productive!

I realized that it had been ages since I had served “breakfast for dinner,” so fluffy buttermilk pancakes were on the menu that night!

We paired the pancakes with candied bacon and fresh berries for a nice change of pace. The kids requested that I make this a weekly occurrence!

I finished another great book, as well! I’ve read many, many of Kristin Hannah’s novels, so of course I was excited to get my hands on her latest: The Four Winds. It’s “a rich, sweeping novel that stunningly brings to life the Great Depression and the people who lived through it―the harsh realities that divided us as a nation and the enduring battle between the haves and the have-nots. A testament to hope, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to survive adversity, The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.”

Wow, all I can say is that this novel is completely consuming! I found it to be incredibly depressing (not surprising, since it takes place during The Great Depression), but also powerful and moving. I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as some of Hannah’s other work, but it was definitely worth reading!

I took advantage of another kid-free day on Friday and met my girlfriends for a morning walk. Best way to start the day!

We had Salmon Pasta with Garlic Cream Sauce for supper that night (a quick 20-minute meal!),

along with Garlic Bread and salad.

Saturday was a perfect day for a family hike.

Followed by takeout pizza for dinner!

And that’s it for this week, friends! Thank you so much for joining me here today. I hope you’ve found a handful of new recipes to try in your own kitchen in the days ahead. Have a wonderful Sunday!