Our Week in Meals #226

Good morning, and happy Sunday! It’s been a warm week of sunshine in Virginia, which has us all yearning for blooming spring flowers, fresh produce, and sunsets on the porch. 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…

Sunny blue skies on Sunday morning!

I met three of my girlfriends for a walk at Mollie’s farm, which is always a great way to start the day. With busy school, work and kids’ schedules, it’s one of the few times that we can consistently catch up each week.

That afternoon, the whole family headed to Charlottesville to meet Keith’s parents for a walk and to enjoy ice cream cones on the Downtown Mall.

Gibbs and I both had the Cake Batter ice cream from Kilwin’s, which was perfect!

Among other things, my mother-in-law brought me this vintage Pyrex. She knows how much I love these old treasures — and I’ve heard from many of you who also appreciate the nostalgia of the original dishes! Do you have a favorite pattern? I’m partial to the Amish Butterprint, but it’s fun to see all of the different colors and designs.

Taking advantage of the nice weather, Keith grilled beef tenderloin for dinner that night…

…which I paired with roasted broccoli and baked potatoes.

Spencer returned to school on Monday morning, while the older boys were stuck at home with me for their virtual learning.

Looking forward to the day when we see leaves on these trees and crops growing in the fields again!

It was a quiet day at the house, complete with work, a handful of dog walks, and many loads of laundry.

We had Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas for dinner that evening, along with tortilla chips, guacamole, corn, and refried beans. A fiesta!

Tuesday was a repeat of Monday — school, work, and fresh air when we could squeeze it in.

I finished another great Louise Penny book, too! Glass Houses is book #13 in her Chief Inspector Gamache series, and (as always) it did not disappoint. I just love how her mysteries are page-turners, but not scary. The characters are endearing, her writing is exceptional, and the stories always keep me on the edge of my seat. If you haven’t read one of these mysteries yet, definitely start with the first (Still Life) and read them in order. Trust me — they’re great!

We had Meatball Soup with Cheese Tortellini for an early dinner, along with garlic bread and a Caesar Salad before I jumped on my 6:00 p.m. PTO Zoom meeting. Life in 2021!

All three of the boys were home on Wednesday, so we took care of their school assignments in the morning before my mom came to join us for lunch.

I baked a loaf of no-knead bread and used it to make grilled Italian sandwiches (with provolone, ham, pepperoni and salami).

Later that afternoon we met up with friends for a hike along the river. The kids have been working on building their fort, and we were all happy to take advantage of the 70+ degree weather.

I was in the mood for an Asian stir-fry this week, so I made my mom’s Moo Shu Pork recipe for dinner that night. I’ll share the details on here soon, but in the meantime this “Egg Roll in a Bowl” recipe is quite similar!

The boys went to school on Thursday, and I spent the day at home getting my own work done.

I photographed a couple of old recipes that needed new images, did some writing, and met my friend Ashley for a walk before pick-up. It was almost 80 degrees out there!

Dinner was Oven BBQ Chicken Breast…

…served with Aunt Bee’s Buttermilk Biscuits and a side of green beans.

Then we sat on the porch and watched the boys play in the yard at sunset.

It almost felt like summer — we’re just missing some flowers and green leaves!

Friday was another day to get my own tasks checked off of my list. I ran a couple of short errands in Culpeper, including Easter basket goodies for the kids at Target and Starbucks gift cards for the teachers.

We had Cajun Shrimp Pasta for dinner…

…along with cornbread and salad.

It was a beautiful Saturday morning for a walk, house chores, and some work at the computer.

I baked a batch of our favorite soft and chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, too!

Keith picked up pizzas for dinner, so I had another Saturday night off from dishes (I’ll take it)!

And finally, before I let you go, here’s a little touch of spring on our front door! This is the “Meadow Foliage” wreath that I recently got from Balsam Hill (it’s on sale now). I’m impressed by how realistic the flowers look up close, and I love the bright, happy colors that you can even spot from a distance. Maybe you need a cheerful addition to your home, too?!

Have a great week ahead, friends!