Our Week in Meals #232

Good morning, and happy Sunday! We got back into the routine of spring sports this week (hooray!), but it definitely made family dinners more challenging. Anyone else eating supper at 4:30 p.m.?!😂 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…

Sunday started with an early walk with three of my girlfriends at Mollie’s farm.

Back home, I got some work done and fed everyone lunch before we headed out for a family walk that afternoon.

We had marinated grilled shrimp for dinner,

along with sauteed zucchini and rice pilaf.

Like the rest of us, Teddy wasn’t interested in going anywhere on a cool, rainy Monday morning!

Spencer went to school, while the older two boys stayed home with me to work on their virtual assignments.

Once the rain stopped, we did manage to sneak out for a walk with friends and a stop at Yoder’s Country Market for staples like buttermilk and cheese.

Team sports started again for the first time in over a year, so we will be spending most nights at the soccer fields for the foreseeable future. Gibbs and Casey had their first practice on Monday evening, so we ate a very early supper: Pecan-Crusted Chicken…

with cornbread and green beans.

He was just happy to spend the evening catching tadpoles!

We were blessed with a gorgeous 75-degree day on Tuesday, so in between school work and orthodontist appointments, we got outside as much as possible.

It was taco night in our house, which the boys always love. We had the tacos with a side of chips, salsa, guacamole and corn.

The kids were all home on Wednesday, so our morning involved class Zoom calls and online work.

Among other things, I managed to spend a little over an hour cleaning out my closet and swapping out my wool sweaters and turtlenecks for shorts and tees. I dread the process each season, but I always feel so accomplished when it’s done.

Spencer had his first soccer practice that evening, so I served BBQ pulled pork sandwiches for an early supper…

…along with vinegar coleslaw and potato chips on the side.

Thursday was my day to get work done while the kids were back at school.

I walked over to the farm across the street to pick up our eggs for the week, and noticed that a couple of the chickens were in their coop. They’re normally free-range, but apparently were recovering from a fox attack the day before. The resident dog chased away the fox, so only one chicken was lost.

We took advantage of the fresh eggs and made “breakfast for dinner.” I had ham and cheese in the fridge, plus chives outside, so I made my Baked Ham and Cheese Omelet for a quick early supper before another soccer practice. We had our eggs with English muffins and fresh fruit, while the boys had pancakes (pulled from the freezer) because they’re not big fans of eggs.

Friday started nice and early when Keith got a tree delivery at 6:45 a.m.! Every couple of years he chops these big logs into firewood, lets the firewood season for a few more years, and then eventually burns it. Believe it or not, he thinks this is fun!

The rest of my day was a busy one spent out of the house while the kids were at school. I met my friends for a walk, took Teddy to the groomer, made a quick stop in Target, picked up a grocery order, and joined my parents for lunch in Charlottesville.

We ate at Burton’s Grill and my Maple Chicken Sandwich with sweet potato fries was dee-lish! It had grilled chicken, applewood smoked bacon, caramelized onions, cranberry sauce, mixed greens, and maple dijonnaise on griddled ciabatta.

I served Penne alla Vodka for dinner, along with Caesar salad and garlic bread. A great 30-minute meal!

I made it to the garden center on Saturday before the rain arrived. It’s time for planting! I was a little overwhelmed, so I’ll have to go back for the front porch flowers another day…

I almost forgot to mention the book that I read this week: The Gilded Years by Karin Tanabe. This was one that my mother-in-law gave me, and I really enjoyed it. It’s based on the true story of the first African-American woman to ever go to Vassar College. The catch? No one knew she was African-American.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of the Gilded Age, an era when old money traditions collided with modern ideas, Tanabe has written an unputdownable and emotionally compelling story of hope, sacrifice, and betrayal—and a gripping account of how one woman dared to risk everything for the chance at a better life. This book reminded me of The Vanishing Half, which I read last year and liked. I think I appreciated this story even more, since I knew that it was based on a real woman. Definitely worth the read!

In spite of the weather, Keith grilled hamburgers for dinner that night. We paired the burgers with French fries and salad — one of the kids’ favorite meals.

And that’s it for now, friends! I hope you’ve found a few new recipes to add to your own table in the days ahead. Thanks for joining me here today!