Our Week in Meals #318

Good morning, and happy Sunday! It was a week of “snow days” (without snow) and lots of holiday baking. All of the highlights, along with each of our dinners, are included 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…

Sunday started with an early walk at Mollie’s farm with three of my friends. It was gray and chilly, but always fun to catch up.

Back home, we had lunch and then headed to the younger boys’ first roller hockey game of the season. They did great with a new sport on wheels — Spencer scored two goals, and Casey had one!

Keith was in the mood for steaks that night, so we had cast iron skillet filet mignon (a treat!),

along with roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon — my fave,

a Caesar salad,

and baked potatoes.

Let’s chat about this week’s books, since I’ve got three really fun reads to share with you! First up, The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani. This is a lovely story of family bonds through generations. It spans World War II to the present, bringing both hardship and sadness, as well as overwhelming beauty and joy. Highly recommend this one! Here’s the quick summary from Amazon:

Matelda, the Cabrelli family’s matriarch, has always been brusque and opinionated. Now, as she faces the end of her life, she is determined to share a long-held secret with her family about her own mother’s great love story: with her childhood friend, Silvio, and with dashing Scottish sea captain John Lawrie McVicars, the father Matelda never knew. . .
 
In the halcyon past, Domenica Cabrelli thrives in the coastal town of Viareggio until her beloved home becomes unsafe when Italy teeters on the brink of World War II. Her journey takes her from the rocky shores of Marseille to the mystical beauty of Scotland to the dangers of wartime Liverpool—where Italian Scots are imprisoned without cause—as Domenica experiences love, loss, and grief while she longs for home. A hundred years later, her daughter, Matelda, and her granddaughter, Anina, face the same big questions about life and their family’s legacy, while Matelda contemplates what is worth fighting for. But Matelda is running out of time, and the two timelines intersect and weave together in unexpected and heartbreaking ways that lead the family to shocking revelations and, ultimately, redemption.

Next, a very different style novel, but an equally fun read: Book Lovers by Emily Henry. I always enjoy this author’s books, and this was one of my favorites. Predictable? Yes. But also light and fun, with characters that you’ll really enjoy.

And finally, The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth. This is a smart, suspenseful thriller by the author of The Good Sister, which I also really liked!

I baked this easy cinnamon coffee cake (with cake mix) for breakfast on Monday morning. All Mondays should include cake! I shared this with the guys who are currently doing construction on our house, knowing it would be a welcome treat on a cold morning.

After a walk, I got to work in the kitchen to test and photograph new recipes for most of the day.

When I talked to my mom on the phone that afternoon, she was rolling my grandmother’s bourbon balls for the holiday cocktail party that she hosted this week. Let this serve as your reminder (and mine) to stir together a batch before the season is up. These are always a festive favorite!

I prepped cheesy Crock Pot chicken soup ahead of time,

along with a skillet of cornbread, so that we could eat an early supper before the boys’ hockey practice that evening.

Tuesday included a walk with my friend Ashley, a Zoom meeting, and work at the computer.

I made breakfast-for-dinner that evening, which is always a kid favorite. This time they requested fluffy buttermilk pancakes, along with maple sausage, this extra-delicious yogurt, and fruit (a combo of strawberries, blueberries, and canned peaches).

A frost-covered ground on Wednesday morning! It’s looking brown, gray, and definitely more like winter around here…

After a walk with Keith, I prepped a batch of soft cut-out sugar cookie dough that morning, so that I could bake them off and then freeze them until I need them next week.

I’ll decorate the cookies the day before I send them into Casey’s science class at school, but at least the hard part is done!

I took Casey to a mid-day orthodontist appointment, got some work done at the computer, and made an easy supper for dinner that night. We had orange salmon, which we paired with rice and steamed broccoli…

…and a pot of okra and tomatoes. I didn’t have any open bacon in the fridge, so I used country ham instead. YUM! Frozen okra and canned diced tomatoes work great here, so you can enjoy the dish year-round.

Thursday was one of the nastiest weather days we’ve had all year! Thanks to freezing rain, the boys had a two-hour school delay, which made them very happy. I spent the morning baking a batch of Williamsburg gingerbread cookies, since it was too nasty to get outside for my walk with Mollie.

Once I dropped the boys off at school, I made a quick stop at Yoder’s for my weekly lunch meat, cheese, buttermilk, baking supplies, eggs, local apples, pecans, and some fruitcake (which I happen to love).

That left me with a very short work afternoon, which included a Zoom meeting and writing new recipes, before it was time to head back out the door to get the kids. Dinner was cozy comfort food on a very wet, chilly evening: chicken spaghetti casserole, along with a side salad and dinner rolls.

The sun was back out on Friday, and it was almost 50 degrees outside, but the kids had a “snow day” off from school thanks to some early morning black ice on the roads.

Since we didn’t have to rush out the door, I baked a loaf of glazed eggnog bread (one of my favorite seasonal treats!)…

…went for a walk to get some fresh air, and then dragged the boys with me on a Target run in Culpeper.

Favorite neighbors!

Gibbs had a golf lesson that evening, and Keith was out with his dad at a basketball game for the night, so the kids and I picked up pizzas for supper on our way home from golf.

And then it was the weekend! Keith and Casey spent most of Saturday about 1 ½ hours away in Fredericksburg for Casey’s soccer. Meanwhile, Spencer came down with strep, so we spent our morning at the doctor’s office getting antibiotics to help him feel better.

I made a Dutch oven pot roast for supper, which we paired with salad and biscuits.

The week ahead includes some last-minute holiday baking for friends and neighbors, with Chex Mix, candied pecans, and bourbon balls on my agenda for today. Another day I will also prep a batch of cinnamon rolls in advance (for Christmas morning), and maybe make a gingerbread loaf or stollen if time allows. I’d love to hear what you’re excited to bake, eat, or share this season, too. Holiday traditions are the best!

I know that Christmas is almost here, and many of us have already finished our holiday shopping…but, if you’ve waited until the last week, I’ve got you covered! One of the ideas in my annual holiday gift guide is sure to be the perfect fit for anyone left on your list. Happy shopping, and have a wonderful week ahead!