Our Week in Meals #325

Good morning, and happy Sunday! This week we had our first “snow day,” whipped up some cozy baked goods, and finished a couple of new books. 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…

I squeezed in a walk at Mollie’s farm on Sunday morning before the rain started.

It was damp and nasty out, but that didn’t stop the kids’ activities in the afternoon! I took Gibbs to play golf, while Keith and the younger two boys headed to Charlottesville for outdoor soccer (in the rain).

Chili seemed like an appropriate supper for a cold, football-watching evening, so I made my Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Chili,

which we paired with cornbread muffins, celery and carrot sticks, and ranch dip. This would be a great meal for your upcoming Super Bowl party!

Let’s chat about this week’s books! One of my recent favorites was One by One by Ruth Ware — an exciting, creepy thriller that’s perfect for the snowy winter months. Here’s the quick summary from Amazon:

Getting snowed in at a luxurious, rustic ski chalet high in the French Alps doesn’t sound like the worst problem in the world. Especially when there’s a breathtaking vista, a full-service chef and housekeeper, a cozy fire to keep you warm, and others to keep you company. Unless that company happens to be eight coworkers…each with something to gain, something to lose, and something to hide.

When the cofounder of Snoop, a trendy London-based tech start-up, organizes a weeklong trip for the team in the French Alps, it starts out as a corporate retreat like any other: presentations and strategy sessions broken up by mandatory bonding on the slopes. But as soon as one shareholder upends the agenda by pushing a lucrative but contentious buyout offer, tensions simmer and loyalties are tested. The storm brewing inside the chalet is no match for the one outside, however, and a devastating avalanche leaves the group cut off from all access to the outside world. Even worse, one Snooper hadn’t made it back from the slopes when the avalanche hit.

As each hour passes without any sign of rescue, panic mounts, the chalet grows colder, and the group dwindles further…one by one.

The other book that I wanted to tell you about this week is Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister. This is a very unique mystery involving time travel, love, and the lengths that a mother will go to save her son. Definitely recommend!

We were blessed with a beautiful 60-degree day on Monday before the colder, wintery weather rolled in later in the week. Keith and I took full advantage and started our morning with a long walk once the boys were off to school.

The rest of the day included work at the computer, a grocery pickup, and an early supper before hockey practice that evening.

I reheated leftover pork ragu from the freezer, and served it over pappardelle pasta.

Plus a side of garlic bread and a Caesar salad!

Tuesday was a cold and rainy. I spent the bulk of my time in the kitchen testing new recipes, and then jumped on a Zoom meeting that afternoon before picking up the kids from school.

I had planned to make fried catfish for supper, but the store didn’t have any catfish in stock…so we had oven-fried chicken breast instead. Plus rice and steamed broccoli on the side. Quick and easy!

We got our first (very light) dusting of snow on Wednesday morning, so the boys were thrilled to have a 2-hour school delay. Needless to say, these little flakes melted quickly as soon as the sun came out!

Once everyone was out the door, Mollie joined me for a walk before lunch. I also baked a batch of these easy one-bowl banana chocolate chip muffins to take advantage of some overripe fruit on the counter.

We had Mexican lasagna for supper that evening…

…along with guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, and tortilla chips.

Thursday was a quiet work day at the house, with a break for a walk squeezed in there.

I put dinner in the slow cooker mid-day so that we could eat an early supper before Casey’s indoor soccer practice that night. On the menu: this Crock Pot chicken corn chowder,

…served with a basket of 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits and homemade apple butter. Cozy comfort food!

Friday was a busy one! The sun returned, so I met my friend Ashley for an early walk, and then Keith and I spent the morning selecting flooring, countertops, and cabinetry for the addition.

Teddy went to the groomer, and I spent the rest of the afternoon baking in the kitchen. I prepped the pizza dough for supper that night, tested a new cornbread recipe, and baked a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for a weekend treat.

Keith took Gibbs to play golf after school, and I stayed home to make the pizzas for dinner. We paired the homemade pizza with side salads and enjoyed the cookies for dessert! The kids go crazy for this meal, and love to help add the toppings to their pizzas…

Saturday was spent on the soccer fields. Keith and Casey drove up to Fredericksburg for Casey’s outdoor training session, while Gibbs and I took Spencer to his indoor game in Charlottesville.

By the time we made it back home late in the afternoon, we were all ready to stay put for the evening. We had a clean-out-the-fridge meal, which consisted of a hodgepodge of leftovers — reheated pizza for the boys, chowder for me, and Mexican lasagna for Keith. I always appreciate a night off from the kitchen!

So there you have it, friends — another week of easy dinner ideas! I hope that you’ve found some new inspiration for your own table in the days ahead. Thank you for being here, and have a wonderful Sunday!