Our Week in Meals #361

Good morning, and happy Sunday! The second week of October brought cozy suppers, fall flowers, a new book, and the usual kids’ activities. All of the highlights from the past few days, 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…

On Sunday morning, we wrapped up our weekend in Bath County, Virginia (near The Homestead Resort). After packing up the rental house and eating a quick breakfast, we headed east over the mountains to pick up Teddy from my parents’ house, and eventually made it home to Madison.

My friend Adria joined me for a late afternoon walk once we were unpacked and settled, which was a really nice way to end a beautiful weekend.

Knowing that I likely wouldn’t have the time or energy to cook much for dinner, I prepped a batch of “fall harvest” creamy pumpkin soup in advance, and stashed it in the freezer. This pot includes pumpkin, apples, cider, onion, garlic, and more for a flavorful, cozy meal that tastes like autumn. I just added the cream after reheating it so that the texture wouldn’t be off, and garnished with crunchy salted pumpkin seeds.

Plus a loaf of 5-ingredient beer bread (which I also baked ahead and froze). I used sorghum from Kentucky instead of honey in the bread, and it was perfect! Highly recommend. And for any choosy little boys who didn’t want pumpkin soup, there were cans of tomato soup instead!

Shall we chat about this week’s book? My mother-in-law loaned me her copy of Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, which had been on my to-read list since it first came out. This novel has been named as one of the Best Books of the Year So Far, and was definitely very good. It’s incredibly well-written, the family drama pulls you in, and the ending provides some resolution…but the book overall is definitely a tearjerker. You’ve been warned!

The boys returned to school on Monday, I met my friend Ashley for a walk, and then Keith and I took care of some work at the house. I also met with a landscaper to help me figure out what we can plant around the new addition and along the new walkways this fall. Making progress, slowly but surely…

Both Casey and Spencer had soccer practices that evening, which meant a late dinner for everyone once we returned from the fields.

I thawed leftover taco meat from the freezer and used it to make taco quesadillas. These are a great way to stretch a smaller amount of beef. On the side, we added the usual tortilla chips, guacamole, store-bought pico de gallo, and corn.

After working in the kitchen most of Tuesday morning, I headed over to Adria’s farm for a mid-day walk.

We spent just as much time visiting with the mama cows and their babies as we did actually walking.

Adria also sent me home with loads of dahlias from her gardens!

Keith took Casey to soccer that evening, which meant a late dinner for all of us once they were home. I made 15-minute honey garlic shrimp, which we paired with rice, garlic roasted broccoli, and store-bought egg rolls.

After a walk with Ashley on Wednesday morning, I ran a few errands in Culpeper, tested a new cake recipe, and got some work done at the computer.

This maple walnut beauty will be on the blog this week!

Spencer had practice that evening, and then I served this healthy dump-and-bake chicken parm, along with pasta and marinara sauce, Caesar salad, and a baguette from Panera. The whole family loved this meal…

Chilly mornings and warmer afternoons make for some great October weather!

Thursday started with a walk up the road, followed by a dentist appointment and recipe photos before the kids were home from school.

Keith took Casey to soccer, Spencer and I took Gibbs to golf, and we all reunited for supper later that evening. On the menu: baked potatoes stuffed with leftover Dutch oven bbq beef (that I thawed and reheated) and shredded cheese, plus a side salad (from a bag!).

A hike in the woods with Mollie and Adria on Friday, and a stop at Yoder’s on the way home for lunch meat, buttermilk, peanut butter, etc.

Since my day was largely devoted to chores, I simmered a pot of this harvest soup mix while I washed loads of sheets and towels, cleaned out the car, and picked up groceries. The mix is a blend of lentils, split peas, brown rice, and wild rice. I added chicken broth and carrots, celery, and onion, and paired a bowl of the soup with a grilled cheese sandwich made with Monterey Jack and pumpkin butter (from Yoder’s as well) for a cozy fall lunch.

Spencer had soccer practice that evening, so we picked up takeout pizza on our way home. A night off from the kitchen is always welcome!

And that brings us to a very rainy Saturday! Casey and I went to his soccer game (umbrellas in hand) about an hour away, while Keith ran errands and took the other boys to lunch. It wasn’t exactly the nicest day to be outdoors!

We watched college football that afternoon, while Keith grilled a beef tenderloin for supper. Plus roasted root vegetables and a pan of frozen dinner rolls on the side!

So there you go, friends — another week of easy dinner ideas! I hope that you’ve found something new to add to your table in the days ahead. Have a wonderful Sunday, and thank you for being here!