Our Week in Meals #468

Good morning, and happy Sunday! This week included Halloween, lots of soccer, and some easy fall comfort food. You’ll find all of the highlights from the past few days, along with each of our dinners, 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…

Spencer had a soccer game in Richmond on Sunday afternoon, so we were gone for most of the day.

Since we were traveling home after dinnertime, we had takeout pizzas when we walked in the door! Not our ideal Sunday evening, but that’s the season we’re in right now…

Shall we chat books? I read a really great mystery-thriller last week that’s perfect for this time of year: Look Closer by David Ellis. In this novel, a seemingly perfect Chicago couple gets tangled in a murder investigation on Halloween, which exposes a web of lies, betrayal, and revenge. It’s not scary, but it’s a smart, twisty, fast-paced thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. Such a good one!

Back to the routine on Monday morning…

I got out for a walk, worked at the computer, and took Gibbs to a doctor’s appointment that afternoon.

A hearty, cozy soup sounded perfect for the chilly evening, so I made a pot of chicken gnocchi soup. Paired with a loaf of Ashley’s homemade sourdough bread for dipping!

I met Adria and Mollie for a walk on Tuesday morning, filmed a recipe video, and jumped on a Zoom meeting.

Both Casey and Spencer had soccer that evening, so we ate a late dinner when everyone was back home. On the menu: 4-ingredient ravioli casserole,

Southern-style green beans, and homemade garlic bread.

Wednesday was gray and cool. Ashley and I walked our dogs together,

and I went to the local nursery in town to buy some hydrangea bushes to plant for next spring.

Warmed up with a bowl of Crockpot Brunswick stew for lunch (thawed from the freezer and reheated). I love this meal that I grew up on; however, Gibbs told me that he never wants to see another bowl of Brunswick stew after he served it to hundreds of visitors at the Apple Harvest Festival a few weeks ago! Hah!

Two soccer practices on the agenda again that evening meant dinner in shifts. I prepped Mexican shrimp earlier in the day…

… and then used them in baked sheet pan quesadillas (page 73 in my cookbook).

Plus tortilla chips, guacamole, and salsa on the side!

Thursday morning was rainy and gross, but the sun did eventually come out!

My parents brought over Yoder’s sandwiches for lunch, including my “autumn melt” panini: turkey, havarti, pumpkin butter, pecans, and more. I enjoy at least one of these every fall!

I also made a cookies and cream ice cream pie that afternoon. Casey has been asking for this dessert a lot recently, so I finally picked up the ingredients and pulled it together (it’s really easy!). Plus some Halloween decorations on top for festive fun…

Spencer had a late soccer practice that night, so we ate an early supper before I took him to Charlottesville: chicken pot pie with biscuits and a side salad (plus a late-night slice of ice cream pie, of course!). Everyone cleaned their plates with this one…

Meanwhile, Casey went to the Halloween event at the high school with friends. Never too old for some candy!

We were blessed with a gorgeous fall day on Friday.

I went to Pilates with Adria that morning before returning to the house to work on some new holiday recipes in the kitchen.

Gibbs played golf that evening before our Halloween supper: mummy dogs, frozen pizzas, and veggies with dip.

Spencer and I left Madison bright and early on Saturday morning for his soccer game in Williamsburg.

Teddy came along, but knew that he had to hide in my bag during the match, since dogs aren’t allowed on the turf. He napped like this the whole game!

Since I was gone all day, I left Keith in charge of the smoked turkey breast for supper. Once home, I quickly pulled together a few sides: Stove Top stuffing, cranberry sauce, and steamed broccoli. Another meal that the kids all love…

So there you have it, friends — another week of easy dinners! I hope that you’ve found something new to add to your November table. Thank you for being here, and have a wonderful Sunday!