Good morning, and happy Sunday! This week included lots of time on soccer sidelines, bright spring color, and a charming book. 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.
This Week’s Meals
Now, let’s back up to last weekend…
Spencer and I left the house before sunrise on Sunday morning to make it to Virginia Beach in time for his 11:00 soccer game.
We were back to the mountains in time for supper! Keith grilled New York strip steaks,
which we paired with roasted asparagus,
white rice, and crispy seasoned roasted potatoes.
Now let’s chat about books! This week I finally read Theo of Golden by Allen Levi, a beautiful novel that has been getting so much buzz since its release late last year. Needless to say, I absolutely adored this one. Definitely a best book of 2026 so far!
In this story, a quiet stranger named Theo shows up in a small Southern town and starts buying people’s portraits from a local coffee shop, giving them back in exchange for their personal stories. As he listens, the townspeople begin opening up about their regrets, secrets, and hopes, and those conversations slowly start to change their lives. It’s a warm, thoughtful story about connection, kindness, and how being truly seen can make all the difference.
Back to the work and school routine on Monday…
Ashley and I walked our dogs together that morning, and I made a stop at Yoder’s around lunchtime for some groceries and their weekly sandwich special: the Sweet Southern Heat (sourdough toast, mayo, spicy honey, chicken, lettuce, tomato, coleslaw, and pickles). It’s one of my faves!
After my haircut that afternoon, it was the usual evening hustle: Gibbs played a round of golf with a friend, Keith took Spencer to soccer in Charlottesville, and I picked up Casey from his practice at the high school.
Once home, we had dump-and-bake pesto alfredo chicken pasta…
…with a side of garlic bread and a house salad with candied pecans.
Tuesday started with a walk in the woods with Mollie, followed by a day of computer work and Zoom meetings.
Casey had a soccer game at the high school that evening, and Spencer had practice in Charlottesville, so it was another late dinner night.
Fortunately, I had doubled the taco meat when I prepped ingredients for our burritos last week, so I just had to thaw that extra meat this week.
We used the leftovers in taco quesadillas…
…which we paired with tortilla chips, salsa, and this easy guacamole.
I made it up the road for a short walk on Wednesday…
…and then came home to make a batch of sour cream blueberry muffins.
We had slow cooker buffalo chicken for supper, which I served on sandwiches with Yoder’s coleslaw.
On the side: garlic roasted broccoli and onion rings.
After a walk with Ashley on Thursday, I buckled down at the computer for a few hours of Zoom meetings.
I also prepped dinner in advance so that we could eat a quick, early meal before Spencer’s late practice that evening.
We had shrimp rolls with potato chips, cut-up veggies with Ranch dip, and pickles.
After a doctor’s appointment on Friday morning, I got out for a short walk, restocked the kitchen with groceries, and took care of some computer work.
It was another late dinner night, since Gibbs had golf that evening and Casey had a game at the high school. Once home, I made 4-ingredient baked tortellini along with another house salad. The perfect low-lift, quick, Friday night meal!
And that brings us to a rainy Saturday…
Spencer and I hit the road for another day trip: this time to southwest Virginia for his soccer game in Roanoke. Meanwhile, Keith and the older boys spent the day on the golf course.
Knowing that I wouldn’t make it home until very late that night, I was glad to have a dinner plan that didn’t require cooking. Instead, I purchased 5 meals from my friend who was hosting a fundraiser at the fire house that afternoon to support her upcoming mission trip. Pulled pork platters with mac and cheese and green beans all around!
So there you have it, friends — another week of easy dinners! I hope that you’ve found something new to add to your own table in the days ahead. Thank you for being here, and have a wonderful Sunday!
Wow, another busy week at your house this past week. Recipes look great, too. I haven’t been cooking at all for myself since my husband passed in February. I’m buying convenience foods at the grocery store, so I don’t have to mess up pots and pans. I’ll buy the cranberry pecan chicken salad from the deli at Walmart, which is my favorite, that I can have for the week for lunches or dinner on the afternoons I have to work. I’m working part time at a nursing home not far from where I live, & love it. I drink protein shakes for breakfast, and sometimes I’ll buy a premade salad at the deli in Walmart for a quick & easy dinner. It’s what’s working for me these days. Or, sometimes I will eat dinner at a restaurant before coming home after work. My husband did the grocery shopping and cooking our meals when he was feeling well. He spoiled me, in that regard. Sounds like you will be at many soccer games coming up now that it’s Spring. Sounds like fun yo me. Thanks for all you do.
Hi, Leslie! I’m glad to hear that you’re enjoying work, and that you’ve settled into a new routine. Maybe some day you’ll have the desire to cook for yourself…or maybe not! It sounds like you have a perfectly good solution for now. Take care of yourself, and have a nice week ahead!
Good morning, Blair! Sounds like you had a busy week!
The Key Lime cake recipe looks delicious, and I wanted to let you know I made your Italian Love cake to take to church fellowship lunch this afternoon.
I need to add the book to my reading list, too. I am not a fiction reader usually, but that looks like a good read.
Wonderful, Ann! I hope that the cake is a hit this afternoon! 🙂
They ate about two thirds of it, I think some of the kids were hoping it was one of those ice cream sandwich cakes!!
Ah, that makes sense! The ice cream sandwich cake is delicious, but hard to keep frozen at a potluck!
Hi Blair,
So enjoy your emails! Your recipes that I have made are all fabulous! I will be in Charlottesville on Mother’s Day and plan to stop at Yoder’s on the way back to DC that afternoon. Will I be able to purchase a signed copy of your book on that day at Yoder’s?
Have a wonderful week!
Hi, Paula! Yoder’s definitely has my signed books in stock (they just replenished the shelves not long ago), but the store is not open on Sundays. 🙁
I so appreciate you asking and looking into it!
Oh my! Thank you for telling me! Will stop on the way down…..I really want your cookbook!!
PS….i love your book selections! Going to pick up this week’s book at Barnes and Noble in Charlottesville….something to read on the ride home!
One of my cousins just told me about the book Theo of Golden. She said it is such an good book that people often read it twice. So of course I had to order it, even though my favorite books for the past several years are cozy mysteries. I have a whole wall of bookshelves in my living room. I think I would rather run out of food than books; however, with the help of your excellent recipes, that is not likely to happen!
My Lithuanian cousins and I have had a monthly lunch at the same restaurant for at least 20 years, probably more. We are now in our 70s and 80s, and have lost many cousins and cousins-in-law over the years, my sister being the most recent at 86. It’s a wonderful way to keep up with family.
Thanks for your recipes, and the wonderful pictures of the areas near where you live. Both are very soothing.
Thank you for following along, Kathy. That sounds like a lovely tradition. We’d love to know what you think of the book as well!
Every time I get something in my mind for a particular dish, I always go to your site first to see if you have a recipe for it. Yours are always amazingly delicious and never too fancy or fussy. Just my speed. I love your weekly updates with the beautiful pictures and busyness of your family. With grown boys, I get exhausted reading your daily schedules but know what a full life it brings. I especially appreciate when you add that you pick up already prepared foods to fill out a meal or week. It gives me permission to do the same. Thanks for everything you do and giving inspiration to someone who cooks because her husband still wants a hot meal. He’s soon going to have to learn how to eat cereal for dinner.
Thank you for following along, Ouida. We appreciate your kind words and are so glad you enjoy the recipes.
Hi Blair, I read your posts every Sunday and really enjoy them. It looks like you live in paradise!
Hi Nancy,
Thank you for following along! We’re so happy to have you here.