It’s Halloween week! I’m sure for many, there will be Halloween parties at school, lots of treats, and plenty of baking. Even for empty-nesters like us, there will be baking and goodies. In fact, I plan to set up a table in our driveway and have snacks and baked goods for anyone who’d like some. From Hot Apple Cider (with shrunken heads), to snack mix and sweets, we’ll have plenty to eat and keep us full and warm.

I’m a planner. I love planning schedules, vacations, menus, household tasks, and bill-paying schedules. I even have our bill-paying schedule color-coded for heaven’s sake. What I’m not good at is executing those plans. The good news is that all these plans are set up merely as a guide to keep me on track. They are not set in stone. I feel that this especially applies to weekly menus. Life happens! I may change my mind on how to prepare a dish and do something different, or we might be extra tired and have takeout.

I’m also a list checker. Nothing makes me happier than checking off everything on my to-do list. What a quandary. It’s a process for me to let go and move on. It’s not that important against the backdrop of more significant issues in life and those I love.

Monday

Setting a date to have company for supper was tricky. But it finally happened. Our friend was able to come over on Sunday, and we had Pot roast, a recipe from Half Baked Harvest. Having served this roast for dinner previously, I knew it was a great choice. The flavors of autumn—apple cider and apple butter, sage, and more —make it perfect for fall. Tonight, we’re having leftovers in the form of an open-faced sandwich. Easy, delicious, and most likely, even better flavor. We’re serving this with all the leftovers from Sunday dinner. How bad can that be?

Leftover Cider Braised Pot Roast Open-Faced Sandwiches
Leftover Crispy Sage Butter Potatoes
Leftover Steamed Carrots

Tuesday

It wasn’t until recently, while reading the menu plans for a blogger’s site, that I came across this chicken recipe I had forgotten about from Pinch of Yum. We’ve made this recipe several times and it’s absolutely delicious! Chicken cutlets are seasoned, dredged in flour, and fried in a mixture of olive oil and butter, which gives them a wonderful flavor. It’s the sauce that takes this chicken to a whole new level of goodness. Just a few ingredients, wine, chicken broth, lemon, and capers –and that’s all you need. Seriously. And, as for the grilled bread – a must for sopping up the remaining juices from the bottom of the bowl!

I’m serving this chicken with spaghetti on the side. It’s sort of like Spaghetti ala Carbonara, but not quite – not as rich. I’ll add butter, high-quality EVOO, red pepper flakes, and lots of shredded Parmesan, plus parsley for freshness and color.

And lastly, halved baked tomatoes, which always pair so well with these types of dishes and are almost like a staple in our house.

Lemon Chicken Piccata with Grilled Bread
Parmesan Spaghetti
Baked Tomato Halves

Wednesday

Chicken breasts are so large these days, so we usually cut them in half and have two meals relatively close together. After seeing this recipe, it was a must-have for my menu this week. First of all, bacon; it’s a staple. Right? Right! And nothing beats cooking in rendered bacon fat —it adds so much flavor. Once the chicken is cooked through, a sauce is made from broth, lemon juice, butter, and heavy cream. Lastly, the chicken is added back to the pan along with those flavorful, crispy bacon bits, a recipe from Salt and Lavender. Yum!

A side of sauteed asparagus and a garden salad is all that’s needed to complete this meal. Nothing fancy, but oh-so-good!

Creamy Bacon Chicken
Sauteed Asparagus Spears
Garden Salad with Italian Dressing

Thursday

Halloween Eve is a great time to enjoy a hot bowl of soup. It’s going to be a busy night; carving pumpkins! I want a dinner that’s delicious, easy, and hearty. That’s where this cheeseburger soup from How Sweet Eats plays in. It has everything one would want in a soup: ground beef, carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, chicken stock, milk, and cheese. It’s a meal in and of itself!

Our Favorite Cheeseburger Soup
Dinner Rolls

Friday

Happy Halloween! Tonight, just before trick-or-treaters arrive, we’ll have leftover cheeseburger soup and corn muffins, but it’ll be a quick, fast meal. We have a lot to do to finish the maze, turn on the animations, lights, and set up.

The real stars are the goodies we plan to serve to passersby. To warm up those parents (and trick-or-treaters), we plan on serving hot spiced cider in Styrofoam cups. Everyone raves over the shrunken heads. Don’t worry, they’re made from apples; a recipe from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen.

Having a warm drink isn’t the only thing; we also plan to snack the evening away with a recipe from Inspired by Charm, so good! We made this pretzel snack mix for Christmas last year, and we couldn’t get enough! And from Cookie and Kate, a recipe for pimento cheese that I’ve made for parties—and everyone loved it! This time, I’m shaping the cheese mixture into miniature pumpkins and using a pretzel stick for stems.

For the sweet tooth, it’s gotta be our traditional Halloween-shaped sugar cookies, and miniature cupcakes, a recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction. These cupcakes sound absolutely delicious. I’m making miniature cupcakes—I hope they turn out!

Shrunken Heads in Spiced Cider
Ranch Pretzel Snack Mix
Pimento Cheese Pumpkins with Crackers
Halloween Sugar Cookies
Apple Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

Saturday

We have cashews, and since opening the can, all I can think about is Cashew Chicken. I’m caving; it’s Asian tonight. I love Asian-influenced foods; there’s something about the combination of soy sauce and sesame oil that pumps up the flavor volume. Adding garlic, brown sugar, and hoisin sauce further elevates the flavor profile in this recipe from The Recipe Critic.

I’m in a rut, but a good one. With Asian dishes, I always resort to fried rice or noodles. I either go with cream cheese wontons or a salad with a tangy dressing. The only thing left is, please pass the tea!