Abby & Her Boys

Holden's first birthday party

2011-02-17T13:20:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Holden's first birthday.

I was so thankful for everyone who came that at times I almost couldn't hold back my misty eyes.

This was a big deal to me, just because of our family story.

Enjoy some photos!

Birthday cake and smash cake.

Ball Jars with jelly-bellies for favors.

favor labels

kalamata olives, mozzarella, and tomato skewers

This onion dip {from The Barefoot Contessa} was the fastest mover at the party!

Look at my plate, mom!

He wasn't sure he should be touching his cake. :-)

messy messy boy!

After his post-cake bath and outfit change he was ready to play with his presents!

Enjoy your Sunday.

XO,

Holden turns one

2011-02-03T08:25:00.002-05:00

Today my baby is one.

After waiting years for a second child, Holden came into our life.

The pregnancy was a scary roller coaster and his birth story was tainted with worry.

But he was born perfect.

He brings unspeakable joy into our life every day.

Holden adores his big brother and is such a loving, smiley child.

Happy Birthday to my sweet, sweet boy.

12 months

Holden loves music and dancing.

Untitled from abby manchesky on Vimeo.

Merry Christmas, Recipe, and My Gift to You

2010-12-22T12:07:00.001-05:00

I am so thankful and amazed that you visit my little blog. From our family to yours--Merry Christmas! The boys are really enjoying eachother and geared up for Saturday.

Now are you ready for the best, easy, dessert recipe EV-AH?

Here it is!

You'll need:

a bag of Rolo candy
Pecans
Square "butter snaps" pretzels
Grey salt, or Kosher salt

Pre-heat oven to 325

Place the pretzels on a cookie sheet and put a Rolo on each one.

Bake them in the oven for approximately five minutes...or until they look like this.

Press a pecan onto the top of each one and sprinkle with your coarse salt.

Words can not express how simple and delish this dessert is! Please let me know if you give it a try.

Finally, I have been working on a few things over at my design blog and to celebrate

I'm giving away a design board for one room in your home.

Here is a sample of the one I created for our living room.

Or this board created for a high-rise condo in Miami.

The giveaway ends at midnight of December 23rd, so click here for you chance to win.

Merry Christmas and blessings to you!

abby

a gentle reminder for the holidays

2010-12-18T22:55:00.000-05:00

A week from tonight our big celebration will be over. Presents will be open; dinner will be served.

I'm hosting a Christmas meal for eight that I have yet to plan. Not all presents are bought, sent, or wrapped. Our Christmas cards won't go out till the new year.

Did I mention I also need to pack the boys' suitcases for Mexico?

source

Last year I was more than on top of things, but this mama can not do it all...and I'm okay with that.

I would rather focus on the reason for the celebration in the first place.

source

How are you finding balance this Christmas?

If I Was Having A Party

2010-12-07T15:04:00.001-05:00

I would make lots of simple, pretty, and home-y appetizers.

Here are a few tried and true recipes I would recommend. I'm not promising a balanced menu; there are no veggies on here! But this should give you a few ideas to add to your Christmas season.

You're sure to find some of the usual characters, like Paula and Ree. What can I say? I stick with what works. :-) I have also thrown in some family recipes.

Please prepare yourself for a very long post FULL of recipes. I may not be publishing as many posts on here but when I do they are long!

Brie en Croute

paula deen

image by barefoot kitchen witch

Please don't be intimidated by the fancy name. This is very easy, not many people make it, and it tastes amazing. You may notice an overall cheese theme to these foods! :-) This is the only recipe I am suggesting that needs to be made in the oven right before your party.

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, Peppridge Farm

1 T unsalted butter

1/2 C walnuts

1/8 t ground cinnamon

1 (8-ounce) wheel Brie

1/4 C brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

Crackers, Pears, Red Grapes for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Defrost puff pastry for at least an hour. This is probably the trickiest part of the recipe. You need it to still be cold so that it's flaky when baked but not warm and mushy.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the walnuts in the butter until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon and stir until walnuts are coated well. Place the walnut mixture on top of the Brie and sprinkle the brown sugar over the mixture. Lay the puff pastry out on a flat surface. {I recommend doing this on the sheet pan you will bake it on.} Place the brie in the center of the pastry. Gather up the edges of the pastry, pressing around the brie and gather at the top. Gently squeeze together the excess dough and twist. Paula Deen recommends using kitchen twine but who wants an extra step! Brush the beaten egg over top and side of brie. Bake on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes until pastry is golden brown. This. Is. Amazing.

Chex Party Mix

pioneer woman

Yes, I know you can buy this in the store. But it's Christmas time and this is so easy. Plus, you can make it days ahead to make your life easier. The difference from what you'll find at the store? Fresh minced garlic. Mmmmmm.

3C Corn Chex

3C Wheat Chex

3C Rice Chex

2C Pretzel Sticks

2C Mixed Nuts

1 stick (to 1 1/2 sticks) Butter

3T Worcestershire Sauce

6 dashes (to 12 dashes) Tabasco Sauce

3 cloves (to 5) Garlic, Mashed

1t Lawry's Seasoned Salt

1/4t Onion Powder

Dump cereal, pretzels and nuts into a large bowl.

In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave remaining ingredients until butter is melted. Stir together and toss into cereal mixture, stirring as you go.

Transfer mix onto one or two baking sheets, and bake in a 250 degree oven for one hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

Don't forget to snack on this as you go and while you make the rest of your food! This is a fast mover. You were warned.

Goat Cheese with Fresh Dill and Paprika
pioneer woman
{make 2-3 hours ahead}

I confess I have not actually made this myself but I am planning on it! I think it looks so beautiful and would look especially pretty on a white or silver tray.

2 packages fresh goat cheese

6 T fresh dill (or more if needed)

6 T paprika (or more if needed)

Place the package of goat cheese into the freezer to chill.

While the goat cheese is chilling in the freezer, finely chop your fresh dill ad spread it out on the cutting bard to let it dry for a few minutes.

The goat cheese should now be slightly firm. When it is ready, carefully remove the goat cheese from the packaging and gently roll it over the fresh dill, coating it almost completely.

Now pour some paprika onto a baking sheet. Give the pan a very slight shake to spread out the paprika a bit. Roll the second cylinder of goat cheese in the paprika until it is covered completely.

Carefully wrap each roll snugly in a plastic wrap and chill until it's time to serve. {The paprika goat cheese will not do well if kept for longer than one to two hours so don't make it too far in advance.} Carefully slice them {easier when they are cool} and serve on crackers or crostini.

Whisky Slush

(make days ahead)

If you don't drink then just cover your eyes and scroll down to the next recipe. If you do enjoy the occasional adult beverage, then PLEASE, please give this family recipe a try. You won't go back. Yes, I realize that it is cold. Yes, I realize this is an icy drink. But if I was having a party I would make this anyway!

1 small frozen orange juice

1 large frozen pink lemonade

2 Cups of hot plain tea

1 Cup of sugar

1/5 of whiskey

Combine all the ingredients and freeze in a container that will fit in your freezer. Typically we have used a rectangular tupperware. If you want to take the next step with this recipe pull it out of the freezer every few hours as you freeze. Grab a spoon and scrape the frozen parts into a slush. Otherwise, once frozen you can use an ice cream scoop to scrape the slush into martini glasses or red plastic cups.

Mom's Holiday Dip
This may not appear that appetizing, but do not be deceived!

3 oz. chopped deli ham

3 oz. chopped pastrami

8 oz. room temperature cream cheese

1t of worcestershire

1-2T minced onion

1/2t accent seasoning
1/2t garlic powder

Combine ingredients and serve. This is great for a party because it taste better if you make it the day before. We have found that Multi-Grain Wheat Thins work really well with this dip.

Chocolate Creme Brulee with Raspberries
family recipe that goes fast
make ahead

4 (1-ounce) squares of Baker's semi-sweet chocolate

2 Cups whipping cream

5 egg yolks

1/2 C sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 275.
Combine semisweet chocolate {chop it up} and 1/2 Cup whipping cream in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts. Add remaining 11/2 Cup whipping cream; add 1 teaspoon vanilla.
In a separate large bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth. Pour the chocolate/cream into your mixing bowl to combine.
Place 8-10 raspberries in each ramekin. Pour custard evenly into ramekins; place dishes in a large roasting pan or jellyroll pan and put into the oven. Pour room temp water in the pan around the ramekins to make a water bath.

Bake at 275 for one hour and 5 minutes. Try not to eat them all before your company arrives. This is very difficult so I suggest a game plan before you take them out of the oven!

Do you see anything that you might try?!

I love hearing from you.

Please let me know if you make any of these.

Merry Christmas! I can't wait!

abby

Reviewing Recipes from Thanksgiving

2010-12-03T13:31:00.001-05:00

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It feels slightly silly to still be talking turkey so many days later but once I get this review out of the way we can move on to bigger and better things.

I have been busy getting the house ready for Christmas and writing posts for a delightful design so my writing here is a little slow. Thanks for still coming back!

Roasted Turkey

I've used this method of cooking the turkey twice now and I will never go back. It's just too easy.

Last year I used a brine from Williams-Sonoma but I wanted to keep it super simple this year.

I just chopped a bunch of mixed herbs, stirred them with room temp butter, and rubbed that under the skin.

I put the leftover herbs (whole) inside the turkey.

Then I just followed PW's directions and BAM--fantastic turkey with great flavor.

The only downside to this recipe is that because there is such a strong herb flavor to the turkey it doesn't work that well as leftovers to mix with other recipes.

I made chicken spaghetti with the leftover meat and it did not work.

Sage Stuffing

I have yet to make a stuffing where everyone goes crazy and eats the whole pan. The thing is, this recipe was REALLY good. But it called for 1-inch chunks of bread. I have come to the conclusion that unless my stuffing looks like stove top then no one will really eat it. Next year I'll be making the same recipe, but with smaller pieces of bread.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

They are good. That's all there is to it. If you have not made these yet stop whatever you have planned for your Friday night and make these potatoes!

Turkey Gravy

I made my own and didn't rely on my friend Wiliams-Sonoma. It was very easy and I plan to do that again.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranates and Vanilla-Pecan Butter

Aren't they pretty? They were very tasty. I confess this was the first time I have ever bought a pomegranate, but cutting off the top and peeling back the skin was super simple. I usually make Ina's brussels sprouts lardons but I wanted to try something new this year. I like that this recipe is made in the oven instead of on the stove top. I also like the pomegranates better than the golden raisins because of the color. The recipe called for pomegranate molasses. Really? We do not have that at our store so I just used traditional molasses and it was great! The vanilla bean is WORTH IT! Buy two and

save the second one to make a vanilla butter cream frosting.

The only thing I missed in this recipe was some element of salt. I think I would do a combination of the two recipes and add the pancetta from Ina's sprouts to these.

What recipe was your biggest hit?

Yep, I'm Cooking Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T07:41:00.000-05:00

Here's the deal. I have cooked Thanksgiving every year for the past few years, because we go up to my dad's house and it is my preference to do the cooking. I even plan out the meals for the entire weekend. Part of this is my control issues, of course. I have this fear that if I don't cook it that we won't eat. Anyone else feel this way?

Typically I start planning the menu as soon as Halloween is over. I look forward to planning this weekend all year. (Please tell me I'm not the only one.) But this year with the added baby, five current design projects in the works, Jack in school, and just plain 'ol life, I didn't even finalize my menu until last night!

So here is my menu. I kept most of it very traditional with a twist on a couple sides.

Roasted Turkey: this is the easiest and tastiest method I have ever tried. I'm actually not going to brine my turkey this year but I will be adding fresh herbs to the butter.

Sage Stuffing: going simple and traditional

Creamy Mashed Potatoes: people go crazy over this one

Sweet Potatoes: I make this one every year but just use a dash of orange juice otherwise the original amount will overpower all the other flavors.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranates and Vanilla-Pecan Butter: This is my risk-taker this year. Sorry, no photo for that one yet.

Green Bean Casserole: is it really Thanksgiving without it?

Susan's Cranberry Salad: recipe to come. trust me. It's awesome.

WS Gravy: sometimes I need a time saver!

Finally, I tried this Classic French Gougere Mix last year (think cheese poofs) and they were spectacular. I like to have a big plate of these ready as an appetizer: simple, different, and light.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with peace and gratefulness!

Do you make a plan for cooking Thanksgiving?

What recipes are you trying this year? Taking any risks?

Sunday Snapshot

2010-11-20T23:11:00.000-05:00

Have I mentioned we are Spartan fans?

Jay and Jack went to the last Michigan State home game while Holden and I tested paint samples in Kristen's entryway. A very good Saturday was had by all and Sunday is shaping-up to be even better. Church and Ikea all in the same day? Now that is a good Sunday if I've ever heard one. Add a best friend to the mix and it's ideal. Now I have to decide between Ikea meatballs or an Ikea hot dog!

Friday Favorites

2010-11-18T23:51:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Friday Favorites. I just might enjoy Thanksgiving even more than Christmas. Hmm...tough call. I hope you are busy gearing up for a great turkey day next week. Here are some good reads for your weekend.

If you make one thing this Thanksgiving, make these AMAZING, RIDICULOUS, FOOD-COMA INDUCING mashed potatoes. Yes, there are two sticks of butter involved, and 8 oz. of cream cheese, but Thanksgiving is only once a year! Live it up! I made them last year and the best part is that you can put it together the day before and just pop it in the oven for dinner. If I'm feeling really confident this year I'm going to try to make giblet gravy.

Worried about family dynamics this season? Add a little more joy to your family's holiday here.

When I saw these Peanut Butter Cup Smore's I could only imagine Jack's excitement if we actually made them. I think I might try them on Christmas Eve. Thanks, Val!

Advent is coming quickly. Do you have any Advent traditions? I am thinking of Kara Fleck's simple list of ideas that "shifts the focus from things to experiences". Click here to see her slew of ideas!

If you have young children this is a must read. It's very informational but I found it fascinating. You might want to read this one first. Do you know what is developmentally appropriate for your child???

This is the best Friday Favorite. Wish we could share a coffee together!

What's your Friday Favorite?

Have a great weekend!

Who Wants Chili? and a few other things

2010-11-15T09:51:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday! Did you enjoy your weekend? Ours was very full and nothing seems to be calming down. Yesterday was an especially great day. We had brunch with the Jeffersons: Angie was my neighbor growing-up and is basically a sister to me. Here are our boys ready to go "hunting" in their back yard.

Holden had some quality time with Angie's mom. He wore his camo for the occasion.

When we came home I felt like chili! I'm no Pioneer Woman but when I try a new recipe that is simple and delicious I must share. This chili is from The Pioneer Woman Cooks, a staple cookbook in my home. I searched for the recipe on her site but when I couldn't find it I decided to share my version of her simple chili.

What you'll need:

2lbs. of ground beef 2 garlic cloves, minced

1 green pepper, chopped

2 cans of tomato sauce

1t. ground oregano

1T. ground cumin

1/4t. cayenne pepper

2T. chili powder

1t. salt

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 can kidney beans

1 can black beans

1 can corn with peppers

What to do:

--brown the ground beef, with the garlic and green pepper

--drain off the fat

--add tomato sauce, spices, and salt

--stir together and cover on low for 1 hour

--add the rest of your ingredients: beans, corn, tomato

Serve with cheese, fritos, sour cream, cilantro, chopped onion.

Holden was a big ~~distraction~~ helper. ;-) But that's what I liked about this recipe. Not only does it taste great but it was simple enough to keep an eye on the bambino.

Changing gears--the hollywood housewife has a great post today reflecting on her first year of motherhood.

Click here to give it a read.

Do you have a favorite chili recipe?

I'd love to hear your tips!

My Kids Are More Important

2010-11-13T11:00:00.001-05:00

Hi friends~
Did you miss Friday Favorites yesterday? I am sorry to let you down, but I'm taking a new approach to my blogging. It's called the "my kids are more important than you" approach. And I mean that in the sweetest way possible! ;-) I mean how could I resist those cheeks?

When it comes to choosing whether to sit at the table with Jack and watch him draw a picture of Darth Vader or write me this note: I choose Jack.

Can you decode his script? It says, "Dear Mom. I love you." He added his own personal touch by coloring in the "O".

So what have we been up to? Well Thursday morning was a play date with Jack's latest BFF from school. They always have a great time together and I'm so thankful for his awesome mother. It helps when you like one another!

Jay had Thursday off for Veteran's Day so he and his dad went golfing at the club. His dad doesn't come over very often so I wanted to have a great dinner ready for them when they got back. You realize this is very tricky with a 9 month old that gets into EVERYTHING.

I went with salad, french loaf, no-bake cookies, and my version of chicken curry with roasted veggies. Here's how I did it.

1) Cut up a bulb of fennel and a red pepper. Lay them out flat on a roasting pan, add a dash of olive oil and kosher salt.

You can do this ahead of time which makes the whole thing easier. Obviously you can use whatever veggies you want. I meant to add carrots but left the store without them!

2) Roast at 420 degrees until they look this. Put them in a bowl and either save for later or set aside.

3) Grab these spices from your spice drawer and 2 limes. {Curry, Cayenne, Ginger, Cumin, Coriander}

4) I used 4 organic chicken breast which turned out to be two packages. But you could use just one. Cut up your chicken into equal sized pieces and toss into a large Ziploc bag. Add the juice of two limes, and one teaspoon of each spice. If you're not so into the heat, feel free to omit the cayenne. Let the chicken marinade for a few hours. We're casual here--just throwing this together. Do what works best for you.

5) Melt 3-4 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan. I chose to add the cayenne to the butter instead of the bag of chicken. Look how pretty it looked.

6) Dump the bag of marinaded chicken into the butter/oil and brown it up! The whole thing will get very juicy but that is just fine.

7) Once the chicken is cooked at a 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes and a 14 oz. can of tomato sauce. Add your roasted veggies back to the pan. Throw the lid on and let simmer for about 15 minutes. This is when I make my rice, couscous, or whatever you want to eat it with. I also threw a Pillsburry French Loaf in the oven sprinkled with a bit of kosher salt. A great time to set the table!

8) Before you serve add either a 1/2 Cup of plain {not vanilla} yogurt, or heavy cream to your sauce. This is also the time to add salt to your taste. If you add the salt before you simmer then the sauce will reduce and the salty taste will overpower everything! It will look something like this.

{not the best picture, but I do what I can}

9) Serve it over rice and call it good! Jay's dad really enjoyed it and had never had it before. Special treat!

It was a Thursday night well spent, but not blogging.

Friday I was busy helping in Jack's school by doing boring stuff like making copies and cutting string and paper feathers for an upcoming project. Glamorous, huh. And yes I actually paid a babysitter so that I could volunteer. Painful, but even if I only do this twice all year I want my boys to see that school is important to us as a family and worth the effort. I got to check-out their latest hallway art.

This was Jack's piece.

We left school early to go pick-up Jack's new glasses. Yes--I can't believe he needs glasses. I took a lot of pictures and tried to make a big deal about the whole thing so that he would be excited. He spent the whole time sucking in his cheeks trying not to smile.

Oh yeah, he's an expert at cleaning glasses now.

We had to walk to daddy's office and show off Jack's new specs.

I hope you can appreciate my new approach to blogging. I should have some time tonight to put together a Friday Favorites list for you! But if I have to choose, my boys will win.

What are you up to this weekend? Do you ever find yourself torn between your desire to blog/write/create and the more immediate tangible needs of your kiddos or spouse?

Do You Want Your Kids To Be Happy?

2010-11-11T09:07:00.000-05:00

I don't.

I love my children too much to just want them to be happy. Think about it. A million times a day I make my oldest son unhappy! Just this morning when he came downstairs in just a t-shirt and underwear I sent him right back up to get a sweatshirt and pants. Not happy. He wants to stay up late and watch TV? Nope. Not happy.

Why do I think there are more important things than my child's happiness? Because I don't want to raise a brat.

We have all worked with someone or had a friend that clearly didn't how to handle life when they didn't feel "happy." There's such a difference between happiness and learning to being content and grateful for what we have. I want my boys to learn to handle the dry spells.

Don't misunderstand me...I want both of my boys to have joy in their life. But not the joy from always getting what they want whenever they feel like it. I want them to know the true joy of Christ. Period.

I have been reading blogs pretty consistently for 9 months now, and this post from It's Almost Naptime!! is by far the best parenting post I have ever read. Even if you are not a Christian you will still be inspired by her moving story of parenting and adoption despite those who said it couldn't be done.

Thank you to Kristen for passing along this post!
abby & her boys

waiting for nap time

2010-11-09T14:00:00.000-05:00

Am I the only one that has those days when you're just watching the clock, waiting for nap time?

Usually, if I am lucky enough for Holden to nap while Jack is at school, I use that time to make dinner or ~~blog~~ tidy-up the house. But today I'm being totally selfish.

Today I just want to spend time with my good friend.

You may have heard of her.

If you do not have any of her cookbooks you are missing out. What I love about her, and her recipes, is that they look and taste special without tons of fuss. And isn't that what it's all about? You want the people you feed to feel special and loved by the effort you're putting into the food. You can really settle in and READ her cookbooks...not to mention the beautiful photography and fabulous tips to make your life easier.

You know I'll be keeping you up to date on the different recipes I like best.

Here are just a few that I know I will have to try.

*Truffled Popcorn

*pink grapefruit margaritas

*greek panzanella

*snap peas with pancetta

*balsamic roast beef

*chicken with shallots

*fleur de sel caramels

Final bonus to owning her cookbooks? They make a great addition to my buffet table.

What is your nap time guilty pleasure?

Do tell.

Sunday Snapshots

2010-11-07T10:27:00.000-05:00

Mommy & Jack date at the MSU football game

time with Grandpa Jim

"victory for MSU"

Jack's second time eating raw oysters

Friday Favorites

2010-11-05T07:43:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Friday Favorites: the time of week when I pull my favorite food and family posts. Thank you to anyone who took the time to send me links to your favorite blogs! I'm still working through the list and deciding what works best with my blog.

Here are a few of my favorite posts so far.

It's never O.K. to let your kids get bullied. Mommy Uncensored was suggested by Kara, and explains her opinion on how to parent through bullying. Very well done.

What Katie ate may be the most beautiful food blog I have ever seen. You can't miss it. Thanks to Lindsay who recommended I check it out!

This mid 30s life wrote on Outsmarting the Heathrow Injection which is essentially a very funny and honest post on her first time back in the gym after years of being away. I really love every post she does so please scroll through her latest stories!

Are you a "clean eater"? The Gracious Pantry, suggested by Mehridith, is a very amazing source of recipes that use real ingredients instead of any box mixes or other processed foods.

If you would like to Get Started click here. You'll have to visit her site to see pictures. ;-)

There are quite a few new parenthood blogs added to my sidebar and I would love for you to click through and let me know which ones you are enjoying the most!

Do you like to feel the pages on your fingers instead of the your keyboard when you read? Steady Mom offers her top 4 Parenting Books.

Finally, I have to plug Stella & Dot jewelry one more time. The party was small but fun and everyone was so focused on the beautiful jewelry that people had to take the food home! I bought cellophane bags and ribbon for that very reason: we do not need 24 cupcakes in this house! I was able to buy this necklace with my hostess discount. I never would have chosen it for myself but April styled me before everyone arrived and then I couldn't bear to take the necklace off.

My Main Man sent me these flowers since my last edition of Friday Favorites. He also drove to get me a cup of coffee when we realized we were out at home. Gold star for him! We have had one of busiest weeks ever and I'm exhausted: looking forward to the weekend.

Do you have a Friday Favorite? Any fun plans for your weekend?

I would love to hear from you,

abby

If you are looking for Friday favorites regarding design click here.

House Party and Menu Planning

2010-11-03T08:30:00.000-04:00

I'm hosting a small party tonight {see above link} and I'm super busy getting the house and food ready. Although I think it will be a small gathering, I can't help but throw myself into the preparations! I think planning a menu is all about balance: flavors, texture, colors.

bacon wrapped dates

salted caramel cupcakes

pumpkin bread with peanut butter frosting

If you have never tried this combination give it a chance.

The pumpkin loaf is basically just an excuse to eat the frosting!

cheese and fruit platter

mulled cider

Finally, I'm also making a recipe of my own that I will share tomorrow because I don't have a photo! It's my twist on the traditional bruschetta.

If anyone local would like to come just shoot me an e-mail and I'll give you directions!

I would love to see you!

What recipe do you always make for parties?

Let's share our favorites in the comment section!

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Cha-Cha-Changes! Help Needed!

2010-11-01T08:56:00.001-04:00

Made By Girl

Have you noticed I've made some changes to my blog? Not only have I started a separate design blog but I am also in the process of amping up the family and food resources on this site. I could really use your help!

What are some of your favorite family, food, parenting, mommy-hood, and marriage blogs? Do you have a blog I should know about?

E-mail me {abbymanchesky@gmail.com} your recommendations and I may add them to my blog roll!

Sunday Snapshots: Halloween

2010-10-31T21:08:00.000-04:00

I hope you enjoyed your Halloween and spent some time with spooky characters!

Friday Favorites

2010-10-29T12:55:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Friday Favorites: the first edition without any design links! Now that I have split my design infatuation off to A Delightful Design the Friday Favorites here are all about family and food.

Have you ever brined a turkey? I have done it twice and last year yielded the best results with a buttermilk brine recipe from Williams Sonoma. This year I wouldn't mind trying this brine from my favorite: Pioneer Woman.

ValSoCal has been killing me with her recipes this fall. At first I was a little leery of her Pumpkin Pie Pasta with Apple Chicken Sausages but once I read through the list of ingredients I was hooked. My dad is in town this weekend and I plan to make this for dinner tonight. Pumpkin, heavy cream, sage, and my favorite type of sausage? That's a winner.

I know at least a few of you are either on a gluten free diet yourself or have family members who are gluten free. Here is a super helpful post of a blind taste test of all the gluten free pancake mixes. Click here to see their results!

Since I am always quite frank with my readers when it comes to my life and my marriage, let me just say that these last two weeks have been more than difficult. I would even venture to say nearly impossible. Maybe what I needed was this post from Marriage Gems on How Wives Can Learn to Speak the Language of Men to Get Their Attention.

Do you have a strong willed child? This post encouraged me and reminded me of what I truly already knew in my heart about my oldest boy. Click here to be inspired.

If you were starting a business or taking over a company one of the first things you would tackle is a mission statement. But have you made a mission statement as a family? I have often felt like I spend so much time in triage, just taking care of the next needed task, that I never have time for the big picture. Click here to read how to create a simple road-map to get your whole family on the same page.

What is your Friday Favorite?

I would love to hear from you.

If you enjoyed this post you can subscribe to my blog here, or "follow" my blog in my sidebar.

The Best Soup to Give Away

2010-10-27T04:06:00.000-04:00

When a friend or neighbor has a baby you take them dinner. If you have ever been on the receiving end of this then you know how amazing it is. They will never appreciate food like they do when exhausted and hungry with a capital H! But if you already have children or work full-time, making an extra dinner isn't always easy. Here is just the recipe for fall/winter when a friend could use a meal: white chicken chili. Everyone enjoys it and you can personalize the level of heat.

photo bucket

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

box of chicken broth

roasted chicken breast: shredded
1 large jar of great northern beans

1 can of corn with peppers

1 small can of sliced black olives

large jar of salsa (medium picante)

Ground Cumin to taste

2 C mexican shredded cheese

Combine all ingredients, except the cheese, and heat thoroughly. Add cheese before serving. We enjoy our chili with Lime Tostidos and Cholula hot sauce.

Finally, the deli at the grocery store will be happy to sell you their containers.

I love 'em.

They are awesome for transporting everything from soup to pastas.

What is your go-to meal you bring to those who need it?

I would also love to hear about

the best meal you have ever received.

Time to share!

Looking for my posts on design? Click here.

taking the plunge

2010-10-26T08:46:00.000-04:00

I thought it was time to take the plunge and start my design blog.

Come on over and visit!! :-)
I chose a title that I thought was upbeat, clean sounding, and easy to remember.

I am posting all of my thoughts and design inspiration on a delightful design

and keeping Abby & Her Boys for family and food posts.
There may be some portions that look familiar and I'm sure I will make some changes, but I'm jumping in.

I hope you stop by my new place and

if design is what you are looking for please make the change in your blogroll.

We're staying home today due to the crazy tornado watch and getting ready to
show our house again tomorrow.
Things are finally calming down (a bit) and I can take this afternoon to reply to
a few of you who I owe an e-mail!
What's on your plate this week?

Sunday Snapshot {on Monday}

2010-10-25T07:45:00.000-04:00

A restoring weekend was had by all--laughing, crying, shopping, eating, and more laughing.

I'll be back to the blogging world later today,

Abby

Friday Favorites: Baby Week

2010-10-21T23:49:00.000-04:00

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Welcome to the last installment of Baby Week!

This week's Friday Favorites are more family focused but I did save a recipe for the end!

Kirsten at 6th Street Design School spent this week focused on how to have good design with kids in mind.

She asked a team of expert design moms contribute their tips. Go check out her posts from this week for both practical and beautiful tips from experienced moms!

Farewell McMansion Hello Togetherness

Thanksgiving table ideas (even for kids)

This is the coolest idea I have ever seen to share the gender of your baby.

A Gender Reveal Party

Thinking of "staying home"? Even if you are not, Steady Mom is a great resource.

I especially liked this post on How NOT to Greet Your Husband.

Not Just Cute is another awesome mommy resource.

This post on discipline through setting boundaries and giving choices is right on the money.

If you are pregnant or not, these Pumpkin Ginger Cupcakes are the perfect addition to your fall! Baby will like them too. I'm serious.

Drop whatever you are doing and make these right away!

Plus, your house will smell amazing. Ah-mazing.

I hope you have a great weekend! I'm finally off to girls weekend with my college roomies.

Wishing my hubby good luck with the boys!

~abby~

What I Wish I Knew Before I Registered

2010-10-21T13:27:00.000-04:00

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Are you overwhelmed when you walk into the baby Superstores? The best option is if you can bring an experienced mom with you, but most importantly--know what your needs are. I'm going to do this is list form and tell you what worked best for me the second time around and probably a few mistakes I made the first time!

Please share your best registry tips in the comments!

Baby Bargains: Go buy this immediately. Consider that your guidebook to registering. It is like Consumer Reports plus parent feedback and I know it saved me a ton of money. Just be sure you are looking at the very latest edition. This can help you know what is worth saving and what is worth splurging.
Peg Perego Vela: My favorite stroller--Ever. The first time around I went with the expected Graco Travel System. Because of course I wanted the matching car seat and stroller. But what I didn't realize was how often I would be hauling that stroller in and out of my trunk. It's like a couch on wheels and even the "Metrolite" version isn't that light. Peg Perego is a fabulous brand, made in Italy, and still reasonably priced. The Vela stroller is a combination of a regular stroller and an umbrella stroller. Added Bonus: most infant car seats will still fit in the stroller! The only downside is that your child will not face you once he outgrows his infant car seat.
Double Stroller/Jogging Stroller: If you know you would like to have more than one child then save your pennies and pick the right stroller the first time. Phil & Teds are my highest recommendation. You can use it as a single stroller and then purchase the part to make it a double stroller later. Added bonus: it's a jogging stroller as well!
Costco Wipes: Love 'em.
Pack-n-Play or Bassinet: This really depends on how you are use your house. For me, having a pack-n-play with a changing station attachment was a life saver. We have a two-story house and being able to stay downstairs after a very difficult delivery was key. Also, when Holden wanted to sleep on me every night and I was sleeping on the couch, it was wonderful to be able to change him downstairs and not wake-up everyone else. BUT if your house is all one level and you know you'll only use your pack-n-play for travel you may only need something simple. I bought a barely used Bassinet to keep in our room for the pre-crib nights, but as I mentioned, Holden was SO tiny that he would only sleep on me. Never used the bassinet.
Infant Car Seat: You need an infant car seat but you do not need the styles that boast they can hold up to 35 pounds. First of all, I can almost guarantee that your baby will be too tall/long for the infant seat before he weighs 35 pounds. Also, do you really want to carry a 35 lb. baby and the car seat around? No. If you buy one thing new make it the car seat. Never buy one at a garage sale or use one that has been in a car accident. They expire safety wise, the plastic on the hooks wears-out, the padding gets thin. This is your baby's safety we're talking about.
Swing: I can not recommend a swing enough. They have been life savers with both of my boys. I have tried the Graco basic swing but nothing beats a cradle swing.
Bouncy Seat: This is another case of knowing your needs. If you can register for one and borrow another one--do it. You might as well keep one in the bathroom and one in the kitchen. None of them are super cute, but this one kept Holden very happy and entertained as I cooked/cleaned/showered. It's nice if there is something for baby to play with or watch while they sit.
Cloth Diapers or Disposable: I use disposable simply because of our 1000 year old washing machine in our spider ridden basement. I don't think it could handle all the poop. But if you are even considering choosing cloth diapers HERE is a very good resource on cloth diapering. This is another perspective.
Breast Pump: If you are considering breastfeeding (and I really hope you do) you will more than likely need a breast pump. Don't mess around. Get one that ~~will suck like crazy~~ is hospital grade. If you have insurance it's more than likely that your doctor can write you a prescription for a breast pump. If you are near west Michigan, this store is a great resource for all of your breastfeeding needs. They are also very familiar with how to bill the insurance companies.
Diaper Bag: You have so many options. Dwell Studio makes my favorite but there are also cute options by designers as well. For me, I wanted it to look more like a purse than sporting Winnie The Pooh around town. I have more than one friend who found Kate Spade diaper bags on Craig's List.
Vaccines and Sleeping: This is something to think about and talk to your pediatrician BEFORE baby arrives. With Jack I did no research on vaccines and just followed whatever my doctor suggested. Five years later there are even more recommended vaccines, and you can read my post on that here. If you would like to read what worked for us as far as sleeping, click here.

Now it is your turn!

What are your "must haves" for baby and your best registry tips?

If you have not joined the Nursery Party yet click here.

If you don't have a nursery make a mood board to share or email me your nursery photos.

Join the Nursery Party!

2010-10-20T14:45:00.001-04:00

It is time to party and I am very excited because I so enjoy getting a glimpse into what other people create in their homes--especially for their babies. Many of you have already seen photos of Holden's Nursery, but for new readers here is a peek:

All dressers were my husbands from childhood that we painted and changed the hardware. I like a dresser more than a changing table because you can use them forever! The rug is from Target.

polka dot sheets, PB Kids bumper, Ork Poster of the Great Lakes, Graco crib

I scanned pages from Where The Wild Things Are and put them in frames from Target.

My glider was my splurge. Every day I am SO HAPPY that I pushed for this. It is from "BEST" chair company and American Baby in Grand Rapids. Pillow and drapes are from Target.

I love Holden's nursery and although I did it on a very small budget, it keeps me calm in serene even now.

Now it is YOUR turn! Linking to your blog is super easy, and other new parents need your help!

If you would still like to share your nursery photos you can email them to me at abbymanchesky@gmail.com and I will add them to this post as the day goes on. You have until Sunday night before the link party closes.

Here are the Reader Rooms:

The Klassens

"Here are a few pics of Harper's room. I LOVED her nursery and the girly pink fits her very well. We are in a little bit of a transition to a "big" girl room, so some of the pictures on the wall don't work as well as they did when her crib was in the room. Andrew and his uncle did the all of the moulding/bookshelves/window seat and my mom made her crib bedding, window seat cover & cornice. Harper loves her "pink room" as she calls it!"

Lainey's Room

Julia's Glider