Blog of the Month: Lake House Lyn

Our February blogger of the month is an important one - one who is very near and dear to our hearts. She is the ultimate hostess, a modern day Martha if you will. She is as close to Mother Teresa as you can get...caring, genuine and the most un-selfish person you might ever befriend. Meet Lake House Lyn, also known as our Mom/Mom-in-law. How cool is it that we can nominate our MOM as a featured blogger!? Some of my friends' Mom's don't even know how to text (or own a smart phone for that matter) but ours has her very own creative space. P.S. she is also on Twitter and loves how this platform connects her to her favorite brands, celebrities, and so on!

Since she started in 2012, she has come so far, learning everything from the basics like how to copy & paste (I remember making her a sheet with keyboard shortcuts!) to making collages on Picmonkey and coming up with original content. She photographs most of her photos with her iPhone or credits the original source if she's borrowing photography -- seriously, the fact that she knows how to do that makes me so happy. As unsure as she can be about technology, she fully embraces it, not only so she doesn't fall behind but because she is truly passionate about her ideas.

With our Family home in the Chicago suburbs and a vacation getaway in the north woods of Wisconsin, our Mom/MIL can usually be found not too far from the kitchen. Whether she is prepping a big meal for weekend guests or organizing a get together for our extended Family, she is always coming up with creative (and such PERSONAL) ideas to wine, dine and make a memorable experience for everyone. 

Here are 5 of our favorite posts by Lake House Lyn:

Make Ahead & Freeze Breakfast Sammies (with a cute appearance by Riley!)

 
4 Simple Ideas for Weekend Brunch

Mini Confetti Pancakes (and a special birthday shout out to moi!)

Minestrone Soup Recipe (part of her soup-er Tuesday series...and how cute is she with her chef!?)

And the best for last...her famous crock pot Italian beef. Seriously guys, I have given this recipe out to almost all of my co-workers and I make it on a weekly basis at home. So easy and DELICIOUS.

We are so proud of her for learning how to blog and for being brave enough to start... but most of all, we're proud to call her Mom.

4th of July Pressed (for time) Sandwiches

Our annual 4th of July party at the lake typically casts burgers and brats as the main acts...they're universally liked and it almost seems un-American not to fire up the grill but there are many alternatives that allow you to spend more time with your guests and less time slaving over a hot stove/grill. 

We recently attended Music by the Lake, a Ravinia-esque event up north which invites you to BYOB for a picnic style meal by the water. In the past, we have stocked up on pre-made snacks at the store but this time around, my whiz-in-the-kitchen Mom suggested we try this delicious pressed sandwich recipe from Seasons and Suppers: 

A pressed sandwich is a loaf of bread that's filled with ingredients, wrapped and refrigerated overnight under a weight. The concept is infinitely variable, so you can adjust the ingredients as you like. 

If you're heading to the beach or hosting a party over the holiday weekend, these a great choice because you can make them ahead of time and create a variety of combinations in order to offer a wide selection. We went with this recipe which calls for ciabatta rolls, arugula, bocconini, assorted Italian meats, vinegar and olive oil. 

Let your mouth water from all of these tasty sandwich layers...

"Do I smell an array of assorted Italian cold meats?"

After the sandwiches were wrapped and pressed in the fridge overnight, we wrapped them in striped twine which adds a special touch and really makes you feel like you're opening a gourmet meal rather than your basic everyday sandwich.

Oh, and for the 4th...don't forget to break out all the red, white and blue decor you own...a little (patriotic) party never hurt nobody. To that we say, yes way rosé!

P.S. Have no shame if you choose the bottle based on the label...

Those graphic designers deserve a little love and this one was too cute to pass up ;)

Peaked My Pinterest: Top 10 Pumpkin Picks

When you eat a pumpkin bagel (WITH pumpkin cream cheese) for breakfast and pumpkin pasta for lunch, you really start to question that declaration you made that you are anything but basic. Rewind to Thanksgiving a few years back when I couldn’t even stand the smell of pumpkin pie and now? Now my house looks like the famous fall vegetable hosted a party and forgot to clean up after its guests. 

For me though, I think it’s more about feeling like you’re experiencing every bit of the season rather than actually LOVING every single pumpkin flavor you try. Example, I tested pumpkin nut butter on toast the other day and opted for cereal minutes later so even I have my limits. But for the most part, it warms me up, literally and figuratively and isn't that the best fall feeling?

Here are my top 10 pumpkin Pinterest recipes:

1. Pumpkin Pie Greek Yogurt via A New Bloom 

2. Pumpkin Beer Chili via Lake House Lyn

4. Pumpkin Pasta via Lakeshore Lady 

5. Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Protein Cookies via Girl Loves Glam

6. Skinny Pumpkin Spice Latte via Dashing Dish

7. Pumpkin S'mores via Something Swanky

8. Tuscan kale and Pumpkin seed risotto via Cupcakes & Cashmere

9. Two-ingredient Chocolate Pumpkin cupcakes via Picky Palate

10. Pumpkin ice-cream sandwiches with Ginger Snaps via Our One Acre Farm

What is your favorite fall recipe? We love to try new things!

Because We Went to Family Brunch!

Lisa and her hubs have birthdays a week apart, so each year, we look forward to a double celebration! This year, my Parents hosted a brunch at home which was more elaborate than any restaurant I've ever been to, but that's not surprising if you know my Mom…

In addition to the fact that she's an absolutely amazing cook, she also has a degree in Hotel Management and ran her own event planning business for years, so she is the ultimate when it comes to party planning. 

No matter what size soiree she's hosting, I've always admired that she is able to make everybody comfortable and at home. Personal touches like chalkboard cups, delicate name tags and bright flowers make us all feel so welcome. She has some great entertaining ideas which you can follow along with on her blog.

Banana Bread

Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

Her famous Egg Casserole 

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

The lovely table set

The kind of brunch menu that makes you thankful you wore a skirt with a stretchy waistband…

In other exciting news, we also unveiled a big surprise to our mom (slash Mom-in-law)... We booked a girls weekend in Nashville for her Birthday and what better what to let her know than by donning foam cowboy hats?

We are all huge fans of the ABC show so we thought it would be the perfect getaway to let loose and celebrate our Mom, someone is always putting others first. Judging by the screaming and sweating, I think it's safe to say she was excited ;)

Decadent Cupcakes from Sweet Ali's, our favorite gluten-free bakery in the Chicago area

Papa & Grandson in fierce Wii competition 

The real life of the party

It may look like we're snuggling but we actually can't get up due to the food coma that ensued...

The birthday duo!

Such a wonderful Sunday together! How does your family celebrate Birthdays?