Life from Scratch: Family Traditions That Start with You

by Vanessa Lachey, Dina Gachman

Overview

From the television host, actress, and mother of three, a fabulous collection of season-by-season recipes, holiday hacks, birthday rituals, and date night ideas for creating wonderful family celebrations and cherished memories.

Television personality Vanessa Lachey is a dedicated mom of three, a supportive wife to singer Nick Lachey, and someone who freely shares her “perfectly imperfect” home and family life. But like many people, Vanessa didn’t come from a family whose traditions were passed down from generation to generation. Her mom left when she was nine, and when she began her own family, Vanessa had to rely on her own imagination to create celebrations and milestone markers that would become annual rituals.

In Life from Scratch, Vanessa shares personal stories, ideas, delicious recipes, and parenting tips you can use to make your own celebrations unique and unforgettable. Inside you’ll discover the simple gift-giving custom Vanessa shares with her best girlfriends each year; the date-night tradition that she and Nick swear by; and her fool-proof recipe for “authentic” Chicken Adobo she serves to family and friends.

A fun, uplifting yearlong guide that celebrates families that color outside the lines, Life from Scratch will inspire people to make each season, and each special moment, their own.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063031760
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	11/30/2021
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	671,971
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Vanessa Lachey is an actress and host of Top Chef Jr. and Netflix’s hit reality show Love Is Blind. She is also a former Miss Teen U.S.A. and holds the Guinness World Record for the most bagged lunches assembled by an individual in three minutes. When she’s not acting, hosting, polishing her Guinness award, hanging with her husband Nick Lachey, or wrangling three kids, she’s probably in the kitchen whipping up a new recipe (with wine, of course . . . preferably a buttery Chardonnay). She lives in Southern California. 

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part 1 Spring 9

Chapter 1 Out with the Old 11

Chapter 2 No Heirlooms? No Problem! 23

Chapter 3 Easter for All Ages 33

Chapter 4 Springtime = "Me Time" 43

Chapter 5 Spring Fiesta 47

Chapter 6 Mother's Day 51

Chapter 7 Springtime Gardens 57

Part 2 Summer 61

Chapter 8 A Logo for Every Birthday 65

Chapter 9 A Little "Me Time" for Father's Day 71

Chapter 10 How to Up Your Summer BBQ Game (Even If You're Not Great at the Grill) 71

Chapter 11 The Friendship Exchange 83

Chapter 12 The Summer Giveback 89

Part 3 Fall 93

Chapter 13 The Back-to-School Dress Rehearsal 95

Chapter 14 Going All Out for Halloween 99

Chapter 15 How to Host Thanksgiving and Not Lose Your Sh*t 107

Chapter 16 A Little Fall Romance 115

Chapter 17 Holiday Cards That Don't Suck! 119

Chapter 18 Game Day at the Lacheys' 123

Part 4 Winter 127

Chapter 19 'Tis the Season 129

Chapter 20 New Year's Eve In 139

Chapter 21 My Funny Valentine 143

Chapter 22 A Silly Saint Patrick's Day 147

Part 5 Recipes 153

Vanessa's Chicken Adobo 155

Spring

Vanessa's Famous Chicken Pasta Salad 159

Easter Daviled Eggs (aka Lacheggs) 160

Mexican Fiesta 163

Guacamole 165

Lachey Layer Dip 167

Enchilada Casserole 169

Palomas 172

Summer

Pulled Pork 175

Citrus Beef Stir-Fry 178

Lachey Lobster Rolls 181

Nicky's Nectar 185

Flank Steak 186

Jalapeño Popper Spread 188

Minnillo Beans 190

Fall

V's Game-Day Chili 195

Cozy Beef Stew 197

Grown-Up Mac & Cheese 201

Winter

Lachey Lesagna 206

Cheesy Hash Browns 210

Monkey Bread 213

Brooklyn's Brunch Casserole 214

Acknowledgments 219

Universal Conversion Chart 221

Recipe Notes 222

Editorial Reviews

10/04/2021

Actor Lachey shares tips for creating traditions, hosting friends and family, and cooking delicious meals in her heartfelt debut. She encourages parents and hosts to be “perfectly imperfect” and reflects on the importance of family memories in her own life. The advice is broken into four sections, each focused on a season—spring sees Easter cocktails and a template for organizing a potluck; summer has no shortage of pool party ideas, plus a cookout playlist; fall features plans for Halloween and Thanksgiving that will help one pull off a memorable event and not “lose your sh*t” (start prepping in early November); and winter offers suggestions for a New Years Eve at home (get dressed up, even if you’re staying in). Along the way, Lachey includes personal anecdotes, crafts, games, and activities, and her recipes (such as Lachey Lobster Rolls, a jalapeño popper spread, and a cozy beef stew) are simple but special enough to stand out at a gathering. Though she can come across as being out of touch (“If you’re having a pool party, hire a lifeguard!”), her can-do spirit will nonetheless leave readers ready to host. Parents in search of a how-to for family fun will find inspiration here. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly