Nine Favorite Things.

Thanks for joining me for another Nine Favorite Things post.

It’s crazy how once September hits, the hustle of autumn really sets in. It’s not that summer was slow, it’s more that fall is always just so full. I love it and I hate it, but I mostly love it. I will say that finding balance can be really hard, but I’m doing my best. I’m getting really excited for the release of the cookbook in just a few short weeks. More details on upcoming cookbook events in next Sunday Favorite’s post, so keep your eyes peeled for that. I will be traveling to NYC, LA, and Chicago and I can’t wait to meet as many of you as I can! If you’re not in one of these cities, don’t worry. I’ll be posting all over Instagram so you can feel like you are there. Plus there will new book content sneak peeks on Instagram coming too!

Also, Domino shared two brand new recipes straight from the HBH Super Simple cookbook. My fall harvest butternut squash pizza, and my slow cooker chili, two of my favorite fall recipes, SO GOOD.

In other news, it’s been a crazy busy month here on HBH. It’s clear you guys are out of the lazy summer cooking days and full force back in the kitchen. Wow, recipes have been popular these days. This. Makes. Me. SO. HAPPY! See below on September’s most popular recipes. I am thrilled you guys are enjoying the fall recipes I’ve been sharing. Fall recipes are truly my favorite.

Coming up this week on HBH, we’ll be sharing a lightened up version of a comfort food classic, yet another autumn apple recipe, a quick – better than take-out dish, a warming soup, and for Friday? Well, it’s kind of a wildcard right now. Thinking of maybe a spooky Halloween dessert. Any thoughts?

Additionally, I’m finally sharing the first Halloween cocktail of the season on Saturday (sorry for not getting it out yesterday!). It’s a good one, and I’ve been holding on to it for too long now. Cannot wait to share and kick off the holiday cocktail season!

In addition, if you’re trying to catch up on blog posts from the week, please sign up for our daily newsletters. They’ll help you to stay up to date with everything that’s happening here on Half Baked Harvest. And of course, if you’re meal planning today, don’t forget to check out my menu below (it’s #9 on the favorite’s list).

1. NYC and LA Hotel Recommendations.

As I mentioned above, I am traveling to NYC, LA, and Chicago for cookbook signings and events. I’m in NYC and LA for close to a week’s time, so I’m looking for the BEST hotels and need all your recommendations. I will say this, I do like nice hotel. Hotels with clean bathrooms, cute rooms, and that are located in safe, walkable areas. I might sound a bit snobby, but I’ve learned that staying somewhere nice when traveling actually makes traveling so much less stressful for me. And as an anxious traveler, I’ll certainly do anything I can to make travel less stressful.

Please, tell me you favorite hotels in NYC and LA. Thank you!!

2. The Most Popular Recipe of September.

Most popular: slow cooker french wine and mustard chicken

Every single month, the recipe I think is going to be the least popular ends up being the most popular. Clearly I doubt myself way too much. But you guys…wow oh wow do you guys LOVE this recipe! I just shared this last week and it’s already soared to the number one spot. I mean, I understand, it’s so easy and so delicious. Creamy, herby sauce, a little wine, some chicken, and served over mashed potatoes. Nothing not to love. If you’ve yet to make this french wine and mustard chicken yet, make it tonight. This is the perfect Sunday night dinner. Trust me on this, you’re going to love this recipe.

PS. while this is a slow cooker recipe, I’ve also provided Instant Pot, and stove-top cooking directions for you guys!

Runner-up: broccoli cheddar chicken and rice casserole

I am so happy you guys love this casserole. It’s my family’s favorite as well. And it always reminds me of the rice bakes my dad used to make when I was a kid. This casserole has all good things. Kind of like broccoli cheddar soup meets cozy weeknight casserole. It’s healthy…ish, so darn easy, and so darn delicious. The best part…it’s made entirely in one pot and in under an hour.

Also have to mention: the 30 most popular fall recipes

I wasn’t even going to share this post, but would you look at that. It’s the 3rd most popular of the month. So glad you guys are enjoying post this. It’s nice to be able to share our older HBH recipes and put them back in front of everyone’s eyes! This collection of recipes is the top most popular autumn dishes on HBH, so scroll through and do some Sunday cooking/baking.

Bonus: creamy butternut squash alla vodka pasta

This basically tied with the fall recipes post, so I had to link to this pasta as well. Why? Because it is delicious…and it’s also my personal favorite.

Question: I’m taking any and all October recipe requests. Comment below, DM me, email me. Tell me what you want!

3. All Things Pumpkin…

4. Questions of the Week:

q: Do you use presets or edit your photos individually? Your photos are the absolute BEST.
a: First, THANK YOU! 🙂 I am personally not a fan of presets and edit each photo individually. BUT this is just what works for me. I know a lot of people who love presets, and their photos are amazing!!

q: What do you serve on Thanksgiving?
a: I share a new thanksgiving menu each year. Here is our 2018 menu and our 2017 menu.

Question: what Thanksgiving recipes are you looking for most this season? Anything else I can help you guys with when it comes to holiday entertaining?

q: New follower! Love all that you do! How did you start Half Baked Harvest?
a: I was 18, and thought I wanted to go to fashion design school. I moved to  LA, got a job for 3 months, completely changed my mind, and came back to CO. It was my mom who encouraged me to start HBH. I had been cooking for my family for a while and even thinking of starting a food blog. So she said to me, just start the food blog (we had taken the name out the year before), who cares if only 5 people read it, we’ll both learn something. Probably more than what you’d learn at school. I did and I never looked back and never stopped working on HBH. Best choice I ever made.

q: Where are you from?
a: Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. I moved to Colorado in 8th grade, and I’ve been here ever since!

5. Newest Videos:

(gluten-free) Carrot Cake with Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting…soft, sweet, and perfectly spiced carrot cake.

30 Minute Thai Peanut Chicken Ramen…for those nights when you need a cozy, healthy dinner, and you need it FAST.

6. Around the Table…Helping Bring Awareness to Alzheimer’s.

The Alzheimer’s Association is rallying the culinary community Around the Table. An initiative featuring shared experiences with food to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease. Whether it be a holiday meal, a celebratory dinner, an original recipe, or a dish passed down through generations. Food is universal and connects us to moments we never want to lose. Around the Table showcases culinary influencers sharing meaningful moments related to food and asks others to do the same. Thus creating conversation and engagement in the fight to end Alzheimer’s.

I was so honored to be asked to be a part of this association. I’m excited to share one of my favorite food memories with you guys today. With the holidays quickly approaching (crazy, I know), I can’t help but think of my favorite holiday-related food memories.

I honestly have so many memories I could share. But the one memory that’s most special to me is from when I was a kid. I’m not sure of my exact age. My mom and I were baking Christmas cookies at home back in Ohio. It was a cold, snow-filled December day and it was just the two of us. My brothers and dad were somehow missing and I could not have been happier. Getting my mom all to myself was all I ever wanted when I was little. We baked cookies, ate all the dough, and danced around the kitchen listening to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You“. It’s truly the most special food-related memory I have. I love that every time I bake holiday cookies and Mariah Carey’s song comes on, I am reminded of this sweet memory between my mom and me.

Question: What are your favorite food memories? Share them with me in the comments, and with others on social, using the hashtag #ENDALZ.

Above all, please visit alz.org/aroundthetable for more information on how you can get involved. 

7. A Few Links I Am Loving…

if you have 30 minutes, you can make this butternut squash pizza…and you should…this pizza is certainly my favorite.

the 50 most beautiful small towns in America…I would happily visit any of these towns. especially in the fall.

fall bucket list…25 things to do this season.

how taking a content break can lead to successful storytelling…I found this very interesting and took notes.

7 easy ways to have the best fall ever...yes to all of this. so fun. so cute. and affordable.

how New York City ballet’s Lauren Lovette gets it done…this is so interesting. love this series too.

these 4 Halloween candies are the worst, but these 15 are healthier for you…candy lovers, this is for you.

editor-approved fall fashion picks for under 100…need them all. good news is, I can afford them all.

awe-inspiring quotes from The Create and Cultivate San Francisco Conference…if you need inspiration.

this one rule separates good baking apples from the losers…if you are going apple picking this weekend.

15 best Kids Halloween costumes on Amazon…all under $30. i’ll always pick the witch.

31 ways to shake up your style this October…fall style inspiration.

9 cider recipes we can’t wait to make this fall…these all sound so good.

this splashy Venice hotel was inspired by the city’s canals…and it is so pretty.

how the martini went from simple cocktail to American icon…if you love a little history.

Lea Michele’s bath time routine is almost 100 percent plant-based…certainly impressed.

8. A few Fall Pieces I have my Eye On…

PS. want this coat…but could never afford, BUT so cozy and cute.

9. This Week’s Dinners:

Monday: fall harvest roasted butternut squash and pomegranate salad

Tuesday: chipotle braised chicken nachos

Wednesday: prosciutto apple and sage butter chicken with cider pan sauce

Thursday: herby buttered mushroom stroganoff

Friday: 30 minute Thai peanut chicken ramen

Sunday Baking: cream cheese swirled pumpkin bread with salted maple butter

Finally, check out all the past Nine Favorite Things posts here.