Nine Favorite Things.

Thanks for joining me for another Nine Favorite Things post.

Hey, hi, and welcome to one of my favorite months of the year!! I am such an October kind of girl. I live for these cool fall days and all things Halloween. Do you guys celebrate Halloween? I don’t really celebrate it per se, but I love to have fun with this holiday. Making my spooky cocktails, baking up deliciously sweet but “spooky” desserts, and watching every last Halloween movie I can think of (which sadly, there are not a lot, I need some new suggestions!).

With that in mind, I am a little behind. But I just shot our first “spooky” cocktail of the season…I’m so excited to share the recipe on Saturday. I wanted so badly to get the cocktail up yesterday but just wasn’t able to get it finished in time. It’s OK though, I promise the wait will be worth it. I had a lot of fun with this one. It’s spooky, moody, and so very good. Can not wait to share!

Question: What’s your favorite thing about October?

For me, it’s celebrating Halloween, the return of cozy comfort food, and the excitement I always have for the two months of holiday fun ahead…hello to Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Ok, moving on from Halloween talk and looking back at this past week. It was an insane one, but also so exciting. We launched our collab with Etsy on Thursday. To say that is was craziness would be a complete understatement. There was so much work involved in the launch of this collection. The days leading up to Thursday were busy trying to make everything perfect and work through every last detail. Thankfully it all turned out amazing!!

We have been working on this collab for months and months now, so to see it all come to life has been a little surreal. As I said on Thursday, we’ve launched HBH Cookbooks, but never any kind of product. I’m so excited to bring my love of this time of year into your homes too.

I just have to say a big thank you to you guys! You all have been so kind with your words…and purchases. We’ve sold out of so many items. I’m THRILLED you guys love the collection. Thank you! Thank you! Sharing some more product photos below that I couldn’t fit into Thursday blog post, plus links to restocked items!

Ok and lastly, I just have to say that I was able to spend some of Friday baking these brown sugar maple cookies with Asher. And really, that little girl is truly the sweetest…and most stylish. I love getting to spend time her, she always brightens my day. She came over to the studio wearing head to toe Zara, ready to help me bake cookies on Instagram. If you guys need cute kid clothes ideas, I’m going to give Zara a big shout-out here. Ashers suggests this dress, layered with this ribbed turtleneck, and paired with these boots. The look of fall she says. Oh, and to add one of these hair scrunchies and necklace too.

Coming up this week on HBH, we have slow cooker meals! Well, at least one slow cooker meal along with a handful of other easy fall recipes. We’ll kick things off with an Italian slow cooker dinner. For Tuesday, it’s a toss-up between a sweet breakfast or a spooky Halloween dessert, what’s your pick? Wednesday, I’ve got a classic chicken dish (but made healthier). Then, moving onto a delicious vegetable (and carb) filled soup. And for Friday we’ve got a sweet new pumpkin recipe to finish up the week. And on Saturday…we’ve got that cocktail that I am so excited to share! Lots of fun October recipes are coming your way soon!

If you’re catching up on blog posts from the week, be sure to sign up for our daily newsletters. They’ll help you to stay up to date with everything that’s happening here, as well as fun content you’ll only get via email. If you’re meal planning today, don’t forget to check out my menu below (it’s # 9 on the favorite’s list). You can grab the full grocery list for this week’s menu in our special Sunday newsletter.

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

1. things i’m loving, wanting, and excited to try…

watching…all the Halloween movies. Hocus Pocus is at the top of the list. What’s your favorite? Anything I really need to watch?

love…these Skeleton Hand Steamless Wine Glasses. I break them our every single October.

loving…Molly Simms newly relaunched website. Reading, 10 Kitchen Game-Changers, and How To Nail A Spa-Like Experience In Your Home.

baking up…both my apple butter blondies and brown sugar maple cookies. Two of my favorite fall recipes. 

loving…these lug sole boots. These are a splurge, but I think a good pair of fall boots is worth it. These are so cute.

love…this sectional. If I could fit it in my house, I’d be ordering this.

shopping…the new Amber Lewis for Anthropologie line. So many beautiful pieces. Love these bowls.

ordered…a new slow cooker. I’ve wanted this All-Clad All In One Browning Slow Cooker for years. Finally hit the purchase button since it’s on sale this week.

wanting but can’t afford…this sherpa coat and this pullover sweater (oh my gosh…the coziest).

ordering instead…this just as cute coat (or this one…oh or this, so many cute coats).

also ordering instead….this sweater (so excited), then maybe this, or this (all are one sale!).

2. The most popular recipe of September.

Most Popular: Sheet Pan Sticky Ginger Sesame Chicken and Crispy Brussels Sprouts

This was unexpected. When I posted this I had no idea how much this recipe would be made over the course of this month. So excited you guys love this! I always love a sheet pan dinner, but this one is especially good. The sprouts get extra crispy and taste chip-like…so they’re a bit addicting. And the chicken? Well it soaks up all that sweet and (extra sticky) spicy chili pomegranate sauce making it extra delicious!

Runner Up: Butternut Squash Pasta Carbonara with Rosemary Bacon

This pasta! It’s my personal favorite. It’s very similar to classic pasta carbonara, but with the addition of roasted butternut squash, and spicy-sweet rosemary bacon (which is so GOOD…think candied bacon, but with rosemary). This dish is so delish, it’s seriously the creamiest bowl of pasta carbonara.

Also have to mention: Brown Butter Apple Blondies with Cinnamon Maple Glaze

They’re my favorite dessert of the month. These are EASY…and they are GOOD.

Ok, and lastly…you guys LOVED this post – The 35 Most Popular Fall Recipes, I was so happy. So many fall recipes here!

3. New Home Decor from Crate & Barrel.

4. favorite question of the week…

q: What do you enjoy most about your home/barn/HBH special build?
a: I feel so lucky to have both a home-space and a work-space. It’s nice to be able to leave the studio at the end of the day and go home. Yes, I’m still working at home but it’s just nice to be able to separate the two. I love heading to the studio in the morning, and I love getting to come home to (my very cozy) house at night. Both spaces are really so special to me. The studio has amazing light and space for me to set up all kinds of shoots. And my house is just the coziest…though I do need to decorate it a bit more. It may be a little bare, but it’s still my favorite spot. Never enough hours in the day though!

q: Any more pumpkin desserts? And when is the next book coming out?!
a: I have lots of pumpkin recipes and new ones coming soon! These are my favorite cookies from last year. They’re basically a browned butter chocolate chunk cookie + snickerdoodle cookie + pumpkin cookie all in one. They’re the best ?

q: What are your top 3 favorite recipes of all time?
a: So many of you ask this, but honestly it changes daily, and with the seasons!! Right now my top three are my apple butter blondies, butternut squash carbonara, and my Thai chicken meatball Khao Soi.

Also, that took me forever to decide on. I can’t pick favorites!

q: What’s your favorite fall flavor?
a: Anything cinnamon-spiced! And anything involving mocha!

q: Will you make a butterbeer cocoktail for the HP series?
a: I’ve never done a butterbeer cocktail, so this idea just moved to the top of my list!

5. Inspiring Me On Pinterest.

All photos found via Pinterest. I couldn’t find exact sources, but let know if you know of the source! 

6. Our HBH x Etsy Collection…more Photos.

When we shot this collection back in early September, we captured so many images and it was all thanks to Kristen Kilpatrick. I have raved about her before, but she’s my favorite photographer and has a way of making you feel so comfortable in front of the camera. She shot SO MANY images and each one is just as perfect as the last. I wasn’t able to share them all in Thursday’s post, so I thought I’d share some more here.

I really had so much fun working on this collab with Etsy. You all know that the holidays are my favorite time, so to be able to create a holiday collection with 12 amazing artists and then share it with you guys has been a dream.

Hoping you all love the products once you receive them. I cannot wait to get your feedback!!

Ok, now for some photos…and of course, links to all the products too.

(All photography by Kristen Kilpatrick)

Crescent Moon ornament – shop here.

Holiday Tree ornament – shop here.

Snowflake ornament – shop here.

Salt Cellar, Moss Green – shop here.

Rolling Pin Set – shop here.

Cake Toppers – shop here.

Candle Holder, Off-White – shop here.

Cake Toppers – shop here.

Salt Cellar, Off-White – shop here.

The Candle Holder, Off-White – shop here.

The Candle Holder, Black – shop here.

So excited about these sweet Treasure Box cookie boxes.

Cookie Box Kit 2, Treasure Box – shop here.

My favorite candles. Truly love these.

Plain Vessel Candle, Holiday Cocoa –  shop here.

Simple Leaf Vessel Candle, Gingerbread Latte – shop here.

Leaf Pattern Vessel Candle, Winter Fir – shop here.

Cookie Box Kit 1, Classic – shop here.

Gift Tags/ Ornaments, Gingerbread, Reindeer, Stand Mixer – shop here.

Gift Tags/ Ornaments, Whisk, Spatula, Rolling Pin – shop here

And a little behind the scenes shot too…

And lastly, I have gotten so many questions about the sweaters I wore for this shoot. Find all my pieces below and know that this Vince sweater is the softest. And, that I live in this Reformation sweater (and it’s on sale).

7. favorite links i’m loving…

A Cartoon Gigi Hadid Made A Supermodel Cameo In ‘Scooby-Doo’…Oh my gosh. LOVE. This is so fun.

Inside a Spanish-Style Hacienda…love all the color and antique woods throughout. And the kitchen.

Celebrity Chef Kitchens Behind the New York City Wine & Food Festival…fun behind the scenes.

Brilliant Organizing Ideas…for 5 common messy refrigerator types.

A Rustic-Modern Farmhouse on Martha’s Vineyard…this home is my dream, simple, but cozy and welcoming.

Lily Collins Unusual Engagement Ring…is so pretty. I’d accept this ring in a heartbeat.

Got the Sunday Scaries…try these 9 things.

Inside a Dessert Home Renovation…the dining table (second photo down). It’s so pretty and I need to find something similar!

14 Beautiful Airbnbs for Your Next Road Trip Getaway…would love a fall getaway to Vermont to see the leaves.

Drew Barrymore on the Magic of Color…just a fun Sunday read.

How to Vote This Fall…all the things you need to know the most.

Witches Everywhere Agree…these are the 33 essential boots for the season. SO many cute ones. Love these.

The Anatomy of a Grown-Up Bed…how to get the bedroom you always dream of.

An Unexpected Use for Grout in a Kitchen…love this simple idea to elevate the kitchen.

How to Cope With Anxiety…and keep it from spiraling out of control.

What to Do With Your Life in October…such fun ideas. I love making homemade cider.

8. Lightweight Coats for Hiking…

9. this week’s dinners…

Monday: Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey and White Bean Chili

Tuesday: Sheet Pan Sticky Pomegranate Chicken and Honey Roasted Squash

Wednesday: Roasted Butternut Squash Prosciutto Pizza with Caramelized Onions

Thursday: Coconut Sweet Potato Lentil Soup with Rice

Friday: Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats

Saturday: The Deathly Hallows Cocktail

Sunday: Glazed Brown Sugar Maple Cookies