Nine Favorite Things.

Nine Favorite Things

It’s official, my life has turned into “cookbook” life yet again. I’d forgotten what it was like to release a new book. HBH Super Simple came out over 2 years ago now, so it’s been a while. So much has changed since then…so much in the world, so much with myself, and, of course, with HBH. Excitedly, HBH has grown incredibly so this time around is more involved than previous cookbook releases. Some of it is so fun and exciting, while some of it is really just a lot of work. It’s all a give and take though! 

I just got off a 4-hour QVC Skype class, which was very interesting, to say the least. QVC is a whole new platform, but I’m excited to get the opportunity to be on this morning. My segment should air around 12:52 pm EST on QVC if any of you want to catch it! I’m sharing the new HBH Every Day cookbook with their audience. It’s exciting to finally be getting to talk about and promote this book! It has been over 2 years in the making. I feel like I’ve been keeping it from you all for the longest time. 

And I think we all know, I share pretty much everything here, so it’s been hard! Since we’re talking book things, we do have the cookbook tour schedule pretty much set. A few more things are being finalized and then we’ll create a new Book Tour page here on the site. We should have that up soon! It will be fun to travel and see new faces again. It’s not a huge tour, but I’m hoping to see many of you soon! Keep an eye out for the new Book Tour page!

Aside from all that, this week was kind of basic. I miss my time in LA just a little bit. We’ve had a few cold days with grey skies and lots of snow, so I’m really feeling the need for warmth and sunshine at this point. I’d definitely like to plan a vacation for April and somewhere warm. 

OH! I actually have very exciting news!! I’m finally an aunt! My brother Brendan and his wife Lyndsie welcomed baby Bud Gerard into the world at 12:14 pm on February 21st. He weighed 7 pounds 15 ounces and was 21″ long. Little Bud is healthy and doing amazing at home with Bren and Lynd’s in LA. I already love him so much and he has the sweetest little face (obviously lots of photos below for you). I can’t tell who he looks like more, but he’s stinkin’ cute and I can’t wait to meet him soon. Both mom and dad are good. Probably very sleep-deprived, but so happy Bud is home, healthy, and doing well! 

This family really does just continue to grow and grow. Fun fact? Brendan, Lyndsie, and Bud all have February birthdays. Bren is the 1st, Lyn’s the 10th, and Bud the 21st. Two Aquarius and a Pisces…like my dad…whose birthday is on the 19th!

Let’s see, what else. Asher says she doing some improvements to her bedroom. Red, Hailey, and Kai are home right now! Kai had to have knee surgery on Thursday, so he’s home recovering for a little while. This was planned, he tore his ACL and MCL a few months ago and planned the surgery for after the Olympics. Kai’s a pro when it comes to surgeries (he had a hip replacement at 13), so hopefully, he’ll be back up and walking soon. 

Red and Hail’s stopped home for a few days, but they’re heading to British Columbia to film in the backcountry. Creighton’s just here, eating, per usual. My cousin Maggie, her husband Tom, and their baby Walker have been here for the winter. But they will be heading back to Cleveland next weekend. Oslo is cute as ever. He’s finally getting the concept of walking on his own and he is so proud. His favorite food might just be oranges. And geez, last but not least, rounding the siblings out, Trevor, #2 (whose home is in SoCal) is also doing well. Mom and dad are too! 

And then there’s me, I’m great too! I had some hiccups throughout the week that bummed me out. But we’re moving on and figuring out an even better outcome than before. Every “hiccup” truly is all about how you view it and how you handle it. Sometimes the hiccup is a blessing in disguise.

And that’s all for this week’s update…looking forward to all that is ahead!

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

watching…Ben Stiller on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Watching this was definitely a highlight of the week. Ben talks about Red’s Olympic experience in his interview and everything Ben said could not have been more on point. I think I smiled the entire clip while also thinking to myself, “wow, this is so random, how does Ben Stiller know all of this information? Wow.”.  Watch the full reel (it’s short)! 

loving…Moon Juice magnesi-Om berry unstressing drink. Recommendation from my cousin, Abby. She loves this before bed and said it’s super calming. I just ordered some! 

burning…well, two candles. I finally lit the large Snif old saint wick candle and it’s my favorite thing about my nights right now. Everything from the scent to the massive size of this candle is so relaxing. Especially on these cold nights. And then, I have off the grid going too, which I think is my favorite scent. Also, I have to shout out that these candles are completely clean yet smell so wonderful. They burn down beautifully too. 

listening to…Zooey Deschanel on Armchair Expert. A fun, light-hearted conversation if you just need a mood boost. 

shopping…Zara Homes new drop. Around the house, this vase will be perfect for spring flowers, this terrycloth armchair is so cute. I love this cozy wool blanket and textured rug. These throw pillows look like they should be double their price. These wool pillows too. And I love these baskets. It’s all so cozy. Plus, this console table – so pretty. And in the kitchen, these glass storage jars are pretty. And finally ordering these glass jars (they are my favorite). 

wanting to try…Westman Atelier summer skin set.  I love a bronze on my cheeks with the addition of a highlight, this set sounds perfect. Ordering for spring. Also, I love the Kosas bronzer too, it’s been a go-to for years. 

wearing…my Alo Hoodie. A lot. It’s the perfect everyday hoodie that’s cute, but comfortable. 

loving…Smithey Cast Iron Dutch Oven. This is so pretty and I love the vintage look. Would be perfect for soups, stews, and braising.  

wanting…a Prada bag. I know that’s “extravagant”, but I can have fun dreaming! Something unique and that not many people have. I’m loving shoulder bags right now. But I really have a desire for a Prada bag after seeing one I loved when I was in LA. I’ll dream about it, then move on, but the search for “the bag” is fun. I feel like Asher! 

eating…I want to go to Mother Wolf while I am in LA in a couple of weeks. The menu sounds incredible. 

loving…the holland necklace from Brinker & Eliza. Usually, I don’t wear a lot of beaded jewelry, but this is just fun and playful. Especially with spring coming. 

loving…exploring new ideas/opportunities. I’m in a brainstorming phase. I’m wanting to explore new ventures, try new things, and step even further outside of my comfort zone. It’s been scary and frustrating, but I am trying to love and embrace the process. 

watching…Inventing Anna on Netflix.

cooking…recipes from HBH Every Day. Sharing some new reels this week. 

2. My favorite nine recipes to make in March. 

Basil Parmesan Pasta with Crispy Chicken, Prosciutto, and Arugula

Herb and Chickpea Stew with Rice

Falafel Naan Wraps with Golden Rice and Special Sauce

Antipasto Mozzarella Sandwich with Lemony Basil Pesto

Greek Spinach and Feta Pie (Spanakopita)

Coconut Pecan Caramel Butter Cake

Easiest Cinnamon Crunch Knots

Strawberry Chamomile Naked Cake

Homemade Samoas Cookies

3. Fun jewelry for spring. 

4. Favorite questions of the week.

q: your siblings seem to love to be together. how did your parents make that happen?
a: I really don’t know their secret and I’m not sure they do either. We just don’t know life any other way. My family has always done things together. Vacations, birthdays, weekend trips, hikes, snowboarding, dinners (though they’re chaotic), basically everything. I think what it is, is that my parents created an environment we all just wanted to be part of. We all have outside friends, but some of them have just become part of the family. I think it’s my mom, she loves having her kids around. If anyone ever wanted to go hang with friends, she’d just tell them to have those friends over. It could be a regular day or Christmas Day, she invites everyone in.

q: are you a morning person or a night owl?
a: I really, really love both. Early mornings and late nights are my fav. It’s kind of an issue cause I gotta sleep too! 

q: are there kitchen staples you feel it’s worth it to make and not buy?
a:

make pesto, buy nut butter

make seasoning blends, buy broth

buy enchilada sauce, make buffalo sauce

make chili oil, buy curry paste

make naan, buy marinara 

q: do you text people a lot or call them?
a: neither. I’m horrible with my phone. I don’t get any notifications, so texting me is the worst. I don’t easily respond, or I’ll respond super late. If someone really needs me, they usually have to call.

q: how do you get overhead shots of your recipe ingredients?
a: I stand on the counter.

q: have you thought about doing weekly meal plans with a shopping list?
a: we already do this every week! Just sign up for our Sunday newsletter.

q: how do you let people not get to you? I’m not even famous and I struggle with this.
a: I have really, really learned to not give a shit what others say about me on the internet. You have to do you and be you, it’s the only way. Brush off what someone says, it’s not important unless you make it important. Of course, it can sometimes get to me. Example, someone made comments about Oslo last night and it just made me mad. I don’t usually respond to negative comments. But I did respond to that comment (in a nice way, cause that’s what my parents taught me). I just had to set the person straight ?). Don’t mess with Oslo (:

q: if you try a recipe and it doesn’t come out right, do you try again or forget about it? a: depends on how I feel about the recipe. If it was a complete disaster or horribly ugly, I forget it and move on. A lot of times when that happens I’ll come back to the idea a few weeks later. I’ll re-imagine it in a slightly different way that ends up making it wayyy better. If I like the recipe the first time around but just need to adjust something or get the photo better, I’ll try again the next day. This happened today. 

q: how do you make your food videos? love them.
a: I just use my iPhone to film. For my overhead angles, I use a chair to hold my phone up and for the side angles, I use 2 copper mugs. It’s literally the least fancy + most unprofessional setup you could imagine ??‍♀️ but it works. 

q: how does it feel to be so closely associated with Olympians? is it cool?
a: I mean, I’m the proudest sister there could ever be. I’m not sure I could ever really explain it/show it. I’m kind of quiet about that kind of thing. But my family doesn’t look at Red or Hailey any differently than the rest of us. They don’t act that way either. They’re just Red and Hails to us. They’re both special in their own way and it’s because of their personalities, not their (incredible) talent. So of course it’s cool, but we’d feel the same about them Olympians or not. We are all just people with our own special talents. Some people’s talents are just more in the spotlight than others.

q: can you really tell the difference between moisturizers? or is it just consistency?
a: yes! I think you definitely can, but no matter how good the product is, you need to be consistent to see results. I think that’s kind of the case with almost everything in life…consistency is key! 

q: fave thing to listen to?
a: podcasts for sure! business type podcasts are more my thing, but I’m down for something fun here and there too. I’m in a little rut right now, I need to find some new podcasts. I love The Skinny Confidential podcast for business/life. Every episode might not always be exactly what I think I’d like, but I always end up learning something.

5. Donating to + quote of the week. 

With everything happening in the world, so many people are struggling and scared. It can be a difficult world to live in. I’m thankful that we’re able to live so freely here in the US. After some research, my mom found the CARE Ukraine Crisis Fund. What attracted her to this organization is that they’re prioritizing aid for women, girls, families, and the elderly.

For anyone with the means and interest, this organization is one of the world’s oldest humanitarian aid organizations. They’ve launched a relief effort in Ukraine along with local partners on the ground. Their goal is to raise $20 million and help at least four million Ukrainians with immediate aid to provide them with food, water, hygiene kits, psychosocial support, and cash assistance.

Donate here…and be sure to give your loved ones a special hug today.

quote of the week

I shared this originally a few years ago, but I dug it up again on Thursday. I just love this so much. The message stands so true. 

(from Pinterest)

6. Family photos.

Little baby Bud…

(still can’t tell who he looks like – Bren, Lynd’s, or both, but he sure is cute!)

(Oslito & Conrito – best buds)

(Asher and Oslo, the sweetest big sis)

(Oslo, Creighton, and Asher in Aspen)

(Asher, looking very much like the Aspen girl she is)

(Oslo and Dad – best buds)

(mom and me – 13 years ago)

7. Favorite links i’m loving.

Designers Are Making a Statement with the Range Hood—And We’re Here for It

Leanne Ford Transformed Her 1900 Pennsylvania Attic With a 360-Degree Paint Job

Step Inside a Historic Brooklyn Town House That Blooms Anew

Avoid These 13 Mistakes When Renovating Your Dream Kitchen

My Favorite Fashion Items Are Under-$75 Right Now—I Think You’ll Enjoy This List

Designers and DIYers Dish on the Best Farmhouse Sinks From Their Own Kitchen Renos

Sarah Sherman Samuel’s New Furniture Collection Hits Refresh on These 4 Trends

The Everygirl’s Guide to Manifestation and Achieving Your Best Life

A Lake Tahoe Home That Ditches Taxidermy for Saturated, Moody Paint Colors

Turns Out, Introverts Are Likely More Sensitive to Alcohol, Caffeine, and Music

“I’ve Chosen Myself”: Inside Kim Kardashian’s New World

Design ideas for wood flooring

Kerri Lipsitz on how to design a kitchen for entertaining

Feeling Bloated…these 5 stretches will help.

8. Style Finds.

9. This week’s dinners + weekend eats.

Monday: Sheet Pan Greek Garlic Butter Chicken and Potatoes

Tuesday: Red’s Favorite Spicy Tuna Poke Bowls

Wednesday: Simple Thai Yellow Chicken Curry

Thursday: Garlic Naan Grilled Cheese

Friday: Southern Style Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pasta

Saturday: Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Sunday: Iced Lemon Loaf