Nine Favorite Things.

Nine Favorite Things

Happiest September! I know that it’s already the 4th, but it’s a new month, and it’s one of my favorite months of the year. With September here and Labor Day tomorrow, we’ll soon be closing out summer and moving into fall! I think we all know by now just how much I love the fall.

With every autumn season, I seem to become even more excited than the previous. New fall content to create, new opportunities, and the welcoming back of all things cozy. I’m just feeling so excited for the next few months, they’re going to be great!

Currently, I’m in LA, but I’ll be home in Colorado by the time you all are reading this. I have a few days home before I head back out again, this time to New York. I’ve never been in the city at this time of year so I really can’t wait. I’ll be heading into the city to tape something very special. I’ll also be experiencing a bit of my first New York Fashion Week.

A little backstory, I’ve dreamt of attending NYFW since middle school. It’s always been something I hoped I would someday be able to attend. When I started Half Baked Harvest and switched over to focus more on food, I lost a little bit of the girl who loved fashion. The part of me that loved to put pretty pieces together and found inspiration in designer collections. Over the last year or so I’ve slowly started to reawaken that part of me and share it with you all. It’s been fun and I’ve found so much new inspiration throughout the process.

Next week I’ll finally be making that dream of going to fashion week come true. I’m not doing what I thought I would be doing exactly, but I love the steps I took to get here. Don’t worry, I’m not forgetting about food, just doing a little bit of combing both of my favorite worlds.

Cooking will always be my focus, but I need other outside interests to keep me creative and excited!

So that’s my big work/life update for right now! With everything I do, I want to bring you all along with me. We have fun things coming up this fall, including a launch in October that I am beyond excited about!

Moving along, my family spent Asher’s birthday with my brothers down in the San Diego area. It’s very hot in southern California right now, but we all enjoyed our trips! Happy to be home with them in Colorado for a few days.

So what are you most excited for this September?

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

loving…Quartzite Stonewood. I saw this stone used as a kitchen counter and fell in love with it. Maybe it’s the autumn colors that I love, but I’m now considering using it myself. It’s so pretty. I currently have quartzite counters in the studio and I love their look, feel, and durability.

everything in my cart…low. From Zara, this bows knit jacket is a nice layering piece for September. This oversized striped shirt is a nice basic. And I really love their faux leather jacket. This COS long sleeve tee is the perfect shade of blue. I love these tailored wide leg pants from Abercrombie.

For bags, this braided bag from Mango looks designer, just minus the price point. And then you have a cute bucket bag from J.Crew. Both are great everyday bags.

All things Nordstrom, this yellow button-down paired with this black chunky cable knit sweater are fall essentials. I love this maxi skirt and would pair it with an oversized blazer or leather jacket. And finally, these are some pricier pieces to invest in. This wool coat is the coziest. And these black boots. Both are fall/winter staples that are under $300.

listening to…How to Discover your Human Design on The Skinny Confidential. I’ve listened to another podcast on this topic and found the concept so interesting. It definitely gets your mind thinking about the things you were born with that can really help you succeed.

burning…ok. We haven’t talked candles in a minute. At the moment I’m burning Snif’s ditch plains candle, which I love. It was the perfect summer candle. But now that we’re into September, I’m switching to their sweet ash scent. It’s an oldie, but goodie fall favorite. Other candles that I’m excited about having ordered. The Byredo chai scented candle (another oldie favorite). And Trudon cire scented candle (which is pricy but is such a special cinnamon scent).

dreaming of going…Babington Soho House in Somerset, England. The prettiest grounds. I bet this is stunning in the fall.

ordered…a handheld steamer for NY. I will be curious to see how well this works, but I needed a packable steamer! Updates to come.

thinking of ordering…an hourglass timer. I love the idea of using this to help my workflow. Flip it and work on that same task until time runs out.

following…From Lucy. Such pretty cakes decorated with flowers. She is NYC based, but if you’re looking for cake inspiration, the flowers she uses are so pretty.

wanting…to try Furtuna Skin. I keep hearing about this skincare brand and would love to try their products. Has anyone been using their line? Also on my to-try skincare list, is the new Skin Ceuticals corrective essence mist.

everything in my cart…high. I didn’t think I was feeling ankle boots for fall, but I love these Loewe flamenco boots. I also adore these Prada leather slingback pumps. Classic, but updated. This Grace Ling black maxi dress is a great black dress for a night out. And I love how fun this keyhole sequined dress from 16 Arlington is. Very pretty if you love some color.

bags I’m loving…obsessed with this Prada shoulder bag. And how pretty is the new Gucci blondie suede bag? And then, this Fendi shoulder bag, it’s so pretty and sure to become a classic Fendi piece. Lastly, this Chloé woody embroidered leather tote in black or brown is on my list. I’d love this for traveling. I think I’d get the black.

loving…this fun fleece blanket for fall. Really cute and unique.

shopping…water bottles. I need to have a water bottle with me while I travel. At home, I use my Yeti, but I think I might order this hydro flask. I want the 64 ounces, but worry it may be too big to carry around.

loving…16 Arlington. This brand is crazy expensive, but their pieces are so pretty and fun to look at.

watching…Hocus Pocus 2 on Disney+. It’s not out until September 20th, but I am SO EXCITED. I just love all things Halloween and Hocus Pocus is a classic. Can’t wait to watch this with Asher. Also, here’s a fun list of things to watch this month.

cooking…Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake. My favorite Sunday night dinner this time of year.

2. Favorite September apple recipes.

Brie and Cheddar Apple Beer Soup

Autumn Harvest Honeycrisp Apple and Feta Salad

Prosciutto Apple and Sage Butter Chicken with Cider Pan Sauce

Roasted Butternut Squash Apple Burrata Pizza

French Onion and Apple Grilled Cheese

Fall Harvest Honeycrisp Apple and Kale Salad

Apple Butter and Sage Pork Chops

One Pot Lemon Rosemary Dijon Chicken and Butter Toasted Rice Pilaf

Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Maple Icing

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts

Cinnamon Apple Puffed Pancake

Brown Butter Apple Blondies

Ginger Apple Moscow Mule

Smoky Harvest Apple Cider Margarita

3. Home finds from Labor Day sales.

4. Favorite questions of the week.

q: what is dry brushing and why do you do it? 
a: It’s exfoliating the skin! Some people do it in the morning for an extra energy boost, but I dry brush at night before hopping in the shower. It helps remove dead skin, keeps skin soft, unclogs pores, reduces inflammation, and eliminates toxins from the body. It has changed my skin from being so dry and scaly to baby soft and smooth. Highly recommend 

q: how many pictures/videos do you take while making a recipe?
a: No idea but at least 100? It’s a lot. I go through and heart all the videos I will use, then remove the rest. 

q: how many horses do you have? Does your family take care of them?
a: I wish I could say these guys are ours, but they are our neighbors. I would LOVE to have a couple of horses in the very near future however ? 

q: what do you do when people steal your recipes as their own?
a: Absolutely nothing. People know my recipes, they know from my photography style, my video style, and by the ingredients I use + the way I combine them. It’s pretty unique to me. No one can exactly replicate my recipes and make them just like I do. I’d never accuse anyone of doing so. It’s flattering people find my recipes inspiring to make. They should take the inspiration and then reinvent the recipe in their own personal way! It will actually end up even better than simply trying to replicate mine to a T. Basically what I’m saying is that I just don’t care, nor have the time to worry about it ??‍♀️ It’s food and people shouldn’t take it so seriously. Just make what you love and share what you love!

q: why do you make your recipe titles so long? Just curious!
a: Ugh. I just cannot leave any of the good stuff out! I want you guys to know right away what’s happening with the recipe. But most importantly I want it to sound really, really delicious. I used to be even worse and have 2 sentence titles but I’m getting better!!

q: if you could go back to your younger self, what would you tell her?
a: One, enjoy the time when you’re young. While life is amazing as an adult, it comes with much more stress and responsibility. I spent too much time stressing as a kid. Have confidence in yourself and know you can do so much more than you ever imagined. Embrace what makes you different and unique. To this day confidence doesn’t come easily for me. But confidence is everything and you can do so much more than you think.

q: do you have a “work phone” for your content versus life? 
a: This is so random! I’ve never gotten this question, but oddly it’s something I was just talking about yesterday since my phone was broken. I only have one phone, but maybe I need a work phone? 

q: how did you learn food photography? Any courses you’d recommend? 
a: I didn’t take any courses or have any schooling. I just learned through trial and error. Consistently shooting every day and really working to find my style of photos. I am a hands-on learner, so I learn more by doing than anything else. Anything I didn’t know about the camera I googled or texted my brother and just figured it out. I’d never call myself a pro. I always recommend to search “food photography” on Pinterest to find inspiration for different photography styles and ways of styling food. Find what you enjoy then try to recreate it but in your own unique way.

q: I am remodeling my kitchen, what are the top 3 must-haves?
a: I love having a large island to work on. A big sink to stack dishes in. And I love a double-sided fridge + freezer unit so I can fit large pans in both the fridge and freezer. I don’t love units with the freezer on the bottom. There never seems to be enough room. And then I prefer a gas cooktop with an electric oven unit. But these are all just my personal preferences! 

q: what would you cook for a party of 12-15 people?
a: I always say lasagna or pizza. Lasagna being the easier of the two since you can completely prepare it ahead of time. Plus lasagna can be modified with seasonal ingredients. For that large of a group, I would make one meat-focused lasagna and one vegetable. This way everyone has something to enjoy. Just prepare both the day before and then bake them while guests arrive. The house will smell incredible and be very welcoming. Salad on the side is a must! 

5. Top 5 things to do in September + Inspiring me.

1. apple picking! It’s a must. Have you gone? I’ll be in New York a bit this year, so it would be fun to do this upstate. It looks magical. Then, I want to make apple cider, apple butter, and my all-time favorite cookie, chewy brown sugar maple cookies.

2. start transitioning the home to all things cozy. Splurge on a cashmere throw blanket (up until last year, I didn’t know about cashmere blankets, but they’re very special), order candles, and find pretty dried florals to really create the moody, fall vibes.

3. Go for a hike and take in all the fall foliage. Our trees are just starting to turn. I give it two, maybe three weeks and we’ll be at peak fall foliage.

4. organize! In prep for fall and the holidays, take a Saturday or Sunday to organize the kitchen and pantry. Order pretty ribbon and holiday wrapping paper and start to prep for the busy season ahead. I know it’s early, but you’ll be happy you did (and such a better selection!).

5. make a fall arrangement with all the in-season dahlias. My favorite.

inspiring me

(from Pinterest)

6. Small LA Recap.

To be honest, I don’t love coming to LA. I’ve decided that at heart I’m such a midwest girl. So for that, I love going to New York. But everything I come to LA to do, I love. From meetings to photoshoots, to dinners out at the best LA spots.

This trip was probably my best LA trip yet. I was overwhelmed with all the exciting things coming up, it was just so fun. I had meetings on my first day in town, which went incredibly well and left me feeling so grateful for all of you. You’ve helped me create the fun things we’re now getting to work on!

But Friday was by far the really fun day. We had an incredible photoshoot. It was SO VERY DIFFERENT for me, so prepare yourselves. I got to dress up and be someone a little bit different for the day. I can’t wait to share more. Sharing some photos below!

Then home on Saturday. Very short, but oh so sweet.

stayed at the West Hollywood Edition – always one of my favorites!

dinner on Thursday night

below are photos from the house where the shoot took place

Taylor came! So fun having her with me

7. Favorite links I’m loving.

Fall Bucket List to Help You Make the Most of the Season…What’s on yours?

Here Is Every Fall Essential You Could Possibly Need…some cute finds.

6 Halloween Décor Trends Are Going to Be *Everywhere* This Year…I’m ready.

The 15 Best Places to Visit in Mexico…one last summer trip?

Where to Stay in Austin, Texas…or maybe fall in Austin?

An Online Stationery Company With an Old-Fashioned Feel…cute.

45 Labor Day Sales…everything to be shopping.

19 Simple Acts of Kindness You Can Do Today…love this idea.

The Best Way to Apply Every Skincare Product…good to know.

Is the ‘What I Eat in a Day’ Trend Helpful or Harmful?

8. Favorite leather jackets for fall.

under $300

splurge, everything over $300

9. This week’s dinners + favorite weekend eats.

Monday: Roasted Garlic Caprese Grilled Cheese

Tuesday: Sheet Pan Sticky Sweet and Sour Chicken

Wednesday: Spicy Lemon Butter Shrimp Scampi with Herbed Corn

Thursday: Creamy Tuscan Chicken with Crispy Prosciutto

Friday: Black Pepper Rub Chicken Fingers with Greek Yogurt Ranch

Saturday: Easy White Chicken Chili Corn Dip

Sunday: Fudge Frosted Chocolate Olive Oil Sheet Cake