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Thanks for joining me for another Nine Favorite Things post.
Happy first Sunday of April everyone!
In the midst of a crazy work schedule, weโve also been working hard to bring on some new HBH team members. Iโm not sure if this is the place to talk about this type of thing, but hey, itโs currently whatโs happening behind the scenes.
The one thing I will say, hiring is so very hard and such a process. As someone who has never hired a whole team, Iโm hoping that thereโs a learning curve. Weโve brought on help in the past and havenโt had the best of luck. So, Iโm optimistic that I learned something from my โfailuresโ, and trying to do better this time.
Which means asking a lot more questions, setting clear-cut responsibilities for our new team member, and taking our time with the process in order to hopefully make the best choice. Itโs so hard though! If anyone reading has tips, tricks, or maybe even an awesome podcast with great business tips, please let me know!
In other news, my mom is currently attempting to get me to Florida with the family next week. I am very much hesitating for several reasons, however, Palm Beach sounds amazing, so who knows! Should I head to Florida? Do we need to see some palm trees and blooming flowers on Instagram in place of the snowy mountains?
Coming up this week on HBH Iโll be sharing a handful of new recipes geared towards Easter entertaining, a couple of easy dinners (and one of my new favorite salmon recipes). I also have a spring dessert that Iโve been dying to share with you all. Excited to be back to our regular posting schedule this week!
Lastly, if you missed anything from the past week, be sure to sign up for our newsletterย here. Hope youโre all having the best weekend, and enjoy this Sundayโs Favorites!
1. Inspiring Me on Pinterest.ย
{all photos found via Pinterest}
2. What to Cook with Spring Produce.ย
Itโs probably obvious, but I am very much embracing and loving spring right now. Sure, our weather here in Colorado hasnโt been as warm as I might like to see it, but itโs OK. Living so high up into the mountains pretty much guarantees that we go right from winter to spring. Sort of a bummer, but while April and May are not our prettiest months, every other month of the year is gorgeous as can be. Late August-September are two of the prettiestโฆif you ask me,.
Anyway, one of the most asked questions Iโve been getting recently is just how to use spring produce. So, here are a handful of recipes using my very favorite spring produce.
Asparagus
Sesame Roasted Asparagus, Egg and Bacon Salad
Asparagus and Brie Puff Pastry with Thyme Honey
Asparagus, Egg, and Prosciutto Tart with Everything Spice
Easiest Lemon Ricotta Asparagus Ravioli
Panzanella Style Caprese Asparagus Salad
Spicy Pesto, Asparagus, and Ricotta Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto
One Pan Lemon Roasted Salmon, Potatoes and Parmesan Asparagus
Potatoes
Roasted Mixed Potatoes with Spring Herbs and Burrata
Crispy Breakfast Potatoes with Chili Garlic Oil and Herbs
Sheet Pan Blackened Salmon Bowl with Potatoes and Avocado Goddess Sauce
Spanish Tortilla with Burrata and Herbs
Greek Lamb Souvlaki Plates with Avocado Tzatziki
Skillet Roasted French Onion Chicken and Potatoes
Crispy Oregano Smashed Potatoes with Feta and Lemon
Strawberries
Strawberry Chamomile Olive Oil Cake with Honeyed Ricotta
Overnight Waffles with Whipped Meyer Lemon Cream and Strawberries
Strawberry Coconut Carrot Cake with Mascarpone Buttercream
Giant Strawberries nโ Cream Pop Tart
California Chicken, Avocado, and Goat Cheese Salad
Strawberry Chamomile Naked Cake
Artichokes
Artichoke Pesto and Burrata Pizza with Lemony Arugula
Mediterranean Chickpea and Egg Salad Jars
30 Minute Artichoke and Pea Rigatoni Pasta
Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Soft Pretzels
Beets
Immune Boosting Winter Citrus Smoothie
Pineapple
Instant Pot Spicy Pineapple Chicken Tacos
4-Ingredient Pineapple Lime Chelada
Cuban Style Steak and Avocado Rice with Pineapple Chimichurri
Lightened Up Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas with Pineapple Avocado Salsa
20 Minute Caribbean Shrimp Tacos with Roasted Jalapeรฑo Pineapple Salsa
Rhubarb
Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler with Honey Butter Biscuits
Glazed Peanut Butter and Jelly Doughnuts
3. Flower Vases for all the Spring Flowersโฆ
PS. these are all from Pottery Barn and they are offering 25% off all online orders right now!
4. Questions of The Week:ย
q: How did you learn to cook so well? Cuz Iโm terrible at it. Any tips?
a: Google is your best friend! I think I started cooking around 13 or 14, so anything I didnโt know I googled and got an answer! Watching Rachel Ray for general inspiration was also helpful, but Iโve never been someone who follows recipes. I use the ingredients I have on hand, or ingredients that I know my family will love. Basically I learn through experimentation and trial and error!
My best tipโฆplay around in the kitchen and donโt be so afraid to mess a recipe up. If itโs bad, just make some pasta and try again tomorrow! Cooking should be fun!! Find someone whoโs recipes you love, cook those recipes, then adjust them to your taste!
q: Why donโt you give exact measurements for salt in most of your recipes?
a: Because I almost never measure out salt and only use it to taste. Usually the only time Iโll give a measurement for salt is for baking recipes. Itโs important to salt your recipes throughout cooking and to adjust to your personal taste. Everyone is different!
q: Do you plan your shots and styling/garnishing or do you do it intuitively?
a: Intuitively 98% of the time. I really like to see the dish come together, see the colors and textures, and then put the shot together from there. I am super visual, so seeing what the food is looking like is very important for me!
5. Recent Videos:
6 ingredient vegan chocolate chia mousseโฆextra creamy, light and airy, very chocolatey, and just sweet enough.
meal prep: chicken shawarma and sweet potato fry bowlsโฆweeknight dinner (or lunch) perfection, and pretty healthy too.
6. Are you binge watching Bon Appรฉtit Videos?
To be very honest, I donโt really like cooking shows. So I donโt ever watch Food Network or any of the cooking shows on Netflix. For whatever reason Iโm just not into themโฆbut the Bon Appรฉtit videos? Different story. I love watching the test kitchen team cooking because theyโre just having fun. Itโs refreshing, funny and fun to watch. Have you guys been watching them?? Here are some of my favoritesโฆ
Nina Dobrev Tries to Keep Up with a Professional Chefโฆbecause I love Nina Dobrev.
Molly Makes Mushroom CarbonaraโฆI mean? So good.
Pastry Chef Attempts to Make Gourmet Reeseโs Peanut Butter Cupsโฆpretty much the best.
7. A Few Links I Am Lovingโฆ
stress in the cityโฆbest read of the week.
Emma Watsonโs rules for a healthy lifeโฆalways inspired by her.
Las Catalinas, the car free Costa Rica town, welcomes a new hotelโฆbooking a ticket (I wish).
10 dreamy vacation destinations to visit in 2019โฆno passport needed.
the best brows for your hair colorโฆI am all about a good brow.
gluten free dark chocolate chip CBD browniesโฆwould you try them?
Cindy Crawfordโs home decor tipsโฆand her worst design mistake.
build this nourishing bowl for breakfast, lunch, or dinnerโฆin just about 5 minutes.
Chip and Joanna Gaines bought a 129-year-old castle in Texasโฆand itโs a big fixer upper.
a brunch to welcome springโฆall about this.
a dreamy home in Santa Monicaโฆso cool and unique.
Mexican corn + butternut squash vegan tacosโฆthese sound so good.
what a serving size actually looks like of 10 of your favorite healthy foodsโฆgood to know โ maybe ;).
17 fun hair accessoriesโฆto elevate your look in seconds.
10 best gluten free recipes...all sound delicious.
how to organize your kitchen like a professional chefโฆummm, maybe I should try this.
the Korean beauty brand that will make your skin glowโฆlove a Korean beauty product.
8. Easy Breezy for Spring from Reformationโฆ
9. This Weekโs Dinners:
Monday: cuban grilled salmon with tomato avocado salsa
Tuesday: instant pot thai lemongrass chicken
Wednesday: asparagus and brie quiche
Thursday: 30 minute chicken fajitas with roasted pineapple salsa verde
Friday: cauliflower shawarma wraps with green tahini and feta
Check out all the pastย Favoritesย postsย here.
This post was originally published on April 7, 2019
You should definitely go to Florida! Just remember, the work will always still be around. ๐ Go and enjoy the sun!! ๐
Agreed! Thank you Laura! xTieghan
Just go on vacation, you deserve it with all that you do. I would choose the beach and palm trees over the cold anytime and if I could go to Fl. on vacation I would go in a heartbeat! Go and have fun with your family
Thank you so much Lou! xTieghan
Go to Florida! Now is the time to do things like that โ youโre young and have time. Plus, Iโm sure you will come back recharged and with fresh inspiration.
YES! Thank you so much Med! xTieghan
GO. TO. FLORIDA. โฆas my husband says, better to regret the things you did than the things you didnโt ๐
my best resolution that I actually kept last year was to say โyesโ to travel whenever the opportunity came up, and if someone was covering part of the trip for you, even better.
I love that! Thank you so much Susan! xTieghan
Go to Florida! You post so much content (you really are a blogging powerhouse) and deserve a break so that you donโt burn out. Enjoy time with your family, and if you must work, show us how you get inspired by traveling โ trying new foods/resurants, going to a market in FL and being inspired by new ingredients, how location can inspire recipes, how to cook while traveling, snacks for the plane, beach, pool, etc.
I love that! Thank you for these suggestions, Summer! xTieghan
I was a store manager for years, hired managed and mentored many teams over the years. My biggest piece of advice is to hire based on attitude and gut. Skills can be learned, but desire to do a good job canโt be. Also, if you expect your employees to care about you and your business, you have to care about them too. Good luck!
Thank you Liz! xTieghan
As someone who is currently sitting outside of a Starbucks in Fort Lauderdale complaining that itโs too warm already for April, I say COME ON DOWN! Itโs exactly the kind of weather you will love. Actually April is pretty much the last really pleasant month we will have until December-ish. But youโve been here often enough to know that! Also another selling point is that I feel like so many great restaurants have opened here lately and we are finally getting somewhat of a real food scene and thatโs pretty exciting.
Thank you so much Marianne! Some warm weather sounds amazing! xTieghan
Hello!
Love your blog and I cook at least one of your recipes on a weekly basis. Iโd love to return the favour: I have worked in HR and recruitment for about 15 years and have a ton of tips. Feel free to send me an email. Iโll gladly let you pick my brain.
Hi Amelia! Thank you so much!! xTieghan
Always, always Palm trees and flowers over snow, ice, rain and cold. Plus, you really need a vacation. Just. Do. It.
It isnโt even debatable.
Haha thank you Joyce! xTieghan
Go to Florida, have fun with your Mom and get a new perspective on things. There will come a day when Mom no longer can travel. Make as many memories as you can now. Enjoy life. All this makes you a better blogger.
I agree! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Listen to your Mom, Tieghan! Go to Florida with your family and create some new memories and most of all have fun! Life is too short, so you have to make the most of it now! ???
Thank you J! xTieghan
Ask a Manager is excellent
Thanks Robyn! xTieghan
Go to Florida with your family! You work so hard and a break will do you good. Although I love your blog and recipes, we can miss a day or two or three. ๐
Thank you Suzanne! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! I just moved to Palm Beach from New York about 7 months ago. You should definitely visit! The weather is so beautiful here and the beaches are amazing. Before moving here, a favorite relaxing vacation for me was renting a villa on the water, BBQing, cooking and cocktail making all week long and relaxing or kayaking on the beach. Also we have a (not huge) but pretty decent zoo here. I recommend taking a day to drive down to the Miami zoo too- totally worth it!
While Iโm commenting Iโll ask two questions to hopefully be answered on future Sunday posts:
1. Do you have any videos of cooking skin on fish in the cast iron skillet? I am not good at this (yet)
2. Just made your Kahlua chocolate chip cookies last night. In the directions you mention that you press down on your dough balls to get a thinner cookie. I did the same but my cookies always seem to come out thick and slightly cakey despite following the recipe exactly. Could you share any tips on how to get thin, even crispy chocolate chip cookies?
Have fun on vacation!! Thanks!!
Hey Kristen! Congrats on the move to Palm Beach! So fun! Thanks for the recommendations! ๐
1. We have a video coming soon with skin on salmon, so keep and eye out!
2. Which recipe are you referring to? Can you link to it possible? I am not sure as there are a lot of cookies on HBH!
Go to Florida period.
Thanks Kathy! xTieghan