Nine of My Favorite Things this Week.

I’m here on this last Sunday in February to again share Nine of My Favorite Things this Week!

{cocktail hour! recipe coming this Saturday for cocktail Saturday!)

Hi guys! Hope you’re all having a great weekend. I’m excited to spend my day preparing for the week ahead, which will probably consist of catching up on emails, jotting down a few new ideas, cleaning up/organizing my house (because umm, I never got to it last weekend), laundry, heading outside for a hike, and hopefully finishing the night off with the Oscars! What are your plans for the day?

{my favorite golden hour light}

So getting right into things, let’s delve into my list:

1. Speaking of the Oscars, will you be watching tonight? I’ve never been much of an awards show watcher, but I’m trying to be a bit more “in the know” with things outside of the cooking world. This probably means I should spend a little time this afternoon learning about the movies/actors nominated…huh? I am so clueless! If any of you are really into the Oscars, I highly recommend checking out this fun Oscar’s ballot (it’s so cute!). PS. If you’re looking for a fun Oscar’s night cocktail, I’m thinking these champagne mules would work perfectly. Yes, please!

2. It’s officially Spring cookbook season and I am so excited to be sharing a few of my favorites here on the site over the next few weeks. In the meantime, here are some of the books I am loving. Fresh by Donal Skehan, Dinner by Melissa Clark, Naturally Nourished by Sarah Britton, The Poke Cookbook by Martha Cheng, Lexi’s Clean Kitchen by Alexis Kornblum, The First Mess Cookbook by Laura Wright, Back Pocket Pasta by Colu Henry.

3. I am doing some travel and absolutely loved this post on how to pack for a business trip like a pro. Planning out my outfits it going to be key for me. This is something I always have trouble doing. Typically I’ll just throw my cutest clothes in a bag and pray for the best, but I’m going to spend some time actually pulling out all of my outfits for the trip. Hoping this will relieve some anxiety and help me to feel prepared for what’s ahead!

4. I mentioned this week that I’ve been playing some major comparison games with myself. I found this article on how to avoid the comparison game really helpful. Tip number three struck me the most. Sometimes we need to step back and remember what we love most. For me, that is the creative side of recipe development and photography. Sometimes I can get so caught up in what I think others will like that I forget to just be my creative self, to be inspired and to have fun with my recipes and photos. It can be hard because I feel like some things must be this or that, but in the end, as long as I am happy with the product I am putting out, that’s all that matters! I highly recommend reading this if you often find yourself playing the comparison game.

On this same topic, I loved this article on how to let go of negative thoughts. It’s in my blood line to always sway on the negative side of things, but lately I’ve really been trying to make an effort to stop the negative thoughts, and I thought this article had awesome advice.

5, NEW VIDEOS! oatmeal chocolate chunk peanut butter swirled brownies…the most delicious mouthful there ever was. 30 minute healthy kickin’ cajun chicken…just in time for Mardi Gras this week! warm chocolate chip cookie stuffed soft pretzels…one of the most popular recipes on the site (and with good reason). 6 ingredient raspberry orange pastry flowers…for Sunday brunching…obviously. cauliflower crust “pizza” with chickpea “pepperoni”…pizza done the extra healthy way…promise, it’s so good and cheesy!

6. While we are on the topic of videos, I finally filmed my first ever Facebook Live on Friday and made these healthy…ish chocolate chip cookie bars with you guys. I guess technically this was my third Facebook Live, my first was on the Food Network’s page (oh how I cringe watching that…) and my second FB Live I did on Wednesday, but I had some serious tech issues and ended up have to delete it. UGH. Glad to report that Friday’s video went well and I am super excited to start sharing a new live video with you guys once a week or so. I love the interaction with you all, and cooking live just feels like we all know each other! So what recipes do you guys want to see next? Anything other than recipes you want to see? Be sure to let me know!

7. I’ve been in need of some make-up help lately, and after a little research online, I came across this post and knew immediately that it was the exact routine I needed. I’ve been doing this routine daily for the last week and half..ish and have been loving it. I am now obsessed with finding new beauty products, any good suggestions?

8. My go to style girl Caitlin sent me these pants and I could not be more in LOVE with them. They are certainly a statement piece, and for someone who’s normally in leggings or jeans, I’m seriously loving the switch up. PS. they are so comfy and look SO MUCH cuter on than you’d think. Just sayin’.

9. This week’s dinners: 30 minute teriyaki chicken, one pan lemon roasted salmon, potatoes, and asparagus, vietnamese meatball and sweet potato noodle bowl, greek goddess chicken lettuce wraps, an Irishman’s mac and cheese.