Nine Favorite Things. – Half Baked Harvest

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Nine Favorite Things

Happy October! The start of the holiday season is officially here. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas – they’re all coming in hot. I love this time of year, but we all know that it can be busy (and often stressful too). But I’ve told myself that I’m really going to make an effort to stop and enjoy these moments. These are my favorite months, and they go by way too quickly. I need to appreciate them while they’re happening so I’m not disappointed after. I have so much to be grateful for!

But let’s back up now because, wow, a lot can really happen in a week’s time. As most of you know, we traveled back to Cleveland this week for my grandma’s funeral. We planned to leave Tuesday, which we did, but on Monday night a wildfire broke out. It was just miles from our house, on the trail I hike every single day.

We were getting loud notifications/alerts on our phones as well as the TV. There were emergency evacuations in our area. And chinooks and jets were flying overhead carrying buckets of water over our houses to the fire. You could see the smoke and fire in the trees.

Somehow we were very lucky and did not get evacuated that night. But we knew it was a very real possibility. The fire was spreading and there was zero containment.

We made it through the night without having to evacuate. We felt like they had a good handle on things even though the fire wasn’t contained. Since we had a flight out that afternoon, we left hoping for the best. To be honest, it wasn’t as horrifying as it sounds. I think we all felt like the firefighters would get control of it. Our firefighters know what they’re doing and we had a lot of rain in the forecast. So we were very hopeful we’d be able to return home from Cleveland.

We got the notice as we were flying that the fire had grown and that we were now in pre-evacuation. Basically what that means is…have everything you need and be ready to evacuate. That was a little more unsettling, obviously. But there really wasn’t anything we could do. And really everything we needed (our family) was together.

We remained in pre-evacuation overnight and through Wednesday. We finally got word late Wednesday night that families that had been evacuated could go back to their homes. That was great news and made me feel much better about flying back home on Thursday.

It was a whirlwind 72 hours of thinking well “what if this happens”. But really, we were so lucky, it could have been so much worse. Beyond grateful for the firefighters and first responders who have been working day and night to get the fire out.

Technically we are still in pre-evacuation. The rain and cold temperatures the last few days have helped incredibly. As of right now, Saturday morning, I only see smoke coming from the mountains. There are still fire trucks stationed all over around the mountain. The fire is not out, but it does seem controlled.

So that’s kind of that. Very happy and relieved that things seem more under control back here at home.

On to my grandma’s funeral, which was honestly a really nice gathering. We all enjoyed seeing old friends and being with extended family. It was a beautiful day, and my uncle Al gave the nicest eulogy. It truly was a celebration of her life. I’m feeling grateful for the time I had in Cleveland with my family. It’s always nice getting to see everyone and catch up.

Since we were all together, we decided to celebrate Oslo’s 1st birthday a couple weeks early. My Aunt Erin put together an Elmo-themed party that Oslo loved. Sadly, I did miss that, but I was able to make his birthday cake before flying out on Thursday. The photos and videos are so sweet. It looked like he had the best time!

And now that I’m home, it’s very much fall and I’m feeling all the coziest vibes!

Coming up this week on HBH we have a couple new pumpkin recipes, one savory and one sweet. A quick skillet dinner, meatballs (my brother’s favorite), and another fun Halloween dessert + cocktail too.

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

loving…these Staud ankle boots. Use code FALL15 for 15%off.

listening to…How I Built This, Chipotle.

dreaming of going to…Castello di Reschio. A thousand-year-old castle in Italy turned hotel.

burning…Spiced Pumpkin candle. A gift from Margaret (our marketing manager) who says this is her favorite candle. And I agree, it’s the coziest scent. It smells like October with notes of brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

ordered…three new lightweight down jackets to try. I like this North Face jacket the best, but am a little worried it’s too short. Then this jacket would be a splurge, but I’m curious if it’s worth the money. Finally, this jacket too, because it looks like it could be a perfect fit, but it’s a new to me brand.

loving…the Nue Co. Cleanser. My sister-in-law, Lyndsie, who is pregnant, loves

this cleanser.

watching…The Murders at White House Farm. Another recommendation from my sister-in-law, this is good for “spooky season”.

ordered…these Copper Mugs from Burke Decor. A holiday Moscow mule is for sure coming soon.

excited to try…the Saie Beauty Tinted Moisturizer. I have it on now, and so far, I’m loving it.

drinking…“I Put a Spell on You” Poison Apple Martini.

watching…24 Faces of Milly Milligan. Recommended by my cousin Abby, who loves creepy shows/movies. This is definitely a messed-up series, but also really good.

baking up…Mini Apple Cider Cakes with double the cinni sugar and some chocolate too.

excited to try…this Boy Smells Fantome Votive Set once it is released. The trio of candles sounds perfect for autumn.

wanting to try…the Chantecaille Nano Gold Energizing Eye Serum. So curious to see how this eye serum really works.

2. The most popular recipes of September.

Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper | halfbakeharvest.com

Sheet Pan Sticky Sweet and Sour Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

Runner-up: Sheet Pan Sticky Sweet and Sour Chicken

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze | halfbakedharvest.com

Also have to mention: Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Maple Glaze

Chewy Brown Sugar Maple Cookies | halfbakedharvest.com

My personal favorite: Chewy Brown Sugar Maple Cookies

4 Cheese Roasted Garlic Alfredo Stuffed Spaghetti Squash | halffbakedharvest.com

Ok, last one: 4 Cheese Roasted Garlic Alfredo Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

PS. this isn’t a recipe, but the #2 top blog post for the month: The 40 Most Popular Fall Recipes

3. Fall Kitchen Finds from Crate & Barrel.

for the kitchen

for the home

And, for the table

4. Favorite questions of the week.

q: With the holidays quickly approaching, what’s your favorite Halloween dessert?
a: I have so many. I LOVE Halloween so much. But I always make these jack-o-lantern cookies every year.

q: Where do you like to shop for kitchen decor and dishes?
a: If it’s not handmade or vintage, Anthropologie is always a good go-to. So is Crate and Barrel and Williams-Sonoma. I also love to shop Etsy. Lulu and Georgia have really good home decor. Zara Home is awesome too, I order from there a lot. Oh, and RW Guild has the prettiest pottery/ceramic pieces.

q: Does APL run true to size?
a: I’m a size 8 and wear a size 8 APL with socks. So yes, I’d say they run true to size.

q: Must-haves for building a dream kitchen?
a: well, it’s YOUR dream kitchen so you should do what you think you’ll love!! But, if it was me… A farm-style sink, a big island for lots of counter space – and probably a sink in the island too. A La Cornue Official range, and a Sub Zero double door fridge/freezer. I’d also have a pot filler above the stove. I’d have a walk-in, beautifully organized pantry. And then man, I don’t know what else. I’m sure I’m forgetting a lot, but I do love a very simple design!!

q: I’m looking for a hard case carry-on. What is your favorite?
a: I love my Beis carry-on, I use it every time I travel. This bag is so pretty, but also pretty pricey. And I love this affordable everyday tote.

q: Can you post how to make homemade pumpkin butter?
a: I have a pumpkin butter recipe!

q: Are there Half Baked Harvest products in the works to be sold in stores?
a: yes ??

q: I’d love to see holiday decor around the house/studio.
a: plans for this are already in the works – coming soon!!!

q: Favorite clothes for this fall?
a: this is a basic, but I love this jacket. It looks so warm and cozy. I can’t wait to wear it!

q: If you could have any super power, what would it be?
a: the power to heal. I’d love to heal everyone from any kind of sickness. I’d also love to have the power to slow down time because there’s never enough.

q: Did cooking get you into cocktail making? What sparked your interest in making drinks?
a: well yes, but more than anything it was my family that got me into the cocktails. They were always looking for something to drink over the holidays. So I started mixing up cocktails and fell in love with it. It’s honestly one of my favorite things to do. I love making drinks, especially ones with a holiday focus to them. I get way too excited.

q: Have you overcome any insecurities to grow your order to business?
a: yeah for sure! I’m actually an incredibly shy person and don’t love being in social situations or being the center of attention. I had to pretty much completely get over all of that to help HBH grow. It wasn’t all that hard though. My excitement for growing HBH always outweighs any fears. Honestly, you can’t have fear when growing a business or it will hold you back.

q: What fall candles are the best in your opinion?
a: I just ordered a bunch, but I’ve always loved the Chai candle from Byredo. I’ve actually been ordering a ton recently, so I will have to do a recap soon. But for now, I’m excited to light this one.

q: Is it weird when you see fans in real life?
a: no I love it!!! And if you see my mom, say hi! It literally gets her so excited ?

q: Do your siblings live around you/with your parents? Who feeds the family every day?
a: nope! Most of my brothers actually live in Southern California. BUT everyone travels so much and is back and forth between CO and CA that we see each other all the time. Because of this, it never feels like we live that far apart. Usually, my family will stop into the studio at night and grab the food I cook that day. I make of their dinners for them.

q: Which siblings are you most similar to? And which parent?
a: Siblings – Red and Asher. Parent – definitely my dad, we’re very similar. My mom and I are complete opposites.

q: It’s officially football season, what team do you root for?
a: I mean, the Browns of course! But also, I have to be honest, I haven’t really watched a football game in ages ?

q: would you ever move back to Ohio?
a: Never say never, but I don’t think so.

q: Can you please post your apple butter recipe?
a: Here it is!

q: What are your favorite copper mugs for mules?
a: I have these mugs and then also think these mugs are great too.

5. The spookiest Halloween movies to watch…

1. HalloweenTown (all of them)
2. Hocus Pocus
3. Harry Potter (all of them)
4. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
5. The Nightmare Before Christmas
6. Twitches
7. Edward Scissorhands
8. The Haunted Mansion
9. Casper (the original)
10. Corpse Bride

These are mostly fun movies. If you’re looking for spookier picks…31 Spooky Movies to Get You in the Mood for Halloween.