Recipes

Be a Better Baker Challenge: Croissants

Please note: This post was created in collaboration with Chase Freedom Unlimited. All opinions, images and content are my own.

I took on one of my hardest projects yet in my most recent bake for my “be a better baker challenge” in collaboration with my friends at Chase Freedom Unlimited! Croissants have been on my to-bake list for ages; they’re one of my favorite French pastries but have always felt way too challenging to manage making at home. I started to feel a bit more confident after some of my bread baking and pretzel-making experiments, and a laminated dough felt like the most logical next step to continue to challenge myself. read more

Entertaining

A Classic Fall Cheese Board.

We had some friends over this past weekend, so of course a cheese board was on the menu. I’ve been experimenting and getting creative with all sorts of themed grazing boards lately, but sometimes I just like to go back to basics and create a simple, classic board with my favorite ingredients. It was also a great chance to try out my new set of cheese knives by Forseti Steel! read more

Recipes

Halloween Popcorn Balls.

My very favorite treats are the ones that are a little bit salty and a little bit sweet! I worked with my friends at Family Circle Magazine to share some festive Halloween ideas in their October issue, and one the treats I made for the display was that perfect combination: popcorn balls! This recipe for popcorn balls is made with Sugar In The Raw®, honey, and a touch of butter.  The natural molasses in the golden crystals of Sugar In The Raw® provides a great base when combined with the honey to keep the popcorn balls together. read more

Home

A Bedroom Refresh.

When we moved into our house we upgraded our bed to a queen size and I ran out that day to grab some plain white sheets to use. They were fine — it was just a simple set to hold me over until I found the perfect new bedding to design a room around. I hunted and hunted for inspiration and never quite landed on a look that I love, so I just put it off — for FOUR YEARS. Until recently when our duvet cover started to rip (like, it’s been washed so many times it’s basically disintegrating) and I realized it was probably time to get that hunt started up again. My friends at Serena & Lily (who just opened the most gorgeous store in Boston!!) offered to help me with a big bedding refresh and I jumped at the chance to finish what I started 4 years ago. read more

Recipes

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Soup.

It’s soup season! I am so in love with this new soup recipe and couldn’t wait to share it today. I’ve been playing around with the idea of a loaded cauliflower soup for a while and this version just hit the spot! I started by roasting two heads of cauliflower and a head of garlic in the oven — it makes the cauliflower really rich and nutty. All that it needed for seasoning was a bit of olive oil and a sea salt with herbs (I use this brand!). Then you pulse the roasted cauliflower and garlic in a blender with some really good chicken broth and cracked black pepper, it’s as easy as can be.  This soup is unintentionally  dairy-free; when I was first testing it I had planned to stir in some cream at the end to give it a richer flavor, but just taste-testing it from the blender it was already so rich and flavorful I decided it didn’t need it! To finish it off, I topped it with some crispy bacon crumbles and chives — delicious! Get the full recipe below: read more

Entertaining

A Colorful Autumn Harvest Tablescape.

This may be my favorite tablescape I’ve ever shared on the blog before! This table started with a colorful find while I was traveling in Rhinebeck, NY for my sister’s bachelorette weekend. We spent the afternoon browsing some sweet local shops and when I spotted this tablecloth I knew I had to have it – the warm oranges and bright cornflower blue and subtle lilac tones just screamed ME!  I scooped it up and knew it was going to be the inspiration piece for a bright, festive autumnal tablescape. read more

Entertaining

Fall Fondue Party.

I am relishing in the fall weather, pulling out cozy sweaters and barn jackets, and most importantly: cooking warm, savory comfort foods. I had a line-up of some of my favorite fall recipes to bring out of my vault, but was also eager to try some new ideas too. I’ve been thinking about making a fondue spread for ages, and the crisp autumn air told me it was time to take action – a fondue party was on the books! read more

Entertaining

Getaway Weekend Snacks.

On a recent girl’s getaway for my sister’s bachelorette party, we unpacked our bags in the rental house kitchen, and friends remarked at my meticulously planned and thoroughly packed tote of snacks and supplies. I’m a planner and I’m a snacker – those two traits combined have made me very detailed about what I gather for a getaway weekend. read more

Entertaining

A Seasonal Charcuterie Board.

This post was created in partnership with Better Homes & Gardens and Boursin®Cheese.  All opinions, images and content are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support this site!

I have a thing for charcuterie boards. Putting together a wow-worthy display of bites for a party is just about one of my favorite things to do. So when my friends at Better Homes & Gardens asked me to help create a holiday charcuterie board with one of my favorite entertaining staples – Boursin® Cheese – I jumped at the chance! read more

Recipes

Be a Better Baker Challenge: Pretzels

Please note: This post was created in collaboration with Chase Freedom Unlimited. All opinions, images and content are my own.

This month’s progress on my “be a better baker challenge” in collaboration with my friends at Chase Freedom Unlimited is starting to take an autumnal spin! I shared in my last post in this series that one of my biggest takeaways on this goal journey is finding the motivation and inspiration to just bake. I tried to be more purposeful this month about seeking inspiration in new places to get that motivational charge. read more