Nine Favorite Things. - Half Baked Harvest

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Only two more sleeps until Christmas Eve! Yes, the end of the year is upon us. After the craziest travel schedule over the past few months, I am finally home and so enjoying being cozy with all the snow and my Christmas tree. I LOVE this time of year!

The last few weeks of back-to-back book events, signings, dinners, and even a few holiday parties have been the most exciting and fun. Although I will say that it can be hard to constantly feel the pressure to be “on”. Always smiling and always giving so much energy to others. But how lucky am I that I’ve gotten to have all of these opportunities!

Of course, there have been a few tears as well, but I’ve mostly LOVED the busy schedule, and I’m looking forward to even more this coming year. I really can’t begin to express my gratitude to you ALL. The time I’ve had personally meeting and connecting with hundreds of you has been the most special. Hearing your stories, learning about your families, discovering your favorite recipes, or how long you’ve been following…it’s just the most memorable experience. Sitting here typing this, I feel so lucky!

From New York to New Jersey, to D.C. to Atlanta. Then Austin to Houston and Dallas. Then back to New York, on to Nashville, and a double in Chicago. It’s been crazy town, and I loved every minute. Looking back, I wish we had added more cities! But unfortunately, it would have been too much, so I’m glad we didn’t actually do that. But I’m looking forward to hopefully adding a few more book signings in the New Year. If you haven’t made it out to a signing yet, stay tuned!

We had our last signing of the year in Chicago last week, and it really was the best ever. So many of you came to say hello. We kept adding tickets, and they kept selling out. Maybe a sign that Chicago needs a round two!

It’s been a special fall and early winter. Thank you so much for your support, for making the cookbook a New York Times Best Seller right from week 1 on, for making my recipes, sharing them, and for always being the kindest. We have such a loving community of people!

I spent this week at home doing all the cozy Christmas things. Watching Hallmark movies, baking (I finally got myÂ cookie boxes out!), and sharing dinners with my family. They loved this week’s braised short rib dish. And my mom is obsessed with those Candy Cane Bagels I shared, too!

Most exciting, Asher and I had our annual sisters’ Christmas Night. Our “Christmas Night” is my favorite night of the entire year. With so many people always at our family Christmas, I started sharing my gifts with Asher on a separate night. It’s become our favorite tradition. We get cozy in our Christmas pajamas and huddle around the Christmas tree with all the candles lit and Christmas music playing. I get her all the gifts I know she’ll love. It’s the most fun, and I love being the big sister who gets to spoil her!

Are there any traditions you look forward to this time of year? I feel like everyone’s family is different!

Iâm that annoying person who really does love all things holiday. It makes me so happy to be able to say Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to everyone I meet. I love it so much, and I hope it brings a little holiday cheer to whomever I run into!

What are your holiday plans? What are you looking forward to most? Are you cooking, or maybe excited to enjoy a dinner made entirely by someone else? No matter what, I hope youâre all slowly starting to settle into the season.

Enjoy this weekâs favorites! I’m keeping these short through the holidays!

1. Things iâm loving, wanting, and excited to try.

lovingâ¦my White and Warren cashmere blanket. I’m currently wrapped up in this blanket, and it brings me so much happiness. And warmth! It’s so luxurious, but it’s still something I wrap myself up in every night! I love their cozy cashmere socks too!

everything in my cart (low)â¦this week’s Zara finds: a perfect quilted coat and cute knit bomber jacket. The perfect black dress for winter. A great pair of jeans, which I would wear with this satin top and suede boots! Adding leather gloves too.

I’m definitely packing these cashmere socks. I LOVE cozy socks.

From Nordstrom, a very cute shearling jacket and shearling coat.

loving…From the North Pole to VogueâThe Holiday Elf Gets a Fashion Makeover From Thom Browne, Tanner Fletcher, Batsheva, and J.Crew. The cutest! My favorites are on the J.Crew elf! Oslo LOVES Jingle, our family elf.

loving for momâ¦I love gift-giving and swear that it’s my “love language”. But with the craziness of the season and so much traveling, Mom and I agreed not to go crazy town with gifts. Of course, I got her something cozy to open on Christmas (shh, don’t spill), but if I were going all out, I’d be getting her the pieces below.

I know she would live in this Jenni Kayne Cashmere Turtleneck. I love that it’s currently on sale too! Also, Jennie Kayne is becoming a go-to in high-quality but still semi-affordable knits/cashmere. This Noel Maxi Dress on Revolve is sold out, but it’s so cute (here is something similar on Naadam). I would definitely get the matching sweater coat too.Â Oh, and thisÂ turtleneck sweater (mom loves a turtleneck). It’s pretty pricey, butÂ in stock and looks super cozy!

Something random, a popcorn popper! My mom loves a bowl of popcorn late at night and always pops her own! She’d use this popper all the time.

lovingâ¦Goodnotes for the new year! I’m such a notes girl and read recently that Goodnotes is the best notes app!

reading…15 Cozy Winter Books To Curl Up With This Season. Pack one of these for your Christmas vacation.

everything in my cart (beauty)â¦the Charlotte’s Diamond Chest Of Beauty, Love & Magic Set is so pretty and would be a great gift (order overnight). Just add a bow! If you style your hair daily, try theÂ Airebrush Hair Dryer Brush. I’ve also wanted to try this Laser X Aspinal Of London Starter Kit for months. Christmas is a good excuse to splurge on it!

My winter skin loves a great body cream. These are my favorites. The Mutha body butter, Tata Harper body balm, theÂ Josie Maran Always Nude (Unscented) – Refillable Firming Body Butter, andÂ Augustinus Bader The Body Cream.

2025 is going to be my year to focus on hair care. Adding this Nourishing Mask to my cart!

Ok, one more beauty pick…run to Nordstrom and pick up the Frozen & Fuller-Looking Brow Trio and Plumping Lip Liner & Gloss Set. Both are majorly on sale!

watchingâ¦30 Delightfully Cheesy Holiday Movies to Stream Tonight.

everything in my cart (high)â¦this gorgeousÂ Rafaia Leopard-Print Pony Hair Coat from By Malene Birger. And a pretty Cartier watch.

for 2025â¦13 Spaces That Will Inspire You to Jump on the Brown Interiors Bandwagon.

2. Holiday Recipes to Make this Week.

2024 Christmas Cookie Box

Sparkling Mistletoe Cosmo

Polar Express Hot Chocolate

30 Minute Thai Peanut Chicken Ramen

Creamy White Chicken Chili

One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo

Spicy Pesto Pasta Alla Vodka

Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch

Crockpot Short Rib Bourguignon

Vanilla Hot Chocolate Molten Cookies

Christmas Monster Cookies

White Christmas Mojito

Frosted Mistletoe Margarita

The North Pole Cocktail

Easy Fluffy Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls

3. Last-minute gifting and stocking stuffers.

4. Remember what the season is really about.

With the craziness this season brings, we can sometimes forget the meaning behind this time of year. It’s a time of giving!

This is so simple, but I’d baked my sixth batch of Cinnamon Rolls for the week. They were still warm from the oven with a fresh THICK layer of frosting. The FedEx guy, who always makes sure my packages make it to me, knocked on my door with the biggest smile. All I could think was, man, I have to give him a cinnamon roll. The first words out of my mouth were, “Hey, you want a cinnamon roll?”. He immediately smiled and said, yeah, sure, I’d love a cinnamon roll.

I spooned him a warm roll out of the pan and asked him if he enjoyed the holidays, to which he said, I LOVE the holidays! And then he was on his merry way. It was a 2-minute encounter that made my day and hopefully part of his too!

So just a sweet little reminder to randomly give a little something to someone else. Promise you’ll get more of a return than they do!