Nine Favorite Things. – Half Baked Harvest

I hope everyone had the best Fourth of July! Now that the Fourth has passed, talk of apples and pumpkin spice will be heard before we know it! I’m not even close to being ready for that. I need to soak up these warm summer days (and nights) while we have them!

This week was busy, to say the least. I started my week in New York – the best way to kick off a week! I had a meeting I was in town for, plus a full day of Amazon meetings. Then it was off to an Amazon Live where I discussed my Prime Day favorites and, of course, the new Quick and Cozy cookbook!

In case you missed it, I shared last Sunday that we have a new cookbook coming out on November 19th! Our fourth book focuses on my best-ever quick and cozy recipes. This is by far my favorite cookbook yet. I poured every ounce of myself into creating the best book, and I can’t wait to share it with you all soon!

Your support this last week has been the most amazing. I’m in awe of how sweet and supportive you’ve all been. I LOVE hearing your stories and learning more about you and your families. It’s crazy and so fun to see SO MANY of you preordering the book. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! Your support means so much!!

The announcement set my week off on the best foot. I was and am feeling the happiest. I had two busy, perfect days in New York with the BEST summertime weather and the yummiest dinner at Torrisi with a friend. Then, I returned home to an almost completely cleared-out studio and a home full of all my surfaces, props, and food for cooking. More details on this are below.

And finally, my brother is getting married on Saturday (yesterday, by the time you read this), so today’s post will be a little shorter. So much is happening here right now! I’ll be sure to fill you in with more detail next week!

For now, I hope you guys have a great Sunday in July!

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

loving…this adorable Vancouver home. I love it’s sweetness.

wanting…these Coupe Cocktail Glasses. I want to use these to serve ice cream or frozen drinks. So chic. Other options are the Hay Italian ice dessert bowl or this pretty ice cream cup.

everything in my cart (low)…love these Alo match point shorts. So cute for a summer workout or tennis game. I am eyeing these thong flip flops. The perfect summer shoe.

Adore this pretty double layered sheer dress from H&M. I’d style this for any summer party or dinner out.

listening to… a couple of beauty-focused podcasts. These are easy listens and fun for summer beauty. Molly and Emese’s Summer Checklist: Everything You Need for Beach Days and Beyond. And also, All Things Beauty, Fashion, and Self-Care with Supermodel Taylor Hill.

traveling…the Azores Islands, so pretty! A string of 9 volcanic outposts between Portugal and the United States. Europe’s best-kept secret!

loving…the recaps on Paris Couture Week. These are so fun to scroll through.

shopping…Business & Pleasure. Ok, they have the cutest home and outdoor decor for summer. Going to link my favorites below!

wanting…anklets for bare summer feet. I LOVE that anklets are a thing again. This Lucille anklet from Jenny Bird is really cute. These are so my style right now. Favorites below!

reading…13 Books to Read if You Love TV but Want To Scale Back Screen Time.

everything in my cart (beauty)…for summer eyes, I think the makeup by Mario Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette is perfection with its warm tones. If you want a killer smoky eye, try Patrick Ta Major Dimension III Matte Eyeshadow Palette. For something a little sweeter, Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Dreams Luxury Eyeshadow Palette. All are so pretty with most eye colors!

I’ve heard incredible things about the Barefaced brand. Curious to try their Liquid Gold vitamin C serum.

I ordered a new-to-me brand, Primally Pure, after learning about them on a podcast. Their body butter sounds like it’s really great! I will report back after I give it a try!

watching…Mario Carbone Makez Fancy Mozzarella Sticks for Vogue.

dreaming of staying…Hôtel Grand Powers. Yet another Paris hotel I’d love to visit soon.

testing…the scent free bio-liquid laundry detergent from Dirty Labs. Always on the hunt for chemical-free cleaning products that actually work. This is part of Prime Day, so I’m going to give it a test!

everything in my cart (high)…getting into more jewelry lately, so I’ve been searching for new pieces. I came across this pretty 18-karat gold, enamel, diamond and quartz necklace. It’s crazy expensive, but pretty! I will search for something similar.

shopping…every single black swimsuit because black will never go out of style.

2. The most popular recipes of June.

Most popular: Lemon Basil Zucchini Pasta Alfredo

Runner-up: The Italian Salad Sandwich

Also, have to mention:  BLT Caesar Pasta Salad

My favorite: Lemon Parmesan Sesame Salad

My other favorite: Watermelon Peach Salad

OK, last one: Easy Blueberry Cherry Galette

3. Amazon Prime Day Picks.

prime day fashion

prime day beauty 

4. The Move – studio renovations, here we go!

Home/studio renovation update! We’re starting the renovations on the studio TOMORROW. This meant we needed to move everything out of the studio and into my much tinnier home. We’re starting with the studio renovation. Once that’s complete, we’ll start my house, and I will move over to the studio.

The task of moving everything from one building to another was beyond overwhelming. We reached out to a professional organizer I found on Instagram, Meg Cocchiaro, founder of Organized by Meg. Meg lives in Denver and swooped in like an angel to save the day.

This woman is incredible! In two days, she moved almost everything from the studio into my house and organized a good chunk of it too. Incredibly, my house was put back together by the time I returned home from New York. I really didn’t think it was possible to move all she did, but we have been so impressed!! She’s the best of the best!

She plans to come next week to finish up the first half of this project. I’m so grateful for her; she really made this move so much easier, cleaner, and less stressful. Superhuman, you all—she is GOOD!

As the renovations progress, I’ll share some behind-the-scenes photos and news. I’m excited to get into the details of this next big project; there are so many fun things to come!

5. A Quick Trip to New York.

6. Looking Forward To.

A quick trip back home to Cleveland before heading somewhere new for work. Excited to soak up some humid midwest July summer days with my family. Especially looking forward to a special day with Asher! I need to plan it, but it’s going to be fun. Maybe massages, shopping, and dinner outside somwhere cute! Any local Cleveland restaurants you recommend?

7. Favorite links I’m loving.

Tried 11 Tubs of Vanilla Ice Creams — We’ll Never Buy Another Brand!

What I Buy From Trader Joe’s on a $50 Weekly Budget

Tour a Dreamy Lake Tahoe Cabin Where Modern Comforts Meet Vintage Style

20 Completely Free Ways to Romanticize Your Life This Summer

Everything You Need to DIY Lymphatic Drainage at Home

What to Do with Your Life in July: 31 Ideas for Every Day of the Month

5 Skincare Product Red Flags That Should Stop You in Your Tracks

7 Fiber-Rich Foods to Improve Your Gut Health and Longevity

Inside a 10th Wedding Anniversary Celebration in Baden-Baden

12 Best-Selling Wines from Trader Joe’s—These Were Clearly the Best

Step Inside the Brand New 2024 Olympics Aquatics Center

8. Summer Fashion Sales.

Shopbop under $200

Free People

the best H&M buys 

Summer styles at the beach 

sandals 

summer lounge

9. This week’s dinners + weekend eats.

Monday: Simple Coconut Chicken Curry

Tuesday: Sheet Pan Chipotle Cheddar Corn Chicken Enchiladas

Wednesday: Easy Sheet Pan Tomato Herb Pizza

Thursday: Charred Tomato Basil Chicken Florentine Pasta

Friday: Pull Apart Cheeseburger Sliders

Saturday: Effortless Marinated Burrata

Sunday: No Churn Creamy Strawberry Ice Cream