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Welcome to this week’s Nine Favorite Things.
Happy, Happy May you guys!! We’ve just had two days of full-on sunshine and wow, what a difference that sun makes. It finally felt like springtime for a minute and I can see a glimpse that our summer is indeed coming. Slowly, but it is coming!
Excited to start getting our greenhouse set up, see some flowers popping up, and literally just dreaming of those gorgeous (sunny) Colorado summer days. For now, I’m still over here surrounding myself with flowers and spring candles, but nothing new there. Hoping you too are enjoying warm spring days and feeling excited for the summer days ahead. I think everyone is ready!
Let’s see, not too much to report back on this week. I’ve been in the kitchen cooking non-stop, but I did take Friday off from cooking for some zoom calls. I can’t say they’re my favorite thing in the world. I know some people really love zoom, but me? Yeah, I’m not a zoom girl.
And in more exciting news, after reading my post on wanting to find a place to live during the spring and early summer months, my mom has taken it upon herself (in full force) to make that happen for me. She’s a big, big supporter of this idea and is already planning a trip out to Palm Springs in early June. She wants me to check out the town and really think about making that dream a reality.
Just another reason why you have to love my mom. I can do a lot of talking…but not always walk the walk. Especially when it comes to something as big as a part-time move. But not my mom, she talks it and she walks it, which is great for me. It pushes me a little bit out of my comfort zone. She does the very same thing for my dad…who I’m like in many ways.
So that’s exciting! How do you all feel about Palm Springs? I know it’s crazy hot, but you guys have to understand that I can handle the heat. I always say that if it’s not eighty or above, then it’s cold and I need a sweater. So the dry desert heat of Palm Springs feels right for me. And I love the fact that it’s so close to LA, so I could easily drive into the city for work.
My other location idea was possibly somewhere in the south, or even Austin, Texas. But it feels like everyone is moving to Austin right now, so Palm Springs is really the top contender. Again this is all just talk at the moment, but it sure would be nice to get out of the mountains during the spring months. April and May always bring plenty of wet, dreary, snow days. In fact, we’re supposed to get 6-12″ tomorrow and Tuesday.
Speaking of my mom, Mother’s Day is a week from today! I’ve been trying to think up something a little different to surprise her with, other than say just flowers and jewelry, though those are always great! If you’re looking for Mother’s Day brunch ideas, check out my cinnamon sugar french toast that I shared with The Little Market. We filmed a quick video while I was in LA a few weeks ago and it’s finally live. Check it out here.
Coming up this week, I’ll be sharing a round-up of recipes that will be perfect for Mother’s Day. If there’s anything you’d love to see included within that post, please let me know! I also have some new spring/summer appetizers coming your way, along with a quick dinner, and a sweet cake that I’m very excited to share! As always, with a new month ahead please let me know what recipes you guys are hoping most to see. Easy dinners? More appetizers for entertaining now that life is slowly getting back to a more “normal” state? Desserts? And what about cocktails? I’ve certainly missed them and I hope to pick them back up over the summer. I’ve just been swamped this spring. Let me know!
PS. Lots and lots of favorite links this week! I don’t know why, but I just had so many saved!
1. Things i’m loving, wanting, and excited to try…
watching…The Serpent on Netflix. My cousin Abby is currently watching this. Sounds like if you love true crime stories, this for you. I’m nervous to start it, but I will say, it sounds super interesting, just very creepy and dark.
question: I’m kind of curious to know, what kind of shows do you love?
cooking…carne asada tacos. Cinco de Mayo is the week and I’m making my favorite carne asada tacos for a little mini fiesta at home. I have a new recipe that uses the grill that I am LOVING.
thinking about ordering…this Vintage Basket. I’m just not sure I actually need it, but it’s so pretty.
loving… the Hit The Slopes Fleece Jacket from Free People. It’s the perfect spring and summer jacket for chillier days.
loving… the Baby Bikini Top and Buttercup Bikini Bottom from With Jean, so cute and affordable too.
listening to…Lipstick On The Rim with Molly Simms, so fun, especially if you love all things beauty.
craving…the caramel fudge brownie ice cream from Mitchells. My cousin has been talking about this flavor from our local Ohio spot. Mitchell’s has the best ice cream!
question: what’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
listening to…Alexi Pappas on Armchair Expert. This was so interesting for me to listen to. Not only was I able to relate personally, but it also resonated even more because of my brother Red and his personal experience at the Olympics.
loving…resorè towels. I’ve mentioned these before, but I really love these towels. They’re incredible for washing your face.
drinking…tequila. Well, not me personally, but Cinco de Mayo is Wednesday! My two favorites are the spicy cucumber margarita and the watermelon rosè paloma.
2. The Most Popular Recipes of April.
Most popular: Lemon Chicken Skewers with Creamy Feta Sauce
So excited to see you all enjoyed these! They’ll also be perfect all summer long as a quick dinner on the grill.
Runner-up: Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad
Love, love this salad. It’s my personal favorite recipe of the month!
Also have to mention: One Skillet Creamy Artichoke Chicken Marsala and Orzo
Simple and delicious is really the best way to describe this. It certainly has everything I love and a great weeknight meal.
And then this one too: 20 Minute Honey Garlic Cashew Chicken and Coconut Noodles
If you love a little Asian cuisine, this is perfect and uses mostly pantry staples too.
OK. Last one: Magic Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you haven’t made these cookies yet, consider making them today or maybe next Sunday for Mother’s Day. They’ve become a favorite among everyone!
3. Setting the Mother’s Day Table.
Hopping to put together a cute Mother’s Day table this weekend, here are some fun pieces that caught my eye. I especially love the Love Shack Fancy home collection. It’s so dainty and sweet!
4. Favorite Questions of the Week.
q: which sibling are you the most like?
a: Probably Red, but we’re still pretty different. Asher and I have similarities too, but I really don’t “fit” with my family. I’m definitely the oddball out, which is totally fine!! They force me to have more fun and not to worry so much all the time…and I love them for it!
q: favorite spring produce?
a: Herbs and strawberries ?. Try adding fresh herbs to your dishes to give them color and flavor! I’m adding herbs to everything right now!! And strawberries are great for sweet and savory recipes. Something new coming Tuesday!
q: the worst restaurant meal you’ve ever had?
a: The Champs caesar salad when I was 14. I went to lunch with my grandma, got their caesar…then puked in the front seat of her car on the way home. The first and only time I’ve ever had food poisoning. Of course, I’ve yet to order another caesar salad again ??♀️
q: what’s a quality about yourself that you like?
a: I never give up and am relentless, which is good and bad, but mostly good!
q: best tip on starting your own business and not burning out?
a: Make sure the business you’re starting is one that you can work pretty much 24/7 on and never tire of.
q: are you athletic like your brothers?
a: I’m certainly no Olympic athlete, but I can definitely keep up with them. My dad always says I’m his best athlete and that I could throw a ball better than any of his boys. Of course…that’s my dad talking. ?
q: three recipes you think every home cook should have in their repertoire?
a: Well, I’m not sure we NEED these but I always fall back on penne alla vodka, butter chicken, and really good chocolate chip cookies.
q: what jewelry designers do you love?
a: I’m loving Brinker and Eliza and The Sis Kiss right now. Also, Ariel Gordon Jewelry has the most stunning pieces. And Alexa Leigh too!! I get a lot of my jewelry from either Shopbop or Revolve.
5. New Podcast to Listen To.
I asked everyone on Instagram for some of their favorite podcasts, so I thought I’d share the top picks that were mentioned. Excited to try some new ones!
The Good Life w/ Stevie & Sazan – I personally love and listen to this podcast.
Smartless – this one was certainly mentioned over and over…and over.
True Crime – lots and lots of true crime recommendations.
Crime Junkie – also mentioned over and over and over.
question: what are your favorites? I feel like I could be missing so many good ones!
6. Palm Springs + Little Baby Goat Photos…
25 Things To Do In Palm Springs
Palm Springs Itinerary: The Perfect Desert Oasis Stay
And finally…little baby goats!
7. Favorite Links I’m Loving…
Step Inside an L.A. Home That’s All About Cool Neutrals and Natural Light…simply stunning. The light is certainly gorgeous.
These Personal Homes of Interior Designers Are for Sale…wow, so many pretty homes. The home of Travis Grimm in Los Angeles looks so calming and serene.
The Ultimate Mother’s Day Gift Guide…personally use and love the Nécessaire body wash.
All the Products I Discovered During My First Year as a Beauty Editor…love so many of the products on this list, including the Is Clinical Cleansing Complex, Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream, Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum and Essence.
Leanne Ford Is the Master of an All-White Interior…all the secrets you need to know to master an all-white room.
Take a Look at 10 Sustainable High-End Homes For Sale in New York…I always love looking at these photos.
A Deep Exploration Into The Pros Of Wood Cabinetry…love this talk on using wood in the kitchen. There are pretty inspo photos if you are renovating too.
A Fashion-Girl Wedding…every “cool bride” thing to know.
7 New Sustainable (and Stylish) Hotels…so many I want to visit, especially Habitas Bacalar, Mexico, Sussurro, Mozambique, and Casa di Langa, Italy.
The Best Indoor Plants on Amazon…eyeing this Meyer lemon tree. Does anyone know if it could grow in Colorado? I feel like that’s iffy?
A Guide To Keeping Indoor Plants Healthy…for everyone who loves an indoor plant, this one is certainly for you.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s Designer Opens the Doors to Her Nashville Home…such a pretty home. I love, love the vintage vibes.
11 Popular Trader Joe’s Cheeses…so many new ones to try, the Toscano Cheese with Black Pepper and Old Amsterdam Gouda sound incredible.
Sweet Laurel Savory The Game-Changing Cookbook Of Grain-Free Baking…loved this cute story on the authors.
5 Ways to Elevate Your Outdoor Lounge Space…summer is coming.
3 Simple Breathwork Exercises Manage Stress…I actually really believe in breathwork, a deep breathwork break often helps so much.
The McGee’s Garden Must-haves…for all of us planning that summer garden.
5 Gardening Books to Deepen Your Plant Knowledge…of course, for that summer garden.
4 Steps to Creating Your Own Edible Garden…this is certainly perfect for us.
8. Vacation Bound…
9. This Week’s Dinners + Weekend Eats…
Monday: Roasted Tomato Basil and Feta Orzo
Tuesday: Sheet Pan Lemon Rosemary Dijon Chicken and Potatoes with Feta Goddess Sauce
Wednesday: Folded Crispy Chipotle Chicken Wraps
Thursday: Crispy Lemon Feta with Spiced Chickpeas and Basil Orzo
Friday: Easy Southern Style Baked Mac and Cheese
Saturday: Blackberry Champagne Mule
I loved watching your cooking video on the little market! You NEED a YouTube cooking channel/show! Have you ever seen Alison Roman’s “Home Movies” it’s a great cooking show, I’d love to watch you on one too!
Hey Steph,
Thanks so much for your kind message:) Yes, love her stuff as well! Have a great week:) xTieghan
I know that you have stated that sometimes it takes more than one try to get a recipe just right. When you make a recipe that doesn’t turn out perfect and you have to remake it, maybe several times more, what do you do with the less-than-perfect versions? Do you and your family eat the food, give it away (friends, nursing home, homeless shelter), or dispose of the food?
Hey Trudi,
Typically my trial runs are still good and edible, just not the exact way I wanted the recipe to turn out. My family will usually eat the food or we will donate to our local church:) xTieghan
I’d love to see a Mother’s Day cocktail recipe or maybe a post on how to make a cute Mother’s Day Mimosa Bar. Thanks!
Thanks Megan, I will try to share something like this!!
Sunday mornings – I always look forward to drinking my coffee and reading your “nine favorites” post!
Thanks so much Sara!! xTieghan
Hey Tieghan,
Its always so enjoyable to read your posts and love that French Toast and would so love to make it anytime. I have a really good mom friend who I workout with most every day and always bring her food. Last week it was a Bailey’s cheesecake and it was heavenly. If I can find great inspiring recipes and many our yours I’ll cook just about everyday. I’d rather share more then I eat as I like to make people people and impress with my skills. Lately. I am in a funk as a lot of the recipes I see from my blogs are yawners. I’m going to the library to pick up your first cookbook again as I lent it out to a friend and think she must have loved it because I never saw it back. lol On that note I was super excited that you have a new cookbook and there’s a 100 percent chance I will be buying it. Honestly, I wish it was out like tomorrow would be nice 🙂 As far as what I would like to see I am on a dessert kick. Do you have any recipes for bread pudding you like?? Have you ever done a Baked Alaska?? I saw it another blog it was a Brownie Baked Alaska. I might totally screw it up but I’d have fun trying. Right now I am all about different and a little about outside the box. Do u find yourself challenging yourself and going outside your comfort zone or do u do that all the time?? Either way you have become my favorite blogger and chef. I could totally ask you a million food questions If I had the chance. Maybe not that many but I’d have a lot to say because you’re amazing!! Now on to your Palm Springs question you must love extreme heat. Have you ever thought of moving to AZ during those months you talked about?? Would Flagstaff not be warm enough for you?? Its a fun little town actually not so little anymore but I am partial as I went to NAU it’s beautiful Who doesn’t love the mountains its breathtaking. Have a great week and I look forward to being inspired by some of your recipes and always love reading your stories.
Hey Mike,
Thanks so much for reading along and your thoughtful message. I love this idea of a baked Alaska, might have to give it a try! Lol I try to get outside of my comfort zone as much as possible, definitely easier said than done. I am so glad you have been enjoying the recipes and truly appreciate you following along! Definitely would love to checkout Arizona as well. Have a wonderful week! xTieghan
Not Colorado, but we have had a thriving Meyer Lemon tree indoors, in front of North facing windows, for about about six months now. I ordered it through Williams Sonoma. We did end up needing to get a small portable humidifier to run next to it pretty much 24/7 because we couldn’t keep our house humidity high enough during our Midwestern Winter months, but within just a few weeks of getting that, we had over 50 blooms and currently have multiple lemons growing. So far, so good!
Hey Amanda,
Thanks so much for reading and sharing about your Meyer lemon tree, that’s awesome it is doing so well! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Hi Tieghan, re: settling somewhere in the south over the spring/ summer- make sure you factor humidity into your equation. I know you mentioned Charleston and it is a *swamp* from June- November. I know you said you like hot weather but add humidity on top of that and it can be overwhelming! And make you not want to turn on the oven for 6 months…
Re: meyer’s lemon tree- I think you may struggle to get it to thrive in CO. They love heat/ humidity and only want a cold snap to sweeten the fruit right before harvest. They will take weather down into the mid-upper 30’s briefly but they won’t thrive in those conditions long term. And the lemons take 8-9 months to mature! If you’re thinking of something for the greenhouse, maybe try a key lime first? If you can provide warmth + light you’ll have fruit much more quickly than the lemon…but they are more frost sensitive than the lemon- fyi. But the limes are super juicy and great in drinks/ desserts!
Hey Amy,
Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts on Charleston! Yes, the meyer lemon tree could be iffy in this Colorado weather, I will keep you posted! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Have you ever had ice cream from Louie’s in Buena Vista?! If not, I highly suggest a day trip! The coconut is my fave, but it’s all delicious!
Hey Jade,
I haven’t but thanks so much for the recommendation, the coconut sounds like the perfect summertime ice cream! xTieghan
Just popping in to say we are watching Vincenzo on Netflix and are really enjoying it. Very quirky.
Thanks so much for the recommendation Maria!! xTieghan
Love, love, love your recipes and cookbooks! Your photography is beautiful. Out of curiosity, I looked at the favorite things section, specifically the bikini top and bottom you love, and am wondering who your target audience is. (Models who don’t eat? Or are your recommendations just based on products for which you receive money for endorsing?) Affordable?
I think I will stay in your zone and just look at your recipes.
Hey Deb, none of the products in this blog post are ever sponsored by brands. They’re products I personally love and am buying. They’re not meant to always be food related…I have other likes and interest too! I’m simply sharing what I love with readers. If you love it too, amazing! But if not, you can of course choose to simply not engage. I understand! Hoping this makes sense 🙂 thanks for the comment! xx
I would love to see more easy dinners and fewer desserts 🙂
Thanks for your feedback Carly!! xTieghan
I live in Palm Springs full time and I have always told people that it’s GREAT as a vacation spot where you can live in the pool most of the day. Having to LIVE through the 115+ heat and have to do stuff during the day is rough. Born and raised here and our family still struggles starting around June. Also, all the people buying vacation homes/rentals have significantly inflated prices and it’s pretty unaffordable for basic families now. So do keep price value in mind.
Hey Sara,
Thanks so much for sharing your feedback on Palm Springs and reading today! I hope you have a wonderful week:) xTieghan
Thanks so much for sharing my Palm Springs itinerary! Super glad you liked it – can’t wait to go back, such a lovely place! 😀
Of course, thanks for sharing Nele!! xTieghan
Emotionally Available: A Podcast is my new favorite! So funny and insightful – a perfect low-focus show to listen to while cooking.
Thanks so much for the recommendation Kate! Will definitely have to check this out! xTieghan
I dunno… I don’t seem to have had the same experiences with Palm Springs as everyone else! Pros: gorgeous weather, beautiful scenery, great design. I am a big outdoors fan so if you love to hike there are some great trails and of course, there’s golf and lounging by the pool. But otherwise, I have struggled to get much of a sense of community there at all. It is massively stretched out so you tend to drive a lot. Personally, I prefer places where you can walk out your door and find a cool little community centre with lots to see and do. I honestly didn’t find that in PS. It could TOTALLY be there and I’ve just missed it (and no offence to anyone who lives/loves it!) but I think its more of a place where you go to vacation for a few weeks but stay pretty isolated in your own little rental world. Maybe that’s a good thing? Depends on what you want to do. My mom lives there but she’s in a townhouse golf community and rarely leaves the compound so there’s that. I guess maybe that’s more what I don’t like? Loads of gated communities, not my scene. But… sun! I hear you on that wanting to get away from snow thing. What about Costa Rica or Mexico or somewhere that you can get something insane for the same amount of money?
Hey Leanne,
Thanks so much for reading and sharing your feedback on Palm Springs! Costa Rica and Mexico both sound like great ideas as well:) Have a wonderful week. xTieghan