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This is the last Sunday Favorites post before Thanksgiving! So much fun to be had this week, I can’t wait to enjoy the holiday with my family! We’re keeping things very mellow and low-key this year. Most of my family will be here, except Brendan and Lyndsie, and Kai and Cait. They are spending Thanksgiving with their wife/GF’s family. But my cousin Maggie and her family of 4 will all be joining us!
We’re doing a big menu full of yummy food, but no turkey this year! Instead, we will have Maggie’s husband Tom – the grill master – grilling things up. The boys all want to grill a roast or something (who knows…it’s going to be interesting), so we’re doing that this year. I said I’d make all the sides and desserts, and Mom and Asher are doing the apps. It will be fun and a much easier day of cooking for me. Making all my family favorites. I’m thinking of a cookie pie, molten pie, and maybe some butter cookies too. Delicious. Delicious.
For drinks, I’m thinking I’ll bring back my Mr. Grinch cocktail. It’s basically a spicy Moscow Mule, so the family loves it.
That’ll be Thanksgiving, then we’ll be onto Christmas festivities. Decking the halls, baking all the cookies, and watching every last Christmas movie we can find. Excited for some new Hallmark originals! Miracle on 34th Street will be first though, it’s my Thanksgiving night tradition.
How will you be spending your Thanksgiving? I love hearing about your holiday plans!
If you’re still needing to plan your menus, make sure to check our 2023 Thanksgiving menu. It’s the quick and easy menu we all need this year! Or scroll through the most popular Thanksgiving recipes and side dishes.
One more thing I wanted to share here, yesterday was National Adoption Day. As most of you know adoption is very near and dear to our hearts. I can’t imagine life without my little brother Oslo. I would love your support in helping ACF, Advocates for Children and Families. ACF is a 30+ year nonprofit adoption support organization.
ACF+ supports medically complex infants. They are in need of not only monetary support to help the families they work with, but they are always looking for prospective adoptive parents for these infants.
Please consider a donation to ACF+ as all donations up to $25,000 will be matched. You can do this by texting ADOPT to 707070
For more information on ACF’s adoption services, please click this link.
That’s all for this week – lots of holiday excitement, talk, movie-watching, and decorating.
Have the best Thanksgiving!
1. Things i’m loving, wanting, and excited to try.
wanting…everything within the Ralph Lauren Polo Bear Shop. I’ve been contemplating a RL Polo Bear hoodie for weeks. It’s so cheesy, but oh so cute. I love the Polo Bear Wool-Blend Knit Hoodie and Polo Bear Fleece Hoodie the most. So cute and festive for the season.
everything in my cart (low)…Free People movement tula puffer jacket, Hit The Slopes Salopette, and fleece Jacket. Such cute outdoor pieces!
listening to…Gabby Bernstein On Eliminating Negative Patterns, Positive Self Talk, & How To Show Up For Yourself.
dreaming of going…Soho House Mexico City. What a pretty property! I know Creighton is dying to visit Mexico City.
loving…Thanksgiving nail ideas. These are all so cute. My favorites are the Glitter Tips, Rosewood Stardust, Holiday Collection, Torties for Shorties, Chrome Ornaments, and Dark Brown. Can’t wait to start seeing Christmas nails!
gifting…Vintage Bookshelf Edition Games of Clue, Monopoly, and Candy Land board games. I think I shared these last week, but I ordered these for Oslo (but also myself) for Christmas. Thinking they’ll be fun for the whole family!
wanting… this cozy Woven Cozy Throw Blanket. This would make a cute hostess gift too.
everything in my cart (beauty)…all the best winter body care.
Dermstore sale
This Sheer Hair Bow Barrette is so cute!
watching…Christmas movies. Yes, I caved in and we’re starting a couple of days early. I’m looking forward to old and new holiday classics. What are your favorites? I love all the classics. The Santa Cause movies, The Grinch, Christmas Vacation, Miracle on 34th Street, Elf, and all the new Hallmark movies too!
shopping…holiday ribbon – for my cookie boxes, gifts, and crafts!
watching…Taylor Hill for a Night Out With Burberry and “This Was the Met Gala I Broke the Internet. But Not in a Good Way”— Karlie Kloss Reflects Back on Her Life in Looks.
everything in my cart (high)…this Victoria Beckham embroidered ribbed wool sweater. And from Reformation, this Garrett Cashmere Cropped Turtleneck. Both would be great for everyday wear. I’m also very into the new The Row glossed-leather shoulder bag. And lastly, this Loro Piana Cashmere Baseball Cap. Not needed, but so cute.
And this Green & White Essential Bathroom Set is a fancy, cute gift. A good home splurge!
shopping…Christmas tree stands. Sharing a few below. Some are super fancy and pretty, but others are simple. This Amazon find is my favorite and the one I usually use, but my tree is not as big as my parents. They use something more like this. In my search, I saw this pretty wooden star stand too, but it’s definitely a splurge.
watching…Mean Girls. Not until January 12th however. Looking forward to the remake. So fun! Love this trailer.
2. Easy dinner to make this week.
Cider Braised Pot Roast with Crispy Sage Butter Potatoes
Creamy Pierogi Chicken Soup with Rosemary Bacon
Crockpot Thai Short Ribs with Coconut Rice
Creamy Balsamic Mushroom Chicken Marsala
Crockpot Buffalo Chicken and Broccoli
Smothered Chicken in Mushroom Wine Pan Sauce
Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions
3. Every single cute gingerbread house kit.
4. Christmas Cookie Request!
I’m planning our 2023 Christmas cookie box and brainstorming all the Christmas treats to come. I’ve never asked you all what cookies/holiday sweets you’d most love to see. So this year I am asking!
What Christmas cookies/treats should I share?
I’m traveling in early December, so I want to make sure to have all my cookies for our 2023 box ready to go! I’m so excited, I’m really looking forward to hearing your ideas and sharing a few of my own. Magical holiday things are brewing in my brain!
5. Williams-Sonoma, December 8th + Snif Sale!
A reminder that we’re having our last Williams-Sonoma store event in New York City on Friday, December 8th at 6 pm EST at their magical Columbus Circle location.
We’ll be hosting yet another giveaway for 3 winners, plus we’ll also have a giveaway for 10 large Gingerbread Smash candles. There’ll also be yummy cocktails and appetizers for a festive, cozy night of fun, photos, signing, and more. I’m truly looking forward to this event and can not wait to see many of you there!
Because this is a special event, tickets are super limited, you can snag yours here. Looking forward to seeing you all soon!
Our Gingerbread Smash candle is 30% off this week!
The Snif team is giving us a code for Cyber Week! It’s their first-ever Black Friday sale! You can use the code TIEGHAN30 for 30% off both Pumpkin Smash and Gingerbread Smash today through Tuesday, November 28th.
6. Thanksgiving tips for this week.
Cooking Tip: If you’re still planning your menu, make things easy and have every guest/family member pick a side to bring so everyone has a dish they love and are excited about on the table. Don’t feel like you have to stick to certain dishes just to keep with tradition, only make the dishes you and your guests REALLY love!
Cooking Tip: Once your menu is set, spend time this week prepping as much as you can ahead of time. Bake cookies and pies, make your gravy, start the side, prepare salad dressings/seasoning blends and keep in glass jars. Make a pitcher cocktail, and stock up on grocery and drink mixers.
Cooking Tip: Before you head to the grocery store this week, put every ingredient you need on a shopping list.
Entertaining Tip: Use Kraft Paper Placemats for easy cleanup, guests can write what they’re thankful for on them. Alternatively, have place cards made for each guest. Ask them a question like, what are you most looking forward to this holiday season? Have fun with the questions, they can be great conversation starters!
Or try this for a smaller crowd. Really such a sweet idea!
Cooking Tip: Don’t be afraid of using store-bought items to make your life easier (puff pastry, pie crusts, etc). Puff pastry and pre-made pie dough are my go-to this time of year. And I’ve heard Trader Joe’s has amazing appetizer options for you all too!
Cooking Tip: Make a breakfast casserole or cinnamon rolls the day before so you can enjoy an easy and low-maintenance breakfast to start the day.
Hosting Tip: Ask everyone to bring their own containers for taking home leftovers, or buy an affordable set of to-go containers for people to take home.
Cooking Tip: Instead of making individual cocktails, make a big batch or a punch for guests to enjoy. This will save time and money! These are all my favorite Thanksgiving cocktails. And this is my favorite Thanksgiving punch!
Entertaining Tip: For the kids, have a table set aside for them with coloring books, games, and kid-friendly appetizers while they wait for dinner. I ordered these vintage board games.
Cooking Tip: Use crockpots, Instapots, Airfryers, toaster ovens, and all your kitchen appliances to maximize oven space and be efficient with your time!
Hosting Tip: Set the table the night before or even a few days before, it’s one less thing to worry about on the day of, and that way you can focus on the food and enjoying your day
Hosting Tip: Start Thanksgiving Day with a clean slate. Head out for a morning walk, empty your dishwasher and your kitchen trash can. Go the extra mile by lining your bins with extra garbage bags. That way, you won’t have to hunt down a fresh bag when the garbage starts to pile up.
7. Favorite links i’m loving.
Martha Stewart’s One Golden Rule of Holiday Hosting…taking notes.
Ina Garten’s 14 Best Hosting Tips of All Time…even more tips.
Black Friday Is Almost Here…hop top picks from Food52’s sale.
The 10 Best Ski Trip Destinations Around the U.S...so cozy. Love these cute towns.
The Very Best Classic Christmas Movies…I want to watch them all.
50 of the Best Gifts from Target for Everyone on Your List..cute finds
Shopping for a New Christmas Tree...try these faux options.
25 Items to Make Your Thanksgiving Easier…Trader Joe’s to the rescue.
Guide to Stockholm: The Best Pasta, Coziest Hotel, and more…booking my trip.
8. Holiday sales.
the Ralph Lauren Pjs I love
Plaid Flannel Boxer/Plaid Flannel Pajama Set/ Plaid Cotton-Jersey Pajama Set/Plaid Brushed Twill Sleep Set/ Boxer Plaid Flannel PJ Set
a few early stocking stuffers
H&M’s best cozy sweaters
Madewell black Friday sale
the J.Crew sale
9. This week’s dinners + weekend eats.
Monday: Creamy French Onion Soup Baked In Bread Bowls
Tuesday: Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch
Wednesday: Crockpot Creamy Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala
Thursday: Our 2023 Thanksgiving Menu and Guide
Friday: Sweet Potato Cheddar Pierogi with Bacon Bits
Saturday: Fireside Cranberry Cider Margarita
Sunday: The Santa Clause Cookies
Hi Tieghan,
I love so many of your recipes. Thank you for sharing your talent.
2 things:
1. What is a good hand held mixer to purchase.
2. If you ever come across a GF puff pastry that you like please share. I’m thinking that will be hard to find. I can make most of your recipes substituting cup4cup flour.
Hi Angi,
Thanks so much for following along!! Kitchen Aid makes a great handheld mixer. I’ve never used a gf puff pastry, but will be on the look out! Have a great weekend! xx
Do you have a favorite knife set or brand?
Hey Cassie,
Sure do!! You can find all my favorites here:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/kitchenitems/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
For cookie suggestion, a cookie with cardamom and warm spices.
I love different spices in cookies.
Yum!! Love this idea! Thanks so much for the suggestion, Rachel! xT
I’m a little late to the party this week, but Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you and your family have a fantastic time. I have a few of your tried and true recipes on my list again this year – can’t wait to get started!
Hi Aline,
Thanks for taking the time to read today:) I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! xT
For cookie ideas I would love to see a traditional shortbread. Maybe even a whipped version ! Thank you for joining as at the dinner table. You’ve had a regular place for years and honestly don’t think we would have had as many happy bellies without you.
Happy thanksgiving!!
Hey Jan,
I appreciate your kind message and following along for so long:) Love the traditional shortbread idea, thanks for the suggestion! Happy Thanksgiving! xT
Hi Tieghan,
I saw you post about the NYT piece on insta stories, I think it’s since been deleted? You said that the story was upsetting “yes. definitely”
I can totally understand how the tone of the profile may have been surprising !
Can you talk about what you’ve learned from that experience? Maybe on a podcast?
I hope you can use it as an opportunity to reflect and grow! That’s typically how I approach tough conversations and feedback about my work. All the best!
I saw that she posted and deleted another Instagram story about the NYT profile. I’m so confused!
Tieghan or team (I’m not sure who to address here anymore lol), have you posted any reply to the piece that hasn’t been deleted? I understand being disappointed in the article, but I certainly hope you aren’t questioning Ms. Moskin’s journalist integrity by calling her a liar or dishonest.
I found the article well written and a fascinating read. Feedback can be tough to hear, but I recommend taking it in stride! There is no need to be perfect 100% of the time, I think this community would love to hear your actual feelings about the article, travel, anxiety, family, food, etc.
I’d love to see less cookies (I’m set with favorites there) but more candies and other sweets (quick breads, candied nuts, etc.) to shake it up a bit!
Thanks so much for sharing your suggestions, Amanda!! Have a great Thanksgiving! xT
I miss your responses to questions!!! Are they coming back?! I look so forward to this post. 🙂
Hi Emily,
Yes, I will do them again soon, I’ve been trying to focus on Thanksgiving tips:) Thanks for reading! xT
Hi Tieghan! Happy Thanksgiving week!!! As always, thanks for all of your posts and recipes which are always so helpful amd yummy. I LOVE Snif candles. They have become my favorite with the pumpkin smash at the very top of my list. SWOON! I have not lit the gingerbread yet but have a few to start the Christmas season. I can NOT wait . I know it will be fabulous . I am wondering if you can tell me how to get in touch with Snif. I am not on ANY social media but have sent 4 emails through the website contact info with no response. I bought several of the pumpkin smash candles including 3 of the 4 wick. One for my daughter in law, one for myself and one that I have put away for times throughout the year that I just have to have one when it is unavailable! My daughter in law and I both love the 4 wick (mine is burning right now ) and followed the instructions for burning, etc but she started having issues with the burn of hers not soon after she started enjoying it which is why I reached out to them for suggestions, advice , etc..I am quite disappointed with the customer service since I love the candles so much. Oddly enough, I even had an email from Snif (Brian) thanking me for purchasing their candles and to reply to that email for anything that I needed which I did but again, no response. Any help you can give me would be so appreciated. I love the candles so much I can not see myself not continuing to buy them but having some help with this concern would be great. Also, any chance you might collaborate with them for a spring scent? A moody scent ? A masculine scent? I would be so excited ! Thank you for everything .
Hi Marla,
Thanks so much for reaching out! We are so very sorry to hear about this bad customer service experience. Please send an email to Tieghan at tieghan@halfbakedharvest.com and she is going to put you in direct contact with the founders. We will also send you a free candle:) We hope you had a great Thanksgiving! x
Hi team HBH! Happy Thanksgiving week! Question: how do you decide which comments to delete from Instagram? Did you mean to delete comments from NYT best selling author J. Kenji Lopez Alt? Are comments from your peers typically unwelcome in this community? I’ve found his content so helpful in the past, I’m not sure why he would have been deleted!
Kenji is incredibly talented and knowledgeable. His input should be respected and his feedback should be considered. Deleting his comment was not a good look for HBH. The inability to take constructive criticism from someone with so much experience is childish. Take the advice offered and say thank you.
Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy! Thank you for all of the recipes, tips, and gift ideas.
Thanks so much for your kind message, Jen! Happy Thanksgiving! xT