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Thanks for joining me for another Nine Favorite Things post.

Nine Favorite Things | halfbakedharvest.com

Happy first Sunday of April everyone!

In the midst of a crazy work schedule, we’ve also been working hard to bring on some new HBH team members. I’m not sure if this is the place to talk about this type of thing, but hey, it’s currently what’s happening behind the scenes.

The one thing I will say, hiring is so very hard and such a process. As someone who has never hired a whole team, I’m hoping that there’s a learning curve. We’ve brought on help in the past and haven’t had the best of luck. So, I’m optimistic that I learned something from my “failures”, and trying to do better this time.

Which means asking a lot more questions, setting clear-cut responsibilities for our new team member, and taking our time with the process in order to hopefully make the best choice. It’s so hard though! If anyone reading has tips, tricks, or maybe even an awesome podcast with great business tips, please let me know!

In other news, my mom is currently attempting to get me to Florida with the family next week. I am very much hesitating for several reasons, however, Palm Beach sounds amazing, so who knows! Should I head to Florida? Do we need to see some palm trees and blooming flowers on Instagram in place of the snowy mountains?

Coming up this week on HBH I’ll be sharing a handful of new recipes geared towards Easter entertaining, a couple of easy dinners (and one of my new favorite salmon recipes). I also have a spring dessert that I’ve been dying to share with you all. Excited to be back to our regular posting schedule this week!

Lastly, if you missed anything from the past week, be sure to sign up for our newsletter here. Hope you’re all having the best weekend, and enjoy this Sunday’s Favorites!

1. Inspiring Me on Pinterest

{all photos found via Pinterest}

2. What to Cook with Spring Produce. 

It’s probably obvious, but I am very much embracing and loving spring right now. Sure, our weather here in Colorado hasn’t been as warm as I might like to see it, but it’s OK. Living so high up into the mountains pretty much guarantees that we go right from winter to spring. Sort of a bummer, but while April and May are not our prettiest months, every other month of the year is gorgeous as can be. Late August-September are two of the prettiest…if you ask me,.

Anyway, one of the most asked questions I’ve been getting recently is just how to use spring produce. So, here are a handful of recipes using my very favorite spring produce.

Asparagus

Asparagus, Egg, and Prosciutto Tart with Everything Spice | halfbakedharvest.com #spring #tart #brunch #asparagus

Sesame Roasted Asparagus, Egg and Bacon Salad

Asparagus and Brie Puff Pastry with Thyme Honey

Asparagus, Egg, and Prosciutto Tart with Everything Spice

Easiest Lemon Ricotta Asparagus Ravioli

Panzanella Style Caprese Asparagus Salad

Spicy Pesto, Asparagus, and Ricotta Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto

One Pan Lemon Roasted Salmon, Potatoes and Parmesan Asparagus

Potatoes

Roasted Mixed Potatoes with Spring Herbs and Burrata | halfbakedharvest.com #spring #recipes #brunch

Roasted Mixed Potatoes with Spring Herbs and Burrata

Crispy Breakfast Potatoes with Chili Garlic Oil and Herbs

Sheet Pan Blackened Salmon Bowl with Potatoes and Avocado Goddess Sauce

Spanish Tortilla with Burrata and Herbs

The Best Herby Potato Salad

Greek Lamb Souvlaki Plates with Avocado Tzatziki

Skillet Roasted French Onion Chicken and Potatoes

Crispy Oregano Smashed Potatoes with Feta and Lemon

Strawberries

Strawberry Chamomile Naked Cake | halfbakedharvest.com #cake #spring #strawberry #recipes #easter

Strawberry Chamomile Olive Oil Cake with Honeyed Ricotta

Strawberry Bourbon Shortcakes

Overnight Waffles with Whipped Meyer Lemon Cream and Strawberries

Strawberry Chamomile Paloma

Strawberry Coconut Carrot Cake with Mascarpone Buttercream

Giant Strawberries n’ Cream Pop Tart

California Chicken, Avocado, and Goat Cheese Salad

Strawberry Chamomile Naked Cake

Artichokes

Artichoke Pesto and Burrata Pizza with Lemony Arugula | halfbakedharvest.com #pizza #healthy #burrata #easyrecipes

Artichoke Pesto and Burrata Pizza with Lemony Arugula

Mediterranean Chickpea and Egg Salad Jars

Brie Stuffed Artichokes

30 Minute Artichoke and Pea Rigatoni Pasta

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Soft Pretzels

Artichoke Shakshuka

Spinach and Artichoke Melts

Beets

Quick Pickled Veggies | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Basil Goat Cheese Pasta Salad

Roasted Beet Hummus

Bitchin’ California Bowl

Immune Boosting Winter Citrus Smoothie

Rainbow Veggie Noodles

Quick Pickled Veggies

Pineapple

Lightened Up Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas with Pineapple Avocado Salsa | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Instant Pot Spicy Pineapple Chicken Tacos

4-Ingredient Pineapple Lime Chelada

Cuban Style Steak and Avocado Rice with Pineapple Chimichurri

Lightened Up Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas with Pineapple Avocado Salsa

20 Minute Caribbean Shrimp Tacos with Roasted Jalapeño Pineapple Salsa

Rhubarb

Rhubarb Passion Margarita | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Rhubarb Passion Margarita

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler with Honey Butter Biscuits

Glazed Peanut Butter and Jelly Doughnuts

3. Flower Vases for all the Spring Flowers…

PS. these are all from Pottery Barn and they are offering 25% off all online orders right now!

4. Questions of The Week: 

q: How did you learn to cook so well? Cuz I’m terrible at it. Any tips?
a: Google is your best friend! I think I started cooking around 13 or 14, so anything I didn’t know I googled and got an answer! Watching Rachel Ray for general inspiration was also helpful, but I’ve never been someone who follows recipes. I use the ingredients I have on hand, or ingredients that I know my family will love. Basically I learn through experimentation and trial and error!

My best tip…play around in the kitchen and don’t be so afraid to mess a recipe up. If it’s bad, just make some pasta and try again tomorrow! Cooking should be fun!! Find someone who’s recipes you love, cook those recipes, then adjust them to your taste!

q: Why don’t you give exact measurements for salt in most of your recipes?
a: Because I almost never measure out salt and only use it to taste. Usually the only time I’ll give a measurement for salt is for baking recipes. It’s important to salt your recipes throughout cooking and to adjust to your personal taste. Everyone is different!

q: Do you plan your shots and styling/garnishing or do you do it intuitively?
a: Intuitively 98% of the time. I really like to see the dish come together, see the colors and textures, and then put the shot together from there. I am super visual, so seeing what the food is looking like is very important for me!

5. Recent Videos:

6 ingredient vegan chocolate chia mousse…extra creamy, light and airy, very chocolatey, and just sweet enough.

meal prep: chicken shawarma and sweet potato fry bowls…weeknight dinner (or lunch) perfection, and pretty healthy too.

6. Are you binge watching Bon Appétit Videos?

To be very honest, I don’t really like cooking shows. So I don’t ever watch Food Network or any of the cooking shows on Netflix. For whatever reason I’m just not into them…but the Bon Appétit videos? Different story. I love watching the test kitchen team cooking because they’re just having fun. It’s refreshing, funny and fun to watch. Have you guys been watching them?? Here are some of my favorites…

Nina Dobrev Tries to Keep Up with a Professional Chef…because I love Nina Dobrev.

Molly Makes Mushroom Carbonara…I mean? So good.

Pastry Chef Attempts to Make Gourmet Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups…pretty much the best.

7. A Few Links I Am Loving…

stress in the city…best read of the week.

Emma Watson’s rules for a healthy life…always inspired by her.

Las Catalinas, the car free Costa Rica town, welcomes a new hotel…booking a ticket (I wish).

10 dreamy vacation destinations to visit in 2019…no passport needed.

the best brows for your hair color…I am all about a good brow.

gluten free dark chocolate chip CBD brownies…would you try them?

Cindy Crawford’s home decor tips…and her worst design mistake.

build this nourishing bowl for breakfast, lunch, or dinner…in just about 5 minutes.

Chip and Joanna Gaines bought a 129-year-old castle in Texas…and it’s a big fixer upper.

a brunch to welcome spring…all about this.

a dreamy home in Santa Monica…so cool and unique.

Mexican corn + butternut squash vegan tacos…these sound so good.

what a serving size actually looks like of 10 of your favorite healthy foods…good to know – maybe ;).

17 fun hair accessories…to elevate your look in seconds.

10 best gluten free recipes...all sound delicious.

how to organize your kitchen like a professional chef…ummm, maybe I should try this.

the Korean beauty brand that will make your skin glow…love a Korean beauty product.

8. Easy Breezy for Spring from Reformation

9. This Week’s Dinners:

Cuban Grilled Salmon with Tomato Avocado Salsa | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Monday: cuban grilled salmon with tomato avocado salsa

Instant Pot Thai Lemongrass Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com #instantpot #chicken #healthy #easy

Tuesday: instant pot thai lemongrass chicken

Asparagus and Brie Quiche | halfbakedharvest.com #quiche #brunch #springrecipes #easter

Wednesday: asparagus and brie quiche

30 Minute Chicken Fajitas with Roasted Pineapple Salsa Verde | halfbakedharvest.com #chickenrecipes #mexicanrecipes #dinner #fajitas #healthyrecipes

Thursday: 30 minute chicken fajitas with roasted pineapple salsa verde

Cauliflower Shawarma Wraps with Green Tahini and Feta | halfbakedharvest.com #easy #recipes #healthy

Friday: cauliflower shawarma wraps with green tahini and feta

Check out all the past Favorites posts here.

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Comments

  1. You should definitely go to Florida! Just remember, the work will always still be around. 😉 Go and enjoy the sun!! 🙂

  2. Just go on vacation, you deserve it with all that you do. I would choose the beach and palm trees over the cold anytime and if I could go to Fl. on vacation I would go in a heartbeat! Go and have fun with your family

  3. Go to Florida! Now is the time to do things like that – you’re young and have time. Plus, I’m sure you will come back recharged and with fresh inspiration.

  4. GO. TO. FLORIDA. …as my husband says, better to regret the things you did than the things you didn’t 🙂

    my best resolution that I actually kept last year was to say ‘yes’ to travel whenever the opportunity came up, and if someone was covering part of the trip for you, even better.

  5. Go to Florida! You post so much content (you really are a blogging powerhouse) and deserve a break so that you don’t burn out. Enjoy time with your family, and if you must work, show us how you get inspired by traveling – trying new foods/resurants, going to a market in FL and being inspired by new ingredients, how location can inspire recipes, how to cook while traveling, snacks for the plane, beach, pool, etc.

  6. I was a store manager for years, hired managed and mentored many teams over the years. My biggest piece of advice is to hire based on attitude and gut. Skills can be learned, but desire to do a good job can’t be. Also, if you expect your employees to care about you and your business, you have to care about them too. Good luck!

  7. As someone who is currently sitting outside of a Starbucks in Fort Lauderdale complaining that it’s too warm already for April, I say COME ON DOWN! It’s exactly the kind of weather you will love. Actually April is pretty much the last really pleasant month we will have until December-ish. But you’ve been here often enough to know that! Also another selling point is that I feel like so many great restaurants have opened here lately and we are finally getting somewhat of a real food scene and that’s pretty exciting.

  8. Hello!
    Love your blog and I cook at least one of your recipes on a weekly basis. I’d love to return the favour: I have worked in HR and recruitment for about 15 years and have a ton of tips. Feel free to send me an email. I’ll gladly let you pick my brain.

  9. Always, always Palm trees and flowers over snow, ice, rain and cold. Plus, you really need a vacation. Just. Do. It.
    It isn’t even debatable.

  10. Go to Florida, have fun with your Mom and get a new perspective on things. There will come a day when Mom no longer can travel. Make as many memories as you can now. Enjoy life. All this makes you a better blogger.

  11. Listen to your Mom, Tieghan! Go to Florida with your family and create some new memories and most of all have fun! Life is too short, so you have to make the most of it now! ???

  12. Go to Florida with your family! You work so hard and a break will do you good. Although I love your blog and recipes, we can miss a day or two or three. 🙂

  13. Hi Tieghan! I just moved to Palm Beach from New York about 7 months ago. You should definitely visit! The weather is so beautiful here and the beaches are amazing. Before moving here, a favorite relaxing vacation for me was renting a villa on the water, BBQing, cooking and cocktail making all week long and relaxing or kayaking on the beach. Also we have a (not huge) but pretty decent zoo here. I recommend taking a day to drive down to the Miami zoo too- totally worth it!

    While I’m commenting I’ll ask two questions to hopefully be answered on future Sunday posts:

    1. Do you have any videos of cooking skin on fish in the cast iron skillet? I am not good at this (yet)
    2. Just made your Kahlua chocolate chip cookies last night. In the directions you mention that you press down on your dough balls to get a thinner cookie. I did the same but my cookies always seem to come out thick and slightly cakey despite following the recipe exactly. Could you share any tips on how to get thin, even crispy chocolate chip cookies?

    Have fun on vacation!! Thanks!!

    1. Hey Kristen! Congrats on the move to Palm Beach! So fun! Thanks for the recommendations! 🙂

      1. We have a video coming soon with skin on salmon, so keep and eye out!

      2. Which recipe are you referring to? Can you link to it possible? I am not sure as there are a lot of cookies on HBH!