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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
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The 3 Things (and $100) I Spent on Myself for Christmas

Before we really dig into this post, let’s just level-set here: it’s not like I don’t buy myself things year-round. I do. Probably far too often, but I find I always come up with a viable reason: I replaced a black sweater like this last month, this has a hole, this doesn’t fit, this isn’t my style, I need this for a blog post, etc. But there was something new about saying, “I’m going to spend $100 on myself for whatever I wanted for Christmas.”

I let go of the, have-to-have-a-reason, and said I’ve got $100 for anything I wanted. Could be 1 thing, could be 10 things. I settled on 3 things.

 

 

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
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5 Cute Cookies & Milk for Santa Sets

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is leaving cookies and milk out for Santa (and carrots for Rudolph, of course), along with a letter to Santa. I remember every year really thinking about what I hoped Santa would bring and tuck under the tree for me, writing it in a letter, putting it out along with cookies (a bribe?), and waiting for the magic in the morning to see a bite taken out of the cookie and the milk gone. A little dose of magic and such a sweet memory!

I love these little cookies & milk sets for Santa, and what a cute little gift to give to our friends with kiddos with my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.

 

Vineyard Vines Set, $65.00

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
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Stocking Stuffers for Foodies

Can I tell you a secret? The Christmas Stocking is my favorite part of Christmas! It’s my favorite to open and my favorite to gift and I actually have a strategy for gifting it. Well, not a real strategy, but my favorite way to gift a Christmas stocking is to pick a theme and run with it.

Last year, my husband gave me all little cooking tools in my stocking and it was his best yet – he actually learned something from me!

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday, Recipes
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Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats Recipe

What does one get the dog who has everything?! Or really, what does one get a dog for Christmas? Homemade dog treats!

Can I just start by telling you, our dog, Mudbrick (named after our favorite winery in New Zealand), was freaking out over these treats? He was air sniffing, offering up every trick he knows to try to score one, and doing this little growling thing he does when he wants something.

These are so fast and easy to make, you’ll be dishing out treats for every single dog in your life! And the ingredients are really quite simple, just make sure you use an all natural peanut butter. There are some with add ins that doggos’ stomachs can’t process.

I of course made pretty boy sit patiently and wait while I could snap a few pictures of the dog treats packaged up for his neighbor pals!

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
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11 Cookbooks for Gifting

Want to know a secret? Cookbooks are my favorite. I mean it, I can sit and just read cookbooks all day long! I think they’re also a really fun gift for basically anyone on your list.

I think the best way to pick a great cookbook as a gift is to think about what that person really loves – are they into sweets? Do they just love brunch? Are they a little bit sassy? Do they love the science of cooking? Maybe they love to watch movies. There’s a cookbook for everyone and every personality!

  1. Cravings. A classic, non?
  2. Salt Fat Acid Heat. For the person who really loves the science of it all!
  3.  Whiskey in a Teacup. So super cute and who doesn’t love Reese?
  4.  The Perfect Cookie, for the bakers and sweet lovers.
  5.  What’s Gaby Cooking, which is also in our Gift Guide: For the Cook round up. Just love that Cali-cool vibe Gaby has!
  6.  Eat What You Watch – for the move lover!
  7.  Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook. I love Bourdain and anything by him. This one is a preorder!
  8. Meathead, which is also in our Gift Guide: For the Pitmaster.
  9. Barefoot Contessa’s Back to Basics is always a solid choice!
  10.  Magnolia Table, because Joanna is just my favorite.
  11. Better Baking, which is also in our Gift Guide: For the Baker round up!

 

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
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Gift Guide: For the Pitmaster

If there’s one thing I wish I was really good at, it’s BBQ. I always feel at a loss and admittedly, a bit intimidated by the whole cooking-over-a-flame and the whole this-thing-is-like-500-degrees. I do have such an appreciation for the people in my life that have so much talent on a grill, and kept them in mind when thinking about this gift guide!

  1. A wood fired pizza grill. 2. A set of BBQ rubs from Williams-Sonoma, which are always a hit and such great quality. 3. Omaha Steaks. I know a box of meat feels a little random, but it’s such a great gift for someone who loves to BBQ! 4. Canvas apron. 5. iGrill mini thermometer – one of our FAVORITE gadgets. It’s bluetooth, and will tell your phone when you’re a few degrees away from your set target temperature. Meat will always be perfect! 6. Charcoal chimney starter. 7. Grilling tool set. 8. A great grilling cookbook.
Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Uncategorized
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Gift Guide: For the Baker

Bakers gonna bake, right?! I wish I was really a baker, you know, like someone who actually knew what they were doing beyond their handful of go-to recipes. But I am so blessed, my jeans not as much, to know a few bakers in my life. Here are a few suggestions for the bakers in your life!

 

  1. A gorgeous baking sheet set. 2. A cookbook to up the ante. Is it actually a baking book? Hmmm…. 3. Creme brulee set. Because everyone needs a kitchen torch. 4. Pie weights! 5. A stand mixer. 6. A bread maker, but only on the condition to be a taste tester for every batch. 7. A beautiful pie dish. 8. A cool spice or ingredient, like fancy flours, vanilla powder, high quality vanilla.

Are you a baker? What else would you wish for?!

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Uncategorized
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Gift Guide: For the Cook

I think this guide is the one I’ve been looking forward to the most! These gifts are great for the cook in your life. You know, the one that is always trying new recipes, and trying new gadgets, and is just at home in the kitchen.

Okay, they’re all the things that I would love to get but would never buy myself. Which is what makes a gift great, isn’t it?

  1. What’s Gaby Cooking cookbook. I love her laid back, fresh, Cali style. 2. An immersion blender. Everyone needs one. I have this set and love it. 3. A great All-Clad pot in a size that works for a lot of different things, from pasta, to chili, to stew, to cranberry sauce. 4. Paella set. 5. A good quality knife. I have this Shun knife, which is meant for veggies, and is amazing. 6. A cutting board that holds a tablet. So handy. Also love this one from Food52. 7. Sous vide cooker. 8. Air fryer. 9. A chopper. Such a practical gift, I never had one until a friend gifted me one, and I love it! So nice to have one, especially when I’m cooking so many different things at once. 10. A pasta maker or pasta maker attachments for the KitchenAid stand mixer.
Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
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Gift Guide: For the Foodie

Okay, I know we are all probably foodies here, but stay with me. This gift guide is for the one who is really more into the eating food than cooking or baking (promise, I’ve got a gift guide right around the corner for the cook and the baker!). Surely, you’ll find some overlap for anyone on this list, but really it’s been put together for that I-love-food-but-I-can’t-really-cook gal or guy.

  1. Who doesn’t love a little gift set?! Your recipient will only need to add pasta & cheese to this crate (or include a really pretty pasta and a nice block of parm!) 2. Cheese markers & some nice cheeses. 3. A wine bag (stashed with some bottles!) 4. Or combine that wine bag with a Vinebox subscription. 5. Cute ornaments, like an avocado or slice of bacon. 6. This book that literally makes me want to go out to eat every single weekend and not cook a thing. 7. Foodie dice, so cute! 8. Really, really good olive oil for dipping.