If you’ve been following along with me on Instagram you might already know that seven weeks ago, we became parents to the sweetest, squishiest baby there ever was. His name is Will and we’re madly in love with everything about him from his little hairstyle — it looks just like his dad’s — to his tiny toes. Last week he started laughing when he sees my face and he coos and smiles at us when he talk to him. All the baby love is completely intoxicating — it’s enough to make me forget I never shower anymore and my clothes are crunchy with dried spit up! Almost two months in and I’m starting to get the hang of things, though.
I can eat with one arm while bouncing Will to sleep in the other (sounds simple enough but this should really be an Olympic sport) and I even found time to do a little baking. Sure, this galette may have taken me two days to make when in my pre-baby days it would have been an easy last-minute dessert if friends were coming over on short notice. But I did it in the end, it turned out delicious, and these days that’s a huge victory!
A galette is the perfect dessert to make when you’re in a rush or not the tidiest baker but still want to make something impressive from scratch. If the crust is a little uneven or it’s not a perfect circle it’s okay, because it’s supposed to look rustic. I piled this one with fresh berries, which I think should always be eaten with either chocolate or freshly whipped cream. I chose whipped cream for this galette, and infused it with Stash Tea’s new Asian Pear Harmony Green Tea for a slightly fruity cream. The tea imparts the subtle fragrance that I love in fresh Asian pears and complements the galette’s sweet, juicy berries perfectly.
I made these pink grapefruit bars back around Christmas and meant to post the recipe right away. Then time got away from me, between work and preparing for baby to make his arrival 
Happy almost 2018, friends! It’s that strange in-between week after Christmas but before the new year where we’re half easing back into everyday life, half hanging onto the holidays because they’re not quite over yet. And thank goodness! Because I have one more festive recipe to share for the season, and it’s perfect for ringing in the new year if champagne isn’t your thing. If you’ve never had a brandy alexander, it’s a smooth and creamy blend of Cognac, Creme dé Cacao and fresh cream shaken with ice until it’s nice and chilly. The combination of strong, spicy Cognac with sweet, chocolatey liqueur is pure bliss and the cream makes it a little more mellow and immensely sippable. I infused the cream with 
Happy December, everyone! I know preparing for the holidays can be a source of stress – everywhere you look, it seems like friends and family are ahead of the game with decorations, party planning, sending cards… It’s enough to make anyone want to just take a big long nap until January is here. So this year, at almost eight months pregnant, I’ve made the decision to only take on a little bit this holiday season, and so far it’s been the most wonderfully relaxed and stress-free one I can remember! We’re hosting just one holiday party at our house and it’s going to be a casual potluck. We’re sitting out far away family gatherings because long car rides make me queasy, so there won’t be the usual running around. Scaling back leaves me with the time, energy and sanity to actually enjoy the holidays this year, and for me that means lots of leisurely baking while listening to Christmas music!
There’s a steaming mug of spiced cider and a Christmas movie on TV calling my name, so I’ll keep this short and sweet. Searching for gifts is my favorite part of the holiday season (tied with the delicious food, cozy time with my family, pretty lights everywhere and old timey music). I love finding the perfect present for someone I love, wrapping it up and placing it under the tree, then seeing their reaction when they open up a unique, heartfelt and useful gift. Every gift idea in this guide checks those requirements, and every purchase supports independent brands and the talented makers behind them.