I’m all the time impressed by those that break free from typical paths and carve out a inventive journey uniquely their very own—like Tieghan Gerard, the creator of Half-Baked Harvest. I first met Tieghan in 2017, and within the years since, she’s created a model and enterprise that actually displays her passions. From her transformed barn within the Colorado mountains, Tieghan crafts the sort of recipes that really feel like a heat hug—homey, comforting, and impossibly scrumptious. She wears many hats, enjoying the function of recipe developer, stylist, photographer, and storyteller, sharing new recipes virtually day by day. This hands-on method has earned her a faithful viewers of thousands and thousands who flip to Half-Baked Harvest and her bestselling cookbooks for day by day dinner inspo.
Simply earlier than the launch of her fourth cookbook, Quick & Cozy, Tieghan got here to Austin, the place we co-hosted a vacation banquet in my yard. The night was magic—mates gathered round a candlelit desk, sharing dishes from her upcoming e-book that felt each festive and easy.
Within the vacation difficulty of Camille Types EDIT, we shared my heartfelt dialog with Tieghan about her journey—from constructing her profession to dealing with social media drama. You should definitely take a look at the total piece in the event you haven’t but, and skim on for all of Tieghan’s ideas for cozy vacation internet hosting.
At Dwelling in Colorado
First issues first: what informs your method to meals?
Simplicity is vital—however make it lovely and scrumptious.
What does a typical workday appear like for you?
It relies upon. After I’m touring, I’m doing interviews, photograph shoots, and meet-and-greets. I’m multitasking, taking telephone calls whereas I’m getting hair and make-up performed for an occasion. It’s nice, it’s thrilling, it’s busy. It’s a completely completely different facet of the enterprise.
After I’m residence, my day couldn’t be extra reverse. I’m within the kitchen sunup to sunset. I’m cooking, testing, photographing, and taking pictures video. I’m very centered on creating content material, so I strive to not e-book calls throughout this time so I can keep actually centered on the creating. At night time, I’m doing emails, writing weblog posts, and enhancing images.
What’s your must-have cooking instrument and why?
That is sort of humorous, however a cookie scoop is basically nice. I take advantage of it for lots of issues—scooping meatballs, cookies, muffin batter and cupcake batter.
Everybody additionally wants a great forged iron skillet. It’s simple to wash and it’s higher for you.
Inform us a couple of issues we’ll all the time discover in your fridge?
Goat milk, completely different cheeses, jalapeños, avocados, and plenty of recent produce.
Your go-to weeknight meal to eat at residence?
I’m a crispy taco woman. Like, I simply love a taco, beef, crispy taco that’s so easy, nothing fancy with cheddar cheese. So good, you guys. It’s so good.
How Tieghan Hosts a Social gathering
What are three merchandise you’re keen on for the desk?
- Candles. Each single desk is made higher with candles—they create such a comforting surroundings. Should you’re doing tall taper candles, use only a few of them, and in the event you’re doing low candles, you need to use heaps.
- A reasonably bowl for a centerpiece. Fill it with seasonal produce, like pomegranates and persimmons within the fall, and even acquire some acorns from outdoors, no matter you have got entry to.
- A meals merchandise. I like to make use of meals as decor—sometimes I set a desk actually minimally, however I like to set out a good looking cheese board or serving platter with meals to make it really feel considerable.
Apple Vanilla Chai Hot Toddy
Baked Honeyed Brie
Garlic Mushroom Chicken Skillet
Winter Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts
Lemon Pesto Orzo
Classic Tiramisu
What does an excellent gathering appear like for you?
There’s a fireplace roaring and there’s gentle music enjoying within the background. There are candles lit all over the place, there are flowers, and there’s the scent of actually good meals sluggish cooking within the oven. Simply actually enjoyable and comforting—and also you gotta have candles.
The proper banquet playlist contains:
Very mellow and enjoyable music. Classical is fairly. My grandma all the time used to play Frank Sinatra, and I like turning on his music at Christmas.
Your signature dishes for gatherings?
There are many nice recipes for gathering in my new cookbook, Quick & Cozy. The brisket recipe is unimaginable for gathering and could be excellent for a Christmas Eve dinner. Additionally, the meatballs on the duvet. Should you don’t eat purple meat, you may swap in floor hen—I offered these substitutions within the e-book, so folks can adapt the recipes simply for his or her wants or their style buds. The whole lot within the e-book is tremendous easy, cozy, and fast.
What’s your no-stress get together rule to stay by?
Set the dinner desk the night time earlier than. Create a menu that you could make prematurely—a crock pot or sluggish cooker recipe is the perfect. Preserve it easy.
Dream dinner company?
Victoria Beckham—proper now I’m simply loving her designs. After which, you may as effectively invite David, proper? I additionally need to meet their son Brooklyn—he simply launched a brand new scorching sauce model which is so fascinating. So I suppose I’m simply inviting the complete Beckham household!
Fill within the blanks:
An ideal meal ought to: really feel comforting to everybody.
It’s not a cocktail party with out: candles.
Each cook dinner ought to know the right way to: make a cheeseboard.
