Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 353

Butternut, Apple and Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin.

We’re getting kind of fancy today!

Hellllllllo stuffed pork tenderloin. We’re taking this once very intimidating recipe and making it intimidating no more. There is so much flavor right here that you can impress anyone. Even yourself!

The filling for this pork tenderloin is SO good. It’s a wild rice combined with apples, butternut squash, a little bit of bacon, spinach, sage and goat cheese. Freaking goat cheese! So super delicious because the flavor is out of this world. It’s smoky, sweet and tangy. It’s really hearty and tastes like the season. There should be enough filling left that you can serve a bit on the side too. Willing all around? I think so.

I am just utterly in love with this.

I’m always super intimidated by stuffed pork tenderloin but after making this bourbon fig and blue cheese one a few years ago, I was SOLD. It’s a recipe that I would make often but it comes together easily and takes a lot of the guess work out of the whole “stuffing” thing. I’m not intimidated at all anymore! It’s sort of like roasting a whole chicken. Once you do it a few times, you’re golden.

That’s just like this.

I actually think it’s even easy enough to make for dinner if you’re familiar with being in the kitchen. If you’re a newbie, you might want to save this one and try it out when you have a good chunk of time. But if you cook often, this can totally be your dinner tonight!

And I think it goes well with beer. Sort of need that to get over this hump of the week.

It’s also one of those dishes that combines everything in one: your protein, some veg and a little starch! Obviously you still want a few side dishes if you’re anything like my family, but the options are endless. Aside from the extra filling, it’s perfect with potatoes or a salad or some sort of roasted vegetable or more squash because HI FALL.

I love this recipe for the current season but also think it would make the prettiest holiday dish, whether it’s for a dinner party or even the actual holiday. And also. Very important.

Like, very very very important.

The day after I made this for the last time? Um, Eddie ate it sliced on a homemade pretzel bun with beer cheese sauce. So there’s that. It’s pretty darn versatile.

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Butternut, Apple and Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin










Ingredients:

1 boneless pork tenderloin
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon pepper, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup cooked wild rice
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 shallot, diced
1 small apple, diced
1 cup cubed butternut squash
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 ounces fresh spinach
6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
fresh herbs for topping



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a roasting pan or baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with nonstick spray. This is also the time when I prep the wild rice. It usually only takes 15 minutes.

Place the pork on a cutting board and get a sharp knife. I like to slice it twice to open it up so I have a lot of space to work with. I start at the bottom of the pork (about 1/4 inch from the bottom) and slice it lengthwise, then continue to cut again and open up the pork. You want to have a flat surface to work on. Season the inside with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until the bacon is crispy and the fat is rendered. Remove it with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel to drain. Add the shallot, squash and apple to the bacon grease with a pinch of salt and pepper and stir. Cook until the squash starts to soften, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chopped sage. Stir in the garlic and the spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts down. Stir in the cooked wild rice. Turn off the heat and stir in the goat cheese.

Spread the mixture out on top of the pork, leaving an inch or two around the edges so you can roll it up. Tightly roll up the tenderloin and tie it together with kitchen twine. Season the entire outside with the salt and pepper.

Place on the roasting pan or baking sheet and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the inside is cooked and reads about 140 to 145 degrees. Let the pork rest for 20 minutes before slicing. Slice and serve with the extra rice and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.

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Might not be the prettiest but it’s the most delicious.

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Tuesday Things.

1. Today is our 9-year anniversary (NINE!) and I can hardly believe it. We should definitely have some sort of huge dessert to celebrate, right? Our cake was a mix of chocolate fudge and white chocolate and it’s all I want in life right now.

2. I need to hear your thoughts on all of these outrageous ice cream toppings.

3. So, I did the new iPhone update and while I don’t love it (wah wah wah), I know I’ll get used to it and it will be fine. But I can’t STAND the font on some of the apps – like the header font on messages and notes and email. It looks so childish and old school to me. Can I change this? I clearly have a lot of important things to be concerned about. Sheesh.

4. I’m a morning lover but I know that not everyone is. However, my morning routine/life is really different now that I have Max, so I’m super intrigued by this productive afternoon routine.

5. Pretty sure it’s because I’m very pregnant but last week’s This Is Us had me so weirdly, crazy emotional. Like more so than usual! I just love them all so much. You know, it’s real life of course. Also! I’m still so into Grey’s Anatomy and am kind of liking this storyline even though it feels mildly ridiculous. But what doesn’t feel mildly ridiculous on that show?

6. Last week while I was editing photos laaaate one night I saw that Waiting to Exhale was on Showtime and I totally watched it because it was one of my favorite movies when I was a tween, and then I was like “ummm how did my mom even let me watch this?!” because they were a ton of shows we were not allowed to watch for awhile (Married with Children, The Simpsons, Roseanne, even FRIENDS!!!) but then I thought, who cares, because it is still the greatest soundtrack of all time. Right? Like please go put the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack on your spotify right now. Oh Whitney.

7. While we’re talking about old(er?) movies, I died over this clip of Julia Roberts acting our her film career.

8. Very not happy about the fact that my favorite fall weather is MIA and it’s 80 degrees. Whyyyyy.

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Crunchy Roasted Chickpea Pitas.

I have super delicious yet embarrassingly easy meal for you today.

These roasted chickpea pitas have been my favorite lunch as of late. For weeks!

Sometimes around this time of year I want something far from pumpkin and squash and brussels and all the fall produce that I really love. But since I’m so all-or-nothing about it, I can totally get burnt out.

And just want something that is… normal. And works in every season.

SO.

It all started when I saw someone making a pita with chickpeas around lunchtime at Whole Foods one day. It was majorly stuck in my brain, like I wanted to eat it right then and there. I have no idea why I didn’t get it to take with me.

And it’s not like this is a new things for me… I eat tons of chickpeas, tons of roasted chickpeas, tons of pitas too with chicken or even steak! That’s one of our favorite meals. So it’s really nothing overly exciting or brand new, but it’s just SO good.

I adore these meals that are fairly simple and taste like heaven.

Plus, it’s one of those meals that keeps me so full and satisfied. I mean, I might always want something sweet or chocolatey around 3PM but otherwise, I’m good until dinner. Not even snacky.

Now here’s the thing. Homemade pitas are TOPS. They are so, so delicious. They are super fluffy and pliable and just so wonderful. I don’t always have time to make them but I find that if I can make some one day, they will last few more days and stay fresh. And I love making a whole wheat version because they are just so HEARTY.

It actually makes me dread buying any sort of pita bread at the grocery store.

Also! I love to eat these pitas with my favorite greek salad and even more with my smoky grilled chicken with creamy feta and hummus… the greek-inspired combination just never gets old for me. It’s probably because it has that delicious briny flavor from lemons and olives and red wine vinegar and oh man, I could just drink that stuff.

Truthfully, I switch these up depending on what I have on hand. I love to use a creamy whipped feta so occasionally I’ll use less hummus and more feta. Really depends on the day and my mood. And sometimes I toss on marinated artichokes, tons of olives and roasted red peppers. Also depends on how lazy I am and what I feel like dragging out of the fridge. Lots of herbs and drizzle of olive oil too. Always.

But either way, the crunchy spiced roasted chickpeas and just SO fantastic with the fluffy pita.  And for a texture freak like me, that is necessary.

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Crunchy Roasted Chickpea Pitas

Yield: serves 2 to 4

Total Time: 2 hours (if you make your own pita)

Ingredients:

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
pinch of allspice
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup your favorite hummus
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
fresh dill and oregano for topping
olive oil, for drizzling

whole wheat pita

1 cup warm water
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for your workspace/kneading
1/2 teaspoon salt
canola oil for brushing



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Place the chickpeas on a paper towel and pat the as dry as you can. Remove any loose skins.

Put the chickpeas on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil or the oil of your choice. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, sugar and allspice and toss well to coat. Make sure the chickpeas are in a single layer. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, toss well and flip, then bake for about 15 to 20 minutes more. This will make more chickpeas than you need, so I keep them in a container to snack on for the rest of the week!

To assemble your pitas, spread each with a healthy spoonful of hummus. Add on your roasted chickpeas, some chopped tomatoes, fresh drill and a sprinkle of feta cheese. Add a drizzle of olive oil if you wish. You can also thrown on olives and roasted red peppers!

whole wheat pita

Combine the water, yeast and honey in a bowl, stirring once to mix. Let it sit until foamy, about 10 minutes, then stir in the flour and salt. Stir until the dough comes together then use your hands to further bring it together – if it is super sticky, add a bit more flour (I usually add extra all-purpose when needed). Place the dough on a floured surface and knead it with your hands for above 5 minutes. I have kneaded it for a shorter amount of time and it’s been fine. Rub oil along the inside of a bowl and place the dough inside, then cover it and set it in a warm place so it can rise. Let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Place the dough back on the floured surface and knead a few times. If it’s still sticky, add a few sprinkles of flour with your hands and knead until it’s silky smooth. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece out as thinly as you can – we are talking super THIN.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with a bit of canola (or another higher heat) oil. Place the thin dough round on the skillet and cook for 30 seconds, just until it starts to bubble. Flip it over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, it should get puffy and have a few golden spots. Flip over and cook for another minute. Set aside and repeat.

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Now I have no choice but to make this for lunch.

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Weekend Snapshots: Another Weekend, Another Pumpkin Patch!

With it being my favorite season, I can’t seem to stop sharing all this autumn spam! And we’re living up the last few weeks of it just being the three of us (omg) with as many visits to get pumpkins and apple cider as we can. I didn’t bring my camera but snapped all of these with my iPhone on portrait mode and I feel like it’s starting to bite the dust. Next weekend, we’re heading out on our little autumn drive as long as the baby stays put!

Hope you had a great one! xoxo

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Currently Crushing On.

Hiiiiii.

I hope you are having a great weekend. It’s super hot here again and we are planning another pumpkin patch trip along with just trying wrap up a bunch of things before the baby comes! Like, um, getting the nursery ready? And maybe packing a bag? Little late in the game, but oh well. What are you guys up to this weekend?

What are you guys up to this weekend?

In case you missed it, I shared my september favorites earlier this week and a peek at our apple picking trip!

My favorites this week:

helllllo crispy buffalo brussels sprouts.

perfect one pot creamy pumpkin pasta. yes!

this concord grape galette is so intriguing to me.

pizza on a stick is a thing.

love the sound of this spice kissed apple crisp.

a lasagna toss looks like the best lasagna to me.

i man, not gonna lie, i sort of want to be a ring pop for halloween.

loving this homemade honey sriracha almonds.

crispy pumpkin waffles. i’m into it.

i want to eat all the mini everything pretzel dogs.

annnnd the perfect pumpkin spice martini.

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Pumpkin, Bourbon Cream and Toasted Pecan Pull Apart Bread.

I’m on a pull-apart bread rampage!

And maybe a pumpkin rampage. And therefore, a pumpkin pull apart bread rampage.

Guys, what is so funny about this is that I could care less about pecans. Pumpkin in sweet dishes is so overdone. But this combo with the bourbon cream icing?

O

M

G

I am just completely over. Done for. Should not exist anymore.

This is one of my favorite things to eat now. Forever!

A few weeks ago, when I shared this roasted garlic pull apart bread, I told you that I’d made three breads for the upcoming seasons. I have no idea why pull apart bread is SO good, why it’s so much more satisfying than say, making a quick bread or muffins or something with the same flavor combo. Maybe it’s because you know the work that goes into it so you’re really going to enjoy the heck out of it?

Ha.

I like to think so.

This bourbon cream icing. What the heck. I could seriously drink it. I’m completely infatuated.  Not sure there is much else to say about it.

Now here’s some good news! You can make this a little bit ahead of time. When I say “ahead of time,” I mean that you could make it the night before and serve it for breakfast or brunch the next day. Or you could make it the morning of and serve it for dinner that night. In both cases, I’d wait to glaze it until right before serving.

Also! It would probably make a delish holiday breakfast, but I have a major question for you. Do you guys eat big, huge holiday breakfasts?! In our family, dinners have always reigned supreme. Like Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas Eve dinner, Chrstmas Day dinner. It’s when all those spectacular, traditional dishes that we look forward to all year get to shine.

And at the same time, I hear SO often that a lot of you guys have Thanksgiving morning brunches or Christmas morning brunches and it sounds like it’s in addition to the dinners! I just can’t imagine these two huge meals on those days. What are your thoughts?

Because secretly, I’d love to do both. But I’d be afraid that when the dinner rolled around, no one would have any room to eat! And I mean, dessert? Heck, would it even be worth it?

With this bread though, it might not be a problem. I mean, I’m pretty sure I’d always have room for this loaf of deliciousness.

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Pumpkin, Bourbon Cream and Toasted Pecan Pull Apart Bread

Yield: makes one 9x5-inch loaf

Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/3 cup milk (whole or 2%)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

filling

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

bourbon cream icing

1/2 cup bourbon
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans



Directions:

In the bowl of your electric mixer, stir together 2 cups of the flour, sugar and yeast.

Place the milk and butter in a small saucepan and heat over low heat just until the butter melts. Remove from the stovetop and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in the water and vanilla extract. With the dough hook attached to your mixer, stir in the milk and butter mixture until combined. Add the salt and the pumpkin puree, beating well after each addition. Beat in the spices. The dough will be very sticky! Add the remaining 1 cup flour gradually, beating for another 2 to 3 minutes until the dough comes together again. It should still be very sticky. Place it in a well oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

After one hour, punch the dough down and turn it out on a floured surface. Roll it into a large rectangle, about 12×20 inches if possible. Add the filling: whisk together the melted butter and pumpkin. Brush the dough with the melted butter pumpkin mixture, cover with the sugar and cinnamon. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 5 strips from top to bottom – lengthwise. Stack the 5 strips together, then cut them into 6 sets of squares.

Brush a 9×5 loaf pan liberally with melted butter. Place the dough, cut side down, into the loaf pan, pressing it together. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place again for 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the pan in the oven and bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and set. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes, then gently turn the bread out onto a flat surface. Cover with the bourbon icing and pecans and serve immediately!

bourbon cream icing

Place the bourbon in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Cook until it reduces by about half, so you’re left with 1/4 cup of bourbon. Whisk together the bourbon, sugar and vanilla until a smooth glaze forms. Pour it over the bread while it’s still warm

To toast the pecans (you can totally do this ahead of time, like a day or two), add the pecans to a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir and toss occasionally for 5 to 6 minutes until the pecans and golden and fragrant. Remove the pecans and place them on a cutting board. Chop the pecans coarsely before sprinkling them over the bread.

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Now these flavors could be my last meal.

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Sparkling Pomegranate Cider Punch.

And it’s a mocktail!

Maybe it’s even my last mocktail of the year? Eeeep, I don’t know. I’m waiting! But let’s see. This sparkling pomegranate punch is SO good. You won’t even care (or maybe know!) that it’s booze free. It tastes fantastic and is the epitome of FALL.

Without being basic. Right?

This recipe is a spin on the cranberry cider punch that I first shared a few years ago when I was pregnant with Max. It was actually the drink at my baby shower, one they made that was so, so pretty and full of burst cranberries. It also tasted amazing – so amazing in fact that even though I’ve been able to consume alcohol the last two years, I have made that punch for parties because it’s such a hit. SO delish.

I only have one gripe about it. And that’s…. that it is made with cranberry juice. Which I don’t OMG 100% love. I do like it more than I used to. For years, I refused to drink it at all. I’ve already made about four holiday cocktails with cranberries so perhaps I should bite my tongue. But I knew… just knew… that this punch would be ideal with pomegranate juice.

All hail pomegranate season! I live for apple season and fully partake in pumpkin season, but pomegranate season is one that I ADORE. First, I love the tart taste. I love the juice in a spritzer and I love the arils in yogurt or on cereal. I used to sit with half a pomegranate in a bowl and take the seeds out one by one and eat them. But that was before Max was born annnnnnd I totally don’t have time for that now.

However, I still love the flavor. And buy them packaged, of course. #millennial

Finally, why I really love pomegranate season?

UM, the color! It’s so gorgeous. I based my entire Thanksgiving table that I’ll show you soon around the pomegranate color. I’ve made a few other pomegranate drinks for us to enjoy over the next few weeks. It’s so pretty! Like the perfect autumn jewel tone. Oh hiiiii color lovers.

So, one of the other awesome parts of this punch is the autumn simple syrup! That’s something that came directly from the cranberry cider punch and wasn’t anything I wanted to change. This syrup is unreal. You could also use it in cocktails or something like a margarita or mojito or sangria. It’s wonderful.

Plus, it couldn’t be prettier! Rim the glass with coarse sugar and it looks all sparkly too.

Annnnd I think you could also totally make this frozen! Throw it in a blender with some ice or use the apple cider or pomegranate juice to make ice cubes the night before. You know. Since it’s going to be 85 freaking degrees here this weekend. UGH. Whyyyy. I just want it to be 55. That’s like my ideal temp.

I mean, doesn’t it just LOOK like something you want to drink?!

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Pomegranate Cider Punch

Yield: serves 4 to 6

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

3 cups apple cider
3 cups sparkling pomegranate italian soda
1 cup ginger ale or ginger beer (which will make it have a little toast!)
1 cup seltzer (plain or flavored of your choice)
1/2 cup autumn simple syrup (recipe below)
2 to 3 apples, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pomegranate arils
3 to 4 cinnamon sticks, plus extra for garnish
cinnamon sugar for the rim

autumn simple syrup

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
a few slices of orange rind



Directions:

punch

Stir the ingredients together gently and taste. All ginger beers can be different, so you may want to add more simple syrup or cider if yours is super spicy. You can also use ginger ale, but in that case you may want LESS simple syrup than what is called for. You can always add more syrup if you’d like!

Place sugar (about 1/3 cup) and cinnamon (1 teaspoon or so) on a plate. Rim each glass with a wedge of orange or lime and dip in the sugar. Add the ice to the glass.

Serve the punch over crushed ice (this is important!) and garnish with extra pomegranate arils.

autumn simple syrup

Combine all ingredients together in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. You can store this in the fridge for a few days – I keep the spices and rind in the syrup for flavor, but remove right before using.

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Yes yes yes.

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Bacon Brussels Sprouts Fried Rice.

These are a few of my favorite things.

All on one plate! Bacon and brussels sprouts fried rice topped with a runny egg. Oh perfection. I can’t even stand it!

Shortly after I had Max, Eddie and I went through the phase of making a version of fried rice with chicken every single week. I absolutely CRAVED it. Sometimes I made it twice a week. I guess we should say that it was MY phase and Eddie just fell victim to it, but it wasn’t like he was complaining. It wasn’t a super traditional version of fruit rice and I’d use these amazing juicy mushrooms and brown rice. But it was so, so good!

And lately, I feel that craving coming back. Must have something to do with having babies.

I often make a bacon and egg fried rice because it’s such a simple meal. We usually have leftover brown jasmine rice (my favorite is from Trader Joe’s) and reheating it and eating it plain is just… blah. It’s so much better with some extra oooomph in it.

So here! I added some brussels sprouts and bacon which might just be theeeee combo of the fall and winter months.

Remember when I made that awesome maple bacon brussels sprouts salad? And I even made bacon brussels sprouts quesadillas? And bacon brussels sprouts carbonara pasta? I might be insane.

The only other fall combo I like more (or just as much) is butternut squash and brown butter. With fried sage. And parmesan!

See where my brain is?

All the fall comfort food.

But ANYHOOOOOO.

This rice. It’s so simple. Terribly simple! If you have leftover rice, even better. If you don’t, no biggie. It will take you only about 15 minutes to make some quick cooking jasmine rice.

Also, I sort of broke the rules here and instead of adding the scrambled egg into my fried rice? I topped it WITH the egg. I could have done both; heck, you could do both. But I figured that I usually want two eggs and well… I probably didn’t need a third in there. You know.

And this is what I’m eating nonstop. Now you know.

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Bacon Brussels Sprouts Fried Rice

Yield: serves 2 generously

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (preferably leftover from the day before)
6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 1/2 cups brussels sprouts, stems removed and sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
4 green onions, sliced
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 (or 4!) fried or poached eggs, depending on how many you want
chili garlic paste for serving



Directions:

Heat a large skillet or wok over low heat and add the bacon. Cook until the fat is almost all rendered and the bacon is crispy, then stir in the brussels sprouts. Toss well and cook until the brussels soften, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic.

Add in the rice, tossing to coat, then let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes to crisp up and get golden. Stir in the green onions, the soy sauce (start with only 1 tablespoon, since the bacon is salty!) and the sesame oil. Toss, breaking apart any pieces, and repeat for another 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat another 1 or 2 times until the rice is a bit crispy and golden.

At this point, taste the rice and if it needs seasoned a bit more, stir in the soy sauce. You can keep your rice over low heat and take a few minutes here to prepare your eggs, whether you fry them or poach them.

Spoon the rice into a bowl or a plate and top with the egg (or 2!), an extra drizzle of toasted sesame oil and some chili garlic paste. Eat up!

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Just want to live inside that little egg!

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Tuesday Things.

1. Love this post on a year of transformation. It’s so true that “easy” is not where we grow.

2. Does anyone know what the little pumpkin stem plants are that you can put in vases – like the ones above? Trader Joes usually has them but I find that when I buy them, they rot fairly quickly. Can one grow them?

3. How stunning is this one bowl pumpkin zucchini cake?! Wowza.

4. This past weekend I had dreams that I gave birth to both a girl and then a boy! Two separate nights. Whaaaaat does this mean.

5. As I’m in crazy full nesting mode, I’ve kind of been finishing up furnishing our dining room and I want to be one of those people who has a pretty SET dining room table year round, especially since it’s not the one we eat on daily. This is an impossible thing to do though, right? Is it even realistic?

6. Super excited that today Elin Hilderbrand’s new book comes out (the last in the series!) and while I’m dying to read it and normally would read it by tomorrow, I think I might save it until the baby comes. Not sure I can wait!

7. OMG, new TV is back! Wahoo! I feel like there has been nothing on for five months. So, first, This Is Us. Ahhhh it broke me! The ending… oh man. I just cannot handle it. Also, I really loved the Grey’s Anatomy episode. How is this show even still on? I tend to loathe the show until the season finale but I was into it last Thursday. Perhaps I’m preparing for my hibernation period once the baby comes. When Max was born I binged on Parenthood, so I definitely need something new.

8. Speaking of, I love this list of 92 things to see, hear and read this October.

9. If we must use the Target self checkout, how about they stop standing over my shoulder and asking me about a credit card then? #thanks

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September Favorites: Lifestyle.

A list of everything I was super loving in September. Would love to hear your favorites below!

Nest Pumpkin Chai Candle.I’ve mentioned this the last few years and I think even last month. While I’ll always be a huge Bath and Body Works Leaves fan (so nostalgic and perfect), this is really my go-to candle in the season. I also love the hand soap and the reed diffusers for our bathroom – the diffusers last forever! Everyone asks about the scent all the time.

On that same note though, for our kitchen soap, I majorly stocked up on the Mrs Meyers Apple Cider which is the best scent of life. It’s so freaking good. I use the multi surface cleaner in the kitchen too and buy multiple bottles to stock up. I find mine at Target but man, it sells out instantly. I know there is a candle version and I’d love to try that too. As a note, the dish soap does nothing for me, but I cook like a maniac, so there is that. If you’re a normal person, it would probably work fine.

Halogen Corbin Slide Loafer. I bought these at the nordstrom anniversary sale on a whim. If you’ve been reading then you know that these are SO not my type of shoe… because I always want heels. But it’s just not feasible all the time with Max (and especially once another babe is here), and I’ve been wearing these this month and LOVING them. I feel like they dress up any outfit with jeans and they are really comfortable. Plus, animal print is totally a neutral for me….

More Bauble Bar earrings that I am in love with! These ones are so super light and I love that they go with so many different things. I want to get the other two colors but am afraid I won’t wear them as much.

My TV favorite for the month is a little funny… but it’s totally the Jerry Seinfeld Netflix special. OMG. It is so, so funny. My cousin told us to watch it and we were just dying. It’s only an hour long too, so you can get through it quickly. A lot of nights Eddie puts on Seinfeld reruns and I was a little too young to watch them when they were on, so we just laugh at them for hours.

KitchenAid Proline Blender. I seriously cannot get enough of this blender, you guys. It blends a perfect smoothie with frozen fruit in one simple blend. It is awesome. I know I sound like such a broken record but it’s just so much better than my Vitamix ever way!

When I was grabbing a few things for Max in Gap, I came across these sweaters that were 50% off the sale price. I grabbed two, figuring they would be perfect for later this fall and winter since I’ll be nursing a newborn a lot. I LOVE THESE. First, they are fairly lightweight and they don’t shed at all. While they are warm enough, they also are still sort of sleek too. Gap always has sales so I definitely would not pay full price for these.

Clif Nutbutter Filled Bars. I’m actually embarrassed at how much I’m loving these. I’ve had a box or two on hand for a few months in case I have weird pregnancy hunger or nothing sounds good in the mornings. It’s more snack-like and a bit lighter than the Perfect Bars that I’m also really loving. My favorites are the chocolate peanut butter (shocking) and the banana chocolate peanut butter. They are SO good. Max loves a few bites too.

Anthropologie Gilded Rim Stemless Glasses. I will never get over how gorgeous these are! While I only bought a few for food styling, I want to buy enough to use to serve people while entertaining. They are SO pretty.

[none of this is sponsored, just like to talk about things that I discover and love over the month. i purchased everything myself unless it was a gift from a family member or friend. tell me your faves! there may be a few affiliate links above. xoxoxo.]

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