Five Favorite Things

I’m officially launching a new blog series(??) I don’t know what to call it – where I share Five Favorite Things I’ve been trying, loving, or anything worth sharing really, because well, we love capitalism! And we need more people influencing our everyday choices, right?! Lol

I tend to be more of a minimalist than a maximalist when it comes to consumerism, mostly because I’ve been moving around quite a bit – plus I can’t fit a lot in my small kitchen. But regardless of that I do love getting fun recs and finding new things to try every once in a while, so hopefully you’ll find this new kind of blog posts useful.

I do consume an unusual amount of content though, from podcasts to books to articles, to music and movies, so there’ll be plenty of that, too. Think of it as a newsletter type of post, one you won’t even need to bother signing up to! Pretty good, eh? Speaking of which, I have been toying with the idea of starting a weekly or monthly newsletter where I share exclusive recipes, interesting baking tips and extra recommendations, so please let me know in the comments if you’d be interested in that!

For the time being, though, let’s just focus on getting though this blog post, shall we. I’ve never really shown my face on here, apart from my hair-blowing-in-the-wind-wistful-smile-side-profile picture you get to see on every single page of this website (you’re so welcome btw), therefore I thought, what a great opportunity to show the face behind the recipes, so hello! I’m Anna, when I’m not busy baking, I can be found engaged in impromptu bathroom photoshoots. I got my priorities straight. You can see more content like this here – my other instagram account I never share or promote because I have terrible time management skills. Working on that.

Five Favorite Things

Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple

I’m so enamored of this book. The photography is gorgeous, and the recipes are clear and well written. Dorie shares a lot of great tips and encourages the reader to play around with the recipes, making them their own by adding a “Playing Around” section for most recipes. From biscuits to brioche buns, there are so many incredible recipes, I want to try everything all at once.

Costco’s Caramelized Onion & Gruyère Dip 

It’s so good! I wasn’t expecting it to be so creamy and tasty, but it’s great with tortillas and it’s been my favorite snack lately. A simple, quick snack full of delicious fat and calories. AAh, so good. Right up my alley.

Secura Milk Frother

This Secura milk frother is insane. It makes the perfect amount foam, and it’s just so satisfying. It’s easy to use and easy to clean, it creates fabulous foam that has exceeded all my expectations. It’s creamy, thick, and velvety. Just perfect. I am obsessed with it.

5 Minute Chocolate Cinnamon Sugar Toast

I love making a quick, buttery cinnamon sugar toast – so much so I keep a jar of cinnamon butter in the fridge ready to go. But this Half Baked Harvest’s chocolate cinnamon sugar toast is its decadent version. It’s a perfect indulgent quick treat if you’re craving sweets and it’s so good. You can get creative and try adding peanut butter or nutella to the filling, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A must try.

Fresh

I have to admit Daisy Edgar-Jones was the sole reason I decided to watch Fresh. After watching her on Normal People I’ve been absolutely in love. I don’t want to give too much away because this movie is so unique, but all I’ll say is that it’s a weird sometimes funny, sometimes terrifying story. The soundtrack was spot on, and there is a dance scene you can immediately tell it’ll become one of those iconic movie scenes people will be referencing in the future. I have to warn you though, it does have the potential to put you off meat for a while, but maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

Recipes ideas to try this week

It’s been a bit of a chilly week, which means it’s still time to try some cozy dinners before it starts getting unbearably hot.

Like this delicious and filling Harissa Chicken Stew or a vegetarian option. It’s so easy to put together. You can make ahead and keep in the fridge and reheat the next day, it’s a great meal prep idea.

Or maybe try this Beans and Greens Stew that has an umami-packed Korean twist. It’s so good and full of fiber, making it a super healthy, one-pot meal.

This Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with Burrata is a great dinner for when you’re craving Italian and a lot of carbs, but still want to be healthy. The burrata cheese is, arguably, an optional addition, but it gives this dish another layer of creaminess that you won’t want to miss out on.

For dessert, you have to try these Caramelized Miso Bananas! It’s such an easy dessert to put together, so quick, and it’s got incredible bold flavors. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’ll be addicted.

Some fun links

If you’ve watched Inventing Anna, the article that inspired the series is a fascinating read. Jessica Pressler, the journalist who broke the story, writes in such detail that pulls you in from the very first sentence.

Gilmore to Say is a podcast full of fun, insightful conversations about Gilmore Girls for those of us who love the show. The girls dive into the writing of show and discuss character development, making wonderful, fascinating connections that only a GG aficionado could.

Both Sides Of A Breakup the Cut talks to exes about how they got together and why they split up. The stories are so intriguing and wildly entertaining. Two people, one relationship, two complete different sides and perspectives. It’s so honest, thought-provoking and binge worthy.

Coco Fennel‘s pretty dresses deserve a special spot on this list. They make me want to move to the English countryside and live my best farmer girl life wearing my fancy flowery dresses on my my way to the bakery. I want them all!