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 position of recipe developer, stylist, photographer, and storyteller, sharing new recipes nearly every day. This hands-on method has earned her a faithful viewers of hundreds of thousands who flip to Half-Baked Harvest and her bestselling cookbooks for every day dinner inspo.
Simply earlier than the launch of her fourth cookbook, Fast & Cozy, Tieghan got here to Austin, the place we co-hosted a vacation banquet in my yard. The night was magic—pals gathered round a candlelit desk, sharing dishes from her upcoming e book that felt each festive and easy.
Within the vacation situation 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 try the complete piece when you haven’t but, and skim on for all of Tieghan’s ideas for cozy vacation internet hosting.
At House in Colorado
First issues first: what informs your method to meals?
Simplicity is essential—however make it stunning and scrumptious.
What does a typical workday appear to be for you?
It relies upon. Once I’m touring, I’m doing interviews, photograph shoots, and meet-and-greets. I’m multitasking, taking cellphone calls whereas I’m getting hair and make-up achieved for an occasion. It’s nice, it’s thrilling, it’s busy. It’s a completely completely different facet of the enterprise.
Once 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 targeted on creating content material, so I attempt to not e book calls throughout this time so I can keep actually targeted on the creating. At night time, I’m doing emails, writing weblog posts, and enhancing pictures.
What’s your must-have cooking instrument and why?
That is sort of humorous, however a cookie scoop is de facto 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 scrub and it’s higher for you.
Inform us just a few issues we’ll all the time discover in your fridge?
Goat milk, completely different cheeses, jalapeños, avocados, and plenty of contemporary produce.
Your go-to weeknight meal to eat at residence?
I’m a crispy taco lady. 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 Occasion
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. When you’re doing tall taper candles, use only a few of them, and when you’re doing low candles, you need to use tons.
- A fairly bowl for a centerpiece. Fill it with seasonal produce, like pomegranates and persimmons within the fall, and even gather some acorns from outdoors, no matter you’ve entry to.
- A meals merchandise. I really like to make use of meals as decor—usually 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 ample.
Apple Vanilla Chai Scorching Toddy
Baked Honeyed Brie
Garlic Mushroom Rooster Skillet
Winter Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts
Lemon Pesto Orzo
Traditional Tiramisu
What does an important gathering appear to be for you?
There’s a hearth roaring and there’s gentle music enjoying within the background. There are candles lit in all places, there are flowers, and there’s the scent of actually good meals gradual cooking within the oven. Simply actually enjoyable and comforting—and also you gotta have candles.
The proper banquet playlist consists of:
Very mellow and enjoyable music. Classical is fairly. My grandma all the time used to play Frank Sinatra, and I really like turning on his music at Christmas.
Your signature dishes for gatherings?
There are many nice recipes for gathering in my new cookbook, Fast & Cozy. The brisket recipe is unimaginable for gathering and can be good for a Christmas Eve dinner. Additionally, the meatballs on the quilt. When you don’t eat crimson meat, you possibly can 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. Every little thing within the e book is tremendous easy, cozy, and fast.
What’s your no-stress social gathering 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 gradual cooker recipe is the very best. Preserve it easy.
Dream dinner company?
Victoria Beckham—proper now I’m simply loving her designs. After which, you would possibly as properly invite David, proper? I additionally wish to meet their son Brooklyn—he simply launched a brand new sizzling sauce model which is so attention-grabbing. So I assume I’m simply inviting your entire 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 easy methods to: make a cheeseboard.
