Time for an installment of Weekend Things:
1. I held my cookbook in my hands for the very first time this week! Opening the box of author copies that my publisher sent was an extremely proud and happy moment.
Thumbing through the book, seeing my recipes and photography, all glossy, shiny, and new is surreal, wonderful, exciting, and a little bit terrifying. I poured my heart and soul into the book and I hope you love it as much as I do.
The official release date is June 4, although if you’ve pre-ordered on Amazon, I believe they’re shipping out slightly before June 4. Thank you to those who’ve bought my book. Your support and vote of confidence means the world.
2. I want to get in this bed and live in this room from CB2. I love fluffy white bedding and love the bright, white, happy light.
I wish my kitchen had this much light because it would be my photography dream come true.
3. If you have an urge to bake cookies this weekend, I suggest Soft and Chewy Snickers Chocolate Chip Cookies. They combine my favorite dough base for chocolate chips cookies, with hunks of Snickers baked in. They’re my favorite version of chocolate chip cookies on my site, to date.
4. Apricot and Almond Sauce from Saveur – “This fruity purée is great swirled into ice cream or spooned atop pancakes or toast.”
I love apricots and almond extract is something I wish I could wear as a perfume.
5. The sauce reminds me of the Apricot Cream Cheese Glaze that I stirred together in 6 seconds and spread on top of the French Almond Cookie Cake
It’s a fast and easy cake-cookie to make. It’s dense and chewy like a deep-dish cookie-bar, with the flavor of a rich almond cake. Perfect for an impromptu, easy weekend treat.
6. From Instagram. This is how I party on Friday night.
Like eating sprinkles disguised as chocolate sunflower seeds. Heaven.
7. Ceramic Bowls – For dips, sauces, fruit, sides, or just about anything. On sale for $4.80 – $6.40 at Pier 1. What a steal.
8. My recipe for Hawaiian Banana Bread and Maple Banana Baked French Toast appeared in the AllFreeCasserole’s Breakfast eCookbook.
Here’s a free download of the book with 19 recipes in case you need some breakfast inspiration.
9. Overdyed Terai Folding Chair, $198 from Anthro – Sure beats the wobbly card table and vinyl-covered chairs my parents had and kept in our basement, and would dig out for summer gatherings, parties, and holiday company.
Does anyone else have fond memories of swatting mosquitoes, while sitting on folding chairs in someone’s garage or backyard, and literally getting stuck to the vinyl as the back of your legs pour out sweat in the sweltering humidity? Tell me I’m not alone.
10. Need a quickie recipe for a party this weekend? Try one of these 25 Fast & Easy Dip Recipes . Many are vegan, gluten-free, and all are fast, easy, and fuss-free. Exactly the way they should be on a holiday weekend.
Check back for a giveaway starting tomorrow.
What are your Weekend Things?
If you’ve made anything, done, seen, or bought anything fabulous recently, feel free to link it up in the comments.
Holiday Weekend Plans?
We have none, just the way I want it. My husband has been traveling and comes home this weekend, and I’m happy and content to just be together. We don’t have to have plans.
We are definitely not going to the beach with the 1 million tourists in San Diego this weekend who will be. Parking would take 2 hours. No thanks. I’ll be at home baking instead.
Congrats on getting your book “in hand” for the first time!!!! It is also my dream to write a cookbook……someday I hope!
And if there’s a will, there’s a way! :)
Oh wow! Such great recipes, and that cookbook I am all over. Peanut butter everything – oh yes! Have a great weekend and congrats on the cookbook! I know I will be getting one!
Thanks for your support, Nicole!
Holding your book for the first time must be so exciting! Congrats! Have a fabulous weekend, Averie!
Beyond!!! exciting!
How exciting to hold your cookbook in your hands! Love the cover!
Thank you – I went up and back with my publisher about 10 times before we finally came to an agreement on the cover!
Congrats on the arrival of your book! (I cannot wait to get my hands on it!) :D I know it must be scary to put yourself out there, but I also know that your book is going to be loved and cherished by everyone. xo
The light in that gorgeous white bedroom really is a food photographers dream. When I watch House Hunters or leaf through home deco magazines, I always gauge the lighting in each of the rooms – it’s kind of obsessive. :P
Love the ceramic bowls too!
I do the same thing with lighting on shows like that. It all comes down to lighting for me :) Beautiful light can make up for just about anything else!
And thanks for what you said – yes, it’s scary to put yourself out there. Have you ever read the reviews on Amazon of books in general? People can be ridiculously harsh! I try not to think about it and know I did everything I could with my book to make it the best it could be! :)
I’m so so happy for you and your amazing work on your book! I can’t wait to hold it myself :)
I’m in New Orleans with my husband and a few other couples this weekend, so I’ll be enjoying the amazing food here! Best thing yet- bananas foster french toast! Yum!
Thanks for your longtime support and friendship :) And have fun in NOLA!! The bananas foster french toast sounds amazing. I looooove bananas foster!
Super congrats on your book, you deserve all the hugs in the world for it! Going to pick it up, very excited to try them all!
Loving those ceramic bowls.. such great colors!
Thanks, Pamela! I appreciate it and have a great weekend!
Congratulations on your publication! I just love the title. I’m going to put in a request for it asap.
My weekend thing is trying to organize my cake photos into my gallery on my blog. (Victoria’s Gallery at http://www.twogirlsenteronecakeleaves.wordpress.com) So many to wade through over the years. :)
~Victoria
I just did a blog makeover and unveiled it about 2-3 weeks ago, and after 4+ yrs of a hodgepodge of recipes, it was QUITE the undertaking, but so worth it in the end. Good luck with yours getting it just how you want it!
Ohhhhh I can’t wait for your cookbook girl!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Enjoy yourself, you’ve worked hard!
Oh I want those chocolatey sunflower seeds!! So *proud* about your book! I’m happy for you…and I’m happy for me! After a long time I spend a weekend with my mama! We went to the farmers market this morning, then we played cards and now She is resting. And I am HUNGRY from just looking at your ever so pretty pictures! Going to fix me some amaranth-pasta. Have a nice day!
Thanks for your support and if you ever can find anything like the seeds in your area, go for it! So good!
Congrats on receiving your cookbooks–I’m sure that box was your most anticipated and exciting delivery! Amazon sent me an estimated June 7 delivery date –less than 2 weeks to go! We have a 50th b-day party tomorrow (my sister in law), but otherwise, we’re just hanging out and I’m cherishing a 4 day weekend. Thanks for letting me know about TJ’s stevia–that is the lowest price I’ve ever seen. Those bowls from Pier 1 just put me in the mood to do a little shopping there– price is great and who knows what else I might find. Enjoy the time with your family this weekend!
I haven’t wandered into Pier 1 in ages (but wandered in virtually) and they have some good stuff and great prices if you hunt for it!
And thx for LMK about the June 7 est. delivery date! Wow – getting so close! I can’t wait to hear what you think (and make first!). Of all people, I know YOU will make lots of recipes from it!
Have fun at your SILs Bday party!
Congrats on your book!! I can not wait to get my own copy!!
Those bowls from Peri 1 and that chair from anthro are awesome. So cute!
Hope you have a great long weekend!
You too! And I read your comment reply about tons of melting shots in the background, and taking 200 pics. Okay, NOW we are talking and I can relate. I seriously thought you snapped like 8 pics, picked 2, and were done. That is SO not me either. I wish it was. But…no, not at all.
Many congratulations on your book! That is so amazing!
And I so agree with you about wearing almond extract as a fragrance! I love it!
I have almost been tempted to try it, mixed with a little coconut oil. Lol
So awesome that you held your cookbook for the first time! I can’t imagine that feeling, but I hope I can one day :) Our weekend is all about buying and planting flowers and baking. I wouldn’t have it any other way either.
Thank you! and where there’s a will, there’s a way!
yay for getting to actually hold a copy of your cookbook! That is so exciting!!
I’m thinking I need to make some vanilla and apricot sauce swirled ice cream!
Sounds like the best ice cream flavor I’ve heard in awhile!
My week thing has been pumpkin on my blog and lots of random acting work…including finally getting to see something I acted in a year ago that crosses both the food and acting sphere, a short about…bum bum bummmmmmmm….gluten!
Pumpkin on your blog! Ive been baking with it this week too, but not on my blog. And congrats on the acting stuff all falling into place!