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 your book! I can’t wait to get it! Book tour lined up?!
Congratulations on the cookbook, Averie! I can only imagine how important the moment was when you received that box. So much work and finally the result. Enjoy! Well deserved!
Congrats on the book! That is super exciting!
I cannot wait to get your book Averie! I’m drooling thinking about it!
I am beyond excited for you! Looks amazing!
Congrats on your cookbook, Averie! How exciting! It looks great!
Congrats on your new book Averie! That must be so exciting :) Have an awesome weekend!
Rock Star!! Can’t WAIT to get my copy! Also, my daughter’s 1st birthday is on June 4. :)
That much light would seriously help me out, too… I have lots of trees in my backyard, and they pretty much block all the light that I could get. BUT, they are beautiful so there’s no way I’m getting rid of them. :)
Happy 1st Bday to her!! (and to you, momma, for getting through that first year – what a milestone! :))
Hi Averie,
Congrats for your cookbook, looks really attractive!
Ceramic bowls are to die for! Chocolate sunflower seeds is a total new concept for me:)
Thanks for sharing!
Yasemin from breadpassion.com
Averie, your book is just gorgeous. I love the bright blue (is it teal?) color and all the sneak peak photos. I can’t wait to get my copy – I’m truly very, very excited! June 4th is almost here! I can’t wait for this feeling next year. Feels like a world away with all the work ahead. I love that folding chair! It’s so bright, cheery, and colorful. If you can’t tell, I love color! But that all white bedroom is calling my name. I wouldn’t be able to get out of that bed… ever!!! That could be dangerous. :) Love those chocolate sunflower seeds!
In person it’s a bright-ish shade of teal! They came to me with 3 colors as mockups; teal, yellow, and pink. The pink/fuchsia (as much as I love the color in general) wasn’t working for a cover. And the teal with yellow accents just popped more and after about 20 up and backs, that’s what we settled on. Thank you for saying that it’s gorgeous. Means the world. I reallllllllly labored over the cover.
You’ve tried those sunflower seeds? Considering you love sprinkles, they totally remind me of sprinkles and I love them! I polished off that container in a day. Whoops!
I’ve been dropping hints to my boyfriend and parents about that cookbook since my birthday is coming up, but I think I might just need to go out and get a copy myself! Congratulations on the book! I don’t really have plans for the holiday- in fact, I tend to forget about it since my parents wedding anniversary and my birthday are the same week!
I hope you’re able to get your hands on it one way or the other. I may be biased but I think it’s a wonderful use of 12 bucks :)
And HAPPY Bday!!!! Hope it’s a wonderful one!
Congratulations on the cookbook! That is sooo awesome. I will definitely have to pick up a copy :)
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Thanks for your support!
Congrats on the cookbook! That must be so cool.
Thanks, Amber. Yes, it is pretty cool :)
Oh Averie! Congrats so much on your book!:D My weekend plans are doing the dreaded defensive driving course for my speeding ticket:/ Trust me people slow down! Or else you have to spend more than 6 hours of your wonderful Saturday on the computer:( Like I’m doing:p
Congratulations on finally being able to hold your new book….can’t wait to get mine…My weekend plans include planting my vegetable garden and being lazy
And thanks for your support and for preordering!
Congratulations on finally being able to hold your new book…can’t wait to get it. My weekend plans include planting my vegetable garden and drinking cherry limeades.