Balsamic Butter Mushrooms

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A white bowl filled with sautéed wild mushrooms, garnished with chopped herbs, sits on a wooden table next to striped cushions.

Balsamic Butter Mushrooms

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 – 2 pounds pound mushrooms 1/4-inch sliced
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 thyme sprigs
  • 2 garlic cloves grated or minced
  • 2 teasponns balsamic vinegar
  • Sprinkle of minced chives

Instructions
 

  • Wash the mushrooms, it's fine to wash them under water!
  • Add them to your largest skillet over medium-high heat and sprinkle with salt. They'll release a lot of liquid, which will leave you with perfectly tender and chewy in the best way mushrooms. If the skillet is getting really full of liquid, crank the heat up to high to evaporate it off faster.
  • Once all of the liquid is gone (which will take anywhere from 5 to 10 mins), add the butter, thyme, and garlic. Sauté for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Turn off the heat, then stir in the balsamic.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with chives and flaky salt.

Coconut Chicken Satay

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A plate with juicy chicken skewers topped with chopped herbs and nuts, served alongside a bowl of creamy peanut sauce.

Coconut Chicken Satay

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 3 inch piece fresh ginger grated
  • 4 garlic cloves grated
  • 1-3 tablespoons sriracha based of spicy preference
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts sliced into thin strips
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter

Instructions
 

  • Combine everything but the peanut butter in a bowl and let it marinade for at least 15 minutes but preferably 24 hours.
  • Soak your skewers.
  • Preheat the grill to medium-high heat or broiler to high heat.
  • Thread the chicken onto the skewers. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side until charred all over.
  • Meanwhile, add the marinade and the peanut butter to a pot and boil over medium-high for at least 5 minutes or until thick and delicious.
  • Put the skewers on a serving platter. I garnished mine with sriracha, crushed cashews, and some chopped cilantro. Pour the sauce into a bowl for dipping and enjoy!

Notes

If serving this at a party as an appetizer, it’s easier to eat if cut into smaller pieces and placed on smaller skewers!

Creamy Turkey, Kale & Farro Stew

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A large pot on a stove contains a hearty stew with a creamy tomato base, ground meat, potatoes, greens, and other mixed ingredients.

Creamy Turkey, Kale & Farro Stew

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Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion any color
  • 3 large carrots chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 pound ground turkey or any ground meat
  • 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • kosher salt
  • 8 cups low sodium chicken stock (I use water + Better Than Bouillon), plus more as needed
  • 1 small potato chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 cup farro (I like to 10-minute farro from Trader Joe’s, but anything that cooks in 20-ish minutes works too, check the label, some farro takes up to 40 mins)
  • 1 cup green lentils
  • 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatos
  • 1 block good parmesean
  • 1-2 tablespoons harissa paste
  • 1 bunch kale roughly chopped
  • 1 lemon
  • 4 ounces (half a block) cream cheese optional! it's great without

Instructions
 

  • Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and a big pinch of salt and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the turkey, garlic, and another big pinch of salt and cook until the turkey is cooked through, using a spatula to chop it into tiny bits.
  • Add the stock, potato, farro, lentils, tomatoes, the RIND (hard part!) from the block of parm, and 1 to 2 tablespoons harissa depending on if you like things spicy. You can always add more later.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the farro is tender.
  • Take out the parm rinds and discard. Stir in the kale, zest and juice of 1 lemon, and cream cheese. Stir until the kale is wilted and the cream cheese has melted into the soup.

Notes

As the soup sits, it’ll continue to thicken, so you might need to stir in more stock if you’re serving it later.
Serve with tons of parm on top, and dollops of harissa!

Kitchen Sink Cookies

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Seven kitchen sink cookies, packed with pretzels, chocolate chips, and potato chips, are arranged on a crumpled sheet of parchment paper.

Kitchen Sink Cookies

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Ingredients
  

  • 2 sticks butter room temperature
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 3 cups crunchy/and or salt things such as pretzels, rice krispies, corn flakes, potato chips, whatever
  • flaky sea salt

optional

  • 1 cup dried fruit

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets w/ parchment paper.
  • Add the butter and sugars to a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer!) and mix on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the mixer as needed, for 4 minutes. Yes, this is a long time, but it makes a difference!
  • Turn it off and add the eggs and vanilla. Turn it back on until well combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
  • Turn it off and add the flour and then baking soda and salt on top of the flour. Use your fingers to sift the baking soda and salt into the flour.
  • Mix on low until just combined. Add the chocolate chips, 3 cups of crunchy salty things, and dried fruit. Turn the mixer on low for just a couple seconds to combine everything.
  • Scoop heaping spoonfuls of cookie dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake on the middle rack for 8 minutes, take the pan out, grab it on either side (with potholders duh) and bang it firmly down onto the stovetop to flatten the cookies out a bit.
  • Return to the oven to 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges have lightly browned but the tops are still very pale. This is important! The tops should look like they aren’t quite cooked yet. They’ll firm up and be DELISH and chewy once they cool, I promise!
  • Allow the cookies to cool completely before eating! Especially if you put potato chips in there — they’ll be weird and chewy while hot but crisp up once they cool down!

Chive Cheddar Omelet

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The classic French omelet method is to add the eggs to a very hot skillet, use a spatula to quickly move them around, and get them off the heat quickly. This way there are no accidental holes in the omelet or uneven sides, it’s foolproof and fancy-feeling and a skill to add to your repertoire for weekend brunches and simple dinners alike. Skip the chives, or use a diff herb, and add whatever you want inside. Sausage, veggies, etc! if you really load it full of goodies, it’s easier to fold it in half than in thirds like I did here. bon appetit!!

Chive Cheddar Omelet

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • salt and butter
  • sprinkle of cheese I used sharp cheddar, but anything works!

Instructions
 

  • First things first, place a 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat to start preheating it.
  • Mince your chives and whisk them together with 2 eggs, and a pinch of salt and pepper for 20 to 30 seconds, until totally combined.
  • Coat the skillet in butter, then add the eggs and cover. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the eggs are almost completely set — they can still be a tiny bit wet looking. Turn off the heat, sprinkle the cheese down the center, and fold the sides in over the cheese like you’re folding a letter.
  • Cover for 30 seconds to melt the cheese in the residual heat.

Notes

Slide the omelet onto a plate. To feel like you’re at a cute lil bistro, serve it with a salad. I used mixed greens, seasoned them with salt and pepper, and drizzled good extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic over top.
 

Risotto Alla Vodka

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An elegant but EASY (hardest part is slicing the shallots, which isn’t hard persay, but takes a sec!) risotto dish. It’s great as a main dish with a salad, or serve it with literally any protein, it’s great with anything from scallops to steak!

Risotto Alla Vodka

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Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 shallots thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 small can tomato paste 5 to 6 ounces depending on the brand
  • 1/3 cup vodka
  • 1 pint half and half
  • 5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, DIVIDED (I use water + Better than Bouillon, 1 cup water: 1 teaspoon BTB)
  • 2 cups arborio rice
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • kosher salt

Instructions
 

  • preheat oven to 350 F*
  • Warm the oil in a large oven proof pot (such as a Dutch oven or braiser) over medium heat and add the shallots and a pinch of salt. Cook until soft and lightly golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. If the pan ever gets dry, just add another splash of oil.
  • Add the tomato paste and stir it in until it starts to stick to the skillet, 1 to 2 minutes, then deglaze the pan with the vodka, aka pour in the vodka and scrape up all of the stuck bits from the bottom of the pan. When the vodka has evaporated after about a minute, stir in the half n half, 3 cups of the stock, and the rice.
  • Bring to boil over high heat, then cover and transfer to the oven. Bake for 40 minutes.
  • Stir in 1 cup of the remaining stock to start, along with the parm and parsley. Add more stock until you've achieved your perfect risotto consistency — some like it thick, some like it runny, do your thing.

Red Leaf Lettuce & Pear Salad

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Red Leaf Lettuce & Pear Salad

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Ingredients
  

Candied Nuts

  • 1 cup nuts or seeds any kind, roasted or raw, i I love pecans here
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • couple shakes cinnamon powder
  • couple shakes cayenne powder

Creamy Apple cider Dressing

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small shallot minced (we want a heaping tablespoon of shallot)
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard or just use more tahini if you don't like dijon
  • pinch of salt and pepper

Salad

  • 1 head red leaf or butter lettuce or 4 cups mixed greens to make things easier
  • 2 firm pears I used 1 red and 1 green
  • 3-4 ounces Gouda or 2 ounces blue cheese
  • 4 dates chopped into small pieces

Instructions
 

To Make the Nuts:

  • Add all ingredients to a non-stick skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar melts. If it's not melting, then turn the heat up to medium-high but do not leave its side! It'll burn quickly. Stir to coat all of the nuts in sugar, then pour onto a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet or just on your countertop. Leave to harden. **if the nuts do not harden and remain sticky, bake them for 10 minutes on 325*. It's a humidity thing but this typically solves it**

Dressing:

  • Add everything but the olive oil to a jar and shake vigorously to combine. Add the olive oil and shake again, for longer than you think, to get it all to emulsify. Taste and adjust how you like it.

Salad:

  • Cut out the core of the lettuce, then separate the leaves and wash them.
  • Place the washed leaves in a large, low bowl. Season the leaves with salt and pepper. Thinly slice the pears and add on top. Use a vegetable peeler to peel big pieces of Gouda onto the salad. No need to measure, just add as much as you like! Sprinkle the dates on top.
  • Use a cup to break the nuts apart once they're totally cool and hardened. Add them to the salad.
  • When you're ready to eat, toss your desired amount of dressing into the salad! You will not need all of the dressing, and it'll be good in the fridge for 10 days.

*Basically A Salad* Pasta

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This is full of SO many nutrients and superfoods and everyone devours it 👊🏻. Perfect for the whole family!

A close-up view of green, nutrient-dense pasta for the whole family, coated in vibrant pesto sauce.

*Basically A Salad* Pasta

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Course Dinner
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • Kosher salt
  • 1 pound pasta anything works!
  • 1 bunch kale curly or flat leaf!
  • 1 large carrot
  • 1 bunch broccoli roughly 1/2 pound
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley sprigs or basil leaves
  • 1 heaping teaspoon chicken or veggie Better Than Bouillon
  • 1 or 2 tablespoons unsalted butter  your choice
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1/3 cup pepitas

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, then use tongs to transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Do not dump the pot!
  • While the pasta is cooking, chop the kale, carrots (no need to peel!), and broccoli into a few big pieces. Wash them.
  • Keeping the pot over high heat, throw the chopped veggies plus garlic into the pot and cook until the carrot is fork tender, 7 to 10 minutes.
  • Transfer the veggies to a blender along with 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Don't throw the water away yet!!
  • Add the parm, parsley or basil, Better Than Bouillon, butter, EVOO, lemon juice, and pepitas to the blender. Blend until smooth, adding more pasta water as needed to get a smooth, saucy consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired — I didn't have to add any salt because my pasta water was so salty, plus the parm and BTB are salty!
  • Toss about HALF of the sauce with the pasta, adding more pasta water until it's saucy and glossy and coating the noodles.
  • Garnish with parm and red pepper flakes and enjoy 😎

Notes

Leftovers: if you have leftover pasta, reheat them in a skillet with a splash of water to get the best consistency on the sauce. Otherwise it can get a bit clumpy in the microwave. With the second half of the sauce, you can either freeze it to make pasta later, or serve it with roasted chicken and veggies as a sauce! Or with fish! Or stir it into rice!
Swaps:
GF: Any GF pasta works
DF: 1/3 cup nutritional yeast instead of parm. Or if you don’t have nut yeast, 1/2 cup of kite hill cream cheese would be great here. EVOO or DF butter instead of butter.
Pepitas: cashews would be great too
Keyword Pasta

Brown Butter Sage Pierogies with Pomegranate Gremolata

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One of my absolute favorite parts of the holidays is when friends or family drop by unexpectedly. There’s an unspoken expectation to crack open a bottle of champagne, or make a cozy cocktail, and serve a little snack. That’s why, during the month of December, I make sure to keep my favorite frozen appetizer, Mrs. T’s Pierogies, in my freezer at all times.

In the spirit of easy yet impressive entertaining, I recently prepared these pierogies by simmering them in sage-infused butter and finishing them with a vibrant pomegranate gremolata. Despite the sophisticated-sounding name, I assure you, it’s a straightforward process that adds a touch of elegance to any occasion. Enjoy this easy recipe that you can whip up for your guests this season.

Brown Butter Sage Pierogies with Pomegranate Gremolata

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Course Appetizer
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 box Mrs. T’s Cheddar Pierogies
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 10 sage leaves
  • kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds 
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1 small lemon

Instructions
 

  • Warm the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add the pierogies and brown on the first side for 3 to 4 minutes, then flip, reduce the heat to low and add the butter, sage leaves, and a big pinch of salt. Let them bubble away in a butter bath while you make the gremolata.
  • In a small bowl, combine the pom seeds, parsley, zest from the lemon, juice from half of the lemon, and a big pinch of salt.
  • Plate the pierogies on individual plates or a big platter and top with gremolata. Dig in immediately! 

caro’s fave things 2023

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2023 gift guides are HEREEE!!! I have a penchant for gifting things that are practical, but special. Salt — but make it a gourmet flaky salt. Salad servers — but make them cute wooden flower guys. A tee shirt — but make it quite literally the most perfect tee shirt ever. A sweatsuit — but it’s actually flattering and the softest ever.

Here you’ll find a lot of that — practical but special. Even the kids are getting freakin’ headlamps for Christmas this year.

I hope you find something for the people you love!

You’ll find:

  • Gifts for the chef in your life
  • Chic gifts for chic ladies
  • Gifts for the exercise queens
  • Foodie gifts
  • Cozy gifts
  • Gifts for the guys

Happy holidays!

xoxo Caro

*Some of the brands featured have partnered with me on this content, but only because I put them on here and then thought hell, I should see if I can get paid for that. My love for these products is genuine!

A collage titled "Gifts for the Chef in Your Life" from our holiday gift guide features ten items including a knife, sweatshirt, pans, sticker, salt, bowl, recipe box, storage containers, glass, and wooden utensils.
  1. Madein Nakiri Knife. A nakiri knife is an excellent gift because it’s not a super common knife, but it’s a wonderful one for someone who cooks a lot to own. It’s a Japanese vegetable cleaver, perfect for cutting through dense vegetables. Code “CARO” can sometimes save ya depending on what sales they have going on at the time!
  2. Queen Ina Tee. No explanation needed. 
  3. New Nonstick Pans. Everyone way outwears their nonsticks (they’re only good for 2-5 years or so, depending on how much you cook!), and new ones are such a game changer.
  4. What To Cook. A subscription to What To Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking, my weekly recipe subscription for people who love to eat good food, but don’t have time to cook it. What to Cook takes the guesswork out of mealtime. Beautiful meals to be proud of, in under an hour. Each recipe is a one-stop shop: a complete meal. You can schedule the first email to arrive whenever you want, and print out a gift card to wrap up here.
  5. Jacobsen Salt. I talk a lot about “flaky salt” — aka the salt that you sprinkle on at the end to finish the dish. This is my favorite flaky AKA finishing salt. It’s elite. I used to be a Maldon flaky salt girl, but I’ve been converted. This one is softer, crumbles easier, it’s just better.
  6. Big Ass Salad Bowl from Made In. This is the salad bowl I use in 99% of my salad videos! It is the BEST. It’s freaking massive and amazing. I use it both for eating massive individual salads, and for serving salad as a side for 4 to 6 people. 
  7. Recipe Binder. For the friend who still loves to print out recipes! This is so cute — a recipe binder designed to look like Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”. If you have a What to Cook fan in your life, how thoughtful would it be to print out their fave recipes and add it to them before you wrap it up!
  8. Glass Containers. One year our babysitter gave me a brand new set of Tupperware containers for Christmas and I’ve never felt so seen. I didn’t need more crap, I needed a fresh matching set of containers! Such a great, practical gift.
  9. Glass Set. These glasses are so charming.
  10. Salad Servers. How CUTE ARE THESE? As someone who frequently brings a salad over to her friends’ houses when they invite me for dinner, I can vouch that no one ever has enough serving spoons / tongs / salad servers!
A collage titled "Chic Gifts for the Ladies" features a lipstick and blush stick, planner, colorful socks, smartwatch, Kindle, notebook, gold necklace, gray t-shirt, and a box of sweets for the ultimate holiday gift guide.
  1. Merit Lipstick. I adore this nourishing, color-staying lipstick from MERIT. Cabo is my “everyday red” and Baby is my “I just want my lips to be lip-colored, why did they turn beige in my 30s” color. Side note: if you want to do some shopping for yourself, their five minute morning set is basically the only makeup I use anymore.
  2. Embossed Stationery. I love a blind embossed notecard! So chic. Great price from this Etsy shop!
  3. Bombas Ruffle Socks. I am obsessed with these socks. I wear them with loafers, sneaks, etc. and I think the pop of color peeking out from under the hem of my jeans is so fun. I also love this sparkly pair
  4. Fake Hermes Apple Watch Band. I bought this watchband a year ago, never take it off when I’m exercising, bathing or swimming, and it’s still in excellent condition. My girlfriend has the real Hermes version and they are identical.
  5. Paper White Kindle. I love a physical book just as much as the next gal, but it’s so satisfying to finish a book and immediately start scrolling to find my next one. Highly recommend getting them a couple months of a Kindle Unlimited Subscription, too!
  6. Gold Paperclip Necklace. I bought this necklace after hunting around the internet for a looong time for the best price. I’ve worn it for about 6 months now and it’s A+ quality at a low (for gold!) price. Code for 10% off: INFP-CAROCHAMBERS10
  7. Perfect White Tee. Three of my girlfriends separately told me to get this tee before I finally made the plunge. It’s…perfect. It’s all I ever want to wear.
  8. Lady Dish. For the friend who has everything… do they have this naked lady ring dish? No they do not. Would be an especially cute gift for a newly engaged / married friend!
A collage of 12 holiday gift guide ideas for exercise enthusiasts, featuring shoes, socks, leggings, tops, smartwatches, shorts, dumbbells, a water bottle, and sweatshirts.
  1. Raesyn Sneaks. My all-time favorite walking shoes. I was a Hoka gal until I discovered these. I walk a LOT and these have made me speedier and I have no joint pain! Code “CARO10”.
  2. Bombas Socks. The all time best workout socks. They compress your foot in the most perfect way. I know, socks for Christmas?! But yes, socks for Christmas. No one will be bummed to receive a fresh pair of fancy socks.
  3. Salutation Leggings. It’s impossible to describe how perfect these leggings are. They’re not for running, but they’re great for everything else. The pockets are crucial. And they make your ass look amazing!
  4. Ascent Top. The perfect winter workout top for when a full jacket is too much, but a t-shirt ain’t gonna cut it. Yes, I realize I live in California and in most parts of the country you definitely have to wear jackets in the winter. But you still need this top. 
  5. Apple Watch. My Apple Watch really helps me stick to my health goals and stay accountable. It automatically ties in with Peloton, if you’re a Peloton gal!
  6. Apple Watch Hermes Band. This watch band is a gorgeous and far, far less expensive Hermes lookalike. 
  7. Peloton Bike Shorts. Speaking of Peloton… I own these bike shorts (well, not with the Peloton logo on them) and like wearing them with an oversized hoodie or crewneck sweatshirt to run errands, etc. 
  8. Weights. I used to reserve weight lifting for days when I could get to the gym, and then I realized how dumb that was when I could just buy a couple pairs for less than $100. Now I weight train 3-4 times a week from home (using the Peloton app for strength classes). 
  9. Workout Top. One of my fave workout tops is only $20 from Amazon! 
  10. Hoodie. The greatest workout hoodie — it’s perfectly cropped to wear with high waisted leggings. Looks exactly like a certain viral hoodie from a brand that rhymes with booboo…
  11. Team Gear. This Etsy shop has the cutest vintage-inspired college team gear. I want this UNC crew neck and this Alabama one is so good. Check out the shop — they have so many teams.
  12. Owala water bottle. The greatest water bottle of all time. You can chug through the hole or sip through the straw, depending on your mood! Totally leakproof, for real.
A collage of eight foodie gift ideas from our holiday gift guide, including bottled drinks, hot sauces, dish towels, a spice block set, popcorn pods, oven mitts, a tablecloth, and a gift box with various items.
  1. Kosterina Olive Oil. Absolutely everything Kosterina makes is gold, but their original EVOO is my go-to for gifting. I love that this pack comes with a gift bag to make our lives easier. Don’t forget to buy a few for yourself! Code “CARO” for 15% off
  2. Red Clay Hot Sauce. Gift the entire box to a really special hostess, or bring individual bottles with a bow on them instead of showing up with yet another boring bottle of wine. 
  3. Christina Dickson Napkins. My interior designer introduced me to this NC-based textiles company. Gorgeous napkins, tablecloths, pareos, and baby blankets at a really great price point (napkins can be insanely pricy!). Get a few pairs and wrap them up so that you always have an easy hostess gift to grab and run out the door. Code “CARO15” for a discount!
  4. Spiceology. These spice blends are freaking amazing, and make it so quick and easy to pull off a delicious meal.
  5. Cheerie Lane Popcorn. This cute small biz has the cutest branding and the flavors are all so good!
  6. Potholders. Everyone always needs new potholders, and these are so cute and such a good price! A great unique hostess gift. 
  7. Linen Tablecloth. Can’t go wrong with a classic linen tablecloth. Everyone needs one, no one wants to buy it for themselves!
  8. Chocolate Mice. My uncle lives in the New Hampshire town famous for LA Burdick Chocolate and for Christmas he always sent a box of chocolate mice. Sitting around the dinner table during the holidays, passing around a box of chocolate mice to slowly (because they are so precious!) enjoy is one of my favorite holiday memories. 
A collage titled "Cozy Gifts" displays nine gift ideas in this holiday gift guide: whitening strips, burgundy loungewear, a green face cream, striped pajamas, a blanket, a green hoodie dress, a tan puffer jacket, orange slippers, and a printed sweatshirt.
  1. Lumineaux. OK hear me out… this counts as a cozy gift because now that I have a big bathtub, I like to do my white strips in the bath! These are the all-time best whitening strips ever, all-natural and zero teeth sensitivity! Use my link to get 20% off the 7 pack Whitening Strips today by simply checking the Coupon Box under the price!
  2. Tommy John Hoodie & Jogger Set. I adore this set so much that I have it in two colors!
  3. Tata Harper Clarifying Mask. What’s cozier than throwing on a hoodie and doing a mask in bed? This is my all-time fave mask.
  4. Lake Pajamas. The coziest jams in the cutest styles! I love this set but poke around the site — there are so many good ones.
  5. Coyuchi Blanket. Someone gifted me this blanket recently and it looks so chic draped over the couch but is also SO COZY.
  6. The Great Hoodie. I am obsessed with this hoodie — I wear it to the gym with leggings, or mullet-tucked into jeans. It’s one of those hard to describe why it’s so good pieces — it’s just perfect.
  7. Puffer. One of my girlfriends has this viral Amazon puffy jacket and is obsessed!
  8. Glerups. The world’s comfiest slipper. George and I both wear them religiously during the chilly months. And they last forever — ours are 5 years old! 
  9. Velaris Sweatshirt. Every ACOTAR girl needs it. Also love this one.
A holiday gift guide featuring nine ideas for kids under five, including kitchen tools, scissors, a toy barn set, playhouse, audio box, craft kits, clothing set, water bottles, and dinosaur toys.
  1. Their Own Knife! My kids both love “cooking with mom” AKA chopping up the random carrot I hand them and tell them I need help with. 
  2. Kid Scissors. Every time a teacher or OT/PT sees my kids cutting up paper (one of their fave pastimes) on Instagram, they’re like “GOOD JOB, NO ONE LETS THEIR KIDS USE SCISSORS AND IT’S SO IMPORTANT! I did not know this, I just knew it keeps them occupied for a long time. Win-win! 
  3. Barn. This barn has kept all of my babies entertained for so many hours. They love pulling the animals in and out, closing and opening the doors, every kid loves it! My kids played with this until around age 2 1/2.
  4. Coloring House. My sister-in-law gets these for her daughter and she has such a blast with them. Basically a life-sized coloring book! Poke around their Amazon shop — they have tons of different options like a castle, barn, dinosaur scene… Great for ages 2+.
  5. TonieBox. My kids LOVE THEIR TONIES! Get them a “starter set” plus Tonies of a few characters they love (Elsa, Paw Patrol, etc). My kids started loving these around age 2. Try code 20CHAMBERS on orders over $100.
  6. Dino Eggs. I have purchased these 9x according to my Amazon. My kids are obsessed! I don’t soak them in water, I just make them chisel away at them, and it takes a solid 20-30 mins. Warning that they leave dust everywhere, def an outside toy!
  7. Cozy Set. My boys are obsessed with matching sweat sets! Which I understand — they’re basically wearing pajamas to school. 
  8. Headlamp. I realize how random this seems, but in the darker months especially, my kids get such a kick out of running around outside in the dark with headlamps on! Seriously, headlamps are one of their top ten toys. 
  9. Dino Toy. I posted on Instagram about this toy recently and got like 50 messages from people saying it’s the best toy ever, and many said their kids still play with it years later. I’m pumped to give it to my boys, and I got extra for the birthday present gift closet. 
A holiday gift guide featuring 13 gift ideas for men, including travel bags, jacket, skin care, toiletry bag, luggage, headphones, mug, tools, and accessories—each thoughtfully displayed with a number.
  1. Packing Cubes. If the men in your life are as atrocious as packing as my dad and husband… get them these packing cubes immediately.
  2. Hoodie Puff. A sleek new hoodie, because it’s time for them to move on from the North Face they got their senior year of high school. 
  3. Skincare. George is a Huron diehard, he uses their shampoo, conditioner and body wash too, and I fill his stocking with a new eye stick every Christmas. 
  4. Dopp Kit. These monogrammed dopp kits so handsome. Not just for toiletries — the smaller sizes are great for organizing their carry-on, etc.
  5. Alex Mill Jacket. This men’s brand is sophisticated while still being young and fun. I got George this jacket for his birthday and I (and he) absolutely love it. 
  6. Shirt. This shirt is hot. Or, ya know, handsome if you’re buying it for your dad/brother. 
  7. Good Luggage. Good, sleek luggage is people’s first impression of you when you enter a new place! We’ve been Away guys for years and years. I’ve also heard great things about this brand which is about 5x less expensive.
  8. Theragun. Whether they’re achy because they work out too hard or achy because they’re old, this mini Theragun massager is a gift that all men (and women!!) will love. 
  9. Toolkit. Ok this is such a stereotypical dude gift but hear me out — if your dad/husband/brothers tool situation is a complete mess, or maybe they’re a new homeowner, how incredible is this perfectly organized tool kit! Obviously fantastic for a female too.
  10. Tushy. I have multiple guy friends who are absolutely obsessed with this easily installable bidet… I’ve also heard that it’s incredible for postpartum undercarriage maintenance, FYI.
  11. Ember Mug. This is the coolest — a mug that keeps your coffee hot for hours! I had one for years and lost it in our move… I got George one for Christmas this year. 
  12. Universal Charging Cord. This one charging cord has replaced the tangle of five different ones that used to crowd every outlet in our home. You can charge all of your devices using this. 
  13. Embossed Stationery. Throwing this affordable embossed stationery on the guys’ gift guide too, since George owns this exact set!