Happy Wednesday, friends! How’s your week so far? Life hasn’t slowed down at all over here, so I haven’t been spending much time cooking. But, that will change this weekend! I’m heading home to Illinois to celebrate Mother’s Day with my family, which is something I haven’t done in far too long. I’m looking forward to reviving some old traditions, including a brunch picnic, to remind my mom how much she means to all of us.

When it comes to getting my mom a gift for Mother’s Day, I always gravitate toward experiences. It’s rare we get a chance to spend time just the two of us, so it’s  a real treat getting to plan an afternoon we can enjoy together. Moms never expect anything more than a card, but if you’re looking for a meaningful way to show your mom how much she means to you, here are some ideas.

1. A Trip To A Greenhouse

I cannot wait to take my mom to Hornbaker Gardens this weekend. We went almost every year with my grandparents when I was growing up and I have such fond memories of walking through the gardens and greenhouses, getting to help my mom pick out her Mother’s Day gift. We haven’t been back as a family in years and I’m so excited to revive the tradition. If your mom enjoys gardening, take her to a local greenhouse and treat her to some flowers she can enjoy all summer long.

2. Afternoon Tea

One of my favorite recent memories with my mom was enjoying afternoon tea at Kensington Palace when we were in London last fall. It was an indulgence fit for a special occasion and several hotels across the Midwest offer similar experiences. If you’re in Indiana, West Baden is a beautiful setting to celebrate your mom. You can’t beat the Palm Court at the Drake in Chicago, either!

3. Cooking Class

If your mom taught you everything you know in the kitchen, this could be a fun experience to share! Cooking classes give you the chance to learn new techniques or recipes, while sampling your creations along the way. Several specialty cooking stores offer their own classes. In Bloomington, Bloomington Cooking School has classes focusing on different cuisines and Muddy Fork Bakery offers bread workshops.

4. Spa Treatment

I don’t think anyone works harder than moms, so they all deserve some pampering every once in a while. Whether it’s treating your mom to a pedicure, a massage or a specialty spa treatment, the thoughtful gesture will make her feel relaxed and appreciated.

5. Wine Tasting

One of my favorite places to take people when they’re visiting is Oliver Winery. The setting is beautiful and the wine is delicious. If you have a local winery, take your mom out for a tasting and treat her to a bottle of wine to take home so she can have a memento from your fun afternoon.

What are your Mother’s Day plans? Chime in by leaving a comment below!

The post Mother’s Day Gift Guide appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Have you started your holiday shopping yet? I haven’t bought a single thing and I’m a little stressed about that. I’m one of those people who ends up at the mall December 23 frantically searching for gifts and vowing never to wait until the last minute to shop again. I’m hoping to knock out some shopping this week!

Today I’m sharing another gift guide, this time for the guys in your life. They can be hard to buy for sometimes, right? James and I are just doing stocking stuffers for each other for the second year in a row. We would rather spend our money on home improvements or trips than expensive gifts. This gift guide features ideas for every budget.

Milwaukee M18 Compact Drill Kit

My parents lent us this drill when we were tackling a few projects around the house and it quickly rose to the top of James’ Christmas list. It’s powerful, rechargeable and cordless. You can also opt to buy the drill without the kit for about $80 less.

Grilling Apron

This is something a lot of guys would never spend their own money on, but it comes in really handy if you know men who love to cook. I’m a big fan of the aprons from PCBHome, which feature fun plays on words. Williams-Sonoma is also running a sale on aprons, which you can pay a little extra to monogram. I plan on gifting a few of these this year!

Bose QC35 Wireless Headphones

If you’re looking at the price of these headphones and thinking, “Why would you spend that much on headphones?”, I totally get it. I’ve been using the same pair of beat up earbuds that came with my iPhone for two years. But, many of my friends and family members have much higher standards when it comes to headphones. And they all swear by Bose. These headphones are noise canceling and wireless. A great gift for music enthusiasts!

Sporting Event Tickets

I’ve said this before, but I think gifting experiences is the best way to go. It’s one of the most personal gifts you can give. And, it doesn’t have to be expensive! If you can afford to get your guy tickets to a NFL or NBA game, that’s great. But seeing a development team like the Mad Ants play can be a ton of fun. You can also snag relatively cheap balcony tickets for a few IU games in December and January.

Slippers

Slippers are another item I don’t think most guys would buy on their own but love getting as gifts. I bought James some fleece-lined moccasins a couple of years ago and he wears them nonstop around the house. There are so many varieties out there, but I always look for slippers with a thick sole so they can be worn outside for quick chores like taking the trash out.

Beer of the Month Club

Many of the guys I know are big craft beer enthusiasts. My dad, brother and husband love perusing liquor stores in different places to try and find new, unique brews to try. There’s a Beer of the Month Club that will ship recipients a variety of microbrews to try. I love this idea because you can choose how many shipments you want to gift and what kinds of beers you want included. Is there anything better than coming home from work to beer on your doorstep?

Stitch Fix

This is the perfect gift for a man who loves fashion or just needs a wardrobe update. Stitch Fix is an online styling service that sends you a box of five hand-picked items based on the preferences you indicate in your profile (you can read more in my review from a fix last year). You pay a small styling fee, which can be used toward any of the items in the box you keep. It’s so much fun to see what stylists pick out and I’ve always kept at least one item from each box. James hasn’t tried the men’s services from Stitch Fix, but I’ve heard good things from friends!

Professional Massage

Who doesn’t have this on their Christmas list? Most people I know spend so much time focusing on their careers, families and friends that they don’t take enough time to focus on themselves. A gift card for a professional massage is a present that everyone appreciates.

Zip Lining Tour

This is another experience that would be so fun to gift to the adventurous guys in your life. You’ll have to research the options available in your area, but I know Explore Brown County offers tours for those in South-Central Indiana. Many of these businesses are seasonal, so the recipient of this experience may have to wait a few months before cashing in.

Leather Boots

Men’s boots have come so far over the past few years when it comes to style! I live in leather boots every winter and snagged James a pair at the outlet mall last year that he loves. I especially love this pair from Bass because they’re stylish and practical. You can’t go wrong with L.L. Bean’s classic boots, either.

What gifts do you get for the guys in your life? Tell me in the comments!

The post Holiday Gift Guide: Guys appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Are you still nursing your Turkey hangover? We are headed to Thanksgiving number two today to celebrate the holiday with James’ side of the family. Our house smells amazing because I threw together some pumpkin bars last night and the scent is lingering. That’s a smell that never gets old! I’ll have a full recap of all the Thanksgiving festivities for you on Monday.

It’s hard to believe, but we are now less than one month away from Christmas! I love everything about this time of year — the traditions, food, sounds. And, I love hunting for unique gifts for family and friends. I think the best gifts are those that are most personal. It’s easy and appreciated when you get someone a Starbucks gift card, but there’s just something special about hand-selecting a present.

Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be sharing a few gift guides to make the hunt a little bit easier. Naturally, this first one is for the foodies in your life.

Cravings: Recipes For All The Food You Want to Eat

This is my favorite cookbook of 2016 because I use it at least once a week. I love that there are recipes I can easily throw together on weeknights, but also more elaborate meals I can cook up for a special occasion. The coconut rice, chili and Pad  are among our favorite recipes. I can’t wait for her second cookbook!

Le Creuset Dutch Oven

I’ve been lusting after these dutch ovens ever since I used one while cooking at a friend’s house. She’d had her dutch oven for more than ten years and you’d wouldn’t ever know — there wasn’t a single chip or scratch. These pots are extremely versatile and perfect for making winter comfort foods. I’ve never cooked with a Lodge Dutch Oven, but my cast iron skillet is the same brand and my all-time favorite pan.

Local Cooking Classes

I’m a huge fan of gifting experiences and cooking classes are so much fun! Locally, Bloomington Cooking School and Muddy Fork Bakery offer some great workshops that give participants the chance to learn new techniques and cuisines. I’ve also seen some Groupons in larger cities for sushi making courses!

Penzey’s Spices Gift Boxes

My family’s been buying spices from Penzey’s for years. Someone gave my parents one of their gift boxes years ago and it came along with a catalog that featured recipes and stories from home cooks, which made me fall in love with the company. You can also find the recipes online, and even nominate a cook you know to be featured! You can’t go wrong with any of Penzey’s gift sets, but I think the extract box and grill and broil pack look especially good.

Williams-Sonoma Wood Spoons

Anyone who cooks often knows you can never have too many wooden spoons! These are tools used everyday in many kitchens and this set from Williams-Sonoma holds up especially well.

Crate & Barrel Small Ramekins

These small, classic dishes are an inexpensive but extremely useful gift. Some friends gave us a set of these for our wedding and I use them at almost every meal. They’re perfect for serving appetizers or condiments, but also a great size for making portion-controlled desserts.

Gold Medal Wine Club Subscription

Is there any gift that’s better than wine? I do get nervous when it comes to choosing wine for other people because tastes vary so much. A girlfriend of mine has a subscription to one of the Gold Medal Wine clubs and says she’s discovered dozens of new, amazing wines as a result. Local wineries in your area may also offer clubs, similar to Oliver Winery’s program.

KitchenAid Stand Mixer

This is the Cadillac of kitchen tools. KitchenAids are expensive, but worth every penny in my experience. I’ve had mine since graduating from college and my mother’s had hers much, much longer. The mixer itself makes doubling recipes, kneading bread and many other baking tasks so much easier. And, there are lots of attachments available to help with other cooking needs.

Unique Dining Experience

You’ll have to do some research if you’re outside of Indiana, but getting a gift card for a special dining experience is a great gift for any food lover. Many local breweries host dinners that feature a gourmet menu paired with different beers. I’ve always thought dining at Table One, the chef’s table at West Baden Spring’s Hotel would be a real treat.

Personalized Apron

An apron is one of those things I’d never buy for myself but use nonstop ever since receiving one as a gift. My mom had a blue apron embroidered with the name of this blog on the front and I get so many compliments from people when I take it along to cooking classes. I find aprons especially useful around the holidays, when you’re trying to balance hosting duties with looking nice for the celebrations.

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James and I agreed a couple of months ago that we wouldn’t get each other anniversary gifts because we would rather save money to go toward buying a house or going on a vacation. No surprise, we both got each other gifts anyway. And we both went the traditional route, choosing paper gifts to celebrate our first year of marriage. James got me two beautiful art prints from a local shop that I can’t wait to get framed. And I got him tickets to see Brian Wilson at the Ryman in September — a concert we’re both really looking forward to.

The best gifts are never the most expensive — they’re the gifts that are most personal. I came across so many beautiful ideas while trying to figure out what to get James, so I thought I’d share some of my favorite one-year anniversary paper gift ideas. Do you and your spouse stick to the theme of traditional anniversary gifts?

1. Personalized Art Print

I love visiting people’s homes and hearing the stories behind the pictures and artwork on their walls. Art lasts forever and is always a wonderful gift, but personalizing a print makes it all the more special. I especially love this custom vinyl print, which you can personalize with a song that means something to you and your spouse. I also love the idea of getting a print with a quote from a favorite movie or book that speaks to your relationship. I’m always a sucker for Shakespeare.

2. Custom Stationary

This is an especially great gift if you now share the same last name. What better way to celebrate than to get your wife a set of custom stationary showing it off? These personalized pineapple notecards are adorable. And if your guy is a writer, this structured stationary is perfect.

3. Framed Travel Map

If you’re a couple that loves to spend time on the road, a framed travel map is a wonderful gift that will help you document all of your adventures. It would be so fun to look back at all the places you’ve gone together every year!

4. Concert, sport or show tickets

It’s always great to get a gift that you can experience together. Concert, sport or show tickets do just the trick! I signed up for e-mail alerts for all of our favorite artists so we know if they’re touring anywhere close to us. I also occasionally get special pre-sale codes for being on certain e-mail lists. I’ve also had great success with StubHub when looking for last-minute tickets.

5. Thoughtful Card

I think a handwritten, heartfelt card is the best gift you can give. Just taking the time to write a note to your spouse about how much you appreciate him/her and what the first year of marriage meant to you is a beautiful way to demonstrate your love. You can’t beat that.

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