Blog

Pumpkin Spice Donuts

  • Posted on: 12 October 2021
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Pumpkin season is here and I'm celebrating by adding pumkin and pumpkin spice to everything! These donuts are simple, quick, and absolutely delicious! They were inspired by a lovely recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction Baked Pumpkin Donuts . If you're a fan of pumpkin, but not pumpkin spice, you can leave it out and add cinnamon instead! I like a less sweet donut with a sweeter icing, so I kept the amount of sugar in the donuts light, but you could definitely add a little more sugar to the donuts themselves for a sweeter flavor. These are also delicious without the icing- so leave that out if...

Chamomile lavender cupcakes

  • Posted on: 5 March 2021
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Spring is the perfect time to start adding edible flowers to your baked goods. The crisp air and bright sunshine always get me excited to see things start to bloom. I first started cooking with lavender a few years ago and honestly, edible flowers scared me at first. Like, what if I get something wrong and eat a flower I shouldn't and get really really sick! Luckily, that hasn't ever happened. Lots of folks forage edible flowers themselves- which I think is super cool- but my anxiety ain't up for it, so I buy mine from local farmers or grocers. These cupcakes are made with edible flowers in...

Empress Rose 75

  • Posted on: 23 February 2021
  • By: jessica
Category: 
If you've been around for a while you know I absolutely love butterfly pea flower tea. It's stunning blue hue that shifts to a gorgeous pink when citrus is added is just *chef's kiss*. It's straight up magical! So when I saw a butterfly pea flower gin showing up everywhere on TikTok I knew I had to get my hands on some. Making cocktails has become a fun pastime for me during this pandemic (hello, who else is spending 24/7 at home haha). This cocktail is the perfect, refreshing sip to welcome spring. Floral, tart, & sweet- you'll go back to it over and over again. 1 oz Empress gin 1908 3/4...

Peppermint spritz

  • Posted on: 30 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Candy cane season has finally arrived and I'm diving in head first! The sweet, spicy flavor of candy cane goes so well with a multitude of flavors, but none more perfectly that chocolate. 1 teaspoon nutella 2 candy canes 1 glass worth of champagne Crush one of your candy canes and sprinkle onto a plate. Roll the rim of your glass first in the Nutella then in the crushed candy cane to make the chocolate candy cane rim. Add your candy cane to the glass & fill with champagne. Enjoy your holiday cheer! ***inspired by a recipe from Delish

Am I the ugly friend?

  • Posted on: 29 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
“No, not her, the hot one!” He whispered way too loudly to his friend. My friend and I had been out at a bar enjoying some cocktails and chatting about all the amazing things going on in our lives. We hadn’t invited conversation with these men, we hadn’t responded to the one guy when he asked if his buddy could have my number, before his buddy responded with the above “whisper”. We hadn’t gone out seeking attention from men. I was in a happy relationship at the time and so was she. But, in our society if a female puts on a nice outfit and a splash of color on her lips, men and women alike...

Most revealing behind the scenes I've ever shown

  • Posted on: 27 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
If you've ever thought "I'll take stunning pictues of food once I can afford the right equipment. The proper lighting, props, and camera equipment," I'm here to tell you YOU DON'T HAVE TO. I took this shot with just natural light and a few simple props. In the spirit of complete transparency, today I'm taking you behind the scenes of one of my favorite shoots to date. This shot was inspired by the incredible work from the super talented Tina Dawson of Love is in my tummy and her lavender lemonade recipe . I used purple pea flower to get this striking purple, but stayed true to the gorgeous...

Dak's pumpkin pie

  • Posted on: 25 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
The thanksgiving table wouldn't be complete without a soft, pillowy pumpkin pie as the centerpiece. This year, you might be feeding less mouths, but I"m going to show you how to fit all that Daks pumpkin spice flavor into a mini pie the whole family will love! You'll need: 1 mini pie dish 1 refrigerator pre-made pie dough 2 eggs 1 can sweetened condenced milk 1 1/2 tablepsoons DAKS pumpkin spice Now, you might be thinking, "wait, that recipe is enough for a whole 9" pie", and you'd be right! We're adding the amount of pie filling you'd use for a 9" pie to a mini pie dish. The trick is to lay...

Saying NO is an act of self care

  • Posted on: 23 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
This has been one of the lessons I've learned that has truly been life changing. In a world where our worth is tied so deeply to our productivity, saying no can feel close to impossible. "Can you stay late today? It would help the team so much." "You haven't been to our house for Christmas in 2 years. We expect you here, you're young, traveling should be no issue." "I saw your price on your website, but I know a lot of other people in your industry that charge a lot less. So, I'd like you to do this work at a lower rate." NO!!!!!!! No. I value my rest and need my down time. Thanks for...

Charcuterie for the holidays

  • Posted on: 21 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
The holidays look a lot different this year. Instead of loading up and piling into the car to go visit loved ones, many of us find ourselves at home either solo or with a partner. If the thought of making an entire holiday meal for one, or if you’re so not the cook in the family, why not try a holiday charcuterie board? These boards bring in all the festivities without any of the fuss. Below I’ve listed some of my favorite boards. I hope they inspire you and get you in the holiday spirit. Halloween Charcuterie All Recipes Thanksgiving charcuterie board from Passion for Savings Christmas tree...

Maple Pecan Cinnamon latte

  • Posted on: 19 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Autumn evokes thoughts of cozying up by the fire, long walks through crunchy leaves, and snuggling up with your loved ones with a warm beverage in hand. One of my favorite fall drinks is my maple pecan cinnamon latte. Yummy like a Starbucks drink, but simple to make with a blender from the comfort of your own home.

You don't need to lose weight to be worthy

  • Posted on: 18 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
"I just really worry about your health. You've got so much going for you, if you lost the weight you could have it all!" I try to ignore comments like this, but man, they really hit hard when they come from people I love. In my gut, it's always felt wrong to me when people discuss someone's health based on their physical appearance. Slim, tall bodies are toted as being the epidomy of health, while anyone in a larger body is considered unhealthy. Forget the nuances of eating disorders, physical illness, and mental illness that can all contribute to a slimmer figure that society views as "...

How to talk to a family member about their weight

  • Posted on: 17 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
As thanksgiving draws close this year, I'd like ot take time to highlight an article I had the privalege to write for Al dot com last year. The sentiment still rings true for 2020. "Well-meaning friends and family always want to encourage and uplift one another with comments like, “You look beautiful,” “Your hair is so cute today,” “Your skin looks so good. You have to share your nighttime routine with me,” or “You look good. You must’ve lost weight.” These compliments aren’t wrong. They aren’t inherently bad. But, what if, this holiday season we could change it up? What if instead of...

Chocolate cherry smoothie

  • Posted on: 16 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Every year at Christmas my Dad asks for a box of cherry cordials. These would definitely be considered more of an old-fashioned candy these days, but that taste is so synonymous with the holidays for me. So, I decided to recreate thos flavors into my morning smoothie. (Not as a substitute for the candy, I'll be eating that too) and every sip takes me back to precious memories with loved ones, gathered around a Christmas tree all lit up with sparkling lights.

Testimonial

  • Posted on: 15 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
This Summer I released my first ever mini food photography course! It was exciting and scary to put my work out into the world. But, once I started seeing folks have so much success, it made all the hard work worth it. In this course we covered my 3 favorite angles for food photography. And we went over step-by-step how to capture a photo using each one. Jen Barnett said, " I enjoyed the course so much and I loved that I didn’t have to be perfect to feel like I was improving. I’m looking forward to the next one!" Jen was so much fun in the class. She soaked in all the material like a sponge...

Old-fashioned southern angel biscuits

  • Posted on: 12 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
Angel biscuits are a very special family tradition on my dad’s side. Or, at least they were while she was living. She never did anything without a long, crisp-white Virginia Slim hanging out the side of her mouth- and making biscuits was no exception. I don’t recall exactly how old I was, but I remember looking up at her as she worked the dough by hand. Starting by swirling the buttermilk into the yeast, then slowing incorporating it into the flour and shortening. Since she was just shy of 5 feet tall, I reckon I must’ve been under 10 years old. She was always laughing. It was my favorite...

3 lessons from my first tv appearance

  • Posted on: 11 November 2020
  • By: jessica
Category: 
A few years ago I got the amazing opportunity to appear on a local morning show, Talk of Alabama . And, y'all, it was so much fun! When I first got the email inviting me to appear on tv, my anxiety shot through the roof. "Me? I can't appear on tv. I'm way too nervous. It will be a mess." But, after some encouraging chats with a few close friends, I decided I simply couldn't pass up this opportunity. When I set out to really make a name for myself with a desire to help other female creatives, I knew there would be big, scary opportunities like this. So, I gathered up all my courage and agreed...

Pages