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What kitchen essentials are on your wish last-minute list?

Is there one recipe gone viral you wish you had come up with? 

That’s a good question. I don’t think there’s a specific recipe that I wish I came up with that’s gone viral…the beauty of sharing recipes with my followers is that those recipes are a unique reflection of my style, taste and experiences. I will say though I’m really loving the butter board trend that’s popped up as of late.

What other cookbooks have you read recently?

I actually don’t read many new cookbooks. I love my grandma’s vintage cookbooks and Eden Grinshpan’s Eating Out Loud is amazing.

What’s the trick to getting awesome food photos for Instagram?

Food photography is one of those things that can look so easy, but once you step behind your camera (or phone), it becomes incredibly complex. Lighting and scenery play a huge role in any photo. Most of my followers know that I take most of my content in my kitchen at home—it offers great natural light and the surface is flat and consistent. Find a place that will really showcase your beautiful ingredients or final dish with natural light and a clean surface. If you feel like taking it to the next level, add “texture” to your photos by including some small decor (tiny pumpkins, ornaments, event parchment paper under your baked goods).

What are your pro tips for decorating cookies?

In your opinion, what is the most underrated kitchen tool?

Your hands. You can have all the gadgets in the world, but there’s nothing better than kneading dough with your own two hands and just putting love into your food.

If you’re going to invest in one kitchen splurge this holiday, what do you recommend?

The Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine is simply the best. If you’re looking to step up your barista game, or just love coffee in general, you absolutely need this.  I like that it’s an all-in-one machine, and it works so fast. I go to bed looking forward to using it to make my morning espresso the next day. It’s definitely a splurge, but it does save me from buying an expensive cup of coffee every morning. And with that, here are 7 Sensational Coffee Recipes.