Tieghan Gerard discusses her Home Chef Half Baked Harvest partnership, interview

Over the years, many people have turned to Tieghan Gerard for cooking inspiration. With her new Home Chef Half Baked Harvest partnership, some of her favorite recipes can arrive directly to people’s homes. From a big family meal to a dinner for a special someone, these food choices could be the first step into a bountiful appreciation of good food.

Home Chef has brought cooking confidence to many kitchens. The Kroger Brand guides customers to various dishes by asking questions about eating preferences, goals, and other food related topics. From there, cooks can build their cooking confidence with manageable recipes.

With the Home Chef Half Baked Harvest partnership, Tieghan Gerard’s dishes build on what fans have come to appreciate. The concepts are approachable yet are far from pedestrian.

In conjunction with the launch, FoodSided spoke with Tieghan Gerard about the Home Chef Half Baked Harvest partnership. While many people have cooked her recipes, this offering brings something new to the table.

Gerard commented, “I think that being able to bring my recipes easily into people’s kitchens is something that I could have only dreamed of doing. It is going to be so exciting for people and an easy way for people to get dinner on the table. I love being able to make their lives easier with delicious meals.

As Gerard explained, these dishes will be similar to what people have seen on her website and in her cookbooks. Overall, she stayed true to her style of cooking. While these Home Chef dishes are slightly different, they are not too far out of the box. Those approachable flavors with ease of preparation are a key characteristic to what she does well.

Meal kits have become more popular since they guide both novice and experienced cooks through the process. That guiding force helps take the fear out of the process. It basically sets people up for success. More than likely, a delicious outcome will arrive on the table.

Speaking to her recipes, Gerard picked dishes that have a little room for error. Even though cooks should not stray too far from the concept, the taco will be tasty even if the meat is cooked a few minutes too long.

Gerard is a big fan of tacos. As she said, “I think that you can never go wrong with a taco. For me personally, that is my go-to recipe. I eat them a couple of times a week. Also, they are really easy to prepare and have lots of great flavor.”

Another top choice for Gerard is the pizza. That piece of bread can be a vehicle for a variety of toppings, including some extra vegetables. Basically, the whole concept to her cooking approach is to keep any meal from being labeled boring.

The Home Chef Half Baked Harvest partnership includes the following recipes, Chipotle Salmon Tacos with pineapple jalapeno salsa, Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Pizza with melty fontina cheese and sweet honey, Creamy Whole Bean Lemon Orzo Soup with parmesan and pesto, Crispy Chipotle Beef Tacos topped with jalapeno cilantro lime crema, One-Sheet Hot Honey Mustard Chicken with roasted Brussels sprouts, Korean-Style Beef with toasted sesame rice, and One-Sheet Pesto Chicken and lemon butter potatoes.

Looking at the dishes, it captures what Gerard does best, bring a little unexpected but make it approachable. As she explains, it can be a little twist or addition, like fig in a vinaigrette. That ingredient might not be quite as common, but it offer be a big boost of flavor. Another example is using an avocado in a sauce to make the consistency creamer. Those little nuances make a difference. It is not over the top or fancy, but it is about putting flavor first.

Even though her recipes are not complicated or fancy, they entice people to sit down to the table and enjoy every single bite. As seen in her photographs, that visual is important and it is something that Gerard makes a priority.

Speaking to how she creates recipes, she said “visuals are really important to me. When I create a recipe, it is backwards because I always visualize how I want the dishes to look first. Then, I think about the mood and feel of the recipe. What is the season? In fall, I want warm, cozy, and inviting. From there, there are garnishes to bring colors and layer flavor that make the plate visually appealing and taste delicious.”

All of these Home Chef Half Baked Harvest dishes capture that inviting sentiment. Combining a great visual with big flavors is a win with everyone.

The special offering will be available for four weeks. Two dishes will be available per week through cook.homechef.com/half-baked-harvest. The final ordering date is October 6 at noon CT.