Treats for appetites of every size
Ever look over at your fruit bowl and realize your bananas have turned almost completely brown before you even had a chance to eat one? Looking for a quick recipe when you don’t necessarily have all of the ingredients on hand for the best banana bread ever? Good news: if you bake (from scratch) ever, you definitely have everything to make these muffins and feel like you didn’t waste food after all.
I’m officially on summer vacation! With a month before I start my last year of school ever, I’m definitely trying to pack a lot in. In a couple of hours, my mom and I will leave for our annual Nantucket trip. Then, two days after we get back, I’ll head out to Montana and Wyoming for a couple weeks of hiking and generally not being in an office. With all of this traveling, baking will be a bit more challenging, but don’t worry – I’m committed.
Happy birthday week, Mom! Yesterday, we kicked off the festivities with a surprise party for her. I think, miraculously, we actually pulled it off, and it was great to see so many people come out to celebrate such an amazing woman. Today, we kept the party going with some coconut baking: Morning Glory Muffins.
I am solidly back into procrastination cooking mode. As tends to happen when my work picks up, I convince myself to make increasingly elaborate recipes in an effort to justify not doing that work. This week, I did this both with my baking AND my regular cooking.
Anyone following my Instagram (@smilesbymeg) knows that Easter dessert involved more than just a Carrot Cake Roll, but also some coconut cupcakes. Since it’s my parents’ anniversary – Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad! – and my mom always insists on celebrating with coconut cake, it seemed fitting to post this recipe now.
J-term is Harvard’s gift to 1Ls after the insanity of final exams. After finishing last semester, I had been looking forward to a couple weeks at home to rest and recoup. But breaks usually aren’t actually all that much of a break when you think about it. You have to run all of the errands you ignored for the month you spent in the library. You have lots of family and friends to go see and spend time with. You realize that you haven’t thought about applying to jobs yet and that’s going to sneak up on you faster than …
OK, now it’s Christmas season. I went Black Friday shopping for the first time in recent memory. I’ve been listening to Straight No Chaser’s Christmas albums on repeat for two days. I have a full box of decorations ready to be set up around my apartment. I’m planning my finals studying strategically to allow plenty of time for Christmas shopping.
I think Thursday night baking is going to be a thing. With only one class on Friday, it’s a great time to not do work. Also, with having class on Friday, I’m guaranteed about 80 people who don’t mind a morning pick-me-up.
I think I’m finally starting to settle into the rhythm of being a student again. At first, it was a bit of a shock switching back to the other side of the classroom. For two years, I’ve been able to spend my entire day on my feet, constantly having to be the most excited person about Biology in a room full of high schoolers who were significantly more concerned with my personal life than their grades. Now, I’m the one sitting for hours on end trying to absorb a new subject, and, though I am thoroughly enjoying the learning part, it …
Usually, when I start a blog post, I’m fairly confident it will turn out OK. Occasionally, I’m certain it will be fine and then end up with entries like this or this. Then, there are days like today. Family dinner at five. Less than a week until I’m in England. Not sure how to balance the two. And somehow, against all odds, I manage to pull off something as impressive as this: