SMiLes by Meg

Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Cake

It feels like forever ago that I made this cake. (It was Thursday.) I brought it to brunch on Friday with some coworkers, but since then I’ve spent two nights up in Vermont with my cousins, making Friday brunch a distant memory. Fortunately, I remember that it got a lot of compliments.

Viscotti

I have a new theory in the kitchen: cinnamon belongs in everything. Perhaps controversial, but I’m pretty sold on the stuff. It’s amazing what the addition of some cinnamon does to what would otherwise just be a cakey sugar cookie in this recipe. Literally game changing.

Morning Glory Muffins

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.

Clementine Cake

Happy Easter! I just got back to Cambridge from a great 24 hours at home, and had the best time hanging out with family, playing with little kids, and eating chocolate for every meal.

Braided Nutella Bread

I have been on a big yeasted bread kick this year, which is really quite a step forward in my baking life. I used to be terrified of recipes that included yeast. You invest so much time up front in making the dough, that the fear of it not rising often scared me off from starting at all.

Croissants

Get ready for a marathon: croissants may be the most time-intensive (and exciting) thing I have made in a very long time. It’s not often I have a weekend where I can pull this off, but I am so glad that I did.

Honey Sweetened Granola

The day after vacation is always a multitasking kind of day, trying to do all of the things you should have done in time for returning to the real world. Especially when you neglect such things as assignments due on Monday. And I have taken that multitasking to a new level.

Black Currant Scones

Scones are an elusive breakfast baked good. I’ve tried to make them in the past, and, despite my extreme attention to detail in recipes, I could never get them to come out right. Either the dough was too crumbly and never held together, or too dense and didn’t have that lightness I associate with scones.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

This was one of those weeks where it was getting to be most of the way through Saturday and I was quickly coming to the conclusion that I did not have time to bake. I began to panic. How terrible would it be if I posted a review of that awesome magic bar I had? (Go to Petsi Pies in Somerville.) Did I have anyone in mind that could guest post? (Marj, it felt too last minute to ask you.) In short, I was in a tight spot.

English Muffins

My original plan was to make croissants this weekend, but time, as it often does, got away from me. However, I was stuck on the idea of making a recipe with yeast. I wanted something a little complicated, but not two-day complicated.