Imagine waking up to the smell of maple permeating from all corners of the room. It’s faint enough to not overwhelm you but strong enough to conceal the slow-cooked curry next door. As you roll out of bed and greet the morning (a bit bouncier than usual, of course, as maple is a wonderful incentive…
Pretty in pictures, lovely in words: Orange and cranberry fairy buns
When I’m cruising Pinterest or flipping through cookbooks or magazines, it’s usually the photos that pull me toward a recipe. I consider myself a writer much more so than a photographer or baker, so I do feel a bit shameful in admitting that I’m so easily influenced by visuals first and words second, but when…
Are we pastry, or are we baked good? Strawberry banana muffins
I think the world would be a better place if everyone ate more muffins. Have you ever been upset while eating a muffin? Or if you were upset when you started, were you upset by the time you finished? Probably not. And if you were, you probably just got a bad one. Muffins could be…
The princess and the baked good
There’s a kitchen battle waging in our house lately, reoccurring like clockwork at noon and 6 p.m. each day, and ironically, the instigator is the littlest among us. Our 14-month-old daughter, whose expanding palate and mighty will we find both glorious and challenging at the same time, has wholeheartedly embraced her culinary preferences as means…
Voice for the misunderstood: Prune coffee cake
Consider the following correspondence, unearthed from an archive of never-been-printed-but-could-have-changed-the-culinary-world-as-we-know-it advice columns: Dear Abby, Lately we’ve been feeling quite misunderstood. Every time we try to make new friends, we’re met with crinkled noses and rejection. Is it us? Are we not sweet enough? Not pretty enough? People love our smaller cousins; they’re always invited to…
Let’s go camping: S’mores cupcakes and a campfire baby shower
Having a little girl is the best, most fun adventure I’ve ever been on, and I sure wouldn’t trade our little Beany for anything in the world. I happily shop for hair bows, dresses and bunches of pink, and I dare say there’s nothing cuter than our girl in a tiny pair of jeggings. But…
Recipes for naptime: Lemon vanilla bean muffins
Nearly any parent will tell you this: Naptime is the golden hour. Actually, if you’re lucky, it’s the golden couple of hours. Before becoming a mom myself, I thought the parents who pointed this out were a little too snarky for their own good. That’s probably because before becoming a parent, I felt much more…
Every blackberry has its day
Our freezer has long been a place of neglect in our kitchen. I don’t mean neglect in the don’t-open-that-door-or-you-might-find-something-living-in-there way, but rather the always-empty-save-for-some-cubes-of-ice-and-ice-cream way. A while back, I decided that one of the marks of a true grownup is a well-stocked freezer (yes, I realize that’s weird), so I started picking up a few…
Delicious muffins and other weighty matters
Oh, how I love a new kitchen gadget. Oh, how I love a beautiful baked good. And oh, how I love whenever the two shall meet. A few Christmases ago, my brother and sister-in-law gifted me with a collection of Avoca cookbooks, filled with recipes for all sorts of delicious things that the two of…
Lessons from a do-over: Banana tea muffins
I’ve learned a lot of lessons in the kitchen over the past few years. No. 1: Wait until the immersion blender is in the soup before turning it on. No. 2: Serrated knives are great for cutting chocolate. No. 3: Never underestimate the power of parchment paper. And No. 4: Don’t freak out when it…