SMiLes by Meg

Tag: coffee

Devil’s Food Cake

Taking a break from cookie box recipes this week to share with you a very delicious cake that we had on New Year’s Eve. New Year’s has always been a quiet holiday for me, so for the first time this holiday season, it didn’t feel all that different. In college, I was always home at my parents’ for New Year’s. They would go out with another couple for dinner, and my brother would go out with his friends, and I’d have the house entirely to myself. This almost always meant opening some red wine and getting the most comfort-food-style baked …

Cardamom Coffee Cake

Sunday Scaries are a weird thing. I had the most perfect weekend, and in particular a great Sunday, mostly because we turned the clocks back, and I had a full extra hour to be productive, which gave me extra time to be lazy. But it’s that time of year where, as corporate lawyer, clients start wanting things done by end of year, and there’s a general impending sense of a storm. So as Sunday has worn on, I’ve gotten that pit of dread in the bottom of my stomach. Fortunately, I know the perfect way to combat Sunday Scaries: Cake …

Whiskey Cake

So in case you’ve been living under a rock, it’s September, and everyone in Boston is leaning hard into pretending it’s Fall, even if it’s still weather-appropriate to be in sundresses and sandals. Don’t get me wrong – I love Fall. And I think I finally get why everyone else does, too. You see, at age 28, I have finally found myself in a job where I’m working year round, straight through the summer. No summer vacation (RIP teaching career). No summer internships with big breaks on either end (RIP being a student). Just work. And I’ve found that while …

Simple Chocolate Cake

I know that today is National Ice Cream Day. And that it’s ridiculously hot up and down the east coast, and no one wants to turn on their oven. But I have ignored both of those things, and today I bring you something that you should start just keeping all of the ingredients on hand for: Simple Chocolate Cake. I’ve made other chocolate cakes in the past, but this one has fewer than 10 ingredients, can be made in one bowl, and can be dressed up as much as you want, or left alone without any fuss. It is, of …

Cinnamon Donuts

A couple weeks ago, for Easter, I made carrot cake. And it was such a cool carrot cake. Very pretty, perfectly “Easter,” the whole deal. But my dad was NOT impressed. “Carrot cake isn’t cake!” He declared. And refused to consume it. So this weekend, when I decided to go out to Duxbury for the night, I wanted to bring him something he’d like. I’ve already made half moons, whoopie pies, and icebox cake, though. And then I remembered I have a donut pan. The obvious answer? Cinnamon donuts! First, in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat …

Mocha Bundt Cake

Guys, I had a WEEKEND. I’m sitting in Duxbury now, but it has been a journey to get this far. On Friday night, Molly and I drove up to Vermont for our annual college mini-reunion trip, which this year turned into a girls’ trip with me, Molly, and Marj. We arrived at the AirBnB, after driving through some pretty harrowing wind/snow conditions, at around midnight. We then proceeded to unload the car and go into the house. Five minutes later, Molly saw some motion out of the corner of her eye, and there was a crash. She then beckoned me …

Cranberry Lemon Scones

Last week, I told you’d I’d give you a recipe to use with your leftover fresh cranberries. This week, I’m delivering! These scones are quick, foolproof, and wonderfully crumbly. Eat these fresh from the oven, with coffee, or for dessert with a scoop of ice cream. You really can’t go wrong.

Cate’s Biscotti

This week, I joined the ranks of employed, productive members of society for the first time in a long time, and, even though I had lots of time this weekend, I decided to post a recipe from my visit down to see Cate in DC! These biscotti are her recipe, and she really took the lead on this/told me what to do. Very anise heavy, nice and crisp, and perfect dunked in a cup of coffee, these are exactly the biscotti you need this fall.

Individual Tiramisu

So I know I said I would be making sourdough starter, and I will, but it would be really mean of me not to pass along this recipe to you all first. On Friday night, which was our last night staying with Barb and Randy, Erik and I cooked dinner. Or, more accurately, Erik cooked dinner (Bucatini all’Amatriciana) and I put together an easy, but impressive looking, dessert. Because we were going to be serving a pasta dish, I wanted a lighter, but still Italian, dessert. And, surprisingly, I had never made just a regular tiramisu for the blog. 

Amaretti

Yesterday, I got back from a 10-day vacation in Italy with Erik. Last week, I promised a recipe for amaretti cookies, which I thought I’d be making while I was there. We did lots of fun things (biking, hiking, exploring new cities, making pizza dough…), but amaretti baking was not one of those things after all. However, a promise is a promise, and my mom insisted that I should make something with an “Italian flair”, so here’s an amaretti recipe anyways!