SMiLes by Meg

Wheat Thins

Hi friends. This week I want to highlight another way you can show your support in a tangible, make-a-difference-right-now way. We’re all still in varying phases of being stuck at home, and if you are, I’m sure you’re ordering take-out. On the other hand, if your city is starting to open up again, you may be excited to go literally anywhere that isn’t your kitchen. If either of those sound like you, consider supporting black-owned restaurants the next time you buy a meal. This article pulls together a variety of different sources from across the country, and can help you

Strawberry Sorbet

Hi friends. A word on the murder of George Floyd before I get into this week’s post below. I, like many of you, have felt a lot of things. Anger. Sadness. Hopelessness. Restlessness. I’ve been thinking a lot about what my role can or should be as an activist. I really struggled to decide whether to say anything here at all. But, in the end, I decided it would be irresponsible to let another week go by without using this platform in some way, and I think this blog reaches a different audience than my Instagram account, where many of

Marshmallows

I bought the ingredients to make these 3 weeks ago. And then things kept coming up. I had to use up the egg whites and make chocolate chip meringues. Alexandra had a birthday so I made chocolate caramel tart. Liz asked for cookies for her clients so I made cowboy cookies. This weekend, finally, I got to make marshmallows! And, honestly, this recipe has been in the back of my head for much longer than 3 weeks. I think it was in college when Marj first introduced me to the idea that you can make homemade marshmallows. I remember her

Cowboy Cookies

Happy Mother’s Day! Some years I would be spending this whole weekend down in Duxbury, helping my mom get her garden going and baking all the coconut things. This year, though, social distancing is making that unwise, so we’re making do. I am still making coconut treats, though! Liz Bone messaged me a couple weeks ago asking if I could make some cookies for her clients for Mother’s Day. I thought the best way to do this would be one chunky drop cookie (with coconut) and one pretty spring sugar cookie. For the sugar cookie, you’ve seen my recipe before,

Salted Chocolate Caramel Tart

Alexandra always gets me to make the most fun things. Last year, I made one of the things I’m most proud of – a Rainbow Explosion Cake. This year, even though we aren’t in the office, I promised another birthday treat and the request was “something with chocolate and caramel.” So here’s a chocolate caramel tart! Start by making the crust. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, confectioners sugar and cocoa until smooth. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until creamy. Add the flour and beat until dough comes together. Press

Chocolate Chip Meringues

So last week when I made bourbon vanilla ice cream, I had 7 left over egg whites. I asked Instagram what to do with them, and 4 different people told me I had to make Smitten Kitchen’s chocolate chip meringues. With that much independent support, I obviously looked them up. You guys. These only needed two egg whites. How was that supposed to solve my problem. There wasn’t a world in which I should be making 3.5 batches of meringues. Fortunately, I love egg tacos, and egg whites did fine for those this week. I saved two, and here we

Bourbon-Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches

I don’t think I’m patient enough to make ice cream sandwiches. I can make cookies – those are quick. I can make ice cream – at least then I can throw it in the freezer and let it finish making itself. But I’m not good at the make-ice-cream-then-wait-long-enough-but-not-too-long-to-fill-the-cookies part of things. This time, I ended up with too melty ice cream when I wanted to fill the sandwiches. Sometimes I end up with rock hard ice cream that doesn’t sandwich well. Someday I’ll find the right balance. Either way, These are filled in my freezer right now, and I think

Creme Fraiche Scones

Happy Easter! This is the first year (I think in my entire life) where I’m not home with my family for Easter. 2020 is a weird year. I was feeling pretty sad about it (and still am, to be honest), but decided that I would make the best of it, so Madison and I are having a little Easter brunch of our own! We exchanged Easter bags, because we don’t have baskets, and I’ve already started my chocolate consumption for the day. For brunch, I made scones, supplemented with mimosas in fancy glasses, of course. Next up: painting rocks (instead

Coconut Granola

Not a single person took me up on free delivery of baked goods in Boston last week. How is that possible. How are all of you NOT in need of some cookies for quarantine? Just meant this week I needed to find something to make that I actually could justify for myself. I eat granola every morning, and have made various granola recipes over the year, but hadn’t made one recently, so thought that would be a good option. Last year, before Star Market opened three steps from my door, I was still shopping primarily at Whole Foods. They have

Sweet Potato Bread

There’s a lot going on out in the world these days, but one of the silver linings is that engagement on my baking social media posts is way up – you all must be stuck in the house all day without anything to do or something. For me, baking is a way to bring order and control when I feel like other aspects of my life are not in control. I think a global pandemic is pretty high up there on the “out of control” spectrum, so it was really nice to be able to take an hour this morning,