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High Altitude Baking
I am often asked by many of our diners how I adapt my baking for the altitude that comes with living up in the high rockies.
When I first moved out here, I was terrified of what the elevation can do to baked desserts and pastries that would normally come out perfect at sea-level. In fact, [...]
The Sunday Harvest Menu
There are only a handful of Sundays left this season for our Sunday Harvest Menu at the restaurant!
Since early June, the Restaurant Kelly Liken kitchen crew shops at the Vail Farmer’s Market every Sunday and then creates an entirely new menu just for that evening, showcasing all of the beautiful produce we were able to [...]
Exciting News!
Hello friends! I am finally back to the blog world. After spending the winter season working out in beautiful Colorado, I decided to stick around. I am about to embark on a new adventure as pastry chef for Restaurant Kelly Liken.
I am very excited about this opportunity, as Restaurant Kelly Liken places a strong emphasis [...]
Pumpkin Butter, Poached Pears, and Preserving Herbs
Shortly before Halloween, I purchased a pumpkin pie pumpkin. Yes, you read that correctly. Pumpkin varieties that work best for baking are the pumpkin pie pumpkin and the sugar pumpkin.
Pumpkin pie and sugar pumpkins have a “smooth, sweet flesh that is much less pulpy and stringy” according to Regan Daley’s In the Sweet Kitchen. This [...]
The Newest Pastry Adventures
Hello friends! It’s time for a little update.
I’m moving to Colorado, which is an adventure in itself. My life will become significantly busier, but I’m determined to keep posting. Every time I’ve lived in a new place, I discover wonderful inspiration for desserts and pastry.
At the moment, this move isn’t permanent, but I’m excited for [...]
Separating The Best From The Rest: The Ultimate Brownie Recipes
For the past month now, we have been dealing with a bit of an oven fiasco. None of the repairmen seem to know what’s wrong with it and how to fix it. As someone who bakes about every day, this has been extremely painful.
Last night we had a glimmer of hope. The lower oven started [...]
Apple Season and Apple Spice Cupcakes
One of my favorite things about Autumn is going to apple orchards and picking our own apples. We always come home with more apples than we had expected…
Fortunately, apples can last a long time when they are stored in a cool place.
I recommend using apples fairly soon after they have been picked for recipes where [...]
Namaste…Peace & Ice Cream
“God, I hope you’re not turning into one of those reclusive cat freaks”, my older brother, Kyle, recently commented to me after I posted a picture of my cat Benny into an online photo album. This thought came back to me yesterday while vacuuming cat litter off of the floor. Then I remembered my lovestruck cooing over the [...]
11Jul2009 | Megan | 2 comments | Continued
Strawberry Season
Ever since I can remember, my mom would take us strawberry picking as kids. We would get up early to beat the heat, and head to Hilger’s Farm Market. Once there, we piled into a trailer that gets pulled by a tractor out to the strawberry fields. I know, it sounds slightly ‘hick’, but it [...]
9Jul2009 | Megan | 0 comments | Continued
Salted Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies
When I was younger and naive to the extent of flavors and ingredients in the culinary world, I thought there was only one type of salt- iodized table salt that people needed in their diets to prevent goiters.
Then I grew older and wiser, a natural progression. In fact, there are numerous varieties of salt available [...]
Saffron and Cardamom Panna Cotta
When I go grocery shopping, there are three things I practically stockpile every time: butter, heavy cream, and eggs. If I could carry Sam’s Club or Costco-sized loads of these products home on each occasion I would.
Living in a city where you have to carry your groceries for blocks completely changes your perspective on needs [...]
Lavender-Scented Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies
This cookie was inspired by a number of things- the approaching holiday celebrating all things motherly, springtime in Chicago, and a recent trip to a spice merchant. I wanted to make something that is perfect for giving to moms this time of year; perhaps a bit floral, a bit feminine, fresh, and sweet.
Let me [...]
Chocolate Stout Milkshakes
I’m sitting on a lot of ice cream, folks. Nothing makes ice cream disappear faster than making a couple of milkshakes.
I love the incredible pairing of Guinness beer and chocolate and it’s a combination that’s been on my mind lately. So, naturally, when I was going through cookbooks (something I do frequently, for fun) I [...]
Marble Bundt Cake
Earlier this month, we celebrated my younger brother’s birthday. Cam is a simple guy, and he likes his desserts that way too. Nothing too fancy, just classic flavors for classic goodness.
When I came across this recipe, I knew it would be perfect for ringing in his birthday. The cake is made in a bundt pan, [...]
Pear and Berry Crisp
During my first solo weekend in Chicago, I took care of the ususal tasks required from a young twentysomething: grocery shopping, hemming my chef pants, ironing my chef jacket, and studying the properties of butter, cream, eggs, and flour. Exciting right?!
I’ve lived in my apartment for over a week now, but I’ve found that when I live somewhere [...]
Kat’s Cupcakes
So I know I told everyone I would report back on the cupcakes I’m making for Kat Rohrbacher’s thesis project in her graduate program for art school.
Here’s an update to that. We met today for our “cupcake transaction”. She is a very sweet girl and I wish her all the best of luck. I am [...]
Gingerbread Scones
These delicious scones can be whipped up with a few pulses in the food processor in minutes. As they bake, your kitchen will fill with the scents of Christmas- cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.
You may wish to reduce the amount of spices and molasses, as they are a bit spicy and younger mouths may not appreciate [...]
Christmas Red Velvet Cupcakes with Mascarpone Cream Cheese Frosting
I didn’t think I would do this, but being in a generous mood with the approaching holiday, I have decided to share my coveted Red Velvet Cupcakes recipe.
Red velvet is my favorite type of cake- it is in its own category of cake and taste. It has a hint of cocoa in it, and a slight [...]
Let’s Make a Date Muffins
These are one of the muffins I made this past weekend when we had company in town. They bake up nice and high and have a beautiful streusel topping.
The dates are made into a puree so there are no date pieces in these, although you could always process the dates less to make a chunkier [...]
Tiramisu with Homemade Ladyfingers
Dessert overload this weekend. I had been planning on making Dulce de Leche Eclairs this weekend (I still did by the way) when my I received a text from my Mom Saturday afternoon… “Can you make tiramisu tonight?!”.
I replied saying she needed to pick up mascarpone cheese and cream cheese. What was the root of [...]
More Sweet Stuff…Sugar Cookies, Cookie Decorating, & Hot Chocolate
I had a baking disaster yesterday. I was looking forward to trying out a new recipe for Caramel Sea Salt Truffles because I thought that salty-chocolate combination would be quite tasty . And they would be the perfect gift for sticking in holiday packages.
The problem is, I am caramel challenged. Try as I might, I have [...]
Breakfast Today? Christmas Cookies.
A bit overdue, perhaps, but our mini marathon of Christmas cookie baking took place yesterday. Originally my Mom and I had planned on baking early in the day, but it was snowing and we decided to get some errands done first.
We ended up making four different types, two old and two new recipes. At our house, [...]
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
My little brother has been asking me to make these, and while I have several more unusual and distinctive Christmas cookies to blog about, I’ll go ahead and post this recipe. It is a simple Christmas cookie staple.
Another crinkle cookie, these are low-maintenance and beautiful from the contrasting white and brown that happens as the cookies bake and [...]
How to Make a Chocolate Yule Log
Cake rolls can be intimidating, I’ll admit, but this recipe for Chocolate Yule Log Cake, also known as Buche de Noel, couldn’t be simpler and it tastes fantastic. Ribbons of light chocolate cake surround a cool chocolate whipped cream filling. Bittersweet chocolate ganache covers the sides of the log, delivering extra bites of chocolate.
The spongy chocolate cake [...]
Icebox Butterhorns and Campton Place Hot Chocolate
Our leisurely Saturday morning was intensified with delicious Icebox Butterhorns and Campton Place Hot Chocolate for breakfast. Usually I make these tried-and-true rolls for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, but of course I couldn’t wait for five more meager days and made them on a whim. Please excuse my doofus of a brother sticking his face [...]
24Nov2008 | Megan | 3 comments | Continued
Pumpkin Tart: Two Ways, with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
Ann, this post is for you. Over the past week I’ve tried my hand at two different pumpkin tarts. They are both equally good. Both tarts feature that soft, almost sugar cookie-like crust that is not too sweet, and a smooth, creamy pumpkin filling, flavored with just the right amount of spice. The topping is [...]
21Nov2008 | Megan | 3 comments | Continued
Chocolate Mousse Dream Cake
I’m a big fan of this one. Dense, flourless chocolate cake is topped with a light, creamy milk chocolate mousse, then drenched in bittersweet chocolate glaze. The entire delight is kept in the freezer, which surprisingly keeps all the layers at just the right texture. This dessert is best served within a few minutes of removing it [...]
20Nov2008 | Megan | 1 comment | Continued
Cranberry Crumble Tart
Forget eating cranberries as a side dish. Have them for dessert in this cheery tart. Cinnamon and orange zest help celebrate the taste of cranberries.
The cranberries turn into an oozy bubbling garnet mixture as they bake beneath the sweet crumble topping. While they are still sweet-tart in taste, the buttery flaky crust and the crumble [...]
Mini Bourbon-Macadamia Nut Pies
Tiny, portable, cute. About the size of a muffin, these little nut pies ooze holiday charm. First of all, it’s nut pie season. Can you recall any other time of year when people eat them with passion, and not guilt? To step it up even more, these pies are made with macadamia nuts, an upgrade from [...]
12Nov2008 | Megan | 2 comments | Continued
Cookie Exchange: Crinkle Cookies
I did a little baking this weekend and these are the result: Spicy Ginger Crinkle Cookies and Cocoa-Coffee Crinkles. I love the way crinkle cookies look. It’s also easy to tell when they are done because they will start to crack. If you’re looking for the perfect recipe to bring to a cookie exchange, I suggest a crinkle [...]
10Nov2008 | Megan | 3 comments | Continued
Hi Kyra, you can get as creative as you wish with a dessert like tiramisu. I recommend layering it in ...
this recipe seems really simple. but does it have to be served in squares? is there a way to make ...
Hello Megan,
Its Andy from work. Just wanted to let you know that I checked out your blog and, Im ...
Beautiful!! 
I live in the Mid-west, but am a beach girl at heart. I've baked shell thyme cakes for parties and ...
Hello Meghan,
I think your own business sounds like a fantastic idea. Where in Colorado? Beaver Creek with Michelle? ...
Meg! Your food looks sooooo yummy! I'm trying out a few of your recipes this weekend with a friend. I'll ...
Congratulations, fellow FPS'er! Good luck out there. This is the first I've seen of your blog, so I'll ...
Wow.. everything looks amazing. That makes me even more anxious to attend the French Pastry School in January! Congrats and ...