Easy Sweets

I was standing in the produce aisle last October, staring at a pile of under-ripe pears, when the smell hit me. Not from the pears—it … Read more

The PTA bake sale was in twelve hours and I’d completely forgotten. It was 9 PM on a Tuesday—I’d just gotten my kid to bed … Read more

This was supposed to be a standard red velvet cake. I had the buttermilk out, the cocoa powder measured, and I was feeling pretty good … Read more

I was at the hardware store, of all places, buying a new lightbulb for my kitchen when the cashier—a woman named Carol with bright purple … Read more

My friend Jen asked why I couldn’t just dump the candy corn straight into the popcorn bowl instead of meticulously layering it for a “presentation.” … Read more

My husband had sworn he hated birthday cake for fifteen years. Fifteen years. Every time a party rolled around, hed wave off the slice being … Read more

My neighbor wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by to return a mixing bowl she’d lent me weeks ago, and the smell of strawberries … Read more

This was supposed to be a batch of something much more complicated. I had a whole plan—a double-chocolate, three-step cookie situation that involved chilling the … Read more

It was 11:47 PM on a random Wednesday in March, and I had an overwhelming urge for birthday cake. Not just any birthday cake, but … Read more

I was standing in the frozen foods aisle at the grocery store last Tuesday when a woman walked past me, and the air shifted. She … Read more