This morning I decided to make blueberry muffins from scratch. It is a recipe that is a favorite of mine and have it practically memorized. It is the “Perfect Blueberry Muffin” recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I may tweak it a bit and sometimes add almonds rather than lemon zest like I did this morning.

This was after the morning ritual of getting up to take out the dogs and having a cup of morning coffee in which I check various things and spend a bit of time in prayer. Then I got up out of my chair and carefully pulled together all of the ingredient including the blueberries that were on sale and looked amazing when I went to the store yesterday. I first washed them to let them dry so when it is their time to be added, they would be ready. They were firm and a tiny bit tart….perfect for muffins as they cook.

I then pulled together the recipe, step by step but as I do the steps, stirring and folding. I love to bake in the morning. The act of putting together recipe, especially one I know well, allows my mind to think through so many other things. This moment of making something for my wife to wake up to I also love thinking through. She will get to wake up to hot coffee (half decaf and she only drinks a tiny bit) and warm homemade blueberry muffins. She will get to smell the smell as she wakes up of these elements of a cozy Autumn morning. And while I mix and stir, I am thinking through my day and what we have left to do before a baby joins us. But then my mind wanders to thinking about making muffins for him.

This baking that I do is an act of care and love. I start to dream about the many yummy things I will make him as he grows, what I want to pass down to him and what he might like or how he might love that his mom bakes for him sometimes.

I think about how my mom made food for me and that act of love and care or when my dad made pancakes on Sunday mornings and how much I felt loved and cared for. I loved those mornings. We were all eating yummy things together on the weekend. I want that for my kiddo.

And then as I take the muffins out of the oven I remember that today is All Saints Day and how the person who taught me about baking was a saint to me. Each time I bake I feel as though I get to check in with her, my Grandma who I baked with on Sunday afternoons. She taught me about rolling out pie dough and let me throw ingredients into things. She had me mix Rice Krispie Treats and gave me the extra pie dough to make my own creations with cinnamon and sugar. Every Sunday she made pies and cakes for our family to enjoy after we ate dinner together. It was an act of love that she offered these homemade treats.

Do you bake? Do you remember your saints? Who do you remember today and who are you baking for?