Nectarine Raspberry Crisp with Limoncello

So, I just realized that I'm going to a food blogger conference in a couple of weeks, and I haven't actually blogged about food in awhile! I'm failing miserably as a Midtown hipster. To rectify the situation, I rousted my fiancé out of bed and spirited him off to the hipster mecca: the Midtown Sacramento farmers market. We bought homemade organic dog cookies, collard greens (fiancé wrinkled his nose at that, until I told him I'd be cooking it in bacon), nectarines, and raspberries. Oh and we did some wine tasting too - we discovered that Heringer Estates in nearby Clarksburg makes an excellent Malbec, so we got a bottle of that, too. Then it was time to sherpa everything home and bake!

We're having a BBQ tomorrow with the fiancé's family, and I decided to bring fiancé's favorite: peach - raspberry crisp (with nectarines, because I don't actually like peaches... Texture thing... Fuzz...usually when I make something that involves peaches, I use nectarines).

So, this is a super easy recipe. There is minimal fuss (and no fuzz) involved.

I sliced up about six nectarines (skin on, because no fuzz or fuss) and placed them in a 9 x 11 casserole dish that had been coated with butter, then dumped in a 12 oz container of (washed) raspberries.

Pretty, huh?

To create a juicy syrup and keep the nectarines from drying out, I mixed half a cup of limoncello with a teaspoon of cornstarch and poured that over the nectarines and raspberries. 

Next, I melted one stick of butter (unsalted, because that's what I always buy, but salted would be fine too). And I went ahead and browned it, because yum. And then I threw in a teaspoon of vanilla, so my kitchen was smelling pretty incredible. Next, I combined one cup of rolled oats, half a cup of sugar, half a cup of flour, and a teaspoon of salt in a mixing bowl, then poured in the melted butter and mixed until it came together in a crumbly consistency. 

That buttery goodness got sprinkled over the nectarines and raspberries. Then I chopped up another two tablespoons of butter and sprinkled that on top too, for good measure. 

This went into a 400-degree oven for about 35 minutes. The time might vary depending on how much fruit you're starting with, elevation, etc. but you know it's done when the fruit mixture is bubbling and the crumble is golden brown and crispy.

Now if this can just make it til the party tomorrow...


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Chocolate Heart Sandwich Cookies

Happy Valentine's Day!   These little cookies are chocked full of deep chocolate flavor with just the right amount of fresh raspberry filling to melt your heart...And, the hearts of those you love.  

Ahhhh...

Super easy dough.  Super easy filling.  You can make your own raspberry puree like I did when I made these cupcakes.  Or, you can just use raspberry jam.  You can do this!  

I found this recipe in this month's issue of Martha Stewart Living.  Not a magazine I really enjoy but am receiving because Martha canned my favorite food magazine, Everyday Food.  That was the BEST food magazine ever created...Simple recipes...Recipes that worked every single time.  

Alas...I am so grieving the loss of my Everyday Food mag...Almost bereft, even.

And, yes, chocolate heart sandwich cookies do help...

These cutie little cookies were a big hit at work this week.  And, hey, who doesn't like heart cookies with sprinkles?

Enjoy a few of these with those you love...Or, with those you'd really, really like to love...

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Limoncello Raspberry Cream Sandwich Cookies

Pillowy lemon cookie sandwiched with luscious tart raspberry filling...Yes, I died and went to heaven.  I never knew a sandwich cookie could be this easy and this decadent. 

The pudding in the cookie helps keep them soft and adds richness.  The raspberry filling is kicked up a few notches with the addition of raspberry puree and Frambroise.  We wouldn't be bakin' it with booze, otherwise!

An elegant cookie, yet so easy to pull together.  Heaven.

This recipe is from my super creative and ever imaginative blogger buddy, Dorothy at Crazy for Crust.  She comes up with some very special treats like...Avocado Frosting, Cherry Icee Cupcakes, Cakeball Cookies and PB&J Tart.  She also runs a weekly party, Crazy Sweet Tuesday, where lots and lots of food bloggers show their creative wares.  Her Whatever Friday features a weekly wrap-up of her recipes and what's happened in her life.  She is The Iron Blogger!  :)

I've learned so much from Dorothy and thankful that I met her in blogger land...

Please check out Dorothy's blog when you can...You won't be disappointed.  Ever. 

Creamy lemony cookies with tart raspberry centers. 

Heaven. 

I'm sharing this over at Cake of the Week's Baking with Spirit Challenge for May: Limoncello! 

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Raspberry Amaretto Mini Cheesecakes



Luscious, gorgeous and oh, so good!

These were so fun to make and so easy, really.  Trust me, I don't do complicated on a whim.  I made these, literally, on a whim one Sunday afternoon.  I had all the ingredients, some time on my hands, and VIOLA'!  These Raspberry Amaretto Mini Cheesecakes are adapted (mildly) from The Boozy Baker by Lucy Baker.  So far everything I've made and sampled from Lucy's cookbook has been just great.  Easy recipes and great results. 

I'm sharing this recipe over at Cake of the Week for this month's Baking with Spirit Challenge, Raspberry Liqueur!  Check out Janine's latest creation: Honey Cupcakes with Raspberry Liqueur Icing...You'll love these!!

Gold Country Fair Crazy for Cupcakes Competition

No, we didn't win.  Alas.  They say that winning isn't everything, right?  Well, that may be true, but winning sure does feel pretty great, huh?  To put it technically, we didn't "place" BUT we are WINNERS just the same.  Okay, enough already.

Jacqueline's Creations
Mint Julep and Chocolate Stout with Bailey's Frosting
Please note the REALLY COOL frosty-mug motif, replete with sugar handles. 
Yeah, these are my new friends!

Ellen's Creations
White Chocolate Liqueur, Root Beer Float and Raspberry Liqueur

Jacqueline's hubster came home 2 weeks ago with a flyer for a cupcake baking competition at their neighborhood fair, Gold Country Fair in Auburn.  When she told me about it and suggested that it would be a fun way to enter our BIWB creations, in all honesty, I wasn't in the right frame of mind.  I had JUST completed a marathon cupcake-baking frenzy the night before, and I was T-I-R-E-D of cupcakes, baking, cleaning the Kitcheaid bowl (someday...I will have 2 bowls!), doing dishes, yadda, yadda, yadda.    So, I said: give me 24 hours to think this over.

24 hours later: Voila!  We were entering the contest.  Jacqueline would enter her FAB Mint Julep and her Chocolate Stout with Bailey's Frosting.  I was going to enter my Raspberry Liqueur and my non-BIWB Root Beer Float.  We were set.  I was game as long as the contest was on a Sunday: it was.  And, if I could bake everything on Saturday: which I could do.  Check. Check.

Raspberry Liqueur Cupcakes

It's been a long time since my last post.  Most of you know that my oven died a month ago.  Died right after the final batch of Kahlua Man Fudge Cookie Sandwiches...It was a long haul in the decision process and the waiting and hoping for the new stove.  Let's just say, I'm at peace now.  I can bake all I want, and don't have to stop myself while planning out a new recipe only to have those thoughts dashed as, "No, dummy, you don't have an OVEN!"  I hadn't, truthfully, realized until this episode that I was this hooked on baking.  Had no idea it's role in my life fully...

So, just to get this rolling again, I will start with the picture of the finished product...Look at these little beauties! 

I am perfecting my frosting consistency and technique.  I'm just so proud of the presentation, too.  And, I'm putting those 1000+ cupcake cups to good use! :)

Folks really liked these babies.  As my buddy at work, Karl, stated in his email:  "An exquisite balance of texture and flavor all wrapped in a moist and elegant, visually stunning package.  The 'cupcake challenge' of achieving harmony between cake and frosting is orchestrated as beautifully as any Beethoven sonata!"  We all love Karl.  :)