Mixed Berry Crisp

We don't usually have dessert with dinner unless we have guests over...and lucky for me, my mom was recently in town visiting, so I had an excuse to make as many sweets as I wanted in the name of being a good hostess.   This particular dessert we have had twice.  I'll go ahead and try to justify that by pointing to the sugar coated fresh summer berries.  We have been gorging on all sorts of berries around here due to great sales at our grocery store.  Raspberries are $1.00 a box this week!  According to my belly, that is $8.00 well spent.

This mixed berry crisp is really quick to put together.  If you don't have individual ramekins, you could make one big crisp in a 9x9 pan or even a round cake pan.

Mixed Berry Crisp
created by Kelly


Ingredients:
filling
1.5 cups blueberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blackberries
1-2 Tbsp. corn starch
1-2 Tbsp. sugar

topping
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 c. flour (I used 1/2 whole wheat, 1/2 all purpose)
3/4 c. quick oats
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. butter (cold)

Directions:
1.  Combine filling ingredients in a bowl and stir gently to coat the berries with the sugar and cornstarch.
2.  In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, quick oats, and cinnamon.
3.  Cut the butter into small cubes and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter (or forks, or your hands...) until crumbly.
4.  Divide berry mixture evenly between 4 ramekins*.  Top each ramekin with topping mixture.
5.  Place ramekins on a baking sheet (to protect your oven against bubbling over berries) and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until berries are bubbly.

To serve:  top with homemade whipped cream or ice cream...both are delicious!

*Notes:  You could also make this in a 8x8 square pan if you don't have ramekins.  Increase the baking time to 40-45 minutes if using the 8x8 pan.  If you do use the ramekins, please note that you will wind up with extra topping.  I placed mine into freezer bags, tossed it in the freezer, then pulled it out again a week later when berries were on sale again.  It froze great!  Good thing to keep on hand if you need a last minute dessert!

Blarney Stones {St. Patrick's Day Cake}

I promised this recipe almost a month ago.  Just goes to show, I always keep my promises! (ha--I think what it really shows is how much I've been slacking on the blog front...).

These little, delicious, sweet-and-salty cake squares are a once a year treat around here.  Why?  They are a liiiiiiittle labor intensive.  But, absolutely worth it --don't get me wrong!  Saving them for St. Patrick's Day every year makes them even more of a treat.  Plus, they are called "Blarney Stones," right?  And wouldn't it seem strange to eat "Blarney Stones" on a holiday like....the 4th of July?  Just not the kind of Irish festivity called for by these treats.

Blarney Stones {St. Patrick's Day Peanut Cake Squares}
adapted from Taste of Home


Ingredients:
Cake
4 eggs
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Icing*
7.5 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
crushed salted roasted peanuts (24 oz. jar)

Directions
1.  Butter or spray with cooking spray a 9x13 pan.  Line bottom with parchment paper for easier removal.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.  Beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until lemon colored.
3.  In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add to the egg mixture, beating on low speed until combined.
4.  Mix in the milk and butter.
5.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched.  Remove and cool on a wire rack (let cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert onto rack).
6.  When cool, cut into squares (I cut mine into 24 equal squares).  Transfer squares to a cookie sheet and place in freezer at least 4 hours or overnight.
7.  After cake is frozen, prepare icing.  Mix together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt.
8.  Crush peanuts (we placed in a big plastic bag and crushed with a hammer--see visual below!)  Pour crushed peanuts into a shallow dish, like a pie plate.

9.  To ice--remove a few cake squares at a time from freeze.  Important!! Do not remove them all at once!!  They thaw quickly and that will make them MUCH more difficult to ice.  The best method I found to ice these:  hold a cake square on 2 opposite sides.  This should leave 3 sides left to ice (yes, I know a cube has 6 sides, not 5...you don't ice the bottoms!).  Spread a layer of icing on the 3 exposed sides, then dip those 3 iced sides into the crushed peanuts.  Now, you can switch your hold to 2 of the sides that are now covered in peanuts.  The peanuts provide you something to hold so that you don't cover your hands in icing while trying to ice the remaining 2 sides.  Finish icing and coating the square in peanuts, then return to tray in freezer to set while you ice the rest.  This is the most time consuming part!  But, once you taste them, you'll be glad you spent the time :)

10.  After the icing has set, remove from freezer and store covered.  You could also transfer these to a plastic freezer bag and store in the freezer if you don't plan to eat them all at once or want to make them early.  They freeze really well!

*Note:  this makes a LOT of icing.  I put the whole recipe on here, but next time I'll probably just eyeball the measurements.  Just know you'll probably have a lot leftover if you make the full batch.  Also, the original recipe calls for 6 cups of peanuts.  We used 3 cups (24 oz.) and had leftover.


Enjoy these!  I hope you take the time to try them sometime.  You will love them :)