A Handy Tip

I don't have a pastry blender.

My mom is appalled at this...although she has never given me one as a gift....so she can't be too worried about it.

I have used two forks or two knives or one fork and one knife to blend "butter into dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs". But I've found that none of those combinations work very well. I prefer something more, shall we say, natural.

I just use my hands.

It works great! It's messy, but I can get it to look like "fine meal" faster with my hands than with any other kitchen tool. Besides, it saves water. I don't have to wash them, I can just lick them off. Just kidding. Seriously....I'm KIDDING! Please don't stop eating the pastries I make, because then I'll have to eat them and we know that's not good.

So that's my great tip for the week. Use your hands. Rocket science, I know.

Now on to the recipe.

I got this great coffeecake recipe off of a blog...of course I have no idea which one because it was before I started the whole 'link' system. But nevertheless it is a recipe worth sharing because it is so DELICIOUS.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffeecake

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 1 cup of crumb mixture.

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

Add baking powder and baking soda to remaining crumb mixture. Mix well.

3/4 cup sour cream

1 egg

1 t. lemon rind or lemon juice

In a small bowl combine sour cream, egg and lemon. Add to crumb mixture. Mix just until moistened. Pat in to the bottom and part way up the sides of a 9 inch round springform pan or fluted tart pan with removable bottom.

8 oz. cream cheese

1 egg

1/3 cup sugar

Beat together cream cheese and sugar. Add egg and mix well. Pour over batter in pan.

1/2 cup raspberry jam

Carefully spoon jam over cream cheese filling. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake in 350 oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown and filling is set. Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove sides of pan and cut in to wedges to serve.

Note: You can use any type of jam, jelly or pie filling that you would like for the topping. You can also make this coffeecake ahead, wrap it up and freeze it for up to one week. Enjoy!

For more outstanding tips and recipes head over to Kitchen Tip Tuesdays at Tammy's Recipes or Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays at Blessed with Grace.

Disclaimer: Those are not my hands in the picture. I wouldn't want anyone to think my wrists are that chubby. :)