No-Bake Blackberry Nectarine Cheesecake

Last night, we had guests for dinner and board games. Nothing too fancy, you know, just throw a couple of frozen pizzas in the oven (actually, we had these guys' frozen pizza, so as it turns out it was kind of fancy). The day before, I was texting the guests about dessert options, and given the choice between blackberry cobbler, cheesecake, or cookies, the answer was "Yes". Well! I got to thinking, and I started thinking that blackberry cheesecake sounded rather good, and to put it on a cookie crust sounded even better. So I mishmashed a few things together, and here's what I wound up with:

 Using nectarines instead of peaches prevents oxygen discoloration

I promised my Twitter followers a recipe, so here it is:

Crust

15 Pecan Sandies cookies, crushed to oblivion

2 Tbsp butter, room temperature

1/2 cup pecan pieces

Combine the crushed cookies and butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Sprinkle pecans across the bottom, patting them into the crust a bit so they stick. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool completely before adding filling.

Filling

2 8-oz packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 Tbsp lemon juice + enough nectarine juice to make 1/4 cup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 pint frozen blackberries, chopped into pieces

Note about the nectarine juice: Peel a ripe nectarine, then just sort of squish it to death with your fingers - you'll get lots of juice and a bit of pulpy stuff, too. The puply stuff is okay, because it'll all get blended in when you mix up the filling. :)

To make the filling, just dump all of that stuff except the blackberries into one large bowl. Mix it with an electric mixer on high until alllllllll the lumpy-bumpies are gone, or at least 5 minutes. Gently fold in the blackberries. Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust, and top with a sliced nectarine and a couple of whole blackberries. This cheesecake needs to be refrigerated at least 6 hours before serving, but it's best to make it the afternoon before and let it refrigerate overnight so it can really set up.

Enjoy!

New pattern: Cuboid

A while back (really, it's been a few months now), I worked up this little felted box bag for The Unique Sheep:

Cuboid

You can read all about it by clicking the link above, but basically it's a little felted box bag which uses only 340 yards of worsted weight yarn. I made it for The Ram Club Series 4, which is a series of accessories for men. My kits just shipped out this month, and so far have had a great response! This is a super quick knit that gets transformed in the finishing work. Knit flat in one piece, fabric lining gets fused to the inside of the bag for sturdiness (there is no "stuffing" in the bag in these photos), then a zipper is inserted and the whole thing gets folded up origami style and seamed together with a sewing machine. No sewing machine? No worries - you can just as easily sew it up with yarn and tapestry needle.

I love the detail at the corners!

This pattern will be available for individual purchase from me in October. Don't want to wait so long for the next one? Consider signing up my next club with The Unique Sheep, the 7 Wonders Club. This club features one kit for each of the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World, and I was lucky enough to get the Great Pyramid at Giza! Yessssssssssssssssssss! Anyone who knows me knows I am fascinated with the pyramids and all things Egypt, so this was a real pleasure for me to get to do! The item I designed for that club is one of my favorite things I've ever made, so do go check it out won't you? :)

Style Your Knits: Bijou

Casual Bijou by TheSexyKnitter

Today I took a much needed break from designing to create this set on Polyvore. The set styles Marnie MacLean's gorgeous Bijou (available from Twist Collective) for a more casual, daytime look. This sweater strikes me as a more dressy item, with its delicate stitch patterning and dainty finishing details, and from what I've seen is usually styled that way. Well, doesn't that just present a challenge! I've pulled out what my brother refers to as "mad layering skills" to put together a sweet little outfit that is young, edgy and comfy! I could see myself hanging out at the coffee shop in this, window shopping some fabulous boutiques, or even going on a date with the Dr.! Movies, anyone?

If you're not familiar with how to use Polyvore, Marnie has put together a great tutorial for it over on the Twist Collective blog. Why not get addicted today?

Destash - Prism 1/2" Rayon, Nevada Colorway

I've got some lovely ribbon yarn up for grabs!

Three skeins Prism 1/2″ Rayon Ribbon, Color: Nevada
95 yards per skein, 100% rayon
Dye Lot #72004
Original Price was $172.50 for all three skeins. The skeins are untouched as seen in photo.

I'm asking only $100 for all three of these pretties, and that includes shipping to the US (add an extra $10 for international shipping). Leave a comment here if you're interested, or message me on Ravelry!

I have quite a bit of novelty yarn that I'm basically giving away, if you're into that sort of thing. Pop on over to my Destash page to see the rest.

I'm giving away free patterns!

Interested in knitting one of my designs, but just can't commit to clicking the "Buy Now" button? Well, now you can win one for FREE - just by following me on Twitter! Each Saturday, I'll randomly select a knitterly follower to win a pattern of their choice from my portfolio. Followers are eligible to claim more than one prize, and you do not have to be a new follower to win!

 Follow me now to win!