Okay people!
Time for a Just Crumbs poll….
Actually, I’ve never done a poll, but this one’s about all things boozy so, ya know, there’s a first time for everything!!
How do you like your booze? Straight up? On Ice? In your coffee? In your pie? In your breakfast cereal?
Wait.
What?
Okay, maybe not your breakfast cereal. Although, as an Italian kid growing up in the 70’s, zabaglione often accompanied my morning meal. Yes, zabaglione… with marsala…for breakfast…when I was five years old (not sure what my mother was thinking). So, maybe breakfast isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of enhancing your food with booze, but so many great dishes can be enhanced with the addition of alcohol.
Case in point…peach and blueberry crisp with the addition of peach schnapps. Trust me on this one…it’s beyond yummy!
Confession: I am definitely not a fan of peach schnapps (could be that it reminds me of those sickeningly sweet circle candies I ate way too many of? Or it could be that it brings back memories of a trip to mexico as a youngin’ where peach schnapps shots were free on friday nights? Uhhh, ya, I think I’ll go with the candies). The funny thing is that I had recently found a bottle of it in my liquor cabinet and I really wanted to see if I could use it up.
Just then, I got an email from Kristy Gardner, the fabulously talented chickie from the blog She Eats. She has just published a new cookbook called Cooking with Cocktails (which is also beyond fabulous…and for my American peeps, you can look here to pick up a copy of her book!!)) and she has corralled a bunch of her food peeps to cook and share some of the recipes in her book.
So, of course I said yes (partly because I want to get rid of my bottle of peach schnapps…but more because I love her!!). I flipped through the book and, low and behold, I found this recipe!
Eureka!!!
The photo of the crisp in her book, along with all of them, is so beautiful (did I tell you that Kristy is a REAL photographer??). There are so many recipes that I want to test out, but if this is an indication of what the rest of the recipes are like, I’m excited to give some more a try. Or, I’ll just keep it by my bed and oogle over the pretty pictures before I go to bed at night.
Anyways, if you want your shot at your own copy, there is a link below the recipe to enter your name for a chance to win.
And, for some additional fun, I reached out to Kristy and asked her some questions so that everyone out there will be able to put a face (or should I say, personality) to a name!
Warning: She is ridiculously hilarious, and if I didn’t live a 3 hour plane ride away, I think we would be besties and you could find us sipping on one of her concoctions on one of our porches most days.
So, here is everything you ever wanted to know about Kristy. But don’t get too friendly…remember, she was my bestie first!!
Q & A With Kristy Gardner:
- If you could have an endless supply of any food, what would you get? Cheese.…no other words needed 😉
- What is one goal you’d like to accomplish during your lifetime? No question: Hike the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail). With everything that vibrates and yearns within me. …Clearly I need to scale back the wine and cheese if I’m going to do this. Does this negate my answer to question 1?
- Who is your hero? (a parent, a celebrity, an influential person in one’s life) Ani Difranco. Woman has some serious stamina and kick ass talent. She’s the reason I have a tattoo across my chest. She’s strong, feminine, vocal and doesn’t take bullshit from anyone. And she can riff the strings of a guitar like no one I’ve ever heard. I have zero musical talent so when people really rip, it amazes me.
- If they made a movie of your life, what would it be about and which actor would you want to play you? And would it be a drama, a comedy, a romantic-comedy, action film, or science fiction? Janeane Garofalo, circa 1994. Did I just date myself? She’s quirky, intelligent and a little awkward in the most adorable way. It would definitely be a 90’s real-life comedy with a bit of sci-fi thrown in for fun. Aliens maybe? A few zombies? Definitely chickens. Basically, I’d want to be in Reality Bites. Best. Movie. Ever. Side note: It’s not a film, but the TV show Friends has irrefutably (and in some ways tragically) integrated itself into my psyche. I watch the entire series at least 2X a year and reference, quote or think about it on a daily basis. I’ve basically absorbed Monica like a fetal twin – we’re one and the same.
- If you were an ice cream flavor, which one would you be and why? Tiramisu? Because it’s creamy (like my very white skin), boozy (like my liver) and full of brown stuff (like my hair and eyes)…. That didn’t sound terribly complimentary, did it?
- If you could visit any place in the world, where would you choose to go and why? See point 2.That being said, I’d love to see the Mayan ruins. And the Grand Canyon.
- What’s the ideal dream job for you? Professional cheese eater and actress…. Oh wait, do those 2 things not go together either? Shit.
- Are you a morning or night person? Morning. Fo sho. I’m up when the sun is. And I go to bed as soon as it gets dark. I’m badass like that.
- What are your favorite hobbies? Reading a butt load of books. Bourbonating. Hiking. Cycling. Making fun of myself. Singing Eric Church off key.
- If you had to describe yourself using three words, it would be…Sassy. Hungry. Intrepid.
- 3 cups fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup peach schnapps
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 5 fresh peaches, cored and sliced into 1/2″ slices (about 3 cups)
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
- 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- To serve: ice cream (optional…but oh so yummy!!)
- Lightly grease a 9″ square baking dish and preheat your oven to 375
- Combine the peach schnapps, lemon juice, vanilla, 1/2 c brown sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, allspice and cornstarch in a large bowl.
- Add the fruit and coat well; pour into the prepared baking dish.
- In the same bowl, combine rolled oats, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, butter, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, pinch of salt and blend until combined.
- When the topping is combined (and the butter is incorporated into the dry mixture), sprinkle over the fruit filling.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until top is golden and crisp.
- Serve topped with a nice big scoop of ice cream. Enjoy!!
And, if you enter this great giveaway, you too can have a chance to win a copy of Kristy’s awesome new book!!!
ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:
* Contest open to Canadian (not including Quebec residents…sorry!!) & American mailing addresses only.
MANDATORY: Simply leave a comment below and tell me your favorite boozy concoction!!
OPTIONAL: Follow me and Kristy on Instagram and follow us on Twitter, subscribe to my blog and tweet about the giveaway.
Disclosure of Material Connection: A copy of Cooking With Cocktails was sent to me at no cost. Remember, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions and information is entirely accurate and a reflection of my true experience and was not influenced, in any way, by the above mentioned products. Opinions and views are my own.
