Blackberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Some days I feel as if I've grown up suddenly, my personality changed and shaped by time and the world around me. It's as if I woke up one morning a different person, but I can't seem to pinpoint what those differences may be. Some days I feel the same as ever, my nature indistinguishable from the eight year old girl who walked to school each day with a heavy backpack on her back. As much as I'd like to believe I've grown into a young woman, it's easy to feel like a child posing as an adult, identifying with the Hollywood films where teenagers wake up to a thirty year old body and realize they can eat as much ice cream as they'd like (or, in my case, cake).

I think the truth lies somewhere in between, a mixture of new characters and old habits evolving over time.

Some days I do things that embarrass me, mortified by the words that came out of my mouth or an action I took in a moment of uncertainty. In the small moments of personal shame that follow, I vow never to do or say such a thing again. Sometimes I have similar moments with similar circumstances (I am, after all, the same person often making the same mistakes as I strive to change), the desire to grow up and be someone else never more present. Some days I surprise myself, doing something brave or confident and, though it seems out of character for a moment, I wonder if this is what it means to mature and grow a little wiser.

When I go back and watch old family movies, it makes me realize how my true nature really hasn't changed as much as I imagined. As I view the home movies with my family, I'll often comment on what's happening, only to have the much younger version of me make the exact same observation using identical words a moment later. Though I often share a kindred spirit with a younger me, it's eerie to visually see how little I've changed over time, at least in some aspects.

When I was younger I thought I would be a completely new person as each major stage hit my life. I thought I would feel differently somehow, when I went from elementary school to middle and from middle to high school—older, wiser, less shy, more confident. As each new stage approached, I was left with the realization that I wasn't changed in any significant way than before (except, perhaps, I had grown a little taller).

The changes our natures go through as people, as individuals, as children as much as adults, are so small, so modest, that if you weren't paying attention perhaps you'd never notice the transitions. I catch these minute changes when I no longer shy away from conversations with people I don't know. I uncover them when I do something brave and strong that I would have been intimidated with months or years before. Perhaps I notice them most when meeting with old friends I haven't seen in awhile, realizing how different we've both become.

Today, I may be a completely different person than I was yesterday. I think, however, that it's for the better.

This Blackberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake is a gift to share with friends and family. The cake is moist and light, with a hint of ginger and an abundance of blackberries. The cake is topped with a crumble topping, which lends a bright, sweet brown sugar flavor to the slightly tart berries. With a dusting of powdered sugar, this cake makes a lovely addition to a summer evening.

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Creamy Grape Salad

I am quite aware this blog is primarily filled with baked goods, sticks of butter, cups of sugar, and an inevitable spike in your virtual cholesterol. There's a good reason for it, too. I love working and kneading dough with my hands. I love the smell and sound of bubbling browned butter. I love the soft sweetness that adding just a hint of sugar brings to dark and decadent desserts. Most importantly, I love eating these sweet treats. But every once in a while I find a recipe that, even though it doesn't have anything to do with baking, is just too good not to share with you, blog theme be damned.

I'm hoping you'll forgive me.

Today, I'm going to step out of my frosting covered comfort zone and share a salad with you.

My mother actually made this grape salad for a potluck lunch. She had read raving reviews about it and promptly decided she needed to know what all the fuss was about. I'm glad she went to the trouble. Even though the salad may look a little peculiar (and to be honest, I was initially very skeptical about it), it is undeniably delicious. Even the guests who were hesitant to try it inevitably came back for seconds. That speaks volumes.

Since I can't get enough of this grape salad, I made it again, this time just for myself. If you're lucky, I just might share it with you.

This Creamy Grape Salad is fresh and light, with just the right balance of sweet and tart. Cream cheese and sour cream are mixed together with a touch of sugar to make the base. Though the combination of these ingredients might sound strange to you (as they did me), keep in mind that these are the primary components of fruit dips. The salad features both sweet red grapes and tart green grapes which mingle together with toasted almonds and brown sugar. The complete recipe is perfect for a potluck or friendly get-together while halving the recipe will provide just the right amount for your own family. You don't want to miss this.

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