Pretty Little Co-ed Wedding Showers

Happy nearly wedding to Dan and Lindsay B. I hope you enjoyed your elegant co-ed wedding shower sugar cookies on what may have been the most major downpour of the year in west central Fort Worth.

My husband and I surely enjoyed the leftovers!

Mascarpone, will you marry me?

Or just come live with me every day? I promise to treat you right. Alright, alright. Really, this tart is very simple. Delightfully sweet and spicy gingersnap crust. Luscious, rich cream cheese and mascarpone filling. Perfectly ripe nectarines sliced thinly and layered on top. Perfect and refreshing for a warm summer day.

The only complaint came from my husband who thinks nectarines look too much like peaches and the tart made him long for a peach and mascarpone tart. Which would also have been delightful. This beautiful 11" tart is even better the second day. You know, if there's anything left.

It's a... CAKE!

A good friend of mine asked me a few months ago to make a cake that would reveal their little baby's gender to she and her husband and a room full of curious guests. And I thought time passed slowly for the expectant mother! It sure was tough on the expectant baker, too. I couldn't wait! And neither could Cassie and her husband; they found out the day before. It's a boy! The cake turned out beautifully on the inside and I was grateful to have cleaned all the blue dye off my hands before I delivered the cake to the party. No one was any the wiser until the moment of truth. The cake, by the way, is the yummy and perfectly moist Vanilla Buttermilk cake and is filled with Strawberries and Cream. Cassie's mother cut the cake and sure was excited! This will be her third grandson. Time to party.