Pasta Salads

07.15.

Peach and Blueberry Fruit Crisp

The other night, we had my brother’s sweet girlfriend’s family over. We were meeting them for the first time, so we were very excited! We did really simple cookout food. Just hamburgers, pasta salads, baked beans, deviled eggs…… and a Peach and Blueberry Crisp for dessert!

I had never made it before and I usually NEVER do a new recipe for company. Especially company I have never met!

We put everything together a few hours before everyone got there so we could spend time with everyone without having to worry about slaving over a stove in the process.

We blanched the peaches in boiling water first, then transferred them quickly to cold water. *This helps the skins peel off really easily. Then we sliced them in big chunky pieces…… added some extra goodies like lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar etc. and then tossed in some blueberries and layered on the bottom of a stoneware baker.

I could have just ate the dessert as it was then and there, but instead…… we added some more goodness!

Yummers!

The kids wanted to help me so I let them spread the crumble for the “crisp” part on top.

I love recipes like this that allow the kids to jump in and help, and allow me not to worry. You really cannot mess this topping up. It’s very easy! Just spread on top like you want! Then pop it into the oven for 45 minutes!

This is what it looked like before going into the oven……………

Now! Let me just take a “sidebar moment” to tell you something.

I rock in Dance Central 3.

Yes, I ROCK!

You may be asking yourself, “What on earth does that have to do with a Peach and Blueberry Crisp?”

Well, I’ll tell you.

After the crisp had gone about 45 minutes, my mom and I decided to check on it. We both decided that the topping wasn’t “browned” enough for our taste. SO! We thought, let’s broil it on low for a few minutes!

Just about that time, my oldest daughter started to say she was the best at Dance Off 3 and knowing this was untrue, I decided to challenge her to a duel! I looked at mom at that point, and she said, “I got this! Go! Go show your 9 year old who is boss!”

Well, in the middle of my 3 minutes duel, I smelled something……….. I didn’t smell the sweet aroma of a perfectly browned Peach and Blueberry Crisp bubbling away in the oven.
NO!

I smelled something far worse! It was the UNPLEASANT aroma of a perfectly BURNT Peach and Blueberry Crisp BURNING AWAY in the oven!

“MOM!”, I yelled.

(*Mom was no where to be found!) Mom had actually gone outside to tell everyone it was time to eat and walked away for a minute too long and POOF! *Sorry I called you out mom! I may have just lost my one and only reader! 😉

Well, there was only one thing to do. We did what every other smart, honest cooks would do………

We scraped off the burnt parts……….

REdid the topping………..

Plopped that stuff back on…………….

And put her back in the oven for 8 minutes and kept on truckin!

And may I say it turned out just fine!

And no one knows about our little mishap but ME, MOM,

And mom’s dog, Pepper! 😉 Shhhhhh!

Recipe: Peach and Blueberry Fruit Crisp

Ingredients:

– 2lbs. firm, ripe peaches (6 to 8 peaches)

– 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

– 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

– 1/2 cup granulated sugar

– 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

– 1 cup fresh blueberries (1/2 pint)

For the crumble:

– 1 cup all-purpose flour

– 1/3 cup granulated sugar

– 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

– 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

– 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

– 1/4 lb (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions:

– Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

– Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until their skins peel off easily. Place them immediately in cold water. Peel the peaches, slice them into thick wedges, and place them in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the blueberries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture into ramekins or one large baking dish. * I used a 13 x 9 in. pan.

– For the topping, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar salt, cinnamon, and the butter into the of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix until the butter is the size of peas. *If you do not have a mixer, no problem! Just mix well in a bowl and break up the diced butter with a fork or pastry cutter until the butter resembles small peas. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until it’s in big crumbles, then sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Place in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is browned and juices are bubbly.

– Serve warm or at room temperature. Vanilla ice cream goes great with this!