My Camera is Back... and So Am I!

As you may recall, I left my camera in New Hampshire last September.

So, to punish myself, I had to wait until I could save up enough to get a new one.  Thus, my mostly picture-less posts up till now.

Fortunately for me, a lovely deal site called Plum District, offered an amazing deal where I could get a very basic camera for less than half price.

Needless to say, I jumped on it.

So now I have a camera again, finally! *cheering*  It is not a great camera, but it is a camera.

Not only that, but I am about two weeks into summer, which means I will have much more time to write.  Hooray!

Now, on to the story!

My sister, niece, and I went blackberry picking on Saturday.

Ellie was excited for her first time picking berries!

And also a little silly!

But very excited!

We had a great time wresting the berries from the bees and other crawly bugs.  Ellie alternated between running up and down the rows of bushes and finding berries that she could reach, announcing with gusto, "Here's a BIG, fat one!"

What else to do with delicious, fresh-picked blackberries but make a superb dessert for Father's Day?

I call it...

Sarah's Famous Berry Crisp

(adapted from a Blueberry Crisp recipe from Peas and Thank You)

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups of any berries (I used strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and, of course, blackberries)

2 T. brown sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon

sprinkle of nutmeg

1/2 c. oats (can use gluten free)

2 T. almond flour (made from ground almonds -- you can use whole wheat flour if you like)

1/4 c. toasted almonds (I used the slivered almonds and toasted them in the toaster oven)

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 t. salt (optional)

2 T. butter

Instructions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Wash and drain berries and place in a small casserole dish or 8 x 8 baking pan.  If you are using strawberries, quarter them before placing them in the pan.

2.  Sprinkle berry mixture with two tablespoons of brown sugar, the cinnamon, and the nutmeg.  If you like, you can also sprinkle some vanilla or almond extract over the berries at this time.  Mix well.

3.  In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, almonds, remaining brown sugar, and salt.  Cut the butter into small pieces.  Use a pastry cutter to mix in the butter until the mixture has small chunks.

4.  Sprinkle topping over berries.

5.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Delicious!



 Indeed, it was well received by the Patriarch.  And also his loyal subjects.

So ends a blackberry adventure well begun.