By Teri Cayton
The Parsons Advocate
Life really throws you some curve balls sometimes. You think a part of your life is over, done, gone and then something from your past pops up unexpectedly. It is strange how things happen and I do believe they happen for a reason. Sometimes those reasons are shadowed or unknown and you have to stop and wonder what is going on.
I think life is like a huge wheel and some people call it karma, some call it destiny but whatever when something comes along that you never thought would happen you just have to reach out, grab it and hold on for the ride. Momma Said, “Don’t ever say never for that is a very, very long time.”
Sometimes the past doesn’t stay in the past for a reason, and I wonder what that reason is. I have been hurt many times in the past, some of my own doing and some were totally blindsided. I am not a greedy person and all I ever wanted out of life were the simple things, a home, someone to love me and to feel safe.
I think that is all anyone needs to live a simple life, no fluff, no frills just to be comfortable and to enjoy life. I have lost family members and many, many good friends. My life hasn’t been a hard one, but I have lost much. Momma Said, “I still have the love of my family, a place I call home and friends, old and new. Maybe I got what I wanted after all and didn’t even know.”
Fresh Blueberry Crisp
Ingredients
Blueberry Filling
- ▢6 cups fresh blueberries, 6 cups is about 3 pints
- ▢½ cup granulated sugar
- ▢3 tbsp. cornstarch
Topping
- ▢1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ▢½ cup all-purpose flour
- ▢½ cup brown sugar
- ▢½ tsp. cinnamon
- ▢½ tsp. salt
- ▢1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
Instructions
Blueberry Filling
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In your baking dish (use can use a 8×8 inch pan, 8 inch round pan, 9×9 inch pan, 9 inch round pan, 7×11 inch pan, basically you can use any dish that is 2 to 2.5 quarts) combine the blueberries, sugar and cornstarch. Toss with a spoon or spatula to combine.
Topping
- In a mixing bowl combine the old fashioned rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and cubed cold butter. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the mixture. Mix until its “sandy” in texture, it is okay if there are pea sized clumps of butter! Use your hands to squeeze the mixture together.
- Use your fingers to break the topping into clumps and evenly distribute the topping all over the blueberries.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes. Check to see if the crisp is bubbling and if the topping is golden. If those two things have not occurred, bake for 10-20 additional minutes. The bake time will depend on what size of pan you used.
- Allow the crisp to cool for 10-15 minutes then serve.