Summer Fruit Crumble: Webisode #27

What's Going On Today: Rainy day in CT, sing-along at the beach before cloudburst, errands in the afternoon.

Naptime Goals: Strawberry-Raspberry Cobbler, roast vegetables, marinate chicken.

Tonight's Menu: Chicken with Veggies, Cobbler (our second one this week!) with Strawberries from the farmer's market.

Parenting Lesson of the Day: When conversing with toddlers always have a pen handy, they say the funniest things!

I have pretty much gone strawberry-crazy these days. As you'll see above, last week my daughter and I picked 12lbs of strawberries together at a local farm. It took me two full naptimes to preserve, freeze and bake with all of the berries, and even that was barely enough time. I would have loved to have taken all weekend, but strawberries are so delicate I had to act quickly before they turned. Luckily, I managed to preserve the little rubies to the best of my ability and now have a nice stash for the rest of the year. This also means I'll most likely be garnishing everything I make - from risotto to pancakes - all summer with my jams and syrups. My daughter seems to be game for this, as it is I'm expecting her to turn into a strawberry any second she's eaten so many already!

When we had our barbecue last Sunday, I decided to make a fruit cobbler to bring along in addition to Uncle Will's Ribs. I still had some fresh strawberries on hand as well as a small packet of raspberries I'd picked up at the market. It was almost a no-brainer to make a fruit cobbler during my daughter's afternoon naptime. I washed and sliced the fruit, made the crumbly topping and popped it in the oven to bake while I prepared the meat. 

I love this particular cobbler recipe because it works with almost any kind of fruit. Also, the loose oatmeal topping has a taste reminiscent of an oatmeal cookie with the added cinnamon. Of course, you can omit the spice if you'd like, but I love it. Since the heatwave was particularly awful when I made this the first time I opted to serve it with vanilla ice-cream, though whipped cream would work well, too. And, best of all, when it was finished baking I simply let it cool on the counter before taking it next door for dinner. It was the perfect make-ahead dessert. I know I'll be making this again when we bring back a big haul of blueberries next month.

Strawberry-Raspberry Cobbler

3 c. fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and cut in half.

1 c. fresh raspberries, washed (optional - if not using use 4 c. of strawberries)

1 1/2 c. Oats (not quick cooking)

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. dark brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 sticks (12 T.) unsalted butter

1 t. Kosher salt

3 T. good quality honey

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.

2. Place the fruit in a 9" pie plate or 9x9 baking dish.

3. Blend the oats, flour, butter, sugar, salt and honey together in a food processor until it forms a sticky dough.

4. Layer the topping on top of the fruit evenly so that the top is covered.

5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbly and cooked through.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Ideas & Suggestions: This is a fantastic make-ahead dessert for any family meal or larger event. After it has cooled pop it in the fridge tightly covered with plastic until you want to serve it. It can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time. This recipe works well with apples, rhubarb, cherries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and peaches. (Try more fruits if you want!)

Naptime Stopwatch: Washing and slicing the fruit takes about 10 minutes. Preparing the topping takes 5 minutes. Baking time is approximately 30 minutes.

Naptime Reviews: This is a great dessert for kids and adults alike. It is also healthier then pie and is a great way to persuade children to try new fruit.