Strawberry Crumble

There are times where I get a craving for something and I won't be satisfied until I get it.  I had a huge craving for a strawberry crumble or crisp - I wasn't sure which.  So off I went in search of a recipe.  And you'd think amongst the plethora of cookbooks I have, I'd find a recipe but nooooooooooooo.  I came up with nothing.  I searched my usual places online and still came up with diddly squat.  Zero - nothing.  Finally, I was about to give up and stomp away like a five year old and go pout, I found one!  A strawberry crumble!  The angels sang!  I was so happy!  And, just as luck would have it, I happened to have everything in my pantry for it!  Even better!!  Happy Jamie!!!  And it has to be one of the easiest recipes I've ever seen.  I was able to recite it from memory for my mom the following Monday.  The ingredients are ones we all have in our pantry so if you don't make this very, very soon, you should be ashamed.  And don't have strawberries?  That's okay, you can substitute any fresh fruit for this quick and easy crumble!!

Strawberry Crumble
recipe courtesy of The Second Lunch (adapted from the cookbook Animal, Vegetable, Miracle)

1 quart strawberries (halved or quartered, depending on size)
1/4 c. Honey

Crumble Topping:
1/2 c. Flour (KAF)
1/2 c. Rolled/Old Fashioned Oats (Quaker)
1/2 c. Brown Sugar
3/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1/3 c. Butter (leave it set out for around 15 minutes to make it easier to handle)

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine strawberries and honey in an 8x8 pan or a deep dish pie plate and set aside.
Mix all ingredients for the crumble topping in a separate bowl, using your hands.
Sprinkle over the fruit and honey mixture.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes (or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is nice and bubbly around the edges).
Serve warm!!

Applesauce Oatmeal Bread

Here I go again with King Arthur Flour.  It isn't my fault these wonderful people have such awesome recipes!  Nor is it my fault that my best friend ordered me a subscription to their magazine (which only fuels my addiction).  Ryan has asked many times if there is a KAF Addicts Anonymous.  I asked them and they replied, "There are many ways to feed your addiction ;)"  So they aren't helping either.  Oh well, we'll just carry on anyway!

I'm actually getting ready to bake a second loaf of this bread.  I baked one loaf for myself to use a breakfast bread (which is wonderful when you're leaving home at 6:30 in the morning to go pet sitting) and I brought some slices to share with my coworkers (one of which just happens to be my mother) and the bread was quickly eaten.  When my mom told my dad about it, he was slightly irritated that I had not saved him a slice.  So, for my "bad daughter"-ness, I'm making a whole loaf just for my parents.  Does that make my horns into a halo?  If you ask my dad, he just says the halo hides the horns ;)  Which is true, I suppose.... hehe ;)  I also made this bread for my mom for Mother's Day!  (Nothing beats a homemade gift!)

So let's get started!


Applesauce Oatmeal Bread
(recipe courtesy of kingarthurflour.com)

1 c. Sugar
2 Eggs (or 1/2 c. Egg Beaters)
1/2 c. Canola Oil
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla (Neilsen Massey Vanilla Bean Paste)
1/2 c. Whole Wheat Flour (or White Whole Wheat - KAF)
1 c. All Purpose Flour (KAF)
1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice (my go-to spice blend!)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 c. Rolled Oats
3/4 c. Applesauce (natural applesauce - no added sweeteners, please!)
1/2 c. Chopped Walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.
In one bowl, mix the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla.
In another bowl, mix the flours, baking powder and soda, and pumpkin pie spice.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well.
Now add the oats, applesauce, and walnuts.
Pour the mixture into a 9x5 loaf pan.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes (or until a toothpick/cake tester comes out clean).
Remove from oven and cool completely.

Calories - 252 (using EggBeaters and Whole Wheat Flour - serves 12)

Strawberries Galore!!

I. Love. Strawberries.  I look forward to this time every single year - when I see those red, juicy berries awaiting me.  When I was little, I would eat them plain, with sugar, with sugar in milk, in pies.  I love strawberries (did I say that already?).  So a couple of weekends ago, Ryan and I went to the farmer's market for one reason - strawberries.  I'm sorry but what you get in the grocery store doesn't even hold a candle to farmer's market strawberries.  Never had them from the farmer's market?  You're missing out.  Anyhoo, we went to the farmer's market for strawberries because Ryan was in serious need for my strawberry pie.  Off we went!  I didn't know exactly how many we were going to come home with...

 We got eight quarts.  Do you think it was enough? :) :)  (I was very, very happy)

Now, the next question was - "We have eight quarts of strawberries.  What exactly are we going to do with them??"  Here's what happened....

First, we made Instant Strawberry Jam
recipe courtesy of the Ball Instant Fruit Pectin package

4 c. crushed strawberries
1 1/2 c. Sugar
5 Freezer Jars
1 package of Ball Instant Fruit Pectin

1 - Stir sugar and pectin together, set aside.
2 - Add crushed strawberries and stir for three minutes.
3 - Put into jars and let stand for 30 minutes.

You can put some jars in the freezer and some in the fridge - freezer jam lasts for up to 1 year and it keeps in the fridge for 3 weeks.

Next, we made Strawberry Ice Cream
recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

4 c. Half and Half
1 1/2 c. Sugar
1 Tbsp. Vanilla (Nielsen Massey Vanilla Bean Paste)
2 c. Whipping Cream
4 c. Crushed Strawberries

Combine half and half, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl and stir until sugar dissolves.
Stir in whipping cream.
Add crushed strawberries.
Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

(it develops this lovely pink hue!)

Wait!  What about the pie??  "Didn't you make the pie?" I'm sure you're asking.  Of course - my husband wouldn't let me forget!!

Strawberry Pie
recipe courtesy of my mom!!

2 c. Sugar
6 Tbsp. Cornstarch
2 c. Water
4 Tbsp. Strawberry Jell-o
2 regular frozen pie crusts
1 quart of Fresh Strawberries

Bake pie crusts according to package directions.
Combine sugar, cornstarch, and water in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil and cook until thick, stirring constantly (keep stirring until the mixture coats the back of your spoon).
Cool slightly.
Add gelatin and mix well.
Add strawberries.
Pour into pie crusts.
Put in fridge until set (overnight works best).

(Please forgive the lack of calorie info on this post!)