Summertime, and the Berries are Plenty!

If you look around at the berries popping out on all the bushes, you will know that summer is here to stay. Many of us in the south have berries in our backyards or at least have family members or friends that do. I will always remember going to my Maw Maw’s house to pick tons of blueberries. We would make all kinds of blue berry dishes for the summertime.

I came up with this dessert because of my mom’s love for the blueberry crunch dessert you make in a pan, like a cobbler.

This berry dessert is a little more elegant, has a lot more berries, and a lot more crunch.  This will quickly become one of your favorite summertime berry dishes.

 

Very Berry Crunch

Oatmeal Crunch Crust

¾ Cup butter

¾ Cup rolled oats

¾ Cup nuts (pecans)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking Powder

1 Tbsp cinnamon

4 Tbsp sugar

1 Cup and 2 Tbsp Flour

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill 12 Texas sized muffin pans with paper liners. Melt butter and set aside. Combine all other ingredients and mix in the melted butter until well coated. Then press the mixture into the bottom and all the way up the sides of each liner creating a cup. Bake crust in the oven for 10 to 12 min. or until the top edges are golden brown. Cool and take out of papers before placing on dishes.

 

Berry Filling

1 Cup Blackberries

1 Cup Blueberries

2 Cups Cut Strawberries

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water

4 Heaping Tbsp Cornstarch

4 Tbsp Jell-O (I like the berry blue but you can use any type of berry Jell-O)

Wash and cut strawberries into small pieces. Wash black berries and blue berries and combine all berries, set aside. In a medium pot dissolve sugar and cornstarch in water and turn heat on high while stirring. Bring to a boil and continue stirring for about a min. Add Jell-O and bring back to a boil for about 1 more min. until the mixture starts to rise then add berries. Continue cooking and drop to a medium heat for about 2 min. or until thickened. Set aside till your ready to fill cups.

Fill the oatmeal cups with berry filling and serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a truly Southern Dish!!!