Blueberry Crisp

Ok, where the heck did summer go?

I have a very big beef with Utah right now, for multiple reasons. One reason is the hugely anticipated rivalry BYU vs. Utah game yesterday. Don't even get me started on how embarrassing that was. Then there was the fact that summer lasted approximately two months. Winter was a whopping six months long with the final snow falling on May 30th. May 30th! June was coldish but ok, July and August finally brought the heat, and now September is letting in the 60s like it aint no thing.

It should be 80 degrees in September, not 60. I just bought a really cute summery dress from Anthropologie. Guess that's going in the closet for another year.

Annnnnnd I had to go into work on Saturday to meet some very threatening deadlines. That one can't technically be blamed on the state of Utah, but I am adding it to the list anyway.

At least there is blueberry crumble to comfort me. That is precisely what I came home to yesterday after we left the BYU game. Life didn't seem so terrible once I was shoveling blueberry crisp and ice cream in my face. No, not so terrible at all.

The recipe is straight out of the Betty Crocker Cookbook and I wouldn't change a thing. It was delicious and the fruit didn't need any extra sugar at all. Since it is so low sugar and so healthy, I went ahead and ate five servings to get all my fruits for the day. You can too. 

Blueberry Crisp

• 4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Serve with ice cream

1. Heat oven to 375. Grease bottome and sides of an 8-inch pan.
2. Spread blueberries in pan. In a medium bowl, combine all remaining ingredients (except the ice cream, of course) until well mixed; sprinkle over berries.
3. Bake about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and the blueberries are warm and tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm with ice cream.

My Version of Waldorf Chicken Salad

I am not a salad person. I want to be. I wish I was... Salad people seem so hip sometimes, you know? Like runners. I am always wishing I was a runner or a salad person. But alas, the cool runner, salad, fruit smoothie lifestyle isn't meant for me. 

Lettuce just doesn't do anything for me. Every now and then I try to fool myself into thinking that I'm fit and healthy and a salad person and I bring salads to work for lunch. I try to make a big production of pulling my salad out of the fridge and really play up the assembly process so my coworkers think good things about me like, "Wow, Jocelyn is a salad person. Man I wish I was a salad person like Jocelyn." Then I eat it, feel superior, and become absolutely, desperately starving 3o minutes later. 

I can't handle that.

This salad may just be the exception, however. It's got a lot more going on this lettuce. There's a lot in there that can fill you up and that is what I need! I need to be full. I need it. Plus it's flavorful and yummy.

There's some nice tender chicken left over from this meal, crunchy Fuji apples, and crisp sweet grapes. If I had the money I would have candied almonds and put them in here too, but they are like $8 a jar and I am not that into almonds.

All in all I think this salad is a winner.

Enjoy!

My Version of Waldorf Chicken Salad

• Roasted chicken, sliced (or you can grill a chicken breast and season it with thyme, rosemary, garlic, etc.)
• Fuji or Pink Lady apples, cubed
• Red, seedless grapes, sliced in half for optimal forking ease
• Romaine Lettuce (or other type)
• Dressing of your choice. I prefer blue cheese or ranch for this meal. It offsets the sweetness of the apples and grapes.

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, toss, and serve chilled. Enjoy!