Blackberry season ...

Blackberry season is here and since I missed it last year I wanted to make sure I didn't again this year. It was hotter than heck but it is always so much fun to harvest fruit. Next weekend ... PEACHES! Zuben can get into these crazy complaining funks and the elements gave him enough reason to do so the entire time. That is up until about 3 min. before were going to leave and he got into finding the good berries ... I swear!

Just like with the strawberries, if they had weighed Zofia before and after we would have had to pay twice as much for the berries.

Finally we get to the REAL fun stuff .... what to do with the berries.

Berries three ways .... first, I made jam.

4 cups of berries

1/4 cup of water

1 cup of sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

2 in. peeled cube of ginger

*Put it all in a heavy pot and reduce for about an hour.

Brownie topped with nondairy whipped topping and blackberry jam ... need I say more?

Very Berry Ice Cream with Stracciatella

1 cup of each, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries
1 container of Toffuti cream cheese
1 canof coconut creme
1/2 cup sugar
3 TB. tapioca flour
1/2 cup melted chocolate chips

* Place all ingredients in a blender, cool a couple of hours in fridge then pour into ice cream maker. Five minutes before the end of the cycle pour the melted chocolate through the top opening. Enjoy!

Homemade Blackberry and Cream Cheese Poptarts

Flaky pie dough (your favorite recipe)
Blackberry jam
Tofutti cream cheese

*Preheat oven to 350F. Roll out dough and cut into 5"X5" squares. Place 2 teaspoons each of cream cheese and jam in the center. Fold over and pinch all along the edge with a fork. Bake for 20 min. or until golden but not too brown. When cooled drizzle with confectioner sugar icing.




Provecho!!!