Make Mine Extra Crispy Momma!

Is there ANY way to take an appealing photo of a mish mash of warm fruit? Lol

I’ve mentioned my son Jordan a couple of times. He is my sweetheart and I don’t know what I’ll do when he grows up and moves away, though in all actuality the chances are that he never will though my prayers are for him to enjoy as much self sufficiency as possible. On the other side of the situation, there are times I want to send him to live with a band of roving Gypsies in Budapest. Depends on the day. Today I figured I’d keep him.

Jordan is 16, almost 17 but intellectually he will never be more than about 9 or 10 and some days less than that which is why I say that chances are he will always live with us. He has mild mental retardation, high functioning Autism, ADHD and a scope of other issues. Why? I don’t know. He is who and what he is and I love him dearly. He is getting ready to start his sophomore year of high school. Our hopes are that he can make it through without what are becoming far too frequent hospital stays. He gets overwhelmed in school and lashes out which inevitably leads to a hospital stay to try to get his meds adjusted.

Yet this same boy has inherited his mommas warped sense of humor though in him, it is more likely to come out via the worlds worst knock knock jokes or a high decibel giggle over the everyday strange happenings of life. He can one minute be playing “whee” with Joshie, my two year old son, as they both laugh hysterically at something only they get and the next he can be crying as if the world is ending because I have to throw out a pillow he has grown attached to and loves like, as he put it, “another family member”. Life with him is never boring and I never know what will come out of his mouth next. Like today. I was making a fruit crisp. he asked me what I was making and I told him. He “oooed” and “ahhhed” a bit and then looked at me and said “I like crisps. that’s like when we get KFC. make mine extra crispy momma! Just like chicken”. This led to an explanation where I told him that they weren’t quite the same things. This led to his disappointment and my feelings of guilt that I couldn’t make the fruit crisp extra crispy for him. 😛 After all that, he chose to have for dessert the cookies stuffed with frosting that I got for him and Zach (my 14 year old) at the store rather than have the utterly delicious made with love fruit crisp I made. Sheesh. Kids. 😀

Oh well. Maybe YOU’LL like the fruit crisp. I used five kinds of Summery fruits, sweetened it up and covered it all in a crispy buttery oatmeal crumb mix. Oh my gosh, this is good! The fruit wasn’t too sweet or too tangy and the crumbly topping just put it over the top. Try this one before all the fresh fruit is out of seasona nd costs more than your utility bills. You’ll love it!

Summer Fruits Oatmeal Crisp

  • 2 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped
  • 2 cups fresh blackberries
  • 2 cups fresh raspberries
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1/3 cup quick cooking tapioca
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup old fashioned or quick cooking oats
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, sliced into 8 pieces
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, combine fruits, sugar, tapioca, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss well to combine.
  3. Pour into a greased 13×9 inch baking pan. You’re best off using a glass pan because metal pans can react with acidic fruits and give an off taste and color to cobblers and crisps. If I am making it for someone else, I use the disposable foil ones; they won’t do that.
  4. In another bowl, combine all the other ingredients (from the 1 cup of flour down), using a pastry blender to cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle this over the crisp.
  5. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 375. Cook for approximately 30 more minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbly.
  6. I would say let cool before scarfing it down but I would be hypocritical since the serving in the photo was eaten by me in the space of ten minutes. Ummm…oops?

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33 thoughts on “Make Mine Extra Crispy Momma!

  1. This fruit smorgasbord looks amazing, I would love to have a piece. Who would turn down all that crumble coated fruit?
    Regarding Jordan, you sound like a great mom. I know a few moms that would like to borrow your long patience stick, they have found that theirs is way to short for the job!

  2. This looks fabulous…especially with the 5 different fruits! YUM.

    PS…I have a daughter with a physical disability, so I can certainly relate to the ups and downs…but it helps to keep your sense of humor!!! xoxo

  3. HI Janet! The Extra Crispy Fruit Crisp looks delicious! I love the different types of fruits in it! I’m glad today it was laughter for you and your son….

  4. I love berry crisps in the summer. No other time will I pick the fruit dessert, but in the summer it just seems right. I love adding all of the berries together. Looks delicious! And if the boys don’t want it, the more for you!

  5. This sounds like it would be really good this time of year! Thanks for sharing about your son, it does sound like you have a lot of patience and love him very much. 🙂

  6. Love the recipe you shared, loved the life experience you shared even more. You sound like a wonderful Mom. Which is why he’s a wonderful kid. Loved the extra crispy tale. Also I liked your pic. Us foodies know some food photographs well and some doesn’t. All that matters is the taste.

    • thanks Kim. That does make me feel better about the photo. And thank you for the compliment also. You’re a sweetheart. 🙂

  7. Whoa baby! Where do I get a bowl of that deliciousness?! I love the mixture of the fruit and the crunch…such a texture person! 😛

    • Thanks Ravie. Yeah; me too. I’m normally an ice cream person but crisps and cobblers are such homey comforting foods 🙂

    • Thanks Tiff! Yep, fruit (especially when you cover it in a puddle of heavy cream… not that *I* do that of course) is the bomb 🙂

  8. Fabulous looking crisp! Love the fruit and the oatmeal crumble! I adore your stories about your boys. I work with students with special needs in classrooms settings and my job is definitely never boring, which is why I love the job. It is never the same day twice!

    • Thanks Lori. And thanks for shring that you work with special needs kids. I love you for that. There are far too few good people doing that work unfortunately. And nope, they are never boring kids lol.

  9. Oh this looks good. I love crisps.

    On an unrelated note have you read Raising Blaze: Bringing Up an Extraordinary Child in an Ordinary World by Debra Ginsberg? It is an incredibly touching book about raising a son who sounds like yours. It made me laugh, cry, and get angry for her.

    Anyway, great post. Sorry for the book tangent.

    • That’s quite all right about the book tangent Stephanie. I am an avid reader and am grateful for any books that touch on raising a special needs child. Thank you for the suggestion 🙂

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