Happy August!
I promised last night to give you the recipe for my blueberry crisp. My, is it ever good! I actually made this a few days ago (the same night I made jambalaya!) and have been picking at it at odd times ever since.
Blueberry Crisp
Serves about six
4 cups fresh blueberries
juice of one lemon
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 stick cold butter, cut into tiny pieces
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
Preheat the oven to 375 and spray a shallow pan (I used a 9 by 15″ pan) with cooking spray. Spread out the berries evenly along the bottom of the pan and sprinkle the lemon juice on top.
In a large bowl, combine all the rest of the ingredients and use your hands to work in the butter. In the end, you should have tiny pieces of butter throughout. You still want some chunks for optimal streusel.
Spread the streusel on top of the blueberries and bake for about 25 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.
***
This August first began very chilly. It was in the low fifties when I woke up and the fog was as thick as pea soup. However, the sun just broke through the clouds and now the temperatures are pushing seventy five. This is precisely while I love the Bay Area.
Had oatmeal and coffee for breakfast!
Don’t even remember the last time I had oatmeal. Today I used 1/3 cup oats, 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk, 1/4 cup water, a few dried blueberries, a little vanilla paste, cinnamon, half of a grated apple, a spoonful of chia seeds, a little bit of Opera Girl’s granola and some Nuttzo. It was quite the bowl of loaded oatmeal.
I spent the morning researching new camera lenses in my bed. Since I broke my prime lens (50 mm) last winter, I’ve really wanted to invest in a new one but wasn’t sure exactly what to get. For the past few weeks, I’ve been using Almanzo’s 50 mm 1.4 lens (I had the 1.8 before, which was still a great lens but was less expensive) and loved it. However, he needed it back for work so now I’m left using the lens that came with my camera, the 18-55 mm. It’s not a bad lens at all and I love it (especially for wide angle shots) but I need something a little better for food.
Dabbling with the idea of the 60 mm macro….or the 35 mm, which seems to be good for both wide angle and portrait shots. Right now, I’m leaning towards the 60 mm but haven’t pulled the trigger yet. Any photographers want to jump in with their opinion? Just please don’t tell me to go buy the 100 mm because a one thousand dollar camera lens is definitely not in the budget right now.
Back to today. After spending way too much time on Amazon, I went to church and then came back for quesadillas!
I just melted about a third cup of cheddar cheese in a tortilla and then served it with leftover mango salsa and guacamole.
Ridiculous. Why don’t I make myself quesadillas more often?
My drink of choice was Tazo iced cucumber white in a Bonne Maman jar.
I’m off to the bookstore to get some serious writing done, then possibly rewarding myself by reading poolside. Enjoy your Sunday!
{ 42 comments… read them below or add one }
That first pic is just gorgeous!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I have GOT yo make that blueberry crisp, pronto.
I think your pictures always look stunning now. I know I would love to have another lens better suited for food photography as well though. I’ll be interested to see what is recommended.
I’m so jealous of your weather right now! That kind of weather is why I miss the Bay Area
ahh, the bay area fog – always a bit of a downer but i think fresh mango salsa makes it better. and blueberry crisp. yep.
I’m so jealous of your weather. With temps at 95 here in Atlanta running is a must do inside or before 8am.
As for your lens I’ve been dying to get a macro for a while but don’t have a ton of money (starving college student style) so I always look at off brand lenses. Tamron has a 60mm and 90mm lens that I’ve played with. The 90 is f/2.8 and the 60 is f/2. Both reasonably priced I’d say and are good lenses. If I get one I’ll probably go for the 60. 90 and above is just too much for me, I’ll feel like I can’t do as much with it. Plus if I’m spending the money the lens needs to be versatile for sure.
Good luck! Buying a lens is always a rush when you finally decide
I am at the beach (but on the east coast) and the haze/fog broke to an absolutely gorgeous and clear day. Love that. I am going to try your blueberry crisp but substitute blueberries with my bounty of Jersey peaches…think it will translate?
I’m loving this weather also, although I would like to have a few more days in the high 80′s, just to feel like we’ve had a longer summer.
Camera lens’, I really want a macro…..good luck with your decision
Fog is just the best kind of weather. I love not being able to see everything all at once. Except when I’m driving
I don’t know much about photography but I do know that your pictures are always gorgeous!
Thank you for the recipe! It’s definitely on my list!
And as for your quesadilla lunch… I’m thinkin’ I’ve got some tortillas in the fridge I’m about to put to good use! Thank you!
Oh, you’ve got to try your blueberry crisp over hot oatmeal. I did that with my rhubarb crisp and it changed my life. So delicious!
Wow, thanks for the recipe! It looks fantastic! I can’t wait to try it.
I think I might need to head to the library to get some work done too. I get far too distracted at home! How do you overcome distractions?
I’m currently in the market for a new camera lens (I love my Canon Rebel 18-55mm, but agree with you that I need something more suited for food and close-ups). I’m seriously leaning towards the 50mm, priced at just under $100. It’s excellent with close-ups and macro settings.
Thank you for sharing the blueberry crisp recipe! Looks outstanding. Also, that mango salsa+quesadilla lunch looks delicious. Quesadillas are such a great, quick and yummy meal to whip up.
it was a little chilly too! geez i hope its not foreshadowing of whats to come for august right!!
xoxo <3
I looove the chilly wine country mornings, it’s like getting 2 seasons in a day!
Delicious beery crisp. I love the idea of grating an apple on your oats, sounds good.
P.S. Back to the subject of lenses, do you stick with Canon or do you use a different brand of lens?
What wonderful photos! Have a great day
omg, I want those quesadillas!!! lol
Thanks for the Crisp recipe. I love that stuff – usual have it with apples or dates – so this will be next.
That blueberry crisp looks amazing! Thanks for sharing! I love that first picture too, the scenery makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. <3
I have a 50mm 1.8 also and love it, but I would REALLY like to get a macro. So my recommendation is for the 60mm.
i made quesadillas for myself, my 2 year old and the hubs for lunch today, DELISH! i really wish i had all the ingredients to make the blueberry crisp right now, sounds so yum!
I have a 35mm f1.8 and absolutely love it. It rarely comes off my camera, it’s fabulous for portrait shots (which you said). I actually just used it to do a friend’s engagement shots. It is definitely an all purpose fixed lens, if that’s the type of thing you are looking for. If you want a dedicated macro lens, then I would definitely go for the 60 mm. Eventually, I’m sure I will add that to my collection.
I love a good quesadilla!! (Napolean Dynamite) :–)
I know absolutely nothing about camera lenses, but the ones you normally use never fail to make me hungry!! I’d love to know more about them though so I look forward to the feedback on this post!
mmmm – that iced tea sounds too goo to be true.
& don’t worry, i’m not going to tell you to buy a 100mm lense b/c your photos are already terrific!!
Blueberries are $1 a pint right now so I have totally loaded up on them – at least now I know what I am going to make : )
I am certainly no photographer. I just got my first DSLR recently and only have the 18-55 that came with it (I got the Nikon D60.) I love the camera and that lens but I can see if you are trying to get serious that it could be a little limiting. I am excited to read what kind of advice that you get!
You live in such a gorgeous area! I love that shot of the dock.
It was a chilly morning here too. I’m getting excited for fall already!
Wow that blueberry crisp looks sooooooo yummy! I love summer time and its delicious fruits
Yeah, no camera advice here. I just own a point and shoot. My life is simple and I love it.
Your salsa is sooooo bright and photogenic, I could be too busy taking pics to eat it!!!
Mmmmm I want your salsa! It’s so bright and beautiful!
How in the world is it so cold there? It’s in the 90′s at least every day here. Tomorrow the heat index is 108!
I’ve never played around with the 60mm macro, but I have the 100mm and I love it. I wouldn’t assume it’s been too much of a difference.
I don’t know if it’d be worth it to buy the 35mm lens since you are able to get that length with the lens you have now. I used to have the 18-55mm lens and I loved how versatile it was, but it doesn’t fit on my new camera. Boooooo.
I don’t know nearly everything about camera lens but I love talking about anything camera so if you want me to expand at all, you’ve got my email!
I love quesadillas! They are staples in our house. So simple and so good.
That crisp looks amazing!!
Honestly, I would go for the 50mm 1.4 that you had been using or the 35mm. I think you will find the 60mm macro very limiting because you will only be able to use it for food. Which means if you’re out at a restaurant and and want to take pics of the scenery and your food, it may be a bit harder.
i say go for the 60…you want something that is going to be super versatile since you don’t ONLY take pictures of your food
Ahh Jenna I made a gluten free version of this crisp last night and it was to die for!! I used gluten free flour and rolled oats and also added chopped almonds for extra crunch. It was sooo goood!!! Best summer treat. I’m going to add peaches next time! Thanks for an awesome recipe.
This crisp inspired me to make a peach/strawberry one. It was to die for. I’ve just about polished off 1/2 of it on my own!
I never think to make quesadillas either, but it looks delish!
So I made these, except I used a third of blueberries, blackberries and raspeberries. Not sure if it is just my preference, but my crisp wasn’t too “crispy”. It really didn’t seem to have enough dry ingredients for some reason? Using the exact measurements above, it was a very mushy crisp. I loved it nonetheless, but will prob double the dry ingredients next time… or add it to my oatmeal
I made the exact recipe and it was delicious. Mine didn’t look as crispy, but tasted great! I’ll be adapting it for every summer/berry fruit possible
Thanks!
I made this for some friends last night! Wow, it was absolutely delicious. It was the perfect combination of oatmeal topping and blueberries. Thank you for sharing. This will definitely be a recipe that I make again