A Scrumptious Strawberry Crisp

***Ahh...The sunshine-filled days of summer are upon us!  The first official day of summer will be here before we know it...June 21st!  And you know what that means - Beautiful strawberries, juicy blueberries and perfectly plump cherries line the shelves at your local grocery and farmers markets...just to name a few of the things that are in season.  Not to mention fresh corn, tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash and peaches...oh my!  I just love this time of year.

Here's the P.E.R.F.E.C.T. fruity crisp for summer!  Brad and I were craving a fruity dessert the other night, and I had a big bowl of gorgeous strawberries hanging out in the fridge.  I came across this scrumptious crisp in a Williams-Sonoma cookbook, and it sounded absolutely perfect!

The rolled oats really add a great heartiness to the dish, and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream is the ultimate finishing touch.  You'll notice that this recipe also calls for rhubarb, however, I left it out completely.  I simply added extra strawberries to the filling, to make up the difference.  Feel free to substitute any of your favorite berries, or use a combination....maybe strawberry + blueberry!

Bon Appetit!***

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Adapted from “Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking”
Makes 8 servings

Filling:
•6 medium stalks rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I left out the rhubarb...see notes above)
•2 cups (8 ounces/250 grams) strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise
•1/2 cup (4 ounces/125 grams) sugar

Topping:
•1 cup (5 ounces/155 grams) all-purpose flour
•1/2 cup (1.5 ounces/45 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
•1/3 cup (3 ounces/90 grams) sugar
•1/3 cup (2.5 ounces/75 grams) firmly packed golden brown sugar
•1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted


Directions:
1.Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Have ready a 2.5 quart ceramic or glass pie dish or baking dish.


2. For the Filling: In a large bowl, stir together the rhubarb, strawberries and sugar until well mixed. Pour into the baking dish, and set aside.


3. For the Topping: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, rolled oats, sugars, cinnamon and salt until well blended. Stir in the melted butter until evenly moistened crumbs form. Spoon the crumb mixture over the filling.


4. Bake the crisp until the rhubarb is tender when tested with a toothpick, the juices are bubbling, and the topping is golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm.


Note: The crisp can be cooled, covered with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. Rewarm in a 250-degree F oven for 15 minutes before serving. Preferably with a substantial scoop of vanilla ice cream.