Gluten Free Blackberry Crisp

I do like to can food. Well, I actually like the finished product and the bounty on the shelf afterwards. I can do without the mess and heat. I’m not an expert canner. I don’t can anything exotic or extensive, but I have managed to put away at least some jam for the last 10 years. However, last year it seemed like I couldn’t do anything right. My grape jelly didn’t set, and my pickles lacked a “bite”. I managed to can several jars of salsa which was pretty good, but too sweet for my husband’s taste. All that work! It was disappointing to say the least.

My blackberry jam however was divine.

I canned enough of it last summer to keep us stocked for the year! That makes me smile. And I plan to do the same this year. I’ve been trying to get out to the blackberry bushes down by the creek and the massive overgrowth in the middle of the pasture twice a day. Not too many are overripe, but I’m afraid of losing too many. I want them all.

This year has been more challenging to find time to pick. Joshua is seven months – old enough to want to be moving, but certainly not independent. One day it was beginning to rain, and I got creative with keeping him busy and dry at the same time.
My son, Nathan is now 5, and I was surprised at his tenacity in picking blackberries. One for the bowl, two for the mouth…

I wash the berries, let them dry and then freeze them until I’m ready to can. I got a seeder attachment for my Bosch machine. What a great invention! It takes all the seeds out lickety-split. When there's no more berries to pick or I'm "picked out" it's time to can.

Another favorite thing to do with the beautiful blackberries is make some crisp for dessert. What a thrill to now have GF oats. Put them in a coffee grinder and cut them down if they're too thick. This recipe will work great with any fruit that would be suitable in a pie.

Gluten Free Blackberry Crisp

First Mix

2-3 cups of fruit - (sliced if large pieces)

1/4 cup sugar - If the fruit is real ripe I omit the sugar completely since there is plenty of it in the topping (second mix).

2 tablespoons GF flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Second Mix

3/4 cup GF flour (rice flour and/or millet)

1 Cup GF oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt 1/2 cup butter into the second mix and distribute evenly.

Pour first mix into 8X8 pan, then sprinkle on the second.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Lovely!