Impromptu Fruit Crisp

Being Summer there is a bevy of delicious fruit available.  For a long time I stayed away from fruit thinking it was a get fat quick scheme of nature packing all that sugar into a gorgeous tasty package.  Since then I've come to realize there is more than sugar to the bounty available and some of that "more" is the stuff your body needs.  Besides, if I don't have sugary treats other than what is naturally occurring I'm well ahead of the game.

After coming back from our Texas Memorial Weekend, I was craving a fruit salad.  I figured I'd cut up a bunch of fruit, toss it with a citrus-y dressing to stave off browning, and have it be available as a snack, or to join my yogurt and granola at breakfast.  Somehow, though, I ended up with more fruit than I could reasonably consume fresh so I had to improvise.  Additionally, Tim and I just had dinner and I was in a cooking mood as well as a dessert mood so a crisp was in order.

I took a quick inventory of what fruit was at the tippity top peek of freshness, teetering on edge.  I had two ripe peaches (my favorite!) and half a pint of blueberries.  Keeping it simple, I decided that was enough for the "Base".  I'd need to find something to thicken the juice and something to form a crust.  Since I didn't want to cook-cook, I decided against a traditional pie.  Also, I didn't have enough filling to make it worth while to use a casserole dish.  So, a crisp in ramekins it is!

For the Filling: 

• 2 really ripe peaches
• 1/2 pint of blueberries
• 2 T flour (I used whole wheat)
• 2 T sugar
• 1 T whole rolled oats (just in case there wasn't enough flour)
• 2 T butter 

I left the skins on the peaches, but did wash them thoroughly.  Remove the pit and chop into 1/2 in pieces.  Toss with the blueberries and remaining ingredients above and set aside.  You notice how when you make up a recipe how all the measurements use the same number?  Anyway...

For the Crisp:

• 1/4 C Walnuts
• 1/4 C Oats
• 1/4 C Brown Sugar
• 1/4 t Kosher Salt
• Maple Syrup to drizzle

Combine all but the maple syrup in a food processor and pulse until the texture is uniform, but not microscopic. I had enough to fill 4 6oz ramekins with the fruit base.  I forced the probably too much crumble topping to cover the 4 ramekins 2/3's filled with fruit.  Lightly drizzle the topping with maple syrup.  Place on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake for 20 - 35 minutes.  You're looking for the blueberries to burst and start oozing along the sides of the ramekin.  The crumble topping will be nice and lightly browned and your house will smell delicious!

Enjoy!