Blueberry Crunch and Green Salad with Avocado and Cumin

So, let's talk a little more about this blueberry crunch. Last time I made it it turned out a bit too sweet, so I omitted all the white sugar, save a sprinkling, swapped in chopped pecans for cornflakes (because that makes it SO much more gourmet, plus I hate crushed cornflakes, makes me think of breakfast cereal), and piled it differently. For some reason, whenever I make a fruit crunch or crips (Apple, cranberry, blueberry, whatever) and I pile the "crunch/crisp" part on top, it becomes this immutable mass of flourly, sweet, dough-like crunch, which despite these adjectives is really unappealing, especially as a side dish when people want higher health-quality.

Enough talking. Here is how I made it. This was good.

Blueberry Crunch

3 cups frozen blueberries (I buy them at Shoprite or Fairway with an OU on the package. Ask your Rabbi if this is necessary.)

Sprinkling of sugar

2 tsp lemon juice

1 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

5 tbs margarine

1/4-1/3 cup chopped pecans (or to taste)

Toss 3/4 of the blueberries into an 8x8 pan or a pie-sized pan. Sprinkle the lemon juice and sugar over. No need to toss. In a separate bowl, place the flour, brown sugar and pecans, and cut in the margarine until mixture is crumbly. Spoon over the blueberries. Then place the reserved blueberries and spoon that over the topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.

This is delicious! SO much fruitier with some reserved blueberries on top. Works as a side dish or a filling summer dessert.

And now...it's our never fail, ultimate compliment-gatherer, perfect meal starter and accompaniment...

Green Salad with Avocado and Cumin

• 1 head romaine lettuce (not used to checking lettuce? Read my run-through here.)
• 1 tomato
• 1 cucumber
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 avocado
• olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cumin
• deli meat and chinese noodles, optional (but highly recommended! I usually add deli to make it nice enough for a first course if I'm sick of gefilte fish.)

I am not going to give exact measurements for the dressing, because that is largely the point. This green salad demands love and attention, and it will repay you the extra minutes spent tasting, seasoning, tasting and seasoning again. After making it 3-4 times you will be able to eyeball a dressing and be impressed with your eyeball-dressing prowess.

Shred the lettuce and chop the remaining vegetables into a large salad bowl. Toss on deli meat (pastrami and turkey both work well, less is more) and chinese noodles if using. Pour on 2-3 tablespoons olive oil (eyeball it, eyeball it) and toss till everything glistens. Pour on 2-3 tsp lemon juice, sprinkle salt, pepper, cumin and garlic powder all over, and toss again. Taste, add more cumin, toss, taste and correct amounts of lemon juice, salt and pepper. If salad looks too dry and pained, add more olive oil.

Serve and be impressed at how quickly this disappears.