Summertime Delight

When I look back on summer days as a child, I’m immediately overwhelmed with memories of sand and sun, hamburgers and hot dogs, and ice-cold sodas from the cooler. It seems like the definitive experience of a child growing up near the Florida coast, but I want to look a little further than that. To find the most iconic summertime food, I think back on the days I spent with my grandparents at their home in The Middle of Nowhere.

Every summer, my family would have a reunion for the Fourth of July in The Middle of Nowhere. All my extended family members would show up for the fun, all bringing some dish or another to share with everyone. Even though family would bring dozens of wonderful foods, these are not the iconic summer foods that come to mind. Instead, the supreme food lies in the memories of the week before, when I went with my grandparents to prepare for the celebration.

During the week, my grandmother and I would take one or two mornings to grab a couple of buckets and bring them to some bushes that she and her sister-in-law had planted many years ago. Every year, these bushes would become laden with fat, ripe blueberries so heavy and juicy that the branches would sag. They ripened just in time for the family reunion, and my grandmother and I would work diligently to harvest the sweet berries before the crows and bugs could get to them. They were so fresh and delicious, I would often pop a few into my mouth as I worked when I thought my grandmother wasn’t looking. I always believed I was being so sly and sneaky, but she knew what I was about the entire time. I never could hide the fact that my lips and tongue were stained with berry juice, but she never scolded me. She would just laugh and shake her head before taking our harvest inside to be washed.

The iconic taste of fresh blueberries straight from the bush will be a memory that stays with me forever, and I will never be able to think of summer without thinking of those days with my grandmother. I still love blueberries even now, but they never taste as sweet as the ones from my childhood. If ordinary berries aren’t what you think of when you think of summer and you were hoping for a recipe, then I can share that with you as well. After all the blueberries were gathered, my grandmother and I would make the most delicious desserts with them. She preferred making cobblers, but I’m going to share a recipe for the greatest blueberry dessert of all time: the Blueberry Delight.

Ingredients

1/3 c. Sugar

10 tbsp. Melted Butter

1 (8 oz) pckg. Cream Cheese

1 c. Powdered Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 c. Crushed Graham Crackers

1 (16 oz) tub Cool Whip (thawed and divided)

42 oz. Blueberry Pie Filling (fresh, or use two 21 oz. cans)

Instructions for the filling:

You will need: 4.5 tbsp. cornstarch, 1.13 c. sugar, 4.5 c. fresh blueberries, 1.13 c. water, and 2.25 tsp. fresh lemon juice.

1) Using a heavy, medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar until there are no lumps remaining. Add the water, blueberries, and lemon juice.

2) Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until thick. Remove from heat and let cool before using. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for one week, tightly covered.

Instructions for the dessert:

1) In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter, stirring well. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2) While the crust chills, use a stand or hand mixer to combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and ½ the tub of Cool Whip. Beat until smooth with no lumps, then spread it evenly over the crust.

3) Add the blueberry filling, spread evenly over the cream cheese layer.

4) Top with the remaining Cool Whip. If you have any remaining graham cracker crumbs, sprinkle over the top for a nice garnish. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

This dessert is the most iconic summertime dish that comes to mind, I hope you can enjoy it as much as I have!