roasted berries and cherries

In just a few days, I’ll be sitting in a New Orleans hotel conference room, speaking to a room full (hopefully) of food bloggers about managing time effectively. The goal of the panel discussion is to be interactive, with me and Marissa leading the conversation and offering up our own tips and tricks.

Of course, this comes during a stretch of days – weeks, even – where I feel as If I’m doing everything BUT managing my time effectively.

Sort of ironic, really.

Like most people, I’m balancing lots of different things in my life at any one time, and now seems like one of those times that I have too many balls up in the air. Juggling too many balls means that I’m bound to drop one here and there.

Yesterday, I did.

I forgot that I was supposed to attend my son’s pre-kindergarten open house. I was busy working on a Power Point presentation for work instead. I finally got home just before 7:00, with the presentation done, but feeling awful about missing the open house. Thankfully, my husband was able to attend it since I didn’t remember, and it all turned out to be no big deal.

But still.

That whole mommy-guilt thing really knows how to give a hard kick in the ribs. And then a second kick for good measure.

Let’s move on to the recipe.

We’re closing out the season of summer fruits soon, and I wanted to share this very simple recipe with you. These roasted blueberries and cherries break down into a rich dessert sauce, making a wonderful topping for a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream or even a slice of pound cake. Other than the time it takes to pit and halve the cherries (and wear an apron when you pit them – trust me on this), there is very little active time involved with this recipe.

So make this. And while the berries and cherries are roasting, use your time wisely to catch up on that stack of food magazines you have sitting on the table. Or sort your mail. Or read a story to your kid.

Or just take a little rest at the kitchen table with a warm cup of tea and your thoughts. Go on – you deserve the break.

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Roasted Berries and Cherries

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon brandy
Zest of 1/2 lemon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine cherries and blueberries in a large mixing bowl. Add cornstarch, sugar, brandy, and lemon zest. Stir to combine well. Pour in a 9 x 9 inch baking dish and bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until the juices are released and bubbling at the edges, 30-40 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then store, covered, in the refrigerator.