Now, I know you probably won’t believe me, but it’s freezing in Hawaii right now and I’m layered in fleece, double socks, and long johns as I write this. It’s getting so bad that I placed an order with LL Bean for a bunch of hats to wear when we sleep (no joke). Granted, I live up in the mountains and not at the beach, but still! This is Hawaii, for Pete’s sake!
And yes, it’s true that my definition of “freezing” may be quite different from that of my fellow Debs who live in bona fide “freezing” temperatures, but you have to remember that these little sugar cane houses aren’t built for cold weather. There’s no heat, no A/C, no double pane windows. I can see into my garage (correction: car port) from my kitchen by looking under the gap beneath the front door. So when an unexpected storm passed through a couple of weeks ago (leaving a nice dusting of snow atop Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa), it left in its wake two sick kids and one sick husband. And me, trying to not freak out (and I’m not doing a very good job in that department, let me tell you).
So clearly anything I make this holiday season needs to be EASY. As in, easy peasy lemon squeezy. As in, so easy my 7 year old daughter could do it (if she wasn’t sick and if she was allowed to use the oven, which she’s not). This recipe has become one of my favorites and was given to me by a prominent local foodie, Joan Namkoong, for my upcoming novel, SWEET LIFE (Berkley, September 2008). It’s guaranteed to warm you up this holiday season plus the sugar hit will put you in joyful mood as you pick up discarded tissues all around your house.
Mango Crisp
Serves 8
- 5-6 cups firm, ripe mango, sliced (if you can’t get mangos, you can easily substitute with ripe peaches, nectarines or plums)
- juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons raw white or turbinado sugar
TOPPING
- 1 cup unsalted butter, frozen for 10 minutes
- 1½ cups flour
- 1½ cups quick cooking oatmeal
- 2 cups raw white or turbinado sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Place fruit in a 9” x 13” baking dish or deep pie dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice and sugar; mix together.
- Mix flour, oatmeal, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a bowl.
- Quickly and carefully grate butter by hand or in a food processor. Toss grated butter with flour mixture using two table knives (or cut cold butter sticks into 8 to 10 pieces and blend into dry ingredients with a pastry blender) until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Once butter is evenly incorporated, place mixture on top of fruit. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until top is browned and crisp. Remove from oven and cool.
- Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
To the 2008 Debs, I wish you every publishing and personal success!
Fondly,
Debutante Mia
OH this sounds delicious! Thank you Mia. And I think Danielle’s egg nog would go far to help warm you up!
Am I glad to find YOU girls in Writer’s Digest! I’m sure you’ve been inundated since the article came out!
I have been waiting for two months for the manuscript of my first novel to reach the top of the pile upon which it sits on the desk of my literary agent. I’m about to climb out of my skin in anticipation of her response.
She warned me that her pile was tall and mean, and I’m trying to be patient.
To keep my writing skills from packing their bags and running out the door in the meantime, my sister and I started a blog. We give regular Seinfeldian observations on every day life through the fuzzy eyes of two twisted sisters from Texas. We’ve had more fun with it than a barrel FULL of monkeys, and it has been noticed!
An edltor from MORE Magazine (a women’s magazine for the over-40’s) found our blog and is featuring us in an article coming out in their Feb issue (which hits the stands on Jan 15). Of the 65 million bloggers out there, they picked only four to feature. We’re so excited, we could spit!
Please check out our blog at http://midlifegals.blogspot.com and please pass the link along to the other debs! We do videos as well which still make us cry with laughter whenever we watch them.
And, still I sit…waiting! It’s just been a murderous amount of time. Hayulp!
Merry Ho Ho,
Kellyj
P.S. the title of my first novel is “A Texan Goes to Nirvana,” a comic mystery…a west Texas tumbleweed takes on the Swami and his hoes!
I’m the babycenter gal who has her own website, too. I look forward to reading your book! So glad I found you. Longer email to you shortly.
Oh, meant to say, your blog is great. Keep writing, and the Merriest of Christmases to you in freezing Hawaii! Stay healthy, you kick ass mama, you.
Deb Mia, we will miss having you here every few weeks and hope you come back to tell us how you’re doing and what you’re up to over the next few months.
The recipe looks delicious and indeed, a bit of my eggnog might help you with that winter chill.
And a big “hello” to Kelly Jackson and Mama P! We love meeting fellow bloggers and are happy to have you pop by!
Danielle Younge-Ullman
Freezing in Hawaii? You are ruining my dreams of your life on the beach. I can’t wait for your next book to come out. Be sure to come back then and do a guest spot.
Just like all your shared recipes, this one sounds delicious, Mia. But fresh peaches or plums now??? 😉
“Freezing” is indeed relative and here’s hoping Santa brings good health to your home and hearth. After all, do the kids really want to compete with Rudolph’s red nose? *G*
Take good care of yourself as well, I eagerly await your version of THE SWEET LIFE.
Mia this sounds yummy 😉 . And as one thorough cook who scours farmers markets in the summertime and freezes fresh peaches, I might even be able to manage this one in the dead of winter! If, that is, I can find them in the freezer!
And now you have me very worried–we’re headed to Hawaii shortly–please don’t tell me it will be cold there!!!