Recipe: Blueberry Crisp with Peaches and Ginger

Recipe: Blueberry Crisp with Peaches and Ginger

Ginger adds a warm, earthy, autumn kick to this classic dessert.

blueberry crisp with peaches and ginger

Years ago, my mother taught me how to make a skillet pie. This is much like a regular pie, but quicker, and quite a bit more rustic. Simply start with a cast iron (or other oven safe) skillet. Melt butter, add a touch of flour and sugar and fruit, and heat in the skillet till the fruit starts releasing it’s juices and forming a syrup. Then top it with a pie crust and pop it in the oven. So simple and easy.

I started combining ginger with blueberries in dishes recently, and I just love the flavor combination: down home with a kick.  A few weeks ago, my friend Diane baked me a blueberry and nectarine pie, and that inspired the addition of the peaches.

I wanted a simple dessert like that, but I did not want to bother with pie crust, so I substituted with a standard crisp topping – with a touch of ginger for a little more kick. Toasted nuts would be delightful in this topping as well.

We are fruit smoothie people, so our freezer is always stocked with frozen fruit; this recipe was easy to whip up with ingredients we keep on hand all the time.

As always, delightful kitchen helpers make the food taste more delicious.

gem is a wonderful cook

 

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First Sleepover

First Sleepover

Gem and her BFF/cousin had their first sleepover recently.  It was a big rite of passage for both little girls.

First Sleepover

Checking out that awesome tent.

First Sleepover

Puppy snuggles.

The tent was set up so they could see the TV and watch a movie before falling asleep.

First Sleepover

They did eventually get some sleep.

How to Juggle Cancer and Parenting: Karey Gauthier’s Story

How to Juggle Cancer and Parenting: Karey Gauthier’s Story

Age at diagnosis: 29 Diagnosis Date: 2/23/2011
Type of Cancer: Breast cancer – Triple Negative Stage at Diagnosis: Stage 3
Treatment Plan: Chemo, surgery (single mast) and radiation Current Status: No evidence of disease

How to Juggle Cancer and Parenting: Karey Gauthier

 

How did you tell your kids about the cancer diagnosis?

She was too young

How did your kids respond?

Too young

What are some things you did that worked really well for your family with regards to dealing with the cancer, and treatment, while raising children?

Allowing our community to help in any way they were willing and able. I also had to let go of a lot of my parenting ideals and live in survival mode. An example is letting my child watch tv younger and more often than I’d planned.

Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?

Not really

How did the impact of cancer change as time passed, and your children grew? Did it change?

Gratefully my daughter was so young the impact of cancer was minimal. The only thing I noticed was once treatment was over I had to rebuild my relationship a bit as she was used to spending more time with other caretakers.

Do you have concerns about the long term impact of your cancer on your children?

Only in my fear of recurrence.

What advice would you give to other moms who are diagnosed with cancer?

Ask for and receive help. We are all super moms but we don’t have to be supermom

What concerns or fears troubled you the most?

Death, not being there to raise them.

How did you deal with those fears?

Counseling and antidepressants

Have those fears and concerns changed over time?

They’ve lessened some

What was your darkest moment?

After surgery I really struggled and ultimately decided to go on antidepressants when I was crying every day and not feeling relief

What was your best moment?

When my diagnosis anniversary passed by and I didn’t notice until a week or so later. I felt to some extent I had moved on from cancer

Did you decide to add more children to your family after your diagnosis? How did cancer figure into your decision? Do you have suggestions for other women considering a post- cancer treatment pregnancy, surrogacy, or adoption?

I underwent fertility preservation prior to treatment to ensure we could continue our family post cancer. Then I accidentally ended up pregnant two and a half months after finishing treatment. Since I was hormone negative my doctors weren’t concerned about the timing even though ideally they had wanted me to wait two years. My advice is you need to live your life despite the cancer. Do what makes you happy, because the truth is you never know- you could beat cancer and die in a car accident.

What did you do to take care of you? How did you splurge on yourself?

As finances allowed I splurged on alternative treatments such as massage, acupuncture and chiropractors. I also made sure to do things that brought me pleasure such as pedicures and singing in annual performances.

Were you able to get help from friends and family members while you were going through treatment?

I have had the privilege of experiencing the depth and breadth of love and support my community has to offer because of my cancer

Was it difficult to ask for help? Do you have any suggestions around the topic of asking for help?

I struggled asking for and receiving help because it felt somehow like I was less than. If help is offered- take it. If someone says “what can I do?” Be honest even if it is cleaning your house or cooking a meal. The website lotsa helping hands was immensely helpful in managing the help also. I recommend asking someone close to help you manage it.

Did you have an online resource that helped you through this experience?

Young survival coalition and lotsa helping hands were my two primary online resources

Did cancer/treatment impact your relationship with your spouse/partner?

Yes though I’m not fully sure how yet. We are still recovering

Do you have any relationship advice for young moms dealing with cancer?

Take a deep breath, you can get through this

What is something you wish your friends and family members understood about your cancer and its impact on your life? What would you tell the friends and family members of other mom’s diagnosed with cancer? What would you want them to know about what she’s about to go through, and how best they can support her?

Cancer is a medical diagnosis, not an identity. It colors who you are just as any major experience would, be it pregnancy, pets, kids, diabetes, etc. However, it does not define you or your future.

For loved ones, give offers of help, but be specific. Patients don’t have the capacity to figure out what would be helpful most of the time. If you plan to do something in honor of the person, ask first if they are comfortable with that. I had a family member walk in my honor twice and make a big deal about it and want me there. I felt like a prize pig on display and it felt awful.

Were there any cancer-related activities or events in which you participated that you think were especially helpful to you or members of your family?

I was connected with one other woman who was a young mother going through treatment at my center. It was so helpful to have her to talk to. Counseling was also very very helpful.

Are there any resources that you recommend?

Young survival coalition
Lotsa helping hands

Do you have a blog or website where you share your stories about parenting while battling cancer?

Www.ourgauthierfamily.blogspot.com

What are some solutions you found to practical problems of combining cancer treatment with raising young children?

Ask for help- neighbors, friends, family. You can’t do it alone. If all you can manage is a movie marathon and take out food, that is ok. It is a temporary situation and will not do permanent damage. Talk to your doctors about your unique needs in caring for your child during treatment and how to adapt accordingly. Sometimes snuggling in bed with a book or a movie is all they need when you can’t pick them up.

You can find more on the How to Juggle Cancer and Parenting Series here:

manage cancer and parenting

Cancer showed up with surprises: Sonya Davis’ Story

Cancer showed up with surprises: Sonya Davis’ Story

Today’s guest contributor is Sonya Davis. Sonya writes about her experience as a breast cancer survivor, and as the child of a breast cancer survivor.

Sonya Davis

Photos courtesy of Sonya Davis.

 

In some ways I think I’m lucky. I have a strong family history of cancer – on both sides of my family. I am the youngest person in my family to be diagnosed and the first of my generation of cousins, but the idea of cancer is not new to my family. My own mother was told that with her personal history, my sister and I had a 50/50 chance of getting cancer at some point in our life. I’m hoping that I took the bullett for my sister. While the diagnosis was shocking and disturbing, I can’t say it was surprising. And while the diagosis wasn”t surprising, there were some surprises I want to share.

Surprise 1 – The bills

I knew cancer was expensive, but I had no idea of the financial tail spin the bills would send me in to. It frustrates me to no end that I’m still making payments, 3 years after diagnosis. And I have fairly decent health insurance.  I have no idea how people who don’t have insurance do it. After treatment, all you want to do is move on with your life, but that is pretty hard to do when you keep getting bills.

Surprise 2 – How much stronger I am now

Some tmes I look at things I do now and think “wow, i never would have done that 3 years ago”. The first time I realized this was the first time I danced in public without being under the influence of large quantities of alchol. And you know what? It feels great. I love the confidence and strength I now see in myself. I also love that I no longer sweat the small stuff like I used to.

Surprise 3 – the doctor visits never seem to end

Every time I turn around, it seems like I have another doctor appointment. It’s all for little stuff that always seems to turn out fine, but you never know. And then there is the question “Which doctor do I ask?” Fortunatly, both my oncologist and my primary care doctor always take me seriously, but I am getting tired of always having a question.
Three years out from diagnosis, this is where I’m at. This is me and all I can do is keep myself moving forward.

A child’s perspective of a parent’s cancer

One common theme I often hear from parents who have been diagnosed with cancer is they are worried about their kids. I don’t have kids, am not an expert on kids, but do have one thing in common with the kids – my mom was diagnosed with cancer when I was still a kid. And I always have one thing I want to share with parents: I’m ok. And your kids will be too.

Sonya Davis Honestly, I don’t remember much about my mom’s cancer experience. I don’t know if it is because I shut it out or because I was wrapped up in my teenage self, like any normal 16-year-old. Probably the latter. I do know I was upset. I remember having to leave the house because my sister was playing “the wind beneath my wings” on the piano and I couldn’t listen to it. I remember my aunt pulling out her prosthesis to show me what it looked like. I remember when  and why she decided not to do chemo. It’s part of my history, but it did not define who I am. Cancer Sonya Davis

Were it not for my mom’s history, I probably wouldn’t have caught my own cancer when I did. I was not afraid I’d get cancer, but I was aware I could. Cancer did not occupy my thoughts the way it does now – I knew enough to be aware it could happen, but it was an after thought.
I very much hope that you ever have to hear that your child has cancer, but if you do know that your child’s journey will be different than yours, but you can provide support like no other. My mom never expects me to just move on. She understands the day to day fears. She never makes me feel like i’m over reacting. She encourages me to take my fears seriously and get things checked out. She’s my biggest support. She’s my hero.