Fruit on the Fourth.

There are many things about this country and our freedom we all can [and should] be thankful for! This Wednesday, I was super thankful for having time to make some yummy food! I am learning rapidly how not fun cooking for just 1 person [me] is, and that typically it is kind of a challenge to cook recipes in small portions. The result is needing to be super committed to eating what ya cook! [Example I made spaghetti with Adam for a date night when he was here, it took me 2 weeks to eat the leftovers]. 

My solution as of Wednesday this week [the 4th of July] was to make something I would LOVE eating for the next week haha - I found a great sounding recipe from Martha Stewart called Ruby Fruit Salad [ << click for her recipe] - and decided to give it a try with a few of my own fruit choices as well. This fruit salad I have now enjoyed on its own and with my oatmeal in the mornings for breakfast! I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July! 

Ruby Fruit Salad - My take!

Ingredients 

• 3 tablespoons light-brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (or 1 lime - Martha used a fresh lime of course!)
• 2 purple or red plums (about 12 ounces), halved, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 peaches halved, pitted, and cut into small pieces
• 1 nectarine halved, pitted, and cut into small pieces
• 2 cups seedless green grapes
• 1 qt blackberries
• 1 pint blueberries
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus sprigs for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Rinse all your yummy fruit! [testers are totally allowed!]

1. 
   
2. In a small bowl, stir together sugar and lime juice. Let stand 10 minutes for sugar to dissolve.

3. Cut up your fruit - this part is by far the most time consuming so either enlist some help or pick out some great music for this step! Cut the grapes in half, [blueberries and blackberries are fine whole], and then cut up the plums, peaches, and nectarine into small bite sized pieces [and any other fruit you add, cut up as appropriate]

4.    Add all fruit into a medium to large size bowl as you finish cutting it. 

5. Give the brown sugar/lime mixture from Step #2 a good stir and then pour over your fruit; Mix everything together.

6. Chill fruit salad in the refrigerator [best if given a day to chill].

7. ENJOY!