End of Summer

Summer seems to peak and decline in August. The last of summer's vacations and outdoor get-togethers start to wind down as the weather becomes a little more unpredictable later in the month.

Fortunately blackberries are in season that gives us a little more of a summer push we may be hankering for. We found this simple blackberry sauce recipe from PBS that sounds so delightful and easy!

Simple Homemade Blackberry Sauce

Prep Time: 3 min(s)

Cook Time: 5 min(s)

Total Time: 8 minutes min(s)

Servings: Makes just over 1 cup

A simple fresh homemade blackberry sauce recipe that can be made in under 10 minutes from start to finish. Great for pouring over ice cream, pancakes, waffles, and French toast.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries, washed

1/2 cup water

3 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. In a medium non-stick sauce pan, cook the blackberries, 1/4 cup water, sugar, and lemon juice on medium high for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Transfer the berry mixture to a blender or food processor and puree the fruit for 30 seconds in two 15 second intervals.

3. If the sauce is completely pulverized and pasty thick, add the remaining 1/4 cup of water.  Blend again for 15 seconds.  The sauce will be fluid.

4. Transfer the sauce to a serving dish.  Store any remaining sauce in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

With all the fresh produce starting to dwindle down, now would be a great time to start canning for the winter months. Peaches, beans, tomatoes all could be enjoyed from the garden or CSA when the dark days settle in. There are all sorts of different canning recipes that can be found online or elsewhere but you need to be careful on where they come from. Always trust a reliable source like the Ball company who sells the majority of canning products on the market. They have a ton of canning recipes, tips, and instructions to help you with starting or improving your canning skills. If you don't have the time or space to do full blown canning, pickles and freezer jams are very easy to make. Canned goods also make great gifts in a pinch.

August is a great month to get some of your outdoor projects wrapped up. Painting your front door, staining your deck or having your windows replaced is best to do before the rain hits. Also, if you're doing any renovation work the light is still good until around 7-8pm and it's less likely to have mud tracked in and out of the house. It is also a good time to get your yard work taken care of just in case the rain starts after the weekend. 

If you're fortunate to have garden space, some of the most gorgeous flowers are in season right now. Dahlias are spectacular and come in so many shapes, sizes and colors. They are relatively easy tuber to grow they just need plenty of sun (native to Mexico), prefer sandy soil , need to be cut back and dug up in the fall, then stored in a cool dry place. In some areas you can leave your tubers in the ground over the winter but can be risky. If you do decide so, make sure they are in well drained soil and add a hefty amount of mulch to the top before freezing temperatures. If you don't have a garden or don't find pleasure in gardening, Pike Place Market, local farmers markets or farm stands will have many varieties to choose from.