A foolish mess...

Let me say that I think we should appreciate our Mom's on more than just one day a year...  It is an incredibly important job that is sometimes thankless.
Through terrible two's and rebellious teenage years, through laughter and tears, joy and fear... you are there for it all.
So, to every Mom out there:  Happy Mother's Day today and everyday for all that you do!
Now that I've earned my birthday and Christmas presents for next year, let's get to it.  

This weekend is Mother's Day and the Internet, food magazines, morning shows, cooking shows, even the evening news is filling the space between our ears with recipes to make for Mom...
Most of them even look really good!  But here's the problem:  MOM isn't the one making them!
(I hope!)  

More than a few of the recipes featured have ingredient lists long enough to make even the average home cook sweat under the collar, much less someone who rarely ventures into that mystical space from where food magically appears.
Some of you out there are lucky enough to live with people who actually know:
A. where the kitchen is located in your home and
2) how to find things in this mysterious room

Then, there are those of you who live with people that open the fridge door, stand there staring at it's insides and then ask you "what is there to eat?".  
Well, even THOSE people can handle this recipe.

We are creeping up on berry season and this little dessert is a delicious, light ending to a meal or quite truthfully anytime.  I would never suggest one needs to eat a full meal in order to enjoy the pleasures of a little sweet treat.  
Making this is about as easy as it gets.  Ok... as easy as it gets would be buying something or breaking off a square of pre-made cookie dough, but this dessert comes together in 5 minutes flat.  I promise.


A Foolish Mess
-makes 4 - 6 servings, depending on glass size

For times when dessert is necessary, but turning on the oven is not.  It can be made with almost any fruit. Summer is right around the corner, so stick with berries or even stone fruit.  Who says it has to be rhubarb? 

This recipe is more of an Eton mess, but if you leave out the meringue cookies, it is more "foolish".
Either way, it's delicious and easy.

2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup blueberry jam or black & blue jam
1 pint blueberries
1 small pkg meringue cookies, crumbled (or if you are feeling adventurous, make your own)
Fresh mint leaves

Place medium sized metal bowl in freezer for 10 - 15 minutes.  Remove bowl from freezer and add heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.  Beat on high speed until soft, billowy peaks form.
Gently whisk in the blueberry jam.

In a glass, alternate layers of blueberry cream, meringue cookies and fresh blueberries.  Garnish with mint leaves on top.

perils of the job...