Topsiders

I am not usually about comfort when it comes to shoes.  I go for the eye appeal, comfort be damned.  Hey, I'm a woman and shoes are so much easier to buy than say, pants.  A size 7 is a size 7.  I never have to feel bad about myself if I have to go up a half size.  It doesn't mean I'm fat.  It just means that the shoes run a little small.

But every once in a while, I buy a pair of shoes that are comfortable and cute.  Such is the case with these Sperry Topsiders.

I'm not much for boat shoes.  I mean, I'm not boating here in Pittsburgh.  I'm going to the grocery store so I hardly need to be concerned about slipping on the deck.  But these are seriously cute, aren't they?

My kids love Sperry's.  Especially Charlie.  He has every version of the classic that's ever been made.  I know this because he has dozens of worn out shoes piled up in his closet.  He refuses to get rid of these stinky old shoes because "they're just getting good."

Another thing about me (and most women, I think) is that I get rid of shoes when they look worn out and I also immediately dispose of anything that's stinky.  Charlie is a guy and guys don't feel the same way about these issues as their mothers.

The point of all this is that today my little tootsies were comfortable.  And because my feet were happy, I felt inspired to stand at the counter for what seemed like forever cutting the stems off of the most gorgeous little tiny strawberries I got at the farm stand.  And with those little gems, I made this delicious strawberry rhubarb crisp.

All courtesy of Sperry.

Recipe:  Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
(Barefoot Contessa: How Easy is That?, 2010 by Ina Garten)

Ingredients:


4 cups fresh rhubarb, 1-inch diced (4 to 5 stalks)
4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved, if large
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal, such as McCann's
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the fruit, toss the rhubarb, strawberries, 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar and the orange zest together in a large bowl. In a measuring cup, dissolve the cornstarch in the orange juice and then mix it into the fruit. Pour the mixture into an 8-by-11-inch baking dish and place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

For the topping, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, salt and oatmeal. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter and mix until the dry ingredients are moist and the mixture is in crumbles. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit, covering it completely, and bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream.