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By Jennie Guido

Summer is here. School is finishing up, the heat is kicking in, and it’s time to relax a little.

With Memorial Day this week as the beginning of a rotation of patriotic holidays, a patriotic dessert will be needed to go along with the many barbecues and fish fries on deck this summer.

This recipe has been a staple in the Guido household for many summers.

A neighbor shared this with mom years back, and I’m fairly certain there hasn’t been a summer without a Tupperware dish of this in the fridge at some point.

We always make it with blueberries, but I don’t see why you couldn’t try another berry or just drizzle it with some type of sugary, flavored syrup.

Maybe a dash of red would round out this summer dessert perfectly for your next star-spangled holiday.

Blueberry Yum Yum

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 cups sugar, divided

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 tablespoons water

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

1 8-ounce cream cheese, softened

1 9-ounce frozen whipped topping, thawed

Combine blueberries, 1 cup of sugar, and 1/4 cup of water in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat until berries are soft (about 15 minutes). Combine 1/4 cup cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water in a small mixing bowl. Stir well and add cornstarch mixture to the berry mixture. Continue cooking and stirring constantly until the mixture is thickened. Set aside to cool.

Combine flour, margarine, and pecans in a small bowl and mix well. Press mixture into a  greased 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool.

Combine cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar. Beat until smooth. Fold in the whipped topping. Spread over the crust, then pour the blueberries on top. Refrigerate before serving.

Jennie Guido writes a weekly column for The Natchez Democrat. You can reach her at guido.jennie@gmail.com.