An Apple a Day
At the first sign of fall I get a yearning for something apple-y. If I lived back east I would be knee deep in apple cider donuts and spiced fresh cider. But alas, I am not. So when the first of the new apple crop hits the shelves (I’m looking at you Gravensteins) I make an apple crisp.

Usually when the new apple season is upon us, the temps outside are too hot to make turning your oven on seem like a good idea. But, I make an exception for apple crisp. Sometimes a little pain is worth the gain.

There are any number of ways you could make an apple crisp. Personally, I prefer to top mine with an oatmeal crumble. Of course, you can add other fruits besides apples in there too. The last of the summer stone fruits would work. I love adding a handful of raisins. Or, some of the new pears and later in the season, cranberries can add a bright pop of tartness. For the first crisp of the harvest season, I always keep it simple and go with only apples. I will make an exception for cinnamon or a little cardamom as a nice twist.

My recipe is pretty basic, though lately, I have been adding some boiled cider to all of my apple recipes for a little added apple kick. This works great for your freshly-picked apples from the garden or market—but also with the ones that have been in your fruit bowls for a day or to longer than they should have.

This is dessert for the soul, especially when served with ice cream. But, the leftovers make for a very satisfying breakfast the following morning…what? There are oats in there. That counts!

Amy’s Apple Crisp
Yields 8 Servings

Ingredients
For the filling
4 to 5 large apples, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup water
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons boiled cider (optional)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the topping
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups flour
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1-1/4 cup melted butter

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 ºF.

Make the filling
Combine the ingredients for the filling in a bowl and toss them together to mix. Put the mixture in an 8 x 8 baking dish or pan. Or, alternatively, you could spoon the mixture in to individual ramekins.

Make the topping
In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the topping and mix well. Add the melted butter and stir to combine and make a crumbly mixture.

Bake the crisp
Sprinkle the topping over the apple mixture in an even layer. Bake until topping is brown and the juices bubble up on the sides (about 50 minutes).

Serve the apple crisp warm with vanilla ice cream or on it’s own for breakfast…