apple crisp

When life hands you apples, make apple crisp.  It's delicious, it's easy, and it's pretty healthy (as far as desserts go).  Oh, and did I mention it's delicious?

In the past week, I have made this recipe twice.  I am about to make it again to serve to our guests as part of breakfast tomorrow morning. You see, it's apple season and we have tons of apples.  We haven't even been apple picking yet! My mom brought us up a lot of apples and I wanted to come up with lots of creative ways to use them, but then I made this apple crisp and now I'm having a hard time motivating myself to make anything else.  

Whenever something calls for packed brown sugar, it always reminds me of building sandcastles as a kid.  I wish we had been taught to build brown sugar castles instead.  Actually, come to think of it, we did build sugar cube castles in 1st Grade.  I remember it was always a really difficult decision about whether to glue the sugar cube onto the castle or try to sneak it into my mouth....but I digress...

This recipe is actually from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.  Sometimes I feel like if I use that cookbook, I'll be boring, but this apple crisp is very good.  In an effort to keep myself exciting, I potentially have grand plans of making other versions of apple crisp and turning Dan and myself into apple crisp connoisseurs. 

Alright, so the picture's a little blurry, but you get the point.  It's so good! And doesn't that look easy? The hardest part is peeling the apples and I even left half of them un-peeled.  All the nutrients and color are in the peel, so I figured why not make life easier and keep 'em on?

Apple Crisp from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

5 cups sliced, peeled (optional) apples (or use any kind of fruit you'd like: peaches, pears, etc)
2 to 4 tbs sugar
1/2 cup regular rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg, ginger or cinnamon
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I didn't have nuts and therefore omitted this ingredient)
vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to serve

For the filling, place fruit in an 8x 1.5 " round baking dish.  Stir in sugar.

For topping, in a mixing bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour and nutmeg, cinnamon or ginger. Cut in margarine or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (I find using clean hands is most effective).  Stir in nuts if using. Sprinkle topping over filling.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until the fruit is tender and topping is golden.  Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.  Serves 6.