Recipe: Apple Crisp

Walmart had a sale on apples the other day, a bag of Spartans for $1, so I picked up 3 bags. The kids asked for apple pie and/or tarts, to which I replied, "Are you crazy? Make pastry?" So apple crisp it was. This recipe was taken from my most favorite recipe book ever (it has everything in it), Betty Crocker Cookbook: New Edition.

APPLE CRISP

Prep: 20 min

Bake: 30 min

6 servings

• 4 medium tart cooking apples (Greening, Rome, Granny Smith), sliced (4 cups)
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (self-rising flour can be used)
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Cream or ice cream, if desired

1. Heat oven to 375F. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with shortening. (I used cooking spray)
2. Spread apples in pan. In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients except cream until well mixed; sprinkle over apples. (I used a spatula to pack it down)
3. Bake about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

BLUEBERRY CRISP: Substitute 4 cups fresh or frozen (thawed, drained) blueberries for the apples.

CHERRY CRISP: Substitute 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling for the apples.

RHUBARB CRISP: Substitute 4 cups cut-up rhubarb for the apples. Sprinkle 1/3 cup granulated sugar over rhubarb; stir to combine. Continue as directed in step 2. If rhubarb is frozen, thaw and drain.

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So I made this recipe for the first time using the 8-inch square baking dish, but I made a couple variations -- obviously I used Spartan apples instead of those listed, and I used 6 because they were small, not medium. The kids gobbled it all up in seconds and wanted more. So the second time I made it I used a 9x13-inch baking dish (made a double batch, those little piglets), so I adjusted the recipe to (this is per batch): 10 small Spartan apples, 1 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup oats, 1/2 cup butter, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg. Also, I added a secret ingredient!! You know the caramel sauce you buy to top ice cream? Well, I liberally drizzled it all over the apples before I sprinkled the dry mixture on top.

Turned out pretty darn spectacular, if I do say so myself.