Apple-Cranberry Crisp

Before the topping....

This is my modified version of Apple Crisp...with cranberries and pecans.  With those special ingredients, I have classified this a breakfast treat/dessert.  Afterall fruit and oatmeal have fiber and pecans have protein right?


Ingredients

Serves 8

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar...or light if you are not feeling so fall-ish

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) melted, unsalted butter

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

9-11 apples, such as Empire, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Winesap, Gala, or Braeburn (or a mixture of), peeled, cored, and cut into slices (enough to fit into a 9 x 13 Pyrex).  I always use my handy-dandy apple-corer-peeler-slicer from Williams-Sonoma.  Can't live without it knowing I can get apple crisp into the oven buy the time it preheats...10 minutes flat.

12 oz. of frozen, sliced cranberries (Trader Joes are great)

3/4-1 cup of finely chopped pecans

fresh lemon juice from half a lemon (enough to coat apples)

1-1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, salt, 4 tablespoos of the granulated sugar and butter.  Mix until mixture is the texture of coarse meal. Add oats, and use your hands (or a fork) to toss and squeeze mixture until large, moist clumps form. Transfer to freezer to chill while you prepare apples (If you forget no biggee).

2. In another large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice, cinnamon, remaining granulated sugar, cranberries and pecans. Transfer to a 9 x 13 baking dish, and sprinkle with topping mixture. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet (this is in case you pack your Pyrex too full and it bubbles over), and bake until golden and bubbling, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving with fresh whipped cream.  You know you always keep a quart of heavy whipping cream in your fridge!

Pumpkin-Apple Bundt Cake

Here is how you make my new invention, the Pumpkin-Apple Bundt Cake...with left over maple glaze. This pumpkin bread is good alone, with or without dried cranberries and pecans. I think a bundt looks nice for dessert and I love saying "bundt" like the Greek Mama from My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

1. Occupy baby girl with blobs of yesterday's oatmeal for a snack and keep the packet of yeast she found on the counter.

2. Solicit labor from your eldest who enjoys cooking and baking. You need the help since baby girl wouldn't nap and you need to be out the door in 90 minutes.

3. Make Pumpkin-Apple Bundt Cake and drizzle with left over maple glaze from the cinnamon roll recipe you made earlier in the week. It was a late-night brainstorm.

4. Let your kids eat cake at 9pm after they get home from choir practice. Its a really good way for them to shower and get ready for bed in a flash.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe (really its cake-like as it has more sugar than most breads)

3 c. flour

2 c. sugar

2 t. baking soda

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. cloves

1/4 t. nutmeg

1 t. salt

1 1/2 t. baking powder

3 eggs, beaten

2/3 c. oil (I use canola)
2 c. pumpkin puree (fresh if you have the time and want to be like Martha)

Apple Filling

1 apple finely chopped

1/4 cup of finely chopped pecans

2 T. brown sugar

1 t. cinnamon

Maple Drizzle (this is half the recipe and you'll still have left overs)

1 box of powdered sugar

1 t. maple extract

1/8 c. of coffee

1/8 c. of milk

2 T of melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Grease the big bundt pan or 2 large loaf pans if you just want bread. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another bowl and combine with dry. Pour half of batter in bundt pan, add apple filling and top with the other half of batter. Bake for about 1 hr and 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before drizzling with maple glaze.