Apple Crisp
As we near the beginning of winter, apples are one of the few local fruits still hanging on. If you happen to make it to the Evanston Indoor Farmers’ Market, or even Whole Foods, you should be able to find some great apples from the midwest! And then, you can make delicious apple desserts like this crisp since it is the time of year for all things sweet. I put my own twist on it, but I based my apple crisp off the recipe on this blog.
There are certainly other ways to prepare this crisp, but I used a cast iron skillet which is an essential kitchen item for me - it’s versatile and sustainable. For something like a crisp, you can start it on the stove then move it right into the oven so less dishes to clean! And they are great for the environment, because they last so long. The one I used for this recipe was borrowed from a friend who thinks it has been in his family for at least 80 years! The more we can reuse items, the less goes into the landfill and the less energy spent on manufacturing new ones.
Ingredients:
Filling:
4-5 Small Baking Apples (I used Goldrush)
3 Tablespoons butter (could easily substitute vegan baking sticks for a vegan crisp)
¼ cup brown sugar
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of salt
Topping:
½ tsp of cinnamon
1 cup oats
2 tablespoons flour
5 tablespoons cold butter (could use vegan sticks here as well)
⅓ cup brown sugar
Dash of salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Wash and thinly slice apples (peels are totally fine to leave on - they are nutritious and tasty!)
3. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat then add brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon and stir until combined.
4. Add apples to the mixture and stir well. Allow apples to cook for 5-10 minutes - stirring occasionally. Make sure the apples are at least beginning to soften at this point, but the longer you let them cook now, the less time they will need in the oven.
5. While the apples are cooking, combine the topping ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks so that the butter is mixed throughout in small pieces.
6. Add the topping onto the apple mixture then move the skillet to the oven. (If using a non-oven-safe skillet, transfer the mixture to an oven-safe dish before adding topping.) Bake for 20-30 minutes or until apples are soft. Enjoy by itself or with some ice cream!
As always, if you have any questions about my recipes or ideas, feel free to contact me at morganlee2021@u.northwestern.edu.