Apple Crumble

What a great winter standby. There's hardly any other fruit available so let's use it in a very easy dish to cap off a special meal.
I recommend Granny Smith apples as they are firm and tart, and remain so after cooking. Do not use a soft apple but feel free to experiment with your favorite cooking apples. Apples are in season in fall and remain in stores in great variety in winter. Apples are available year round because of the amazing things they can do with irradiating, cold storage, and international shipping! I recommend using fruits in season and with the bounty of choices in spring and summer there's no reason to use apples any other time than the colder months.
This recipe uses two large Granny Smiths or three to four smaller apples. It's easier to peel, core, and slice larger apples but if you have very fresh fruit don't let size be your guide.
I have a suspicion that this dish would work fine with peaches with no adjustment, or with pears using a little nutmeg instead of the cinnamon.

Apple Crumble

Yield:  6 servings
Baking Temperature: 400°F
Baking Time:  30 min

Ingredients

4 C apples: peeled, cored, and sliced thinly
3 TB orange juice
1/4 C white sugar
1 TB corn starch
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon (divided)
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/4 C AP flour
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal (uncooked)

Instructions 

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease 2 qt baking dish.
2. In large bowl, combile apples, orange juice, and vanilla.
3. In medium bowl, blend sugar, cornstarch, 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Add to apple mixture tossing to coat.
4. Spoon apples into dish.
5. In same medium bowl combine brown sugar, flour, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, mixing well.
6. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This is easiest if you use your fingers.
7. Stir in oats.
8. Sprinkle over apples.
9. Bake 25-30 minutes until apples are tender and topping is golden brown.
10. Serve plain or with cream or vanilla ice cream. 

Notes: While a hit warm it's pretty good straight out of the fridge, too.
Any other thickener can be used instead of corn starch, such as arrowroot.

Rice Crispie Treats

Rice Crispy Treats


Yield: 9-12 squares




Ingredients




6 C Rice bubble cereal

3 TB unsalted butter or regular margarine
 (use margarine for no-dairy option)
40 regular marshmallows (10 oz, or 4 cups mini mallows)




Instructions

1. Stove directions: Over low heat, melt butter in large pot. Add marshmallows and melt down, stirring until completely melted. Take off heat. (Microwave directions: In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes.)
2. Add rice bubbles, fold in until fully incorporated.
3. Grease 13x9 or 9x9 pan (with Pam or butter). Using greased spatula, press mixture into pan.
4. Cool (preferably at room temperature).
5. Cut into squares.

Variation: Chocolate Rice Crispie Treats


Reduce butter a little. Melt in six ounces of milk chocolate such as Hershey's Symphony. Continue with marshmallows and the rest as normal.


Tips: Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic, individually, and leave at room temperature for 2-3 days. Use a glass or casserole pan as you will be cutting the squares while still in pan. Can freeze but I always eat them too fast to have to bother.