Apple Crazy!

Nothing spells fall more than the smell of baking apples in the house. Sooooo delicious! If you're like us and love the experience of apple picking but then find yourself with bushels of apples lying around uneaten, this is the post for you. There are about a million great ways to use those apples but these are two of my personal favorites. Both super easy, perfect for when those apples are on the bring of going bad and super versatile once it's made. 

Cranberry-Apple-Oatmeal Crisp

This is one of my fall favorites. Cleaned up from the usual sugar and butter laden versions you often get at restaurants, this one is just as satisfying and a breeze to make. Great out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or for breakfast the next morning (if it lasts that long!)

Ingredients:

3 c. cubed apples

2 c. fresh cranberries

1/4 c. honey

1/3 c. whole wheat flour

2 c. regular whole oats

1/3 c. honey

2 Tbls canola oil

cooking spray

1/4 c. chopped walnuts (OPTIONAL)

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray an 8x8-inch baking dish.

2. Peel and chop apples.

3. Combine apples, cranberries and honey (I also throw in some cinnamon & nutmeg for flavor but it tastes fine without as well) in a medium bowl. Pour into bottom of baking dish.

4. Grind 1 cup of oats in a food processor or high powered blender until it achieves a flour consistency. 

5. Mix the oat flour, whole oats, honey, nuts and oil, stirring with a fork until crumbly.

6. Sprinkle over the apple mixture.

7. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until mixture is bubbling and golden on top.

Makes about ten 1/2 cup servings.

Crockpot Applesauce

Ingredients:
6 lbs apples, peeled, cored & roughly chopped
1 c. water (apple juice or cider also works just fine too)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg (OPTIONAL)

If you like your applesauce really cinnamon-y, add 2 whole cinnamon sticks into the crockpot while it's cooking and pull them out once it's done, before pureeing. You could also add a Tbls of butter which gives the applesauce a warm, homey flavor. This is also the less healthy route but do whatever floats your boat.

Directions:
1. Peel, core and chop apples.

 2. Put apples in crockpot.

3. Squeeze lemon juice over apples. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, water and stir.

4. Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours.

5. Puree warm apples in a food processor or blender until desired consistency. OR if you like chunkier applesauce, mash with a potato masher until desired consistency.

6. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Makes about 6-7 cups of applesauce. Tastes great for breakfast on its own, on top of oatmeal, for dinner to top pork chops, and for topping on pancakes.