Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Fresh apples ... yummmm

I have to start thinking about what I'm going to bake in my company's employee bake-off challenge. Each week there will be a different category ... pies, brownies, cookies - I think. Anyone have a killer recipe they want to share?  One of my co-workers shared that she loved this recipe for zucchini cake I made this summer. Another really liked this peach pie. I'm still waiting on Jen's killer brownie recipe she says I'm sure to win with.

This week five liberty apples from LaMancha Ranch in Sweet Home, OR greeted me in our CSA box from Groundwork Organics. Five apples is the perfect amount for a pie or crisp and since I have recently fell in love with Smitten Kitchen's Breakfast Apple Crisp dish, I decided that's what we were having for breakfast in the morning.

Breakfast Apple Crisp

Courtesy of Smitten Kitchen

3 pounds* of whatever apples, or mix of apples, you like to bake with, peeled, cored and cut into medium chunks
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup flour
2 cups oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened, as you wish; I used unsweetened)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix apple chunks with lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and pinch of salt in a 9×13-inch baking dish until apples are evenly coated. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the honey. Stir in the flour, oats, almonds, coconut and another pinch of salt until clumps form. Sprinkle evenly over the apple mixture and bake in the oven for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until the apples are softened and bubbly. Should the granola brown before you wish it to, cover the baking dish carefully with foil for all but the last few minutes of baking time, when removing the foil will help the granola recrisp. Cool to room temperature and then stash in the fridge to eat with your morning yogurt.

ENJOY!

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