Simple Apple Crisp

I read this beautiful post last night; the story of a woman's desire (and conviction) to pursue a connection with her husband.  In the smack-dab-middle of busy motherhood.  How easy is it to set our marriages aside, barely keeping their intimacy and connection warm on the back burner?  As we put out the bigger "fires" during our day?

So moved by her story and her menu (this apple crisp plus a lovely-sounding pear mixed drink), I immediately went to the kitchen and began to assemble the dessert.  My eye fixed on the children's approaching bedtime, I planned a little romantic rendezvous with my husband. The crisp came together quickly, and I slipped it in the oven as I went to tuck the boys in bed.

What happened next was disheartening.  I caught my oven on fire.  Again.  This time wasn't as dramatic (there were no naked children heading outside to execute our family fire plan), but the smoke billowed out of old "Gladys" into the kitchen.  Frankly, it must be what I "get" for my greedy desire to add a large extra pat of butter to the top of the crisp as it was baking.  I foolishly tried to transfer the butter while it was balanced on the blade of a knife.  Of course the oven's heat liquified the butter and it slipped off the knife and landed on the hot element, instantly igniting.   With this event occurring on the tail-end of an arduous day, I am sorry to report that I succomed to large amounts of self-pity and ate half of the crisp alone, plopped myself in front of the computer, and commenced stalking highly successful food blogs and wondering what I'm doing wrong.  (My swift spiral of emotional derailment is impressive, no?)

But I plan to try again tonight!  Minus the fire and the pit-dwelling! 

(My hope has been resurrected!)

This recipe, which I slightly adapted from Not Without Salt's website, makes a very reasonably-sized dessert.  If you have a hearty appetite, it could be shared with your loved one straight from the baking dish!  

(Here's the printable version.)

Simple Apple Crisp
Serves 2-4

3 large apples, peeled, cored and roughly sliced
½ cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup ground hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds (or a mixture of your favorites)
¼ cup Turbinado sugar (raw sugar, regular sugar works fine too)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
5 Tablespoons butter, melted
pinch nutmeg
pinch ground cloves

Grease a baking dish (I used a small pie plate...about 8") with butter.  Place the apples in the dish.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In a medium bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients.  Pour this mixture over the apples.  

Bake the crisp until the topping is golden brown and the juices from the apples are bubbling, anywhere from 40-60 minutes (start checking at 40).  

Allow the crisp to cool a bit and then serve with a lovely vanilla ice cream. 

Slightly adapted from Not Without Salt