Tasty Apple Cobbler

It's apple season in Wisconsin!  One of my favorite things to do this time of year it to discover new ways to serve apples.  My family loves apple pies, but I have a confession to make-- I hate making pie crusts.  There... I said it.  Does that make me a bad home cook?  I hope not. Please don't judge.  Some day I will learn to embrace the art of making pie crusts.  Until then, I'll continue to search for different ways to bake apples into desserts.

This cobbler is inspired by the basic apple pie recipe that we all know and love-- you know-- the one where you toss the apples in a bit of lemon juice and spices, top it with a crust, and bake it.  I didn't want to make an apple pie or cake, and I definitely didn't want to make an apple crumble with oats.  I wanted to really enjoy the sweet and tangy combo of the apples, lemon juice, and spice and then balance that off with a sweetened, buttery, biscuit-like layer on top.  I used a lot more butter than I'd normally use in a basic cake recipe-- but it paid off!  The entire thing was deliciously moist, perfectly flavored, and the walnuts added just the right amount of crunch so as not to distract from the simplicity of the flavors.  When it cooked, the moistness of the apples and the butter from the batter combined into the heavenly moist center layer.  Oh so yummy!

An interesting note:  I wasn't quite sure what to call this...  A crisp? A crumble? A cake? A non-pie? A cobbler?  I took to my Facebook page to ask my friends--- the consensus was Cobbler.  So, that's what it is!  They did come up with a few other fun names like "Apple Tasty", "Apple Thing", "Apple Surprise", "Apple Slump" and "Apple Event".   My friends and family are so funny!

Ingredients

For the apples:

• 8-10 cups of apples, peeled and sliced
• juice of 1 fresh lemon
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the batter:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Wash, core, peel, and slice the apples.  Place in a large bowl and combine with the lemon juice, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Mix until well combined.  Pour into a greased 13x9 inch baking dish and set aside while you prepare the batter.

In another large bowl, cream the butter, vanilla and remainder of the brown sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, until combined.  Slowly add the flour and mix until smooth.  Mix in walnuts, if desired.

Spoon large drop-fulls of the batter throughout the top of the prepared pan of apples.  Using a spoon or spatula, gently spread the batter lightly over the top of the apples.  Try to cover as much of the apples as you can, including the edges, but do not be concerned if there are a few tiny spots of apples that do not get covered.

Place the uncovered dish in the oven and bake approximately 40-45 minutes or until the batter is golden brown.  Serve warm, and if desired, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!  Store covered and reheat individual servings in the microwave on high for approximately 30 seconds.

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Homemade Granola

Autumn is one of my favorite times of the year!  This season, as I recover from surgery, I'm able to sit on the couch in our new house and look out our huge picture window.  It's given me a new perspective on the season.  Normally, I'd be out in nature and focusing on travel from place to place-- hiking through the woods and even harvesting some of the late season tree fruits and squashes.  This year?  No travel for me.  This temporary pause on major activity has allowed me to view things with a new perspective.  Instead of focusing on me in the nature, I'm focusing on the nature itself.  I'm watching the trees turn different shades of red, orange, and brown.  I'm observing animal behavior and how they are desperately leaving the area, building shelters, hiding food, and eating seeds like it's nobody's business!

But just because I'm not out in nature doesn't mean that the seasonal foods that I love this time of year have to stop, right?  Normally I would pack up a container of granola and be on my way outside.  So, why not still make the granola and lightly snack while looking out my window.  It helps me connect a bit with a sense of normalcy.

There are lots of different granola methods.  Cook high temp?  Cook low temp?  Use maple syrup or honey?  Plain or nuts/fruit?  The great thing about this recipe is that you can tailor it to you you'd like your granola to taste, and frankly, as long as you're attentive you can't really screw it up.  It's so good and so easy!  Another thing about making it, instead of buying it, is that it helps you to understand why granola is so high in calories!  I was shocked at how much sugar and oil it takes to make granola!  It's an energy food for activity.  This should not be consumed in large quantities as you're sitting on your couch and looking out the window.  So, when I made it this year, I'm didn't double the batch like I normally do.


Ingredients

•  5 cups rolled oats (not instant or quick)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil + more as needed
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups of nuts (slivered almonds, pepitas, cashews, etc...)

Optional

• 1 - 2 cups of dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, mango, pineapple, etc)

Directions

Pre-heat an oven to 250 degrees.  Line two large, lipped cookie trays with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray or lightly oil the foil.

In a large bowl, mix the syrup, brown sugar, honey, vegetable oil, and salt.  After those ingredients are mixed well, add the oats and nuts to the bowl.  Mix until very well combined and all the oats/nuts are coated.  If you feel the oats are not coated well enough, add a bit more vegetable oil until coated. Spread the mixture on to the prepared cookie trays.  The mixture should be in a thin layer.  If it's too thick, it may not cook well and/or it will take too long to cook.

Place the trays in the oven.  Heat until the oats/nuts are completely browned, stirring the mixture every 15-20 minutes.  This browning process takes at least 1 hour and 15 minutes-- maybe a bit longer.  Careful when stirring the mixture because it's hot and sticky! 

After the mixture is toasted, remove from the oven and cool, stirring occasionally.  When completely cooled, if desired, add in the dried fruits.  Store in an air-tight container.

Hint: if you have some in your family, as I do, that do not care for certain kinds of dried fruits, feel free to divide the granola and make customized flavors!  This whole recipe is very customizable to whatever tastes you have in your family.  Feel free to experiment with different nuts, seeds and fruits.

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