Apples and cranberries and rhubarb, oh my!

Excuse the cheesy post title.  They’re the hardest thing to come up with!

One of my favorite autumn fruits is the apple. I know, I know, they’re around the entire year…but they’re the best in the fall.  Ripe, crisp, sweet, and a bit tart.  I remember one of my favorite childhood books saying that you could taste the starlit nights of summer, the bright sunshine of spring, and the crisp, cool days of autumn in a good apple.  Love.

Cooking with apples in the fall is the greatest: that apple smell filling the house is just so homey.  This is one of my favorite apple recipes for fall: not only is it delicious, it turns out beautifully and makes a stunning presentation with the jewel tones of the rhubarb and cranberries, which also happen to give it the perfect amount of tart/sweet combination.

{Photo by Pete McGregor}
(Please excuse my lack of personal photos lately… my camera is still MIA!)

Apple Cranberry Rhubarb Crisp
Topping

• 1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup old-fashioned oatmeal (uncooked)
• 3 tablespoons flour (whole wheat is best!)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Dash of nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons softened butter

Fruit filling

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour (unbleached white is best here but whole wheat is fine)
• 2 cups sliced apples (gala or granny smith)
• 2 cups diced rhubarb
• 1 cup cranberries

Preheat oven to 375.  Combine topping ingredients in a medium bowl until crumbly (don’t be shy, use your fingers!).  Set aside.  Next, combine sugar and flour for fruit in a large bowl.  Add fruit and toss to coat.  Spoon fruit into a greased 8-cup baking dish and sprinkle with an even coat of topping.

Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes, or until apple is tender when pierced with fork.

We always serve this warm with vanilla ice cream at our house, but the leftovers are great at room temperature (if we have any!).  Bon appetit!

Much love,

-B