Warm Apple Crisp

Ever since I was young, Fall time was my favorite time of year.

Then, specifically it was Halloween, now that I am an adult there's nothing I love more than taking my kids to pick apples, watch the leaves change, go to pumpkin patches, and watch the gleam in their eye when someone hands them FREE candy.

It's magical...

It's funny, but food often transports those memories. This dish makes the house smell like a crisp fall day plus my kids LOVE it... I am fairly sure they had more than we did.

It truly is easy to whip up, and the combination of warm apples with slow melting vanilla ice cream can't be beat.

Make this tonight!

Filling:
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
4 tsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 large green apples (Granny Smith), peeled, cored and cut into 3/8-inch slices
1 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

Topping:
1/3 cup EACH coarsely chopped walnuts, rolled oats and packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp butter, cold, cut into pieces

Vanilla Ice Cream
Whipped Cream
Caramel Topping

1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees and coat an 8" square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, mix sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add apples and orange juice; toss to coat. Mound filling in prepared baking dish and dot with butter pieces.
3. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove and let cool while you make the topping.
4. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.
5. In a bowl, toss walnuts, oats, sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add butter and combine with fingers until the topping is evenly moistened and crumbly. 
6. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the par-cooked apples, pressing down lightly. Return to the oven and bake for another 25 minutes or until the topping is crisp and browned and the filling is bubbly.
7. Cool on a wire wrack just until warm. 
8. Spoon into serving bowls. Top with ice cream, whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel topping.