Maple Apple Crisp

Let me start by telling you a story.....

When Steve and I were in college we were introduced by a mutual couple friend of ours at a garage sale. Our eyes met over a lumpy green chair and......he, being the rather quiet, reserved type that he is...began to stutter and blink rapidly while I (still having yet to outgrow my incredible awkwardness around anyone of the opposite sex), blurted out something completely insane and ran off.   Not a very promising beginning.

However, the situation was redeemed when our group of friends decided to go apple picking for Steve's birthday. Steve and I managed to have a few minutes of some fumbling conversation and then....be still my beating heart....he bought me a donut.

Well, you know how it ends.

Each fall we go back to the same orchard and pick excessive amounts of apples and eat excessive amount of donuts. It's tradition.

And each fall I try figure exactly what I'm going to do with the bajillion apples I thought were completely necessary to take home.

Well, I will tell, if you have a bajillion apples (or even only 5) you should make this apple crisp.

Because I can promise, life will be significantly better if you do!

Here's what you need:

Apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, brown sugar, flour, salt, rolled oats, and butter

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Peel, core, and slice 5 medium apples and throw them into a bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Now, take 3/4 cup of maple syrup and pour it over your apples. (Btw - use good maple syrup. If you use the fake stuff, thats what it will taste like - fake maple syrup. gross.) Stir until the apples are evenly coated.

Pour the apples into a medium baking dish. (a square 9x9 dish works just fine).

Now we're going to make my favorite part....

In a medium bowl, add 1/2 stick of butter, 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of rolled oats, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.

With a fork or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until everything is combined and resembles coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle evenly over your apples.

Bake for about 35 minutes. (Or until golden brown and bubbly).

Let it cool for a while, then serve!

Enjoy!

~Megan