Apple Crisp Anyone?

Give-aways are fun to enter.  I've even won two!!  You might be interested in entering some of the give-aways that Quiltmaker Magazine has going to promote their latest 100 Blocks publication. 

Today's post featured an apple tree quilt block.  Their question was "What's your favorite way to eat apples?"  It reminded me of my mother's wonderful apple crisp recipe, so I thought I'd share that on the blog today.

I often take a pint canning jar (or equivalent) and layer the dry ingredients inside.  The college kids absolutely love to receive them as gifts.  All they  have to add is a stick of margarine and 5 pared/sliced apples to have a great tasting and easy treat!  (Especially great warm and with ice cream)

Grandma Seifert's Apple Crisp

5 medium apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
3/4 cup quick oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine (1 stick)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8x8 baking pan.  Arrange apples in the bottom of the pan.  In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  Cut in margarine with a pastry blender until crumbly.  Pour on top of apples and pat down.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 

tips:  Softer apples bake quicker, crisp apples need a longer baking time.  Mixing varieties is OK.  Older or drier apples can be tossed with a little connamon sugar or lemon juice to draw out their juices before arranging them in the pan. 

Mother used to peel the apples and cut slices off of them while holding them in her hand.  Don't know how she avoided cutting herself doing that!  The system I use to prepare the apples is:
1. peel apple with a potato/vegetable peeler
2. cut in half stem to bottom
3. scoop out seeds/core with a melon baller
4. cut a V with a paring knife to remove blossom end and stem
5. place apple cut side down on a cutting board and slice down into slices 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide