Food blogs are kind of like the fashion catalogs of food--you're supposed to always be a season or two ahead. In August, while everyone's still in shorts and eating barbecue food, J. Crew is already selling their new fall sweaters, and the food bloggers are already cooking things with pumpkin. Well, I'm pretty bad at both kinds of planning ahead. I never seem be able to post "seasonal" things. I'm still making

in September, or

pasta with fresh basil and avocado

in February, and

cinnamon apple

desserts in April.

Anyways, I had planned to be timely with this post; we had gone apple picking back in September, and I was super excited about writing a cute fall post, but somehow or another that didn't happen. The photos never got uploaded, the recipe languished in my Google Docs, and before I knew it, it was October and people were making black and orange things. Well, I've finally gotten around to writing up this post, and I'm sure apple crisp is just as good in November as September.

I considered dressing up this recipe, adding candied ginger or maybe pears, but I decided to stick to the bare minimum and just appreciate apple crisp for the simple, yummy thing it is. This is one of those recipes that seems to magically take a few very basic ingredients and turn them into something delicious.

Begin making this deliciousness by peeling some apples.

Then, in your roommate's boyfriend's red mixing bowl and with your roommate's boyfriend's super nice silicon spatula, mix together the apples, sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Set that aside and secretly resolve to never give back the spatula.

To make the streusel topping, mix together the flour, oats, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the cubed butter and use your hands or a pastry cutter to work it into the flour.

You'll get something that looks like wet sand. Mix in the chopped nuts.

Then place the apples in a greased baking pan, top with the streusel, and pop it into the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the topping is golden brown. And that's it!

Make this today. Even if everyone else is already doing things with pumpkins or even cranberries. Even if you're reading this in April and you're supposed to do things with cute pastel colors.

Love,

Caroline

Click here for the printer-friendly recipe.

Apple Crisp

Adapted from

The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

For the Filling:

3 cups apples, diced (about 6 medium apples)

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the Topping

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

⅓ cup oats

6 tablespoons butter, cubed

¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix together the apples, ½ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
Mix together the flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup white sugar, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and oats.
Add the butter and rub it into the flour using your hands or a pastry cutter. Mix in the pecans.
Pour the apple mixture into a greased 8x8 baking pan or pie plate. Sprinkle streusel on top, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Let cool and serve.