Apple Cranberry Crisp….a Wholesome Fall Treat!
Monday, December 5th, 2011
Sadly, we didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving in Florida this year. It’s much more enjoyable having turkey, dressing, and this awesome dessert while wearing shorts and a T-shirt!


Me and the Bunny made our third visit to my parents’ place in Crystal River, Florida for Thanksgiving, feasting on roasted turkey, cornbread dressing, green beans (canned from their garden, of course), and my Mom’s homemade cranberry relish.

Then there are the sweet potatoes, frozen manufactured patties which we cut up and top with a few pecans and sugar-free maple syrup. I add marshmallows to a section for myself and my Dad. It’s the one anomaly in an otherwise healthy version of the traditional holiday meal. I top my green beans with Durkee Fried Onions to trash ‘em up a bit.
And I bought this superb bottle of red zin (2007 Liar’s Dice) from Murphy Goode, the winery where Atlanta’s very own Hardy Wallace landed that sweet job. We ate like escaped prisoners on a Carnival Cruise!

Then we did the unthinkable….we put on our bikinis (a horrific thought even for the skinniest chick) and went to the pool where I proceeded to get bitten over 100 times by no-see-ums. Yes, they do exist, and in fact, I could see ‘em. The next day I was covered with itchy bites to the extent that I thought I might have chicken pox. Happy Thanksgiving.
We rarely have room for dessert after consuming four helpings of turkey and all the fixin’s, but after a few hours we are ready for something sweet (but not cloyingly so). This recipe has become somewhat of a tradition for us. It’s a great apple cranberry crisp adapted from an Andrew Weil recipe and another similar one from a Prevention magazine.
So here’s the recipe! It’s a bit confusing because many of the ingredients are duplicated for the filling and the crumble topping so it’s best to be sober when you make it.
APPLE CRANBERRY CRISP
For the Filling
3 Cups apples, quartered and sliced thin (about 1/8″)
1 Cup fresh cranberries
1 tblsp. lemon juice
2 tblsp. Triple Sec
1 tblsp. agave nectar
1 tblsp. flour
1/4 Cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
For the Crumble Topping
3/4 Cup uncooked 1-minute oats
2 tsp. ground flaxseed
1/4 Cup light brown sugar
1/4 Cup agave nectar
1/4 Cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 tblsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. canola oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 X 9 glass casserole with oil. Combine dry ingredients for topping and set aside.
Mix all ingredients in the filling and spoon evenly into casserole dish. Add the oil and agave nectar to topping, mixing until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated, then spread it over the fruit.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes covered, then 30 minutes uncovered, or until brown and bubbly.
Let cool and serve in individual bowls, topped with whipped cream. Makes about 6 servings. Now pour yourself a nice glass of that zin and enjoy!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING HOT DISH READERS!




This is one of the best salads ever! The original recipe comes from the February 2009 issue of Food & Wine Magazine. I still have it bookmarked, the pages filthy from making the dressing dozens of times, although by now, I’ve committed it to memory, and made a few changes. Here is my version:






