Seize the harvest, and share it

I underestimated her generosity.

She asked if I had an interest in organically grown Gravenstein apples.

They're free, she added.

Who could turn down free organic apples? I told her I'd be by after work.

But she is a giver. And she freely gave of her time to harvest the apples and deliver them to my doorstep. Two bushels!

What do you do when you have apples? Make apple crisp, of course. Here's the recipe I used (but I multiplied by 6 for a large batch):

Harvest Apple Crisp

1 cup cooked whole grain brown rice

4 apples 

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ cup brown sugar - do NOT pack (optional - you don't need it if using sweet apples)

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

cooking spray

1 ½ cups uncooked rolled oats

2 tablespoon butter

½ cup brown sugar - do NOT pack

½ cup raisins (optional)

½ cup walnuts, chopped

1. Prepare rice according to package directions.

2. Spray shallow 3 quart baking dish (13 x 9) with cooking spray; set aside.

3. Peel and slice the apples. Sprinkle with lemon juice and cook in microwave for 2-3 minutes.

4. Combine cooked rice, cooked apples, ½ cup brown sugar, and cinnamon in prepared dish.

5. Melt the butter. Add the oatmeal and ½ cup brown sugar in medium bowl. Stir in raisins and nuts. Sprinkle over rice mixture.

6. Bake until heated, about 20 minutes.

7. Serve warm. Options: Top with a heaping spoonful of yogurt, whipped cream, or coconut cream.

I was grateful to find the recipe here - because it had been far too long since I'd had it and couldn't remember the proportions. I modified it slightly because I don't like things too sweet. Getting the crisp right was important. I'd committed to bring a healthy snack to my company's all-staff meeting. It was a big hit.

But the crisp didn't use up all of the apples. And that's where apple butter comes in handy. We love apple butter at my house. Simply prepared so you can taste the apples. Here's a good recipe. I don't follow it - but I thought you might find it easier if you don't have a Victorio Strainer. (I hasten to add that you should get one. It makes sauces so much easier as you'll see.)

Here's how we do apple butter:

Slow and Easy Apple Butter

15-20 apples, quartered (though they cook faster if you chop them into small pieces)

1 kettle

4 cups water (maybe more - don't let it scorch) 1 cup brown sugar - do NOT pack

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

Wash and cut up your favorite apples, leaving the peels on and the cores and seeds in. Remove the stems, though. All you need to do is quarter the apples, but smaller pieces of apple will cook faster. Toss into the kettle, add water, cover, and turn to medium low. Cook until the pieces are soft, stirring occasionally.

Ladle the soft apples into your Victorio Strainer. Turn the crank and let it do the hard work. (It's magical. It separates the yummy sauce from the icky seeds, core, and peeling.)

Put the sauce into a very large baking dish. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Bake at 300 degrees F for at least 3 hours, stirring occasionally (at least once an hour - but I like to stir it more often to help it cook more evenly).

That's it.

Share the bounty of the season. You will make your friends happy.