Mom's Apple Crisp

My mom wasn't much of a cook from scratch type of person.  She always told me that she learned all of her recipes in Home Ec class in middle school.  Tuna noodle casserole, green bean casserole, salmon croquettes, etc. You get the picture.  Most of the stuff came out of cans and was blended together in one casserole dish.  She had four kids and worked outside the house.  Her life was packed with things to do and not enough time to do them.  So there aren't any bad feelings here.  She fed us and made sure there was plenty to go around for the growing teens in her house.  My fondest food memories from childhood are Sunday breakfast that my Dad always made (probably giving my Mom a chance to sleep in) and holiday cooking.  Thanksgiving was probably my favorite.  There was the usual turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole.  For dessert we either got a pumpkin pie from Marie Callendar's or Mom made her apple crisp that she served with vanilla ice cream.  I never liked the pie, so I was always happy to see her peeling apples knowing that the crisp would be coming.

This weekend the kids and I met up with a friend for a playdate and food.  She didn't feel like cooking but thought we could eat at Veggie Grill in West Hollywood and go back to her place for dessert.  I needed a simple dessert that would go well with her homemade ice cream.  Mom's apple crisp to the rescue.    I don't know where Mom got the original recipe, maybe it came from Home Ec class, too.

Mom's Apple Crisp

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Peel, core, and slice three pounds of apples  (I use Granny Smith) and toss with juice of 1/2 lemon.  Mix 1 tbls cornstarch (I use arrowroot), 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp nutmeg.  Add this to the apples and mix again.  Making sure the apples are coated.  Put apple mixture into 1 1/2 qt baking dish.  In a medium sized bowl, mix 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, pinch of salt, and 6 tbls of margarine.  Mix with your fingers until margarine has broken down and you have a crumble mixture.  Add 1/4 cup sliced almonds.  Sprinkle this over the apples.  Put in oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Super easy, really delicious, and perfect with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream.

Thanks, Mom.