Marion's Apple Crunch

It's fall here - finally! Fall arrived in Sacramento this year with a huge storm, one that knocked out power, and our internet, for a full day. That fall storm left just as quickly as it arrived, so that thoughts of picking fall apples seemed a likely possibility. Our family went up to Apple Hill just outside of Placerville one day last weekend, where we spent a morning picking organic apples at one of the u-pick orchards. Even after the heavy winds and rain of the storm, there were plenty of apples. That said, you'll be seeing several of my favorite ways with apples. Here's a family favorite.

Ingredients:

4 large golden delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (about 4 cups)
a sprinkle of cinnamon
1 tsp butter, cut into bits
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 large egg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spread apples slices in the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish. Sprinkle the apples with a little cinnamon and the butter bits. Mix the flour, sugar, and baking powder in a bowl. Add the egg to the flour mixture and mix until moist. Spread the flour topping onto the apples. Bake the crunch for 30 - 40 minutes, until the topping is lightly browned and crunchy.

Serves 6

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Picking apples at a u-pick orchard has many benefits. Enjoy the outdoors and the beauty of apples trees against the sky. When choosing your u-pick orchard, do look for orchards that grow organic apples. More pesticides are used on apples than on any other food, so organic apples are always best!