Apple Crisp [Rhonda]

Degree of difficulty: super easy
Time: 10 minutes to prep, 40 minutes to bake
Serves: 6

Bounding off the steps of the kindergarten bus, backpack bobbing, his right hand gripping a clutch of paper, Zack ran up the gravel driveway to show me. "Mom! Mom! Look! Look what we made for you today in Miss Spina's class."

It was a recipe book, stapled at the edge, with Xeroxed favorites from somebody's kitchen, things I'd probably never make: zucchini bread with whole wheat flour, ants on a log (the peanut butter/celery/raisin combo). But Apple Crisp sounded decent. And Zack was so excited...the whole class had one of these!

Wouldn't you know? It turned out to be the easiest dessert ever, delicious with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream, an ode to fall and cooler days. And for those who suffer gravely from pie crust-aphobia, you're good. No rolling out anything, trimming, shaping, giving up.

Apple Crisp
Ingredients:
6 MacIntosh apples, peeled and sliced into chunks
2 teaspoons cinnamon (or more if you like it jazzy)
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup butter

Spread apple chunks in bottom of 8x8x2 pan. Sprinkle cinnamon, cloves and salt over the apple. Stir to mix.

Mix sugar, flour and butter together with pastry cutter. (Oh Miss Spina, we all use our fingers!)

Spread over apples.

Bake 40 minutes in a 350 F oven.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a little heavy cream whipped with a couple tablespoons cognac.

Suggested soundtrack: Debussy's "The Children's Corner," #1: Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum