One of the best things about fall is the wonderful comfort food that starts showing up on our kitchen tables, in the break room at work, and at our favorite restaurants as the seasons change. Apples are in season and offer endless possibilities for sweet and savory dishes to enjoy. A classic autumn favorite is Apple Crisp, and there are lots of ways to prepare and customize this delicious dish to make it your own. We’ve got a simple apple recipe to share with you, but feel free to adjust it any way you wish. Grab some personalized shopping notepads featuring geometric apples for your fall shopping to help get you in the mood!
Simple Apple Crisp
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups apples – peeled, cored, and sliced
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter (softened)
- Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts
- Optional: ½ cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins)
- Optional: Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping sprinkled with cinnamon
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish using butter or cooking spray.
- Arrange apple slices evenly in prepared baking dish. Sift flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. (If you don’t have a sifter, you can carefully stir the dry ingredients together before adding the butter.) Cut in butter using a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal (should be crumbly — do not overmix); sprinkle mixture over apples.
- Bake in preheated oven until topping is golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.
- Note: for a sugar free version, use granulated natural sweetener such as stevia or xylitol
If you’re planning a fall party at your house, these geometric apple notecards are a great way to send out invitations to all your friends. You can even get matching geometric apples deluxe address labels!
Apples make your home smell so good when they’re baking, but you can get that same warm, wonderful seasonal scent for your home using apple potpourri, air freshener, or candles. Seasonal candle holders are also a great way to add a little touch of fall to your home décor. You can fill your home with an enticing apple cinnamon scent simply by heating a saucepan of water on the stove with a couple of cinnamon sticks and apple peelings (left over from making that apple crisp!). Just be sure to keep the burner on low and check the water level every hour to make sure it doesn’t totally evaporate.
Looking for a fun craft to do with the kiddos using apples? Apple stamps are great way to use this seasonal fruit to make some fun things like aprons, towels, posters, even a decorative wreath for the window or front door. Here’s a simple “how to”:
Apple Stamps
Ingredients:
- Two apples
- Smock or apron (to wear)
- Card stock (to make cards)
- Paper plates
- Acrylic paint
- Paint brushes
- Newspaper (to protect work surface)
- Paper towels
- Tote bag, apron, burlap (to decorate)
- Googly eyes
Directions:
- Cut one apple in two vertically
- Cut another apple in two horizontally
- Allow apple halves to dry for at least an hour before covering them in paint
- Pour red, yellow, and green paint on paper plates (one color per plate)
- Dip in paint or
- Spread paint on one half of the apple using a paintbrush
- Blot extra paint on a paper towel
- Practice pressing painted apple half on paper plates or card stock
- Press painted apple half on burlap, apron, or card stock for art project
Whether you’re baking with them, crafting with them, or just enjoying the heady scent of warm apples, we hope you enjoy this healthy fruit as many ways as possible this apple season!
