Mmmmm....Apple Crisp!

Time for another "blast from the past!" So, we went to an apple orchard about a month ago with two other couples. It was quite fun, and I was SO excited to pick my own apples from a tree for the first time. Of course...we came home with apples...lots of apples. So, I decided to try and make my first apple crisp/dessert. My friend Rachel (she and her husband invited us to go to the orchards) sent me a recipe she had used before...and away I went. I started it Friday evening, as I wanted to have it ready for Josh to try with me once he arrived home from working out of town all week.

I first made the crumbly oatmeal topping. Then, I went to work on peeling, coring, and slicing the apples. That.Took.Forever. The apples we had picked at the orchard were quite small (I thought I was going to snack on them), so, by the time I peeled them and cored them, it seemed like there was hardly any apple left! Geesh! Of course I got frustrated about half way through and was sick of all the peeling and coring, and slicing (no, I didn't think to use my cool peeler (as Josh asked me about it later)...I just used a paring knife) and wanted to quit. And, of course, I sliced my thumb in the process. Don't worry...a band-aid made it all better. I FINALLY made it through the apples...and I thought..."Damn, this apple crisp better be FABULOUS after all this work!"

After I put it all together in the pan, I realized I should have cut more apples. But by this time...I was over it and thought...well, if there's a next time...I'll use more apples. Off to the oven to bake. It smelled delicious as it baked, and my frustrations passed as I thought about eating my lovely apple crisp with some vanilla ice-cream. It finished baking and I got it out to cool....and to patiently await Josh's arrival so we could try the apple crisp together. All in all...it was delicious (but could have used more apples). Josh really liked it. I think I liked the crumbly topping almost more than the apples! I actually did make a second batch the next day as we were having company. Once again...preparing the apples...was not fun. I didn't use the peeler again...can't remember why...I probably just didn't want to take Josh's sugestion. Haha! But, I was glad we used up the apples from the orchard.

Would I make this dessert a third time? Honestly...if I had bigger apples, yes. If I had to use small apples again...NO. :-)