Apple Crisp

An instant classic the minute it hit the tailgate this is a great winter recipe for outdoors or indoors.

Ingredients:

FILLING
8 cups apples -- peeled, cored, slice
2 Tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest -- optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
TOPPING
1 cup all purpose flour
2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar -- packed
3/4 cup pecans -- chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries -- I used Craisins
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 sticks butter -- chilled -- cut in small pieces
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make filling: Place ingredients in large bowl, toss to combine. Core and slice apples, the juice you add will keep them from turning brown.

To make topping: Mix flour, oats, sugars, pecans, cranberries, salt and cinnamon in large bowl. Cut in butter (using the pastry blender or cut with two knives). Mixture will form coarse crumbles. Spread apple mixture into 9 x 13" baking dish. Cover apples evenly with topping. Bake 40
minutes or until apples are tender. Topping will be golden. Serve warm, with ice cream or milk or alone.

For tailgate, I baked this about 30 minutes the night before. Then I baked it the rest in the morning and took it up to the field in the Pyrex with the hot pack. It was still slightly warm when we arrived.