Alice’s Apple Cranberry Crisp (with a hint of citrus)

Serves 8-10.

Total time: Approximately 1 ¼ hours.

30 minutes (prep); 45 minutes (cook).

INGREDIENTS:

Filling:

· 6 tart apples, cored, and thinly sliced (5 if the apples are large)

· Cranberries — two choices:

· EITHER 1 ½ cups chopped cranberries (about 1 1/2 cups whole cranberries) PLUS 2/3 cup granulated sugar

· OR 1 ¼ cup Craisins®(dried, sweetened cranberries)

· ½ cup fresh orange juice

· 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest (the orange part of the peel)

· 3 tablespoons instant tapioca

Streusel Topping:

· ¾ cup rolled oats, quick or regular

· ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

· 1 teaspoon cinnamon

· ½ teaspoon clove

· ½ teaspoon nutmeg

· ½ cup all-purpose flour

· 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold butter, cut in small pieces

PREPARATION:

· Slice and core the apples — I choose to keep the skin on; so, I usually scrub the apples before I slice them.

· Place the apples in a mixing bowl.

· Add the Craisins OR fresh cranberries and sugar to the apples. (Hint: Craisins do NOT need sugar.)

· Sprinkle the tapioca and orange zest over the apple/cranberry mix.

· Add the orange juice and mix the ingredients together.

· Spoon the filling into a lightly buttered 11x7x2-inch baking dish.

· Prepare the streusel.

· In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, spices and flour.

· Cut in the cold butter until coarse crumbs form.

· Sprinkle the topping evenly over fruit.

· Bake at 375° for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the streusel topping is browned and the fruit is tender and bubbly.

· Serve with French vanilla ice cream OR fresh whipped cream.