Apple delight

One day last fall my friend, Martin, went fishing at my pond and found a red delicious apple tree. He was making his way around the east shoreline when he started stepping on apples. He looked up and saw dangling red fruit.

I had never noticed the tree! The shore of the 2-acre pond is wild, with long grass, cattails, and lots of trees and shrubs. Even so, I should have been more observant. I missed 21 years of picking apples. The wildlife around the pond enjoyed the fruit, so it didn't go to waste.

The few apples still on the tree were blemish-free. Organic apples in my backyard and I didn't even know it. This fall I'm checking the tree weekly. As soon as the first apple falls, they are all getting picked.

Crimson Cranberry/Apple Crisp

Prep: 20 minutes Bake: 40 minutes Cool: 20 minutes Oven: 375°F.
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sliced, peeled cooking apples
2 cups cranberries
1/2 cup quick-cooking or regular rolled oats
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or ground ginger
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons chopped nuts or coconut (optional)
Fat-free vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt, or fat-free half-and-half (optional)

Step 1: In a small mixing bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Place the apples and cranberries in an ungreased 11/2-quart casserole. Sprinkle sugar-cinnamon mixture over fruit. Toss gently to coat. Bake, covered, in a 375°F. oven for 25 minutes.

Step 2: For topping, in a small mixing bowl combine oats, brown sugar, flour, and nutmeg or ginger. With a pastry blender, cut in butter or margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts or coconut, if you like. Sprinkle topping over partially cooked fruit mixture.

Step 3: Return to oven and bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes more or until fruit is tender and topping is golden. Cool slightly. Serve warm with ice cream, frozen yogurt, or fat-free half-and-half, if you like. Makes 6 servings.

NOTE: Can't find any fresh or frozen cranberries? You can substitute 1 cup of dried cranberries.