Not all traditions happen at Christmas or holidays. I think that's where they begin, but they meander out into the world of other calendar months or days and become something still quite as special but not so specific.
Fall always arrived with the anticipation of cold days. Where I grew up it was colored leaves, brisk air and driving around the lake where we would stop and buy apples and drink hot cider. For me it was the beginning of the holiday season because as a kid you looked forward to the trifecta of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas...and fall meant it was all right around the corner. The days would be counted!
Apples meant pie but my mom didn't always want to make crust so after a while apples came to mean apple crisp. This was even better than pie! Crust was good, but brown sugar and butter were even better. Soon this nugget of yumminess creeped into our Thanksgiving and when we had a multitude of desserts for Christmas, it was always one thing on the table. Apple crisp became my favorite go to.
So on the Fifth Day of Christmas, while not a Christmas tradition I give to thee Five Golden (Delicious) Rings (of Apples!)
APPLE CRISP
INGREDIENTS
5 1/2 cups apples (I use a combination of granny smith and honey crisp), peeled and diced
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (fresh grated if possible)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine
DIRECTIONS
Place apples in a shallow 2 quart casserole. Add water.
Combine sugars, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and flour and mix together. Cut in butter and spoon evenly over apples.
Cover and bake 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake 30 minutes longer.
Makes approximately 6 servings.
