Tasty Treats: Apple Crisp

Somehow, in the Fall when the apples first started appearing, I forgot to make an Apple Crisp. Last week I made both La Brea Brownies and a new recipe, Browned Butter Chocolate Chunk cookies (which I'll do here when I make them again...they were that good), but I felt that we needed something fruity as a contrast to the chocolate-y things in the treat drawer. And it's mid-season, so the apples are still crisp and not yet mealy. The Granny Smiths were the best looking apples at the store, so I bought 4 big ones. The original recipe that I use, from Beat This, a compilation of recipes published in 1993, calls for 4 cups, and an 8"x8" pyrex pan. I'm guessing that 4 cups would be around 3 of these big apples, so I decided to use a nice 8"x11" casserole dish, and to increase the topping accordingly. It turned out to be really, really good, so let's go with these measurements (which are a slight departure from the original). This is such a simple recipe that it's a good one for children and novice cooks because you really can't go wrong.

APPLE CRISP

4 large Granny Smith apples
1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup AP flour
1 7/8 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 7/8 teaspoons Vietnamese cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/8 teaspoons grated nutmeg
3/16 teaspoons ginger (or close enough)
10 Tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the apples into quarters and peel them. Slice them about 1/4"-thick, like this:

Place them in an 11"x8" baking pan or pyrex pan, and toss them with the lemon juice. I didn't have a fresh lemon, so I used ReaLemon, which is okay in a pinch.