Apple Blueberry Walnut Crisp On the Coldest Night of the Year

I have the most beautiful apple tree in my backyard.  When the tree is in bloom,  it gives off the most glorious scent, and I love to sit on my deck, in the warm sunshine, and just smell.  Pure heaven.  In Summer, it is lush with leaves and tiny crab apples, and my cat Sunny will climb around in it for hours, hoping to catch a bird, which he never does, thankfully.  Autumn turns it into a golden orb, creating the most beautiful light.  But in Winter, it looks a little sad.  So bare and brittle. So solemn.   This tree gets no love in Winter. Tree and I are in the same boat: anticipating Spring with bated breath.  As I write this, on the coldest night of the year, I need some sort of reminder of what it is not be Winter.  I need some crisp!


 

In the back of my freezer, I found a Ziploc full of apples I had picked and peeled, cored and sliced.  Perfect for an apple crisp!  Also had some frozen organic blueberries.  Perfect. I'm so happy I froze so much fruit last summer, needed especially for days like today.   Can I just say a crisp is the perfect comfort dessert?  Any combo of fruit is amazing.  Add some nuts into the topping, and everyone will think you are a rock star.  To really put it over the edge, serve with whipped cream, or ice cream. But I never eat ice cream in winter.  I figure I'm cold enough, why get colder?  It's important to use real butter in the topping.  For any baking, I only ever  use butter.  There are no evils of hydrogenation or trans fat to worry about, and God love it, butter does make everything better.  In this recipe, you don't need a lot of it, but if you want an extra buttery topping, by all means, add more.  I won't tell.

Apple Blueberry Walnut Crisp

6 Cups of peeled, and sliced apples, and blueberries.  Any combination of fruit works. 
3 Tbsp. honey
1 Tsp. Pure vanilla extract
2 Tsp. whole wheat flour
2 Tsp. cinnamon

2 Cups of large flake oats
1/2 Cup brown sugar (or a bit less, if you want it not as sweet, depending on the fruit you are using)
1/3 Cup butter (salted is fine) adding more if you want a super buttery topping. 
1/2 Cup of walnuts, or pecans, or almonds. 

Preheat oven to 350.

In a mixing bowl, combine the fruit, with the honey and vanilla and flour.  Stir well.  Pour into a baking dish, 8x8 is fine.  In the same bowl, mix your dry ingredients, adding butter, and use your fingers to incorporate it all.  Add in the nuts.  There should be nice clusters and clumps, if not, add more butter!  When you are satisfied with the how buttery you want it, place the topping over the fruit.  Place the baking dish in your preheated oven, and bake for about 40-45 minutes, until the topping is golden.  Turn off your oven, and let it sit for a few more minutes.  Take it out, let it cool, then tuck in.  I love it for breakfast the next day, topped with vanilla yogurt.

And now at look at my beloved tree....