Confession: I totally ate chocolate-covered strawberries for breakfast. Everyday. For 5 straight days. Vacation mode, right? When you’re left such a treat in your room and your travel partner isn’t a breakfast eater, you improvise. Happily 😊
In all seriousness, I was driving to work on Monday morning realizing that a week prior I was laying under a shade hut reading a book on the beach in Punta Cana. I have the Instagram picture to torture myself with. Seriously though, I love those kinds of Mondays on the rare, rare occasion they come around (but so grateful all the same!). It’s kind of like a woman I play tennis with on occasion – she texts LITERALLY every week asking if I can play tennis on Monday morning at “9am, 10:30am, or both”. Mondays, every week.
My response never changes: Sorry. Can’t. SAD FACE EMJOJI.
Where does the time go? Evenings whip by and months seem to whip by even faster. Gina and I have been talking about holiday season self-care and the art of saying, “no”. I’m unskilled and unpracticed at this, I’m learning. Send help.
My book club has requested, more than once, my holiday goodies. I’m known for desserts which is beyond ironic. I hate baking…and I am no good at it, either. Sure, I could be worse, but is that really saying much? I know my way around a kitchen, yes. And when it comes to Christmas, yeaaaah…I’ve developed quite the reputation for buckeyes. And peanut clusters. And frosted sugar cookies. And, and, and…
And as the days, weeks, and now months have whipped by, I forgot about the BUSHEL of apples in my basement refrigerator. That is no exaggeration, friends. A BUSHEL. They’re beginning to look a little tired and so I got busy this weekend on apple usage. We love a good fruit crisp in my house, but I’ll be honest, my go-to’s tend to be berry or even better, cherry! Gah, a favorite! But let me just say, PITTING all of those cherries is a real pain in the you-know-what.
Slicing apples? Not the most fun ever, but a bit more doable and certainly less time. A mandolin to help you out – bonus. Just watch those fingers! The prep is truly the bulk of this dessert and 15 minutes should just about do it for even the Average Joe in the kitchen. And yes, this crisp is MICROWAVED. And yes, it turns out wonderfully. I had to try it to believe it – enjoy!
20-Minute Microwave Apple Crisp
On the lighter side, this apple crisp is made with no oven and just a quick little nuke in the microwave. I know, I wasn't a believer until I tried it myself! How easy is THAT?
Ingredients
Apples:
- 4 apples, peeled, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Topping:
- 2/3 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp butter, cubed
Instructions
- Use a mandolin to thinly slice the apple quarters; place into a medium bowl. Add the sugar, flour, and cinnamon; gently toss to coat and transfer to an 8x8-inch baking dish or 9-inch pie pan. Arrange apple slices in an even layer.
- In the same bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon; whisk well to combine.
- Using your fingers or a butter cutter, incorporate the butter cubes into the oat mixture until pebbly and distributed throughout. Evenly spread the oat mixture over the apples.
- Microwave on HIGH for 5-6 minutes. Serve hot with ice cream, if desired.
Notes
Recipe slightly adapted from Taste of Home
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1/4 crispAmount Per Serving: Calories: 360-Total Fat: 10.3gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 58mgCarbohydrates: 70.0gFiber: 7gSugar: 47.3gProtein: 3.3g
Want some more apple inspo? Gotcha covered! 😉
- Sausage and Apple-Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Traditional Apple Pie
- Cinnamon Apple Crepes
- Crock Pot Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats
- Goat Cheese and Apple Chicken
- Pear, Apple, and Bacon Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
Be well,
