Apple Crisp

It's fall, which means apples--lots and lots of apples! We got a box of winesap seconds at a local orchard, which make a great apple crisp, and I have made one a week for almost a month now. It's easy to throw together and tastes delicious served warm with ice cream on top. Come to think of it, what doesn't taste delicious with ice cream on top?

I modified Mark Bittman's original recipe in How to Cook Everything (which you should put on your Christmas list, if you don't have a copy) to make it my own. Here's the skinny:

Ingredients
Apples, washed, quartered, and thinly sliced (I didn't peel mine) to fit into an 8" square or 9" round baking pan
Cinnamon (1-2 teaspoons depending on taste)
Juice of 1 lemon (or lime--it's what I had on hand tonight!)
1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup or so rolled oats
1/2 cup or so whole wheat pastry flour
dash of salt
1/4 cup or so walnut pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. While oven is preheating, grease dish lightly with butter or oil (I have an aerosol sprayer I put oil in to make this so easy) and fill with apples, cinnamon, a sprinkling of your sugar, and the lemon juice. Mix well.
3. Put it in the oven for 15 minutes. Set a timer.
4. Meanwhile, combine remaining sugar, more cinnamon (again to taste), butter, oats, flour, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse it all together until everything is, according to Mark Bittman, "well incorporated but not uniform."
5. When timer goes off, spread topping over apples and bake for 12-15 minutes. Again, set a timer.
6. When timer goes off, add the walnuts and return to oven to bake for 5-10 minutes until the topping is brown and your house smells like fall. I actually turn the oven off and leave the crisp in it to stay warm until ready to serve.
7. Top with ice cream and enjoy!