Crumble Topped Apples

There are times when you want something of the apple persuasion but don’t want to cope with a pie crust that day. With apple season in sight . . . okay, we have three months to wait, still . . . I'm thinking about apples and ways to enjoy them besides just nibbling a fresh one. This is one of my favorite, relatively quick ways to get a dessert made for dinner. The best part is that it is equally good hot from the oven as cold the next day.

Crumble Topped Apples
Six to eight green, tart apples
Juice and zest of one lemon
3/4 cup granulated sugar, combined with one tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Peel, core and slice six to eight apples depending on size of your family. Mix apple slices in a bowl with the zest and juice of one lemon. Add 3/4 to one cup granulated sugar, the tablespoon of flour and the cinnamon. Taste and see if it is sweet enough for you. Arrange in greased baking pan that will comfortably accommodate the apples. You will want to leave room for the topping.

Topping:One stick butter or margarine
One cup all-purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
One heaping teaspoon cinnamon
One cup chopped nuts

For the topping, crumble together one stick of butter or margarine, one cup-all-purpose flour, ½ cup brown sugar, one teaspoon vanilla extract, one heaping teaspoon cinnamon and one cup chopped nuts. The mixture should be coarse but ingredients well-distributed. Arrange over the top of the apples and bake for approximately 35 minutes or until golden and bubbly. All ingredients can be doubled to make a larger amount for a big family. Serve hot, warm or cold. Can stand by itself but whipped cream or vanilla ice cream will make it special.