Food

A Casserole to Talk About: Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

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My family’s most memorable Thanksgiving dish is the one we only had once.

Let me explain by introducing you to my grandmother. Nona was the kind of woman who was always impeccably dressed and accessorized. I still remember her stylish oversized, round spectacles. She was a seasoned cook and an excellent host. Each year her elegant Thanksgiving table was trimmed in her orange and rust Spode dishes with matching linens and candles.

So, when she announced that she had a special dish she had made for the grandkids, we were excited. Thanksgiving at her house came with an abundance of sides including her signature black cherry jello and cheese onions. Thus, our anticipation for this new dish grew as we smelled what was cooking in the kitchen.

Then came the big moment when we were allowed in the dining room. As our plates were filled, there it was – candied sweet potatoes with rainbow marshmallows. I watched as my grandmother took the first bite. Her lips pursed as she thought for a moment.

“Well, the sweet potatoes are a little tutti-frutti.”

She laughed and we all laughed with her. This unexpected cornucopia of marshmallow flavors was clearly a mistake. She had not anticipated the fact that the multi colored mini marshmallows would be flavored. However, I still smile when I think about it.

I remember that Thanksgiving because I loved that my grandmother made a dish for me. Consequently, when I host Thanksgiving for my family, I like to make sure that I think about my daughters with a kid friendly macaroni and cheese. This recipe has classic cheeses that my kids will eat. It is delicious but not so gourmet that my kids give it a suspicious look. In the end, I want our Thanksgiving table to filled with dishes that everyone gets excited about.

Thanksgiving Macaroni and Cheese

  • 3 cups grated cheddar, divided use
  • 2 cup grated Monterey Jack
  • 3 cups grated or diced Velveeta
  • 1 pound macaroni
  • ½ cup butter
  • 6 tablespoons flour
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Bread Crumb Topping

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grate the cheddar cheese setting aside one cup for the topping. Then grate the Monterey Jack and Velveeta.

Next, in a large pot cook the macaroni in according to the package directions cutting the cooking time by two minutes. The pasta will continue cooking when it is baked. Drain the macaroni well and place it in a large bowl.

Make the cheese sauce. First, heat the milk in the microwave or on the stove top in a saucepot until warm. In a deep skillet or large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until golden for about two to three minutes. Slowly pour in the warm milk while whisking with each addition to ensure that the mixture is smooth. Add the dry mustard, salt and cheese. Continue to stir until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.

Pour the cheese sauce on top of the macaroni and mix. It will look like a lot of sauce, but it thickens as it bakes. Spray a 9×13 inch with cooking spray and pour in the macaroni and cheese.

Finally, prepare the breadcrumbs. In a medium skillet melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Stir in the breadcrumbs and toast them for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese and the breadcrumbs on top. Bake for 30 minutes until golden.

The creamy cheese sauce with the crisp breadcrumbs is so good!

Notes for Making This Casserole Ahead

If you are making this for a holiday meal it can be made the day before but wait to add the breadcrumbs until baking. When cooking straight from the fridge cover the casserole with aluminum foil to prevent over browning. Bake with the foil first 10 minutes and then remove it and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Additionally, should you not want to add the breadcrumbs then I suggest covering the casserole with foil for the first half of the baking time to prevent the cheese from browning too quickly. The breadcrumbs provide a covering and without them the cheese tends to brown much faster.

Food

Crispy Parmesan Crusted Eggplant

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Like so many people these days I am trying to focus on eating more vegetables and have more meatless dinners. In my quest to make vegetables delicious for my whole family I have been creating some new recipes including this crispy Parmesan Eggplant with a tomato salad and balsamic glaze.

This crispy Parmesan crust is incredibly flavorful and lighter than a traditional eggplant Parmesan. The eggplant slices are dipped in egg and then coated in a grated parmesan and flour. I pan fry them in a small amount of olive oil until the cheese just begins to turn golden and bake them in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.  Add a side of pasta or your favorite grain to round out the meal. With that addition of a bruschetta like tomato topping this Parmesan eggplant gives vegetables the star status that they deserve.

Crispy Parmesan Crusted Eggplant

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup of diced tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley or basil chopped
  • 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
  • Balsamic glaze

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

First slice the eggplant into 12 to 14 slices that are about 1/3 of an inch thick. Place the slices on several paper towels. Sprinkle the tops with half of the salt and let them sit for about 10 minutes and then flip them over and sprinkle the other side with the remaining salt and let it sit while preparing the breading. Salting the eggplant draws out any excess moisture and bitterness. You will see little beads of moisture appear as it sits.

Meanwhile, in a shallow dish beat 2 eggs. Then in another shallow dish or plate mix together the grated Parmesan and the flour. Coat each eggplant slice in the eggs letting any excess drip off. Then coat both sides in the Parmesan mixture. Set the finish slices on a plate.

Place a large nonstick skillet on medium heat and add enough olive oil to just cover the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is heated add 3 to 4 slices at a time and cook until each side is just beginning to turn golden. About 3 to 4 minutes a side.

Place the eggplant slices on a sheet pan with a wired rack. This will keep the underside crispy as it bakes for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.

Behold the crispy deliciousness! The golden brown parmesan crust is unbelievably good.

Finally, dice the tomatoes and place them in a small bowl. Mix them with the fresh parsley or basil and the shaved parmesan cheese. Add the tomato topping to the baked eggplant and drizzle with a balsamic vinegar glaze.

This eggplant has a crispy parmesan crust with a creamy center. Its big flavors make this vegetarian dinner irresistibly good.

Baking

White Lily Honey Butter Biscuits

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The story of these biscuits began with a party I was hosting for my husband’s choral group, The Tower Chorale. For the last four years we have hosted their solo recital night and fundraiser. So each year to keep it interesting, I plan a different menu. This year we decided to go with a meal that was a nod to our Southern roots. So there was smoked brisket and sausages and fried green tomato mac and cheese and most importantly biscuits. I decided we needed real southern biscuits with White Lily self-rising flour.

The only trouble is that traditionally White Lily flour is hard to find north of the Mason Dixon line. Until I discovered that Walmart is now miraculously delivering this celebrated Southern flour here in Chicago. I could hardly believe it. It was like Christmas seeing four bags flour delivered to my doorstep that very same day.

So with the ultimate biscuit flour in hand I began testing White Lily biscuit recipes. The final winner in our house was one that was topped a honey butter. These flakey biscuits have an irresistibly soft and fluffy center. I have tried for years to create an amazing biscuit, but these top any other biscuit recipe that I have ever made. White Lily self-rising flour truly lives up to its stellar reputation. So I had to share the recipe in case you too are longing for a good Southern biscuit.

The party table with two bowls of White Lily biscuits because a Southern meal isn’t complete without a biscuit.

White Lily Honey Butter Biscuits

  • 2 cups White Lily Self-Rising Flour, plus more rolling
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 5 tablespoons cold butter
  • ¾ cup cold buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter
  • 2 teaspoons honey

Place flour and sugar in food processor add in cubed butter. Blend until the butter is cut in and looks like course breadcrumbs. Then add in the buttermilk through the chute of the mixer while it is running. Continue to blend it until the dough comes together in a ball.

Place the dough on a floured surface and roll out and fold it over itself so there is a second layer. Then roll it  again until it is an inch and a half thick. Cut the biscuits with a circle cutter that is 2 ½ inches in diameter by pressing straight down. Take care not to twist the cutter so as not to pinch the sides.

Note that this dough is a little sticky, but that is by design so it sticks to itself when you fold in the layers. Just use a little flour on your rolling surface and rolling pin and that should keep it from sticking on the bottom.

Bake for 9 to 10 minutes. I like to use a baking stone that I preheat with the oven or alternatively you can use a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. While the biscuits are baking, in a small bowl mix together the butter and honey. When the biscuits are straight out from the oven use a spoon or a butter knife to generously cover the tops in honey butter. Makes 6 to 7 biscuits.

Oh the joy the eating a warm biscuit with butter and jam. They are a little bit of heaven on a plate.

Food

Smashed Potatoes with Pesto Aioli

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The summer grilling season is here and the side that I love to serve again and again are these smashed potatoes with a pesto aioli dipping sauce. They pair well with grilled tuna, steak or my favorite a Caprese style burger with a slice of fresh mozzarella, tomato and a little of this pesto aioli.

These smashed potatoes take a little time, but they are easy to make and fun to eat. When it comes to summer cooking I like to keep it simple. Using store bought pesto makes this aioli quick. I like the bright flavor of basil and the lemon. It makes a great summer dinner. If you are entertaining you can boil and smash the potatoes ahead of time and then put them in the oven with the parmesan when your guests arrive.

Smashed Parmesan Potatoes

  • 1 1/2 pounds new potatoes (like the Little Potato Company)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
  • 3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Then place the potatoes in a large stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Drain and then place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and coat the potatoes in the olive oil and salt.

Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper and then lightly smash or press each potato with the bottom of a metal measuring cup or the bottom of a glass. Then generously sprinkle the tops of the potatoes with the parmesan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and crispy. While the potatoes are roasting make the pesto aioli. Serves four to six.

Pesto Aioli

  • 1 cup good mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon pesto (like Giovanni Rana)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

In a small bowl or ramekin mix together the mayo, pesto and lemon juice. Keep refrigerated until serving.

These crispy potatoes are smashingly good and more special than your ordinary fries or chips. So serve up a delicious Italian inspired dinner with my smashed parmesan potatoes with pesto aioli. Buona cena!

 

Garden

Love is Pink Tulips

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Every fall I spend two days planting a thousand tulips bulbs in my garden. I can’t image spring in Chicago without pink tulips. Over the years I have grown other colors but I have found that nothing brings me joy quite like pink. Because I adore all of its shades – fuchsia, flamingo, blush, rose, peach and coral.

As Matthew Green once wrote “In a world that often lacks compassion, pink stands as a reminder to be kind.” Pink has a warm and gentle glow. I find it nearly impossible to see pink flowers and not smile. 

After all, pink is the happiest of spring’s colors. A sun kissed reminder of nature’s astounding beauty.

Wanting the spring tulip party to continue for weeks, I carefully plant mixes of mid and late season tulips. So that that once the fuchsia “pink ardor” tulips fade I have a new set of “French rose” blooms in even more shades of rose, coral and apricot.

I have them tucked into every corner of my yard because a gardener can never get enough pink tulips.

I plant extra bulbs in nursery pots that I bury in the ground and then when spring arrives I plant them in pots with pansies.

There are daffodils, violas and other flowering friends as well. Because I love pink tulips in flower pots too.

Then as the daffodils finish more tulips begin to bloom with wild berry coral bells and chartreuse creeping Jenny.

A large drift of pink ardor and sherbert blend tulips make for a spectacular show in with a row of grape hyacinths.

Perhaps the best part of gardening is getting to paint with all of these beautiful shades of pink.

So now that spring’s blossoms are here I am seeing the world through a kinder shade of pink.

Baking/Food

Mastering the Art of Quiche

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Bacon and Cheese Quiche

Quiche in my mind is the perfect bite. The combination of the flakey pastry with a creamy egg custard, crisp bacon, caramelized onion and cheese leaves me swooning. It’s a glorious celebration of eggs. As a result, I love serving quiche for brunch or as a delicious spring dinner.

According to Tasting Table this classic tart has both French and German origins. It originated in a region of France called Lorraine that had previously been under German rule. So, quiche as we know it is a French version of a German egg dish called spekkuchen. However, quiche did not become well known dish in America until Julia Child made it on her television show The French Chef in 1963.

Child featured several Quiche recipes on her show. However, as I watched an old episode, I smiled as she instructed her audience to choose their own level of pie crust. She explained that if time in the kitchen was an issue, then she would suggest a store-bought crust. In order to prove her point she made two quiches one with a premade crust and one with a homemade crust. More than ever, I appreciate that Julia was looking after the home cook.

I have written about this quiche before, but I have not included a recipe for my homemade crust. So this is recipe has been updated to include the pastry crust. Because if you have the time for a little cooking adventure there is nothing quite like a homemade pie crust.

However,  regardless of what kind of crust you are using the key to a good quiche is to blind bake it before adding the filling. This will create a crisp bottom pastry which is the hallmark of a wonderful quiche. This recipe can be adapted to add your own favorite fillings. If you want to make it vegetarian, then leave out the bacon. Then finish with a salad to make it a wonderful dinner. Thus, as Julia would say “Bon appétit!”

Homemade quiche

Pastry Crust

  • 1½ cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
  • 3 tablespoons of cold water

In the bowl of the food processor pulse together the flour, salt and sugar.

Add in the cubed butter and pulse until the butter is cut in and the texture looks like breadcrumbs.

Add the water in the shoot while running the processor on medium speed and mix until the dough comes together in a ball.

Take the dough out and place it on a well floured work surface or silicone baking mat. If the dough feels warm you can refrigerate it first, but I like to roll it out immediately while it is easier to work with and then refrigerate the dough once it is in the pie plate.

Shape the dough into a disk and sprinkle more flour on top and using a rolling pin roll it out to create a 12 to 13 inch circle. Then use the rolling pin to help transfer the dough over the 8 inch pie plate by rolling it half way on the pin and then sliding the pie plate underneath so the rolling pin is in the middle of the pie plate. Gently unroll the dough on top and make sure the dough falls into bottom and sides of the pan.

This recipe makes a generous amount of dough. It’s a pie crust and a half so there is plenty of dough to make the crimped edges. You could have a small amount left once you trim the circle out.

Flute the edges by folding the edge of the dough under and crimping it. I like to use two hands by placing my pointer and the index finger from one hand to create a V on the outside and use my other thumb to push in the middle of the crimp. I added an optional extra decorative touch with small circles of dough from the scraps and place those circles in the center of each crimp. This makes the outside crust thicker and sturdier when you blind bake it. I like adding this decorative detail because it looks like flower petals. However, this is completely optional.

I like adding the small circle cut out to the edge because it makes the finished crust look like a beautiful sunflower.

Once the crust is ready place it in the fridge to chill.

Caramelized Onion and Bacon Quiche

  • 1 unbaked 8 to 9 inch pie crust, homemade or store bought
  • 1 cup yellow onion sliced into thin half-moon slices
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar or white cheddar cheese
  • 6 eggs (I like the Little Farm eggs at Kramers and Pete’s)
  • ¾ cup cream
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Herbs de Provance
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley or chives

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the pie dough and place it in an 8-inch pie plate. Make sure that you press the crust to the sides of the pie plate to keep it from sliding down. If using a prepared crust already in a pan, then make sure it is defrosted. Dock or pick the bottom of the pie with a fork about 16 times. Chill the unbaked crust in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This will prevent shrinkage when baked.

While the pie dough is chilling caramelized the onions. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium sized skillet. Cook the onions over medium to medium-low heat stirring occasionally until golden brown.

Cut a large 16-inch parchment paper circle and crumple it so it will be flexible. Line the inside of the pie dough with the parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans.

Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and weights. Return the pie to the oven to bake for an additional 7 minutes.

Sprinkle the caramelized onions, cheese and bacon evenly over the bottom of the pie crust. In a medium sized bowl whisk together six eggs, 3/4 cup of cream, salt and Herbs de Provance. Pour the egg mixture in the pie crust.

Lightly spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Tent and cover the quiche in the foil. Bake covered for 45 minutes. You will know the quiche is done when the eggs puff and the center is firm. Finally, garnish the top with finely chopped parsley and chives.

Garden

Happiness is the Sun

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On a day when we are covered in a blanket of snow and the temperatures are frightfully low I am reminded of the power of sunshine. I have been working on some writing projects with my daughters as winter has kept us in. This weekend my youngest Alyssa was writing a short story while my oldest daughter Gabriella has been working on a poetry project. She had to write a metaphor poem and chose to write about the sun and happiness. Her thoughts about the sunshine and how its light touches everything are beautiful. I added a couple of lines here along with some of my photography. I wanted to share her poem because after a week of troubling headlines the world could use some of her light.

The Sun

Happiness is the Sun

As it rises its smile grows brighter

Its pink and orange warmth fills the sky

The dewy green grass glows in its early light

While golden daffodils rise to greet it

The tulips begin their vibrant color parade

Birds sing sweet songs to celebrate the dawn

The beginning of a bright new day

Its light brings comfort like a warm blanket to creatures great and small

It dries the water from the spring leaves

While pale pink apple blossoms fill the trees

As its radiance shines upon the ground

The Earth laughs and smiles back

Food

Chasing Away the Winter Blues with Beef Bolognese

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Homemade tomato sauce

Every January, when the cold settles in, I find myself longing to be in the kitchen. Because nothing lessens the chill like having something warm simmering on the stove. I like to look out my kitchen window and watch the snowflakes swirl. On days like this I like to cook while listening to one of my favorite food podcasts.

There is something wonderful about the freedom that a snowy day brings. It lets you live in the moment with nothing to rush off to. So, I happily escape to my kitchen. I love the rhythm of chopping vegetables and hearing the sizzle of the olive oil as I slide them off the cutting board and into the skillet.

Homemade bolognese sauce has a way of melting away the worries of the day. Soon the kitchen is filled with the aroma of the Italian soffritto, beef and tomatoes. I use tomato paste instead of sauce. A tip I learned from listening to Angela Hartnett and her podcast The Dish. Tomato paste has all the flavor of the sauce with less acidity, so I like using it in my bolognese recipe.

If you love to eat or cook, then I highly recommend listening to The Dish. Harnett, a Michelin star chef and broadcaster Nick Grimshaw host a weekly on-air dinner party. They cook and chat with guests like Gordon Ramsay, Oliva Coleman, Mary Berry and Natalie Portman.

The best part of the show is their quick-witted fast-food quizzes. Where they ask their guest all the questions a foodie would wants know. “How do you like to eat your eat eggs? What’s your favorite sandwich filling? And what herb do you love to cook with?” Their show is lighthearted, laugh out loud fun. The ideal podcast for kitchen listening on a gray winter day.

As the sauce simmers I have visitors who make their way to the kitchen. Smiles follow as my daughters see the spaghetti. My beef bolognese is a comforting classic that chases away the cold and makes everyone in my house happy.

Beef Bolognese

  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 celery stalk, finely diced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 ¼ pounds ground sirloin
  • 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 ¼ cup beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 8oz of spaghetti, cooked
  • Grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to taste

First, finely chop the onions, celery, carrot and garlic. Next place a large skillet over medium heat and warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, celery and carrot to the pan and sauté for about 10 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and the ground beef and cook until the meat is browned and nearly cooked through.

Add in the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and stir to break up the tomato paste. Then slowly pour in the beef broth while stirring. Season the sauce with salt and garlic powder. Place a bay leaf and the thyme spring in the sauce and let it simmer over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the spaghetti or your favorite pasta according to the package directions and drain it well.

Once the sauce has simmered remove the bay leaf and herb stems. Add the pasta to the sauce. Stir or toss the pasta to coat it in the bolognese sauce. Serve the spaghetti bolognese with a generous amount of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on top. This recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

You can also find this recipe on my free substack account.

Baking

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas with our Chicago Italian Lemon Cookies

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Italian Christmas Cookies

In our house the holiday season officially begins when I bake my first batch of holiday cookies. And in Chicago my favorite Christmas cookies are the amazing  Italian cookies. So this year I decided to take inspiration from my hometown favorite because no one does Christmas quite like Chicago.

There are lots of wonderful Italian cookie varieties, but my families favorite are the Italian lemon cookies. The texture of these cookies and the bright lemon flavor is what sets them apart. They are soft, crumbly and delicious. The secret is using powdered sugar and mascarpone cheese (a soft Italian cream cheese). Look for the mascarpone cheese in a round container in the Italian cheese section of your grocery store. These cookies are so irresistibly good that they have a habit of disappearing quickly.  So, if you are baking cookies for Santa you might want to make an extra plateful.

Italian Lemon Cookies – Makes about 36 cookies

  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ½ cup mascarpone cheese, softened
  • 1tsp lemon zest
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 2 ½ cups flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer mix add in the butter, salt, powdered sugar and lemon zest. Cream or beat the mixture on medium speed for 4 minutes.

Add in the mascarpone cheese, vanilla and egg and beat on low speed until just incorporated. You don’t want to over mix the mascarpone. Then add in the flour and baking powder and mix until the cookie dough comes together.

Roll the dough out until it is about 1/4 to 1/3 of an inch thick on a lightly floured surface or silicone baking mat. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into circles or holiday stars. Reroll the dough again until it is all cut into cookies.

I had fun using different sized star shapes. I even cut a smaller star out of a larger one.

Place the in batches cookies on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a baking stone.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool before decorating them with the glaze.

Lemon Glaze

  • 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla
  • 6 tsp fresh lemon juice

In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Place the glaze in a 12-inch disposable pastry bag and cut the tip to create a small opening. Then outline the cookie or drizzle the glaze on. Add sparkling sugar or sprinkles for a festive look.

I hope your holidays are filled with  twinkling light, snowflakes, chocolates, Italian cookies and lots of love! Merry Christmas!

This recipe is also on my free Substack page.

Baking

Gingersnap Apple Crisp: A Taste of Fall and English Gardens

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Gingersnap Apple Crumble

Tucked away off the southeast coast of England is one of the most enchanting gardens I have ever visited. Sissinghurst Castle and Garden was the home of famous gardener and writer Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicholson a British politician and writer. When they purchased this country estate in the 1930s they began to restore the castle and create the now famous gardens.

As I entered garden room after room I was immediately taken with lush planting and vibrant colors.

However, the my favorite was the vegetable garden. We visited late this summer when the two acre garden was bursting with fruits, vegetables and flowers.

Every corner held new surprises and plantings. There were berries, grapes, pumpkins, squash, corn and more. This storybook garden also had orchards with apples and pears.

Our family spent an entire day exploring all of the beautiful gardens. While we were there I picked up a copy the National Trust’s Book of Crumbles in their small gift shop. I was intrigued because I love a good crumble or crisp as we call it on this side of the pond. Crisps are one of the sweetest and easiest ways to bake with fresh fruit. Once I was back home I began trying recipe after recipe.

Inspired by a plumb crumble that used almond cookies as its base, I began dreaming of a gingersnap and apple crisp. I have long loved gingersnaps and pairing them with apples sounded like a cozy of fall recipe. So with two overflowing bowls  of apples from our family’s trip to the orchard I began baking.

This crisp was every bit is good as I had hoped it would be. The cinnamon apples with the crisp ginger and brown sugar cookie topping was divinely good with a scoop of ice cream. So as the nights get cooler and fall sets in I have a recipe for you gingersnap apple crisp.

Gingersnap Apple Crisp

Apple Filling

  • 7 cups or 3 pounds of apples, peeled and cut into slices
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp flour

Gingersnap Topping

  • 1 cup gingersnaps, crushed (I used the traditional gingersnap cookies and not the thin ones)
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 6 tbsps butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

First, peel and cut the apples into slices. Place the apples in a large bowl and stir in the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, lemon juice and flour. Continue to stir until the apples are evenly coated in the flour and sugar mixture.

Next, prepare the crisp topping. Crush the gingersnaps in the food processor or in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin until finely crumbled. Place them in a medium bowl. Stir in the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon. Drizzle in the melted butter and stir to create a crumbly texture.

Lightly grease an 8×8 inch baking pan with butter flavored cooking spray. Pour the apples and their juices into the baking dish and then evenly spread the gingersnap topping on top. Bake for 45 minutes till golden brown and bubbly.

Serve while warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This gingersnap apple crisp has got all the flavors of an apple pie, but it’s much easier to make. The combination of the sweetly spiced gingersnap and the cinnamon apples makes this one of my favorite fall recipes.

This recipe is also available on my new free Substack newsletter.

 

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