Apple Brown Betty

Yesterday I mentioned that the month of October is National Apple Month.  And I don't know about where you live, but for us, October is a great month to pick apples.  We have an apple tree at our old house (which we still go over to pick) that is loaded with apples this year!  The cool, wet spring was perfect weather for our apple tree (too bad it wasn't the same for our corn and soybeans...).  So with a bumper crop of apples I've been making apple treats pretty much nonstop for a couple of month.  One of my favorite go to apple desserts is a Brown Betty.  This apple treat is quick and just the right size for a family to eat in one night or over a couple of nights.  (Plus, it is an excuse to eat homemade ice cream!)

Apple Brown Betty (adapted from Ideals Farmhouse Cookbook by Clarice L Moon, Copyright 1978)

5 to 6 medium-sized apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soft margarine or butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup granola or oatmeal
cinnamon sugar, to taste (optional)

In a bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, margarine or butter, cinnamon and granola or oatmeal.  Sprinkle the sliced apples with cinnamon sugar (optional).  Then toss the apples with half of the crumb mixture.  Put apple mixture into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole.  Then spread the rest of the crumbs over the top of the apples.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.  Serve with homemade ice cream.  Serves 4.

Mmmm Apple Brown Betty with Homemade Ice Cream
The perfect way to end a crisp fall day

So try an Apple Brown Betty today!  If you like the crumb part of an Apple Crisp, then you'll love a Brown Betty.  The Brown Betty has more crumb mixture throughout the dessert and then of course on top.

What is your go to apple treat treat?  Or what is your favorite apple dessert?

Celebrate National Pork and National Apple Month

I love the month of October for many reasons - cool weather, the changing colors of the leaves, harvest, Halloween and my birthday!  I also enjoy the month of October because it is a great excuse to eat savory pork and delicious apples, since October is also known as National Pork Month and National Apple Month.

To celebrate the first day of this great month, I thought I'd share some fun facts about both pork and apples!

• Iowa's pork producers raise 28% of all US Pork, making Iowa the top producer of pork in the nation.
• There are more than 8 million pigs in Iowa, so yes, it is true, there is almost three times as many pigs in Iowa, as there are people.
• Americans, on average, eat more than 60 pounds of pork each year, and with the popularity of bacon rising, that number is surly to rise!
• Red Delicious Apples, America's favorite apple, was developed on a farm near East Peru, Iowa in the 1880s.
• Apples are grown in all 50 states, but only 36 commercially.  There are over 2,500 varieties of apples grown nationally.
• Apple blossom is the state flower of Michigan.

Also to celebrate be sure to cook and bake with pork and apples.  One great recipe that includes both pork and apples is my Harvest Brats recipe - check it out here.

Harvest Brats
Delicious pork brats with a apple and onion mustard slaw