Apple Crisp

Ingredients
Topping:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup rolled oats
½ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg     
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Fruit:
3 lbs apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 2 quart baking dish.
2. Toss together apples, lemon juice and cinnamon. Place fruit mix in baking dish.
3. Mix together the dry topping ingredients in a large bowl. Add butter pieces and work in with your fingers or a pastry blender. Mix until the topping has a crumbly texture. Distribute topping evenly on fruit.
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes until the topping is brown and fruit is bubbling.  

 Variation: Substitute pears for apples. Pears cook more quickly so check for doneness at 45 minutes.

Escarole Salad with Apples and Walnuts

Think beyond lettuce when you want a green salad. Escarole, a broad-leafed endive, is a chicory, like radicchio. Escarole is somewhat less bitter than radicchio and can be prepared raw or cooked. Escarole is often found in salad mixes, particularly in winter salad mixes. In this salad, escarole is the sole green and its slight bitterness works really well with the apple. If you want, add some crumbled bleu cheese.

Ingredients
1 lb. escarole
1 apple
¼ cup walnuts
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine or sherry vinegar
~ salt
~ pepper

Steps

1. Toast walnuts until lightly browned. Let cool, then rub skins off with a towel.
2. Wash and dry escarole. Tear into bite sized pieces.
3. Core and thinly slice apple.
4. Whisk together oil and vinegar in a large salad bowl. Add escarole, apples, and walnuts. Toss, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.