Apple Pear Crisp

It has officially arrived. Crisp apples and morning air. Cold office drafts warrant boots. Pumpkin spice Instagram freak outs. Fall made it. In Chicago I always hated fall -- the deep freeze ever-looming -- but here the pleasure outweighs the threat. I've been trying to get in the culinary spirit and delicious Honeycrisps called my name. I love the firm texture and sweet-tart juices. Impeccable raw with a spread of peanut butter and good for baking too. 

I had my mom for dinner the other night and wanted to make simple desert that really let the apples shine. Juicy pears and crunchy oats bringing out the best of the Honeycrisps. 

Crisps are casual and rustic enough that you don't really have to be exact with measurements. Heck, I mixed half of this directly in the baking pan. Left the skins on the apples and pears too. Easy peasy.

The topping comes together in about 2 minutes in a mixer. I really love the texture the oats give and they take on a fabulous crunch in the oven.

Apple Pear Crisp

For filling

2 small Honeycrisp apples, cored and sliced

2 bosc pears, cored and sliced

1 lemon

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For topping

3/4 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 stick cold butter, cut into cubes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine apple and pear slices in a medium-sized baking dish. Zest half of the lemon over fruit and squeeze lemon juice over fruit. Spoon over sugar, flour and cinnamon. Toss to combine. 

Combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, oats and butter in a bowl of a mixer. Mix on low speed for 1 minute until crumbly. Spread evenly over fruit. 

Place baking dish on a sheet pan and bake for about an hour, or until filling is bubbly and topping browned. Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving... it will be hot. Enjoy!

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Ya'll know I don't bake much. I seriously don't even get the cake ball thing. They physically hurt my teeth. With all this dissing of dessert I should make it clear that I will eat peanut butter on just about anything. On an apple... yep. Rice cakes... in the desk drawer. Banana... big head nod. I like natural peanut butter alright, but there's nothing to replace good 'ole creamy Jif in my life. They didn't even pay me to say that. Put it with chocolate and I'm down for the fat kid count.

I saw this recipe pop up on Pinterest and had been considering it for awhile. I had originally planned to make them as marathon day snacks, but my sink clogged #boocrappyapartment. I'm glad I didn't give up on the peanut butter ball dream... chocolate and peanut butter are obviously incredible, but the oats in these cookies give them remarkable texture and a little less guilty.

Just a few simple ingredients and no need to get out the kitchen scale. I did do a bit more measuring than usual though. Bakers be proud.

Whole grains = chewy. Delicious.

This is a similar method to a Rice Krispy treat. Easy enough for kiddos and room for endless variations.

Ahh.... this shit just got real. Once everything is combined, you'll need to move quickly to scoop the cookies before they dry out.

I wished I had a small ice cream scoop. I used a tablespoon with a flexible end and my fingers instead.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fat free milk
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups rolled oats

Cover one cookie sheet in parchment paper.

Melt butter over low heat in a heavy bottomed pan. Add sugar, milk and cocoa powder and stir until combined. Add in peanut butter and chocolate chips, stir until melted. Remove from heat and add oats, stirring quickly to combine.

Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon, scoop out individual cookies onto parchment. Move quickly to complete this before mixture dries out. Refrigerate cookies for 30 minutes before serving.