Fall-ing

Halloween decorations are out.
Pumpkins are decorating windows and shelves of just about everywhere.
Leaves are littering the yard, sticking to windshields.
I had my first honeycrisp apple of the season.
The Pumpkin Spice Latte is back (and yes, it merits capital letters).
My hoodies are back in the rotation, and getting out of bed is now that much harder.

For the whole year, I always think fondly of this season of hoodies and jeans - where you're not too hot for your skin nor so cold you need a jacket - yet when it arrives, my first instinct is to huddle up in bed and hide from the cold. I still think of Fall as my favorite season, but it always gets off to a hesitant slow start unlike its flashier Summer predecessor. This year, Fall hit with a vengeance - a final hurrah of summer with 20+ degree days led straight into a week of single digit temperatures and perpetual grey skies. Needless to say, my love of the season is taking a little while longer to grow back this time around.

See... I'm not the only one with those hide-under-the-bed thoughts when Fall rolls around

Growing up, come Birthday time, we were always given the choice of cake we wanted that year. I only remember one choice in particular - Mom and I made a chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache - and I remember being surprised at how delicious it was. I was never a chocolate fiend, and seem to recall most of my other cakes being "yellow" with chocolate icing, but don't quote me on it. The last cake I remember having on my birthday was an ice cream cake from The Boy 2 years ago, just weeks before I went GF, leaving delicious leftovers in the freezer for the roommates to enjoy.

This year, I took matters into my own hands and made myself a belated apple crumble. Just what I would have asked Mom for if I were still living at home. Its her recipe - one that was always a top request at home and something I have been wanting to make for months. It is a cinch to make and fills the house with such a yummy smell, its hard to turn down.

Mom's Apple Crumble

3 apples peeled, cored and sliced thinly
1/4c water
3/4c GF flour
1/3c butter - cubed
pinch salt
1/2c brown sugar
2tsp cinnamon
1 1/4c GF oats

Preheat oven to 350F. Place the sliced apples into a 9x13" oven proof dish (or a 9inch pie plate, or... you choose) along with the water. In a small bowl mix flour and salt then use your fingers to crumble in the butter. It should look like cookie crumbs when you're done. Add to this the brown sugar, oats and cinnamon. Mix to combine before spreading in an even layer over the apples. Bake for 40-50min until golden brown. Serve with cream or my favorite - a really good vanilla ice cream (though I bet cinnamon would work too!)


Recipe Notes: I broke one of the cardinal rules of baking (you know - thou shalt not tinker until thou hath followed thy recipe once) and modified this recipe on my first try with it. Adding cinnamon and a small sprinkling of sugar directly to the apples before topping them with the crumble just sounded right today. The Boy isn't a fan of the tart granny smith apples, so I'm hoping the tiny bit of extra sugar along with the cinnamon will help temper their bite. Use gluten free oats to keep this GF - I find mine at the health food store down the road, they're more expensive but are such a treat..