Apples...lots and lots of apples

So my sister manages to somehow end up with 5 bushels of apples. No, I'm not kidding. 5 bushels. I cant even tell you how many hundreds of apples that is. So, naturally, she gives me one of them. I now have about 150 apples to eat and cook with. Usually I use Golden Delicious apples for cooking. They are firm, sweet, and just work well. Of course, these apples are McIntosh, which aren't the greatest for cooking, but I'm always up for a challenge! Now, God knows I cannot make a pie crust to save my life. I've followed recipe after recipe after recipe for them. They just do not turn out for me. My mum will usually make me crusts that I will freeze and thaw as needed. As luck would have it, I have none left in my freezer. Sooo...I thought I could throw a really yummy Apple Crisp together. Instead of just using my husband as a guinea pig, he convinced his Fire Department crew to be guinea pigs as well. Not that you really have to convince these guys of anything...they are very receptive to anything you put in front of them! Turns out though, they LOVED this!

Maple Apple Crisp

20 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup white sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

butter for greasing pan

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Topping Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup quick oats

1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350, grease a 9X13 baking pan

In a large bowl, place cored and peeled apples. Add the lemon juice and toss so the apples are coated.

In separate bowl, combine white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour, mix well. Add dry ingredients to apples and toss. Place apple mixture into greased pan, spreading evenly.

Drizzle apples evenly with the maple syrup.

In mixer, combine the dry ingredients for the topping, mixing well. Add melted butter slowly and continue to mix until well blended. Top the apple mixture evenly. Gently tap the pan so that the topping will fill in between the apples.

Place on middle rack in oven and bake for 45 minutes, until bubbly.

Enjoy by itself, or for pure heaven, serve with vanilla bean ice cream.

I added extra flour for this recipe, more than I usually use if I use Golden Delicious apples because McIntosh apples have so much water in them. It really helped keep everything firm and the apples didn't turn to applesauce. I was very happy with how this turned out, and the guys loved it!