Entertaining Myself (or Not Rhinebeck)

Friday the sky looked like this and temperature was around 70...a perfect day to go for a walk. Moxie and I enjoyed a nice long stroll through the neighborhood and my thoughts drifted off to Rhinebeck.  Rhinebeck...where many of my on-line pals were meeting for a fiber weekend and I resolved to have a lovely weekend of my own.

Saturday the sky looked like this, and it rained in the valley and snowed in the mountains. It didn't stop me from heading out to Three Wishes and Unraveled Sheep, two lovely LYSs.  As it turned out, I ran into my 'real' pals Cheryl and Lark, who were already shopping when I arrived at Three Wishes. We had a nice chat while enabling encouraging each other to do some good shopping.  I picked up a lovely silk/merino roving by Snake River Fiberworks, with the resolve that IF I make it to Rhinebeck next year, at least 50% of my stash must already be spun by then.  I'll let you know how that goes.  At Unraveled I was enabled encouraged to buy a lovely Colinette Jitterbug sock yarn, in a deep semi-solid red, with the name of Vatican Pie (love it) and I picked up the new Vogue Holiday issue that has a new sweater by Alice Starmore! It's an updated version of her famous Oregon Cardigan...new colors, new shape.

Last week when I talked about what I love about October, I forgot to mention apples!  Many of you reminded me how important apples are to fall cuisine. I had intended to add them to the list, so to make up for that oversight, I decided to make an apple crisp.  After looking through recipes (on-line) for a considerable time, I made up my mind to create my own version.  It turned out very well and had just the right amount of crisp to appley taste.  Now don't kill over, but this very undomestic goddess will share the recipe with you.  Smith agreed it was the best ever!

Apple Brown Zen

5 cups apples sliced about 1/2" thick (cooking apples are good if you want very soft apples-hardier apples would be good, too) If there is a lag time in the time you make 'til the time you bake, add a bit of lemon will keep the apples from turning brown.
Butter an 8x8 baking dish and toss in the apples
Mix together:
1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 stick butter (softened)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup sliced almonds (optional - for more crunch)

Cover apples with crisp mixture and bake in a 375 oven for 30 minutes.  Serve with cream, or ice cream, if desired. 

Enjoy!!

Comments

[Dianna]

My thoughts have been with the Rhinebeck crowd as well, while I worked two 12 hr shifts this weekend! LOL You made good use of the weekend with the fiber trek and the apple crisp!

[mishaele]

Thta's a good strategy - spinning 50% of the stash. Maybe I'll use that as my guide, too. I love the pic of Moxie and your shadow - too cute!

[Kathy]

That looks yummy! You were missed this weekend.

[Carole]

I like the idea of adding almonds to apple crisp. We missed you this weekend!

[Loribird]

Ooo, thanks for the recipe, it looks great! (And it's definitely apple season out here)
Your fiber goodies look great - I really love the roving.

[Kim]

Thanks for the recipe, it looks yummy! You were thought of and missed this weekend!

[Norma]

Vatican Pie!!!! I think I had some of that this weekend at the Eveready. At least it felt like Heaven going down.....

[Marcia Cooke]

You are the second person to show a skein of "Vatican Pie"....most intruiging name! I think your idea is worthy of a Spinalong: the "50% by Rhinebeck or Bust SAL"! Or, how 'bout a Ravelry Group?

As for the Apple Crisp, I prefer your version with oatmeal in the crisp so there is something redeeming, other than the apples. My MIL made a flour and butter and sugar crisp, so guess what Apple Crisp has to be in this house? With ice cream.

[Cindy]

I am also far, far away from Rhinebeck and all things fiber-y! Oh well, our time will come and our pocket books won;t get so empty!

[Alison]

Mmmm, that looks good. I love apples!

Someday I might make it to Rhinebeck, but living so close to Maryland, I do get to that one every year. (It's in May in case you ever want to do that one :-)

[kathleen]

Yum. I love apple crisp. I am glad it was a nice weekend for you darling. I don't really care for the new color of the Oregon cardigan. I have the vest in the green colorway. I love it but it is a bit short and darn that Gracie--she wouldn't be caught dead in it.

[Lark]

Grrreat recipe for a real grrrl! Thanks. After I left Three Wishes I went home to an afternoon of bathroom tiling, then carved a wax for some new jewelry with my master jeweler friend, then home to refinish an old vanity with my daughter, then to bed exhausted but happy. We had five inches of snow here Sunday morning, and Cleo was an insane puppy for it. Apple crisp tonight! Blue skies!

[Anne]

Maybe we should just do our own shop-hop and spa-ish weekend here in the west to counteract the Rhinebeck pull. That'd be fun, eh?

I gotta try that crisp recipe - it looks fantastic!

[Manise]

You were very much missed! I have a hoard of apples in the fridge- will have to make some apple crisp this week.

[Tan]

Thanks for sharing your pictures and your (virtual for now) food.

[Christy]

We missed you at the festival! I was in Building A shopping on Saturday morning and thought, this is where I met Margene last year.

Glad you had a good weekend!

[Wool Winder]

Three Wishes is the next best thing to Rhinebeck. You're lucky to have such a great shop nearby.

[Cheryl S.]

I made "my" apple crisp last night, and I think I'll try "your" recipe today. It sure sounds (and looks) yummy!

[deb]

I always add oatmeal to apple crisp recipes - even if they don't!! I love the tast it adds! And we always add cinammon ice cream!!

[Knitnana]

OH that one is sooooooo going to get made! thanks for the recipe...I picked up a couple of apples for out-of-hand eating today...
(((hugs)))

[--Deb]

That looks so yummy . . . and, you were missed, too!!

--Deb

[CindyCindy]

I love the pic of your shadow with Moxie. We had a glorious windy fall weekend, except Sunday the temp was 83. I thought about Rhinebeck several times this weekend and I got a beautiful skein of Jitterbug. It's variegated. And, your apple recipe looks yummy!

[Scoutj]

It snowed here last night too! And man that looks soooooo yummy!

I really think I've decided I want to go to Rhinebeck next year. You have to go. HAVE TO!

[Chris]

Sounds like a delectable weekend!

[ann]

it just wasn't the same without you m'dear.

[susan]

Oh, I had some apple crisp at Rhinebeck. Awesome.

[Birdsong]

Thanks for the recipe! It was great chatting on the phone yesterday, our own personal "Rhinebeck Blogger Meet Up", though it sure would be fun to get together with our people again soon. That Colinette Jitterbug is a nice yarn... and not just for socks either. Check out Kristi's new beret pattern.

[Hillary]

Mmmmm apple crisp. That recipe sounds great. I like the oatmeal addition.

[Lucia]

If I ever get off the infernal diet, that's gonna be high on my list.

[Tonia]

My thoughts have wavered toward Rhinebeck too. Maybe next year, but I am not holding my breath.

That apple crisp looks and sounds very good. I will have to try it.

[Kristi aka Fiber Fool]

Yummy, apple crisp! Thanks for sharing the recipe with us.

[Sarah]

Looks like you made the most of your weekend. That apple goodness sounds wonderful.

[marie in florida]

lovely reciipe my friend. i'll cobble it up, if in can find where the "one cup flower" grows.

[Pat K]

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. Thanks for sharing.

[Wanda]

I can't believe the undomestic goddess, got in the kitchen! Thanks for the recipe!

[christine]

What? Rhinebeck?

Yeah, I was thinking about it, too. Next year, for sure.

[Cookie]

I'm so glad you had a good fibery weekend, Margene.

Thanks for making me hungry.

[Susan Pandorf]

Yumm. We had the season's first pork roast (smell that garlic and rosemary, bay-bee!) and pumpkin pie to finish.

Doesn't get much better than this, does it?

Blessings!

PS. Promise I will be up on Ravelry by the end of next week. Promise.

Thanks, Mom...

[elizabeth]

I made that last weekend with some local apples! We had ours over ice cream, it was soooo good!

[debbie]

that sounds almost too easy! gonna have to try it for my next sunday dinner - about the only time i make dessert. thanks for sharing!

[Kelly]

I missed you at Rhinebeck this year but you looks like you had a great weekend. Love the color of that roving!

[claudia]

You can make that for me anytime. :)

[Lee Ann]

Missed you madly :-}

[michelle]

I made an apple crisp last week and that's what I forgot, the oatmeal! So much for winging it. Your recipe looks absolutely delicious.

There are some really nice patterns in that Vogue - I've been flipping through it the last few days.

[Karen]

I'm going to have to try that apple dish. It sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing the recipe. The fiber you got at Three Wishes looks beautiful too.