Auntie’s Apple Casserole

I have had this recipe for a while and make it every week. I have had a hard time choosing a name, which delayed my post.

I originally made it as a dessert, but it’s so healthy that I started having it for breakfast too. The first time I made this for a family gathering – Christmas 2017. My Auntie Diane kept raving how delicious it was and got several helpings! I love when my family enjoys what I bake, and her praises mean so much to me. Every week since then, when I make the casserole, I think of her. Cancer took Auntie Diane from us a few months ago, but I continue to think of her whenever I bake it. It’s for this reason, I decided to title this dish “Auntie’s Apple Casserole.”

Ingredients:

• 3 large apples; peeled, cored & sliced (best apples for baking: Cortland, Empire, Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith…I used Crispin and I loved it)
• 8 oz of fresh cranberries (alternatively, you can use 1 cup of craisins and/or raisins, or any combo of the 3! Be creative! Fresh cranberries are tart, raisins and craisins will be sweet)
• 1 cup Old Fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ginger
• 1/2 cup syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Prep the apples.
3. In a large bowl, mix the apple slices with cranberries, craisins, and/or raisins.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
5. Pour the mixed dry ingredients into the bowl of fruit and lightly toss to coat the fruit evenly. If this is difficult, put all the fruit and dry ingredients in a container with a lid, seal the lid, and shake it!
6. Dump the fruit mixture into a casserole dish.
7. Drizzle the syrup evenly over the top.
8. Place the lid on the casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.
9. Before serving, allow to cool for about 5 – 10 minutes with the lid on.
10. Serve warm alone, with non-dairy ice cream or non-dairy whipped cream, or allow to completely cool and serve it cooled.

Enjoy!