BAKED APPLES! BUT.... IN A CROCKPOT?

I thought when my sister put everything in the crockpot, she was corny - or lazy. Either one, there are just some things that don't belong. Agreed?

Well.... This couldn't have turned out any better - or worse, I suppose. I made a few minor adjustments from a previous recipe I found on facebook (CLICK HERE) because there are just some things that I prefer best. And that is oats over bread crumbs. Who puts bread crumbs on "baked" apples? Reminds me too much of a bread pudding and that makes me gag. I did, however give it shot..

Things just take sooo looooong in a crock pot! (this is me whining). It said it had to cook for FOUR HOURS. If I had children, this would be wonderful torture if they weren't eating their dinner.. they would smell the apples cooking the entire time and BAM! It's bedtime! Don't eat your dinner? No dessert, kiddo. I don't care if it is fruit.

Crock Pot Dessert. That's what this is. Ok - I gave you the "original" recipe up top - this is my version:

Ingredients:

6 cups chunky apple slices
1 cup granulated sugar (when I tried brown sugar here, it turned into a gummy pile of apples)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
juice and zest of 1 lemon
(variation: add fresh cranberries and use an orange instead of a lemon - SO YUMMY!)

Topping:

3 cups oatmeal (dried, Quick Minute oats)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter


As a reminder, all of my "measurements" are estimates. I don't measure anything :)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine apples, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and lemon juice & zest.

2. In another bowl, combine butter, brown sugar and oatmeal.

3. SPRAY the inside of the crockpot with PAM, EVOO, some kind of cooking spray. It will stick - it's in there for four hours!

4. Dump the apple mixture in, crumble the topping across the top. cover and cook on high for 3.5 hours (until it gets brown and bubbly). Original recipe calls for four hours but I found in my first round, this was too long.


DELISH. I'm so excited for you guys to try it because it's so easy! Now, let's face it - this is most certainly the LONG, drawn out, tedious way of doing baked apples. You can do this same mixture and put it in the oven at 350 degrees, covered for about an hour. My only conclusion to the baked apples in a crockpot is that soccer-mom needed to figure out how she was going to make a same-day dessert since she had to leave for a game and wouldn't be home until 6? Or.. if you work 5 miles from home like me, come home at lunch and throw it all together so it will be ready by dinner! Either way, enjoy :)