Classic Autumn Apple Crumble

I'm sitting a quiet home while my family sleeps in this morning, and the peace is almost too wonderful to handle!  (I love knowing my husband and children are here.)  The window is cracked enough for the cool fall-like temperature to sweep inside our home on this early September morning.  I actually have a soft robe on over my pjs and my coffee in hand as I reflect on my life.

Fall is near!  Autumn's warm and cozy tastes and smells and colors that wrap you like a Grandma's warm embrace is almost at our door step, and I couldn't be happier!  Yesterday was simply gorgeous!  The sky was blue and the air crisp, lacking any Southern humidity at all!  

After spending a special day with my lovely grandparents and cousins, we retreated home for naps.  Well, the rest of my crew did.  I gathered the ingredients and baked up a surprise treat of the season's first apple crumble!

Chopped apples with cinnamon topped with a buttery, brown sugary oat crunch sprinkled over the top and baked till bubbly and crisp on the edges.  I had leftover German roasted pecans from a recent baseball game we attended so I added those to take this rustic dessert to the next level!  I also tossed in some golden raisins since I had them.  

What a way to usher in the fall season but with a warm cozy apple crumble fresh from the oven.  Top it with ice cream or eat it simply with milk or a cup of coffee!  Anyway you choose with be a delicious start to this beautiful season!  

Classic Apple Crumble

Filling:

4-5 medium apples (I used Granny Smith and Gala)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1-2 Tbsp. Brown sugar

Topping:

1c. Oats

1c. brown sugar

1/2c. Flour

1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 tsp. Apple pie spice

1/2 c. Butter

Dash of salt

1/2 c. Pecans, chopped-optional

Peel and dice apples into about 1 inch pieces.  Toss with cinnamon and sugar and pour mixture into a 2 quart dish or pie plate.

In a large bowl, mix together oats, sugar, flour, and spices.  "Cut" in the butter until blended into course crumbs.  Stir in pecans.  Pour the crumble over the apples and bake at 350 degrees F. for 35-40 minutes.  Serve warm!