Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays—it’s in my top three, along with Christmas and Greek Easter. As soon as I started attending culinary vocational school during my junior year of high school, I took over all the cooking for my family’s Thanksgiving. It allowed me to incorporate the traditional American sides my brother and I longed for—hello, mashed potatoes!—along with the Greek dishes my family preferred.
I’m still enthusiastic about the holiday, but I’ve become a better planner and delegator. I ask my family and friends to supply some of the courses, so I’m not doing all the work. Most importantly, I now pick recipes that are low-lift but still have a simple elegance that makes them feel special enough for the big day. Ultimately, I want to spend more time enjoying my guests instead of being stuck in the kitchen the whole time. So when I come across a recipe that aligns with my cooking ethos, like this three-ingredient skillet apple crisp, I add it to my menu.
Why I Love This Apple Crisp
I’m a huge fan of recipes that use super-smart techniques, and this crisp does not disappoint. Every ingredient is important, and some pull double duty. The topping is made with flavored instant oatmeal packets, which provide both the sweetener and seasoning, and butter (of course).
Caramelizing the apples with more butter in a skillet helps bring out their natural sweetness, so no additional sugar is necessary. This also gives them a head start, so the crisp can bake at a higher temperature, which translates to less time in the oven. Every ingredient is thoughtfully used to create a flavorful dessert with barely any fuss. And because it all comes together in an ovenproof skillet, cleanup is minimal, too.
Credit: Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer
What Apples Can I Use?
I can never remember which apples are best for baking off the top of my head—there are just too many varieties. Instead, I’ve memorized the two that shouldn’t be used: McIntosh and Red Delicious. They turn mushy and lose a lot of their flavor when cooked. Otherwise, everything else is fair game.
I can never remember which apples are best for baking off the top of my head—there are just too many varieties. Instead, I’ve memorized the two that shouldn’t be used: McIntosh and Red Delicious. They turn mushy and lose a lot of their flavor when cooked. Otherwise, everything else is fair game.
Tips for Making this 3-Ingredient Apple Crisp
This apple crisp is everything I want in a dessert, period. If you’re thinking about adding it to your Thanksgiving menu, here are a few simple tips to help you along the way.
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Swap in ripe pears for the apples: Choose firm-ripe pears that will hold their shape during baking, like Bartlett, Bosc, or d’Anjou.
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Add nuts to the topping: I love adding nuts to baked goods, and I almost always have toasted pecans or walnuts in the freezer, so adding a handful or two of coarsely chopped nuts seems only fitting. This technically turns it into a four-ingredient dessert, but I’m OK with that.
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Use a baking dish if needed: If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, cook the apples as directed in the recipe, then transfer them to a 2-quart baking dish before adding the topping.
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Choose larger apples to minimize peeling: Larger apples mean fewer apples to peel and core, which makes prep go faster—work smarter, not harder.
Read the original article on Simply Recipes