Food has that way of bringing you back to an exact moment in your life.

This fruit crisp does that for me. It is so simple, but I still consider it a family recipe.

Growing up, when the weather was nice, we ate every meal on our porch. And while I draw a blank on what stresses I had at that moment in time, or what presents I was opening if it was a special occasion, I vividly remember the food around the table.  

I can still picture my mom pulling this fruit crisp out of the oven in an oval glass dish. I can even smell it. 

Now that I have grown up and moved away from home,  I no longer dine with a family of eight that once easily polished off a pan of this crisp. 

So, I make it in smaller servings and freeze extra for another day. I recently made this apple crisp and divided it into single serving ramekins.

This dessert is flexible. You can change the fruit with the seasons. Peach crisp and apple crisp are my two go-to’s. 

I never liked pie growing up. Like, not any kind of pie. I answered “fruit crisp” to every question about pie.

Was I delusional? … It’s the oatmeal topping I tell you.  

Try this out and you too will forget about pie crust. 

Fruit Crisp

• 4 cups fresh fruit (apples, peaches, blackberries/raspberries)
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup flour (I use oat flour)
• ½ cup oats
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp.nutmeg
• 1/3 cup margarine or unsalted butter

Directions: 

- Chop the apples (skin and all), or whatever fruit you prefer.  Peach crisp is another favorite. 

- Place the fruit in the bottom of a baking dish, or small individual ramekins. 

- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter. mash with a fork or with your fingers and crumble over the fruit in the baking dish.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.  

• BAKING TIP: I use oat flour and gluten-free oats to make this gluten-free.

- Best served warm out of the oven.  Keep any left overs in the refrigerator. 

I was am the annoying one who ate all the crispy oatmeal off the top.

So I always recommend making extra oatmeal topping. ;)