Welcome to Washington! Known for its apple crops, it should be as no surprise that the state fruit is the apple. Washington produces more than 40% of all apples grown in the US. The primary region for growing apples is in the central part of the state, east of the Cascade Mountains.
This region is exceptionally well suited for the apple crop. In fact, Washington is the number one state for production of organic apples due in part to these ideal conditions. The primary reasons for pesticide use in apple crops are the Apple Scab disease and pests such as Plum Curculio and Apple Maggot. The absence of the disease and pests in the region allows for high yields of apples without the need of pesticide use.
To celebrate this delicious fruit, we decided to make an Apple Crisp. Enjoy!
Apple Crisp
Ingredients:
4 cups cooking apples (eg Granny Smith), peeled, cored and sliced about 1/2 inch thick
1 t cinnamon
2 T white sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C flour
1 t salt
1/2 c old-fashioned oats
1/4 C butter, softened
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.
For apple mixture: Combine sliced apples with cinnamon and white sugar.
For streusel topping: Mix brown sugar, flour, salt, oats and butter.
Assembly: Put apple mixture in the bottom of an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking dish.
Spoon streusel mixture on top, trying to cover all the apples.
Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes. Delicious served warm by itself, but also nice with ice cream or whipped cream.