Unite, Love, Share, and Eat--Happy Thanksgiving

It is 7:53am on Thanksgiving morning and I feel light and energized. I ate turkey burgers and steamed asparagus all week and drank a ton of water and tea.. snuck only a few chocolate pieces! Worked out or went to yoga every day... I tried my best to save myself the calories and room for today--the best day of the year-- Thanksgiving.

My family has always been very traditional with Thanksgiving. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatos, rolls... and my Grandma Pauline's French meat pie. Oh I could eat an entire one in a sitting. Growing up she would bring three, two to serve and one for my freezer, all for me! I want to learn to make it her way soon. But I don't think it will be the same... she has to do it! I hope she makes it today and my mom brings me some! 

I am spending the day with Louis' family, who are very fun and very much into food--different foods, to me anyways. Cornbread and corn dishes, polish dishes, but mixed with the traditional turkey day fare. And I am excited for it!! 

I am contributing a dessert obviously! I made an apple crisp that is just delicious. It is my favorite recipie ever. I am very picky about my apple crisp. I like there to be a caramelized, thick topping, not a little dusting of brown sugar. So here it is! Very easy, basic ingredients but huge flavors!  My mom and I each made one last night, and here is what we did!

First, the dreaded task of peeling apples. I hate peeling apples, or anything for that matter. I have a very sharp, state of the art peeler from Cutco that Louis gave me, and it is still such a daunting task. But you have to do it! 

Next, use an apple corer and core the apples. Take each piece and cut into three so you are left with chunks.  Put these in a baking pan, then coat with cinnamon and sugar. I coat mine thick! 

Preheat the oven to 350.

Now it's time to make the topping. I like a lot of the topping so I increased everything by .5. So in a bowl, combine 1 1/2 sticks melted butter, 1.5 cups flour, 1.5 cups sugar and 1.5 egg, beaten. Add a pinch of salt and mix until it forms a wet dough. It will be sticky and buttery!

Don't pour it over the crisp! Take the dough in your hands and break into pieces over the apples. 

It should look like this before baking!

Now here is the key--Sugar in the Raw! Get some and use it in all your baking, it adds so much texture and flavor!  Sprinkle it over the dough, and it will caramelize during the baking process! Yum! 

Bake crisp for 50 minutes to an hour. It should be bubbling and starting to brown on top. Let cool then serve warm with ice cream, or (my favorite) cold!! You will not be disappointed! It is easy and amazing, so if you need a last minute recipe today, this is it!

I will post a picture of what it looks like once it's on the plate, ready to be devoured!

I can't wait to eat everything and talk all day long about my favorite subjects in the world--baking and cooking. I am thankful to have such a great guy to call mine and to be a part of his family! I will miss my own family today, especially my brother Nick who is in warm, sunny Florida and won't be making it back until Christmas! But I am thankful for all of the amazing people in my life who have taught me and guided me through this life so far. I am thankful for the ability to eat, and to be able to have such a passion and engage in it on a daily basis. 

I hope your Thanksgiving is filled with love and happiness, and of course delicious food! Take it one bite at a time, and savor the time spent with your loved ones today, because it isn't about shopping deals or football.. It is about uniting, sharing, loving and eating, of course. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Elena