This easy recipe only needs one skillet and uses ingredients that many of us already have on hand. Featuring sweet, cinnamon-simmered apples topped with a crisped oat and brown sugar mixture, stovetop apple crisp makes a tasty, healthy breakfast or dessert.
Apples are normally associated with the fall months, and apple crisp is normally baked in the oven. However, as we all know, nothing about this quarantine time is normal. I adapted this lovely, simple recipe out of sheer necessity. And because it is quick and easy and made with mostly pantry staples, I am thinking others may appreciate it as I did.
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January is a time when good fruit can be hard to come by. But pears are perfect for this time of year. They are bountiful at the grocery store right now, and when baked, they deliver such a fresh, sweetness, especially when baked with cinnamon and brown sugar.
Sunny days are hard to come by in a Michigan January as well, and it looks like the sun has just come out here for awhile. We will take what we can get, and I will be getting outside here as soon as I can! We had a sunny day last Sunday, and were able to get out on the lake near our house before the weather warmed up just enough to thaw the ice. My husband and his friend ice fished while my daughter and I had a few minutes before sunset to walk down to the lake and say hello. It was so peaceful to be out on the ice at sunset.
Food can be a great comfort at all times of the year. In the middle of the winter, when it is often cold and gray outside, and dark in the mornings and evenings, warm food can definitely lift the spirits. This pear crisp puts a smile on my face, and my family loves it as well. And it is so very easy to make, which is an added bonus! Be well and stay warm! I will be sharing this recipe over at Angie’s weekly link party, 
Bark is a festive winter dessert because it is fun to make, and has so many variations. In this version, I use my favorite tea–called Lady in Waiting–from 
I added some orange zest because I cannot resist the flavors of chocolate and orange together, and with the citrus notes already present in this tea, the orange zest goes perfectly. The quality of the chocolate also makes an impact, I have found. Spending a bit more on good chocolate is worth it when making bark. The flavors of the tea leaves and orange zest are subtle, and they look so pretty! It is well-known that both chocolate and tea have lots of health benefits, especially for the health of the soul. 🙂 I find both chocolate and tea especially good for the soul in the winter, when we seem to feel all pleasant things more intensely due to the challenges of the cold weather and long stretches of darkness.
The winter solstice is tomorrow, and it feels every bit of winter here today. We have plenty of snow on the ground and a cold wind is blowing. Our dog has taken to spending time next to the heat vent in the kitchen, and the kids don’t want to get out of their warm beds on these cold, dark mornings. This year, I am especially enjoying our Christmas tree lights and the colorful lights out on the porch as they cast such a warm and cozy glow. We are trying to remember to eat dinner by candlelight, even when it is a dinner thrown together at the last minute.
