Colorado, Ingrid's Corner

What’s Not to Love?

by Ingrid

It’s Fall !!!  Colorado has already received snow at the higher elevations, but those of us at lower elevations are enjoying gorgeous weather and beautiful colors.  Hubby and I managed to get in a hike yesterday in the State Park.

Pikes Peak
A view of Pikes Peak from Pueblo State Park

As we enjoy the warm sun and blue skies my mind wonders.  Thoughts of Fall, thoughts of apple pie, freshly pressed apple cider,  and the smell of cinnamon conjures up memories….memories of growing up in the midwest.  I used to love visiting an apple orchard in the Fall.  Ah, and caramel apples…..love’em!Colorado

It feels good to be out hiking again.  Now I have to think about eating better.  After weeks of travel, I succumbed to a regular diet of fast food and soda.  I definitely feel the effects….not good!  Time to get back to fresh veggies, fruits, and lean proteins.   Apples … yes… apples are fruit and good for me.

As Al and I continue on our hike in silence (rare, I might add) and deep in our own personal thoughts, I dream of apple pie.  Apple pie?  Not exactly on the “healthy” list but perhaps I can make it so it’s not sooo bad.apple pie

apple pieWhat I came up with was Apple Pie without the crust.  I make the crumb topping first…

  • Crumb topping
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter softened (or a bit more if you’re a Paula Dean fan)

Sift together the flour and sugar, cut in the butter with a fork until crumbly.  Set aside.

  • Slice 3 granny smith apples  (plan one to one and a half apples per person)
  • Arrange slices in an oven safe dish
  • mix 1 teaspoon of cinnamon into 1/4 cup sugar (use less sugar to save on calories or if you don’t like things too sweet)
  • Pour sugar/cinnamon mixture over sliced apples

Top apples with the crumb mixture and place in a 400 degree preheated oven.  Bake for 20 minutes then set oven on broil.  Broil until crumb topping is lightly browned.  Voile!  Apple Pie without the crust.

Okay, so maybe it’s not exactly a “healthy”, weight loosing desert, but it’s less bad then the real deal….apple pie.  It satisfies by dreams and cravings.  I’ll eat better tomorrow…promise!

Fall colors and apple pie….what’s not to love !!!

Fall colors

RVing

Pikes Peak

40 thoughts on “What’s Not to Love?”

  1. Pingback: A Year of Highs and Lows | Live Laugh RV

  2. Hi Ingrid — I learned a trick a few years ago: Use two or three different kinds of apples in your pies, or crumbs, or crumbles (!), mixing up a couple of granny smith apples with a couple of braeburn with a couple of fuji or gala…and it’s really good! Let me know if you try it…now you’ve made me want to make a crumble of my own…and it’s almost 2:00 a.m. Ha!

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  3. You have me salivating! Oh Apple Crumb with ice cream! This cooler fall weather makes me hungry for such things! You;re right: “What’s Not to Love”! LOL! Maureen

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  4. Looks very tasty. We call it Apple Crumble, a real favourite at home or in a pub. Actually once we were in a pub high on the moors near Manchester and the chef got very shirty when I asked if there was a choice of toppings ie: icecream, cream or custard. She gave me a lecture about what was acceptable with various puddings. Apple Crumble = Custard. You have been warned!

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    1. We call it apple crumb around our household, but no longer in public as I have been corrected that this is not a “true” apple crumb or crumble. So it appears we have both been lectured on correctness….LOL. And who really gives a sh*t when it taste so yummy. Ah, and a little vanilla ice cream to boot….heaven 🙂

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  5. Great recipe! a true cross between an apple crisp and apple pie! I also like that it’s a real person recipe, in other words something you don’t have to be some wierd foodie to accomplish. I’ve just come from some so called “foodie blogs” and I swear those people are from a planet other than earth!!!! Who can cook like that all the time????
    Thank you for something normal!!!

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    1. Oh, totally agree. I’ve tried some recipes I’ve seen posted and ??? I like to make things that are relatively easy and can do at home or in the RV. Time and space in an RV is limited. Thanks for stopping by 🙂

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    1. Well, Pueblo State Park is an aquired taste. Certainly not the usual picturesque Colorado. It’s high desert, open, and relatively flat. The lake is awesome during hot summers. Let me know if you’d like more info 🙂

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  7. Oh goodness gracious, nothing! There is nothing not to love. Gorgeous photos! And yum! Reminds me of an apple crisp. My grandma lived in Pueblo. You brought back many childhood memories of Thanksgivings in Colorado every year. ❤

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    1. Yep….we call it apple crisp around here and it is yummy. Most folks aren’t familiar with the Pueblo area so glad I was able to bring back memories 🙂

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  10. Apple pie is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals that are essential for long hikes. It is an undisputed fact that there are very few calories is apple pie. And when you cut the pie into sections, all of the calories fall out. It is simple physics.

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    1. I like your thinking….and on that note, it’s time for another slice…..zero calories?….lol. Too funny, thanks for commenting 🙂

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  11. I’m an extremely odd duck in that I think pie is a waste of perfectly good fruit. I just went back to the old house and picked a bag full of some apples from the old tree. To me, a juicy, crisp, slightly tart apple just picked from the tree is sheer heaven. 😉

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  13. Your photos are stunning Ingrid. As for the apple pie, I don’t make it often but when I do I make a crumb topping; put the pie into a brown paper bag; and into the oven it goes for an hour. Simply delicious! 🙂

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    1. Yum…..this is a fav of my. I have got to get serious about my eating these days. Hey at least I’ve been out hiking every day….suppose to get light snow middle of the week. A couple more weeks and we should be heading south 🙂

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        1. Should be in AZ. I’m thinking about attending the Wordcamp (WordPress convention) held in Chandler in Jan. I wanted to last year but missed it. Might be fun!

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  17. Apple is good for you… so only think about the apple… don’t think about the pie portion… then the brain will say it’s good for you and the body won’t store too much…. Apple pie, warm with crumble on top, a good covering of nice thick cream and then a good dollop of Ice cream on the side… now there’s a good healthy meal for you….

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    1. Couldn’t agree more…..apples are good for the body and cream/ice cream gotta get in some calcium. Yes on that note, I think I’ll have another slice 🙂

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