Eating apple crisp is kind of like coming home.  But coming home is not always like eating apple crisp?  Hmm…Nevermind.

If you live anywhere in the vicinity of Griz Country, you’ll know that this weekend was Homecoming.  We take these traditions seriously around here, so Missoula puts together the whole kit’n’caboodle–parades, tailgates, football game, etc.  Last year, I thought I might freeze to death, it was so cold.  But this year was absolutely perfect!  (Welcome to weather in Montana!)  I took far too many pictures to post them all, but I thought I’d give you a brief overview of the awesomeness.  If you’d like to see the complete set, go here.

There were a lot of upside-down people!

After the parade, everyone walks to campus…

Where we eat jambalaya and drink free beer…

And then we file into the stadium before the game starts…

And then we go home. The end.

I’m just kidding!  Then we go home and make apple crisp.

Heck yes!

Here’s the recipe:

Apples–enough to cover the bottom of the pan. I didn’t bother peeling mine because I like the skins.  But you can roll how you will.  I also used my food processor to slice the apples, and it saved a TON of time.  If you’re slicing by hand, 1/4 inch thick. I had very small apples, so it was about 6-8 total
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
4 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
4 Tbsp plus 1 tsp brown sugar
4-6 Tbsp melted butter
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Place the apples evenly in the bottom of a large baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Sprinkle the apples with 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp each of brown sugar and cinnamon.
4. Slice 1 Tbsp butter into very small bits, place over top of apples.
5. To complete the crisp, in a medium-sized bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and stir until the mixture resembles a course meal. (I started with just 4 Tbsp of melted butter and 2 Tbsp lemon juice, but found that the “crisp” wasn’t moist enough. Add more as necessary.) Top the apples evenly with the oat mixture.
6. Bake the crisp at 350°F for 30 minutes.