ALMOST THANKSGIVING WEEK: CRANBERRY APPLE CRISP

Thanksgiving is only two and a half weeks away. Time to start planning the meal, making the shopping list and salivating. For the next couple of weeks, we'll provide some recipes that will shake up your Thanksgiving table and impress you guests. This one comes recommended from the Savory Sweet Life blog (http://savorysweetlife.com).

INGREDIENTS

1-12 oz bag of fresh cranberries, washed

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup orange juice

5-6 large Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled, and cut into 1/4 - 1/2 inch slices

1 stick butter, cut into small pea sized cubes

3/4 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon cinnamon

optional 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

optional vanilla ice cream to make it a la mode

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large saute pan or pot add cranberries, orange juice, and sugar. Stir everything and cook on medium-high heat for approximately 15 minutes until the cranberries have reduced to a thick sauce consistency. Turn off heat and add sliced apples to the pan and mix everything until all the apple slices have been coated with cranberry sauce. Pour the apple cranberry mixture into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Set aside. In a small bowl combine butter, flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Work the mixture with your fingers until it resembles a coarse meal.

Sprinkle and distribute the mixture over the baking pan evenly. Bake for 45 minutes. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream while warm.