APPLE-BLACKBERRY CRISP

This recipe is at its very best in early summer when the wild blackberries are in season. A good "second best" can be accomplished with boysenberries or marionberries.

1 pound apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 pound wild blackberries
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut in chunks

Butter a 9" x 9" baking pan. Set aside. Combine the sliced apples, berries, sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Spoon into the buttered baking pan.
Combine the walnuts, flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, and the remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Cut in the butter. Spread over the apples. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven about 45-60 minutes until the top is crisp and brown.
Serves 6-8.

Roasted Rome Apples With Cinnamon and Cardamom

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 1/2 hours
Makes: 4 servings
4 Rome Beauty apples, cored
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon each: ground cardamom, ground cloves, salt
4 cinnamon sticks
2 cups water
Ice cream
* Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Set the apples in a small oven-safe glass baking dish.
* Mix the sugar, nutmeg, cardamom, clove and salt in a small bowl. Holding the apples one at a time over the baking dish, rub the dry mix on the inside and outside of each. Allow the excess mixture to fall into the dish.
* Place 1 cinnamon stick in the center of each apple. Pour the water into the baking dish; cover the dish with foil.
* Bake, 1 1/2 hours.
When the tops of the apples begin to split, they're done. Let cool. Serve with your favorite ice cream.
NUTRITION INFORMATION:
Per serving: 196 calories
0 g fat
0 g saturated fat

0 mg cholesterol
51 g carbohydrates
0 g protein
147 mg sodium
5 g fiber
NOTES: In this recipe from "The Busy Mom's Cookbook," Antonia Lofaso calls for Rome Beauties, a late season apple. You will have good results with Pink Lady and Braeburn.