QUICK & EASY CHERRY CRISP

 

Saturday was the last Firehouse Market in Platte City for 2025. They move some of the pumper trucks out so the people can set up their products they have for sale. When it is cold, the water might free and they don't want that to happen if they get a call with a fire. Anyway we have missed the last couple of months and since it will be Christmas soon, the room was full with merchandise. I decided I was going to be generous this time to support the local merchants.

It was really fun and I did buy a number of things. Afterwards we stopped by Roxanne's for lunch which is always nice. We always enjoy seeing the desserts in the case as you come in the door. Our waitress asked us if we wanted any dessert after we finished our meal, but we told her no. As we got in the car I told Wayne I would make him something when we got home and asked him what did he want. He didn't think too long before he said Cherry Crisp. I said "fine".

This recipe is super easy and some might wonder why I would share it since it isn't anything special. Well, I decided to share it for two reasons: 1) the next time I want to make it, I can find the recipe here and 2) Easy as it is, I had to search for a recipe for the crisp part online myself.

It is really an easy crisp recipe that is one of those versitle ones that allows you to use any fruit pie filling you like. I made ours sugar free but of course you don't have to. My pie filling was no-sugar-added and I used truvia brown sugar.

I ate mine plain while still warm and Wayne added strawberry ice cream. It was the only flavor we had. He said it was good.

Print recipe.

QUICK & EASY CHERRY CRISP

1     (21 - ounce) can cherry pie filling (or your favorite)

2/3 cup brown sugar (1/2 cup would work)

1/2  cup flour

1/2  cup rolled oats

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3  cup melted butter

1/4  cup chopped pecans (I used about 1/2 cup)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 2 - quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Pour the pie filling into the dish and spread evenly. You could use any fruit pie filling. I used a No Sugar Added Cherry pie filling.

Stir together the brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium sized bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir if necessary to finish melting.

Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until all dry ingredients are moist.

Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the pie filling.

Chop the pecans and sprinkle over the top.

Bake for about 30 minutes. Cool slightly before eating.

Enjoy with or

without ice cream.

AUTUMN DUMP CAKE

 

Yesterday was my turn at hosting our canasta group which meant I needed to find a delicious dessert to serve. I didn't really have any idea what I would make so I had to flip through a few cookbooks looking for something that looked/and/or sounded fantastic. 

The first recipe I decided to make used a cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, apple butter, 4 eggs, and apple juice plus a few more ingredients. (It was an expensive dessert to make.) Anyway the batter looked good even with all those wet ingredients and it looked fine baking; it rose to the top of the Bundt pan. The problem was the toothpick didn't come out clean. I baked it 5 more minutes and tested again - nope - not clean. So I added another 5 minutes. This time the toothpick was mostly clean. I took the cake out and let it cool for 20 minutes as the recipe said before removing the cake from the pan. Imagine my surprise when I walked back in the kitchen to do so and the cake had fallen to about half of the pan. I decided I needed to fine something else to serve but I would bake it the next morning.

The next morning I cut a slice and saw the reason it had fallen so much was that half of the slice/cake was not baked. Crazy. I don't know what the problem was. I decided to try my second choice feeling I couldn't be that unlucky that I would bake a second recipe from the cookbook that flopped.

I was correct. This Autumn Dump Cake was fabulous and helped Friend Ellen and me forget Friends Janice and Fran were beating us so badly. The pears, apples, and dried cranberries along with the caramel topping was the perfect combination. I'm glad it made so much because that means Wayne and I will be able to enjoy it for several days. I haven't made a fruity dessert in quite a while and I am so glad I finally did.

PRINT RECIPE.

AUTUMN DUMP CAKE

1      can (29 ounces) pear slices in light syrup OR 2 cans (15 ounces)

1      can (21 ounces) apple pie filling (Can use a No-Sugar-Added apple pie filling)

1/2   cup dried cranberries

1      package (about 15 ounces) yellow cake mix (I used a zero sugar yellow cake mix)

1/2   cup (1 stick) butter, cut into thin slices

1/4   cup caramel topping, warmed (I used a sugar-free caramel topping)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9 - inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Drain the pear slices, reserving the syrup. 

Spread the pear slices in the bottom of the pan. Spoon the apple pie filling evenly over the pear slices.

Cut the slices into pieces with a knife.

Sprinkle the dried cranberries over all. (I actually didn't measure the dried cranberries. I just almost placed them around the pan for even coverage.) 

Pour 1/2 cup of the reserved syrup over the top.

Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the top. Then lightly press down the cake mix to make the top fairly flat.

Thinly slice the cold butter and place the slices over the entire top. (You want to cover the entire cake mix so if it takes a little more than 1 stick of butter, use what is needed.)

Drizzle the warmed caramel topping over the top.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden.

Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.