Cranberry Apple Crisp

It's fall out there, folks.  And fall mean apples.  Cranberries.  Halloween.  Thanksgiving.  The shopping day countdown to Christmas.

As a family, we do not celebrate Halloween.  But almost every year, we host good friends for dinner that night.  Their neighborhood does Halloween big time, and since we live on a busy road, even with every light in our house, no one ever knocks on our door.  Ever.   This year it almost didn't happen....but thanks to Hurricane Sandy rescheduling things, non-Halloween Dinner at our house happened again!

My favorite part about hosting ANY dinner event is dessert.  I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I'm a dessert freak.  I love to bake desserts, I love to eat desserts, and I love to share desserts and relish the kudos.  The eyes rolled back in the heads, the ummming and yummmming that I get.  Fills my ego tank quite full.

Well, tonight I decided to try something different.  It was delicious!!!! :)  Top with a little whipped cream and it was to die for.

ENJOY!!!!

Cranberry Apple Crisp

1 Can Happy Harvest Cranberry Sauce (I used jellied, but next time trying whole berry)
4 medium apples, peeled and medium diced (I used jonagold and galas)
1/4 cup Grandma's Best Sugar
1 Cup Millville Quick Oats
1/2 Cup Baker's Corner Brown Sugar, packed
1/4-1/2 Cup Friendly Farms Butter, softened
Pinch salt.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine cranberry sauce, apples and 1/4 cup sugar.  Mix well, breaking up the cranberry sauce.

Spoon mixture evenly into greased ramekins (I used 8 oz Ramekins).

In another bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, salt and butter.  Mix well.  Spoon mixture evenly on top of the ramekins.  Press down.  Bake for 35-40 minutes....top will be crisped and brown, apple/cranberry mixture will be bubbly.

Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving (unless you like sugar burns....ouch!).

Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin with Celery Apple Sauce

Something about the leaves turning color, the weather getting nippy, and the winds starting to blow makes me crave warm, cozy comfort food from my crockpot.  Something that stews all day, and is warm and inviting after raking the leaves.

<insert sound of needle screeching over the vinyl>  Yeah.  I know.  Life is too busy and that is why we use a crock pot.  Three kids.  In three activites.  We're lucky we even get to eat at all!  And things have just gotten crazier!

Tuesday nights are no longer a casual night where we can sit through dinner...where I can casually prepare.  All three kids are running from Science class, to gymnastics, to Karate, etc. etc. etc.  So, this means planning ahead, and using one of my favorite kitchen tools.  The Crock Pot.  This means when my husband picks my son up from Karate, they can come home, heat up a vegetable and have dinner.  And when the girls and I get home from the gym, we, too, can eat.  Something hot.  Something healthy.  Something that will warm us through.

Last weekend, my local Aldi had a special on Roseland Pork Loin Roasts.  Normally, these are sold in larger cuts, so I cut them in half and freeze the halves.  Then I have a meal portion when I want to make pork.  I use their pork tenderloins for A LOT of recipes.  But, this one is a crock pot recipe!  (I apologize for no pictures....our main computer is having a nervous breakdown....if it gets healed, I will add a picture!).

I was searching the internet the other day for recipes for pork.  After a while the same old, same old gets a little old.  So....I ran across a recipe for a Costco Tri Tip Pork Roast, and it sounded good, so I felt I needed to adapt it.  The recipe called for some ingredients that we cannot use due to hubby's diet, so I improvised a little bit!

Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin with Celery Apple Sauce

1 2 lb section of a Roseland Pork Tenderloin Roast
1 medium onion, sliced in half moons about 1/4" thick
2 celery stalks, sliced on a bias
1 gala apple, cut, cored and sliced thin (you can remove the skin if you like, I did not)
1 large clove garlic, skin removed but left whole
2 bay leaves
1 Chef's Cupboard Beef Boullion Cube
1 Cup Water
Salt & Pepper to taste.

In a large crockpot, layer onions, celery and apple slices.  Add Garlic Clove, and bay leaves.  Pour in 1 cup water and add the boullion cube.

Heat a skillet on medium high heat.  Salt and pepper the tenderloin to your liking.  Brown on all sides in the hot pan.

Place pork tenderloin roast on top of vegetables in the crock pot.  Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours until the pork reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees.

When pork is done, remove the tenderloin to a plate and tent with foil.  Remove bay leaves and throw away.  Using a stick blender, blend the celery/apple/onion/garlic and broth mixture until very smooth.  At this step you can add a dollup of sour cream or plain yogurt to add some creaminess.

Serve sauce over the pork after slicing.