Fall Fruit Crisp

Getting out of my comfort zone in the kitchen is a challenge for me. I rely heavily on the exact measurements of a recipe, and I need to know the specific number of minutes something is supposed to bake or cook. I trust the person who developed the recipe much more than I trust my own skills.

But when I read a recipe for an apple pear crisp that I apparently cut out of a magazine several years ago, I didn't like the way they made it. The ratios seemed weird and the combination of ingredients didn't sound good at all. So I did it my way, using the recipe as a rough skeleton.

When Danny tried it, he said it was wonderful my way and that I need to have more confidence in my own abilities. All this learning and growing from one crisp - who knew?

Ingredients:
4 medium pears, diced
1 apple, diced
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup almond butter
1 cup honey and oats granola

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine pears, apples, brown sugar and ginger. Mix until coated. Stir in cranberries.

3. In a separate bowl, combine almond butter and granola with your hands. Mix until it forms small chunks.

4. Pour fruit mixture into baking dish. Top with granola mixture.

5. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until the top is browned and bubbling.

6. Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.