The sculptures I'm building for the Rex project have been more challenging than expected. I have made eight and have three ready to glaze and two drying for the first firing. My goal is to have five finished pieces for the curators and donors to choose from and two for me to sell. Hence, the ice storm news was a welcome excuse for staying home. Ice storms are to adults what snow days are to children, and I looked forward to a day at home this past Sunday.
The joy I find in cooking and baking comes from the fast results. Ceramics takes time; there's making, drying, firing, glazing, and firing again. When I hit a block with clay, a quick success in the kitchen will give me the boost I need to find my way with clay.
I truly enjoyed the day, doing things I hadn't done in quite a while, like cooking and baking. I'd picked up a whole chicken and some baking apples in preparation for the day. I spent the morning reading, and early in the afternoon, I peeled the apples and chopped walnuts for a Marina-friendly version of apple crisp. There's nothing like the smell of cinnamon and apples baking to make a house feel like a home, and the luxury of time to roast a chicken with vegetables is a fantastic way to set yourself up for some easy meals during the week. While my husband, JB, cleaned up after dinner, I deboned the carcass, cut up a few more veggies, and got some broth going. Soup is my favorite studio lunch–it's healthy, delicious, low in calories, and warms me up. That old building is pretty drafty. We finished the evening by watching the last two episodes of The Morning Show (Apple TV) and this morning woke up to the smell of chicken soup gently simmering on the stove.
Here's my quick and easy Marina-friendly, gluten and sugar-free apple crisp.
Keto Apple Crisp
Double or triple the recipe. It’s great warmed the microwave for breakfast the next day.
2 medium Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into ½-inch-thick slices
1 cup chopped raw walnuts, unsalted (or pecans)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated sweetener (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Layer the apple slices in a square 9-inch baking dish in one or two layers. You can also use four individual baking dishes.
In a medium bowl, mix together the chopped walnuts, melted butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and (if using) sweetener.
Using a rubber spatula, pour the mixture over the apples, spreading it evenly.
Bake the coated apples until tender, and the walnut topping is golden for about 25-30 minutes.
Divide the apple crisp among four plates. Drizzle with the pan juices and serve.
This is the original recipe. The next time I make it, I'll cut the number of walnuts in half; it was a little too crunchy.