Caramel Apple Crisp

I am so glad it's Friday!  Recently the weeks have seemed to last forever and when Friday rolls around it's just such a relief.  Plus I get to sleep in on Saturday which is a definite plus.  This weekend my friend Jen is coming to Pittsburgh so I'm really looking forward to that.  I'm not quite sure what we're doing yet, but I know we'll find something good.  I love it when people come to visit! I think tonight we're just going to relax with some butternut squash soup, pumpkin bread, and hot apple cider floats.  Perfect food for this cold fall day.

I have been enjoying taking full advantage of fall foods and flavors recently.  Johns parents came to visit last Sunday, we had a nice time relaxing and playing Phase 10.  For dessert I made Caramel Apple Crisp.  I'd never had apple crisp with caramel before so thought it would be a nice touch.  Not to much caramel though, but just enough!

Caramel Apple Crisp

-1 1/2 c oats
-1 c flour
-3/4 c brown sugar
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 c butter
-4-5 c apples
-1 (4.5 oz) bag soft caramels chopped (I used Werthers)
-3/4 c apple cider

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 8x8 pan.

Mix together oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Cut in butter until crumbly.

Slice apples.

Press 1/3 oat mixture into pan.  Add half the apples and half the caramels.  Follow with another layer of oat mixture, apples, caramels, then the remaining oat mixture. 

Pour 1/2 c apple cider on top.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Pour rest of cider on top, then cover with foil and bake for another 15 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream, or in a bowl with milk on top.  So good!