How 'Bout Them Apples?

You'd never guess it based on this weekend, but I appreciate the simple things in life: a good book, a catchy song, simple flavors.  This weekend was complicated.  I took my daughter to her very first concert - the Taylor Swift Red Tour.  That doesn't sound like it should be so complicated, but it required buying the tickets a year in advance, prepping dinner in the Crock-Pot so we could be out the door 20 minutes after I got off work, driving an hour to Raleigh, detouring around the city when a car accident blocked the highway, idling in line for 30 minutes to get a parking spot, forcing our way through a massive throng of people while circling the arena twice in order to find our seats, enduring the nonstop screaming of 14,000 teenage girls, and spending more than $500 on 2 tickets, parking, 2 souvenir shirts and a bucket of popcorn.  All that for a few hours of entertainment!  And, of course, some priceless memories with my munchkin.  After all that, I needed something simple to soothe my frazzled nerves.  What could be simpler than butter, sugar, and apples, simmered for a couple minutes on the stove and sprinkled with a few spices.  These apples are great served up as a side dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner, as a topping for ice cream or pancakes, or even as a simple dessert - call it crustless apple pie and it sounds like health food!  My momma taught me better, but these were so good I couldn't help but lick the plate.

Skillet Fried Apples
link to original recipe
Prep time: 5 min  Cook time: 15 min
Serves 4
 
3 large Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled and cut into wedges
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 
1/4 cup light brown sugar, well packed
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with the brown sugar. Add the apples and cook over medium until apples begin to release juices. Reduce to medium low and simmer for about 15 minutes or until apples are tender. Sprinkle spices on top and toss until well blended.

207 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!