Cranberry Apple Crunch--So Much Better Than Cranberry Sauce!

Cranberry Apple Crunch...

NOT your average holiday cranberry goop  "sauce."  

On your marks...

     Get set...

          Go, holiday season!

Whether we are ready for it or not, it doesn't matter...

The holiday season is here!  It's time to get to work on fulfilling those Christmas lists, transforming your home into a cozy seasonal atmosphere, preparing Thanksgiving menus, starting the fire place, dreaming of a "White Christmas," etc., etc., etc.

Any formally-fat person (and even most forever-skinny people) LOVES the holidays because of food!  I mean, let's face it--you can have family time any time of the year if you'd like.  We give gifts for many occasions.  Men sit around a TV to watch football most Saturdays all fall and winter.  We should be thankful all the time.  We should remember that God sent his son to earth to die for us all the time...and we also celebrate this at Easter.  The thing that really sets the holidays--or at least Thanksgiving--a part from other times of the year is the menu!

Let me just tell you I LOVE dressing, turkey, green beans, corn casserole, pumpkin pie, and all of that jazz, but the one thing I don't like is cranberry sauce (...or sweet potatoes, but that doesn't fit this posts' purpose haha).  However, this dish turned my tastes around!  

I'm not really sure where this recipe originated.  It came from my Dad's side of the family when I was about ten years old.  (I know that because I had many a years of that gelatin, cranberry nastiness put on my plate before then.)  My mom got the recipe from my Dad's aunt that year, and we've been eating it ever since!

So if you're like me and you think that canned stuff is totally disgusting, you might want to give this a try!  It's the PERFECT alternative to cranberry sauce.  Take it to your family Thanksgiving and/or Christmas this year, and I promise you your family will be thoroughly impressed!  The best party?  It's oh-so-simple.

I'm cheating a bit here and showing you the finished product before even listing the ingredients.  If you'll notice, the "casserole" (for lack of a better word) should be shallow in your baking dish.  You want it shallow so you have a good ratio of of cranberry and apple to that yummy topping!  :)

Cranberry Apple Crunch

Ingredients:

1. 3 cups peeled & chopped apples   (typically 3 or 4 small to medium apples.  I use Granny Smith.)
2. 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
3. 1/3 cup white sugar   (I use Splenda with fiber and it's just as good.)
4. 2/3 cup brown sugar   (I use Splenda brown sugar blend.  If you do the same, you'll only need 1/3 cup since it's twice as concentrated as regular brown sugar.)
5. 1 cup oatmeal
6. 1/3 cup flour
7. 1/2 cup chopped pecans
8. 1 stick of margarine (I use "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.")

Directions:

1. Combine chopped apples, cranberry sauce, white sugar, and 1/3 c. brown sugar into large bowl.  Mix together.  Spread evenly into casserole dish.  (**Note:  If using Splenda brown sugar blend, use only 1/6 c. brown sugar...which is half as much.)
2. Combine oatmeal, chopped pecans, flour, and 1/3 c. brown sugar in medium-sized bowl.  Mix together.  Spoon topping mixture on top of cranberry/apple mixture.  Spread evenly.
3. Cut up a stick of margarine, placing pieces evenly on top of oatmeal mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes.

Well, it's as simple as that!  You have the easiest, most delicious alternative to that nasty cranberry goop people try to pass off as a side dish!  :)

Let me know if you try it or plan to try it!  I'd love to know what you think...even if you hate it.

Also, I'd love to know what your "different" alternatives to traditional Thanksgiving sides are.  Please share if you have awesome recipes!  Don't hesitate to comment and follow.  I'd love to know what you think!