On my ride to work on the first day of October, I turned on the defrost in my car for the first time this year. When I got to work, I turned off my air conditioning, relishing in the cool, rainy temperatures outside. This season, I’ve already enjoyed a few weekend brunches on my screened-in back porch, easy like a Sunday morning. I’m always sad to see summer go, but the food of fall and the excitement of the holidays quickly propel me forward.
    Today, I’d like to share a simple dessert featuring the classic fall fruit: apples.
    There are 14-layer cakes, lattice pies, meringues and soufflés. Then there’s apple crisp. Labor intensive, complicated desserts have their time and place, but a dessert that’s good enough for a weeknight is good enough for me. No other delicacy screams fall and comforts the home and heart like an apple crisp. What’s more, the dish is easily adaptable for large or small crowds. Dinner for two? Serve it in ramekins. Family coming for Thanksgiving? It’s time to dust off that trusty ol’ casserole dish. With its warm nutmeg and cinnamon spices, served alongside a scoop or two of cold vanilla ice cream, it’s the fall season in a nutshell (or in this case, a bowl).
    The crunch of the granola and earthiness of the pecans, with the tart and sweet combination of apples, creates foolproof flavor. After baking it, my home smells just like the mountains and makes me wish I was sipping coffee in a rocking chair somewhere  up in Tennessee, admiring the changing leaves. Don’t forget to eat the leftovers for breakfast the next day! My recipe serves 4-6.
    For other fall flavors and great recipes, like my Apple-Pecan Honey Stuffed Pork Chops, roasted root vegetables and more, visit my food blog at SomeKindaGood.org. Happy fall, y’all!

Rebekah's Foolproof Apple Crisp
Filling:
    2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
    1 Red Delicious apple, peeled and sliced
    2 tablespoons granulated sugar
    1 tablespoon cornstarch
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    2 teaspoons each of cinnamon and nutmeg or more to taste
    1/8-1/4 cup granola
    1 tablespoon lemon juice (to keep the apples from turning brown)
Topping:
    1/4 cup self-rising flour
    1/2 cup brown sugar
    Handful chopped pecans
    1/4 cup granola
    1/4 cup cold butter
Directions:
    Peel and slice apples. Place in a medium bowl and add the remaining filling ingredients. Set aside. In another small bowl, stir together flour, sugar and chopped pecans. Cut in cold butter with a fork or you can blend the ingredients quickly with your hands. Pour filling into a 1 1/2 quart or 8x8 casserole dish and top off with the brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle with granola. Bake in 375 degree oven for 35–40 minutes. Let cool slightly. Serve with ice cream and coffee, preferably on the porch.

    Rebekah Faulk is a Georgia food writer and Statesboro-based TV personality. A Season 2 contestant on ABC's “The Taste,” she blogs at somekindagood.org, a Southern, coastal food blog highlighting East Coast restaurant reviews and Lowcountry-inspired recipes. Follow her on Twitter at @SKGFoodBlog or search Facebook for Some Kinda Good.