Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away and I am one of those crazy people that love Thanksgiving more than Christmas. And I LOVE Christmas.

Thanksgiving, though, is by far a better holiday, for me. Why? Well, for starters, you don’t need to stress yourself by buying gifts for everyone and decorating like crazy and being festive all the time. All you need to enjoy Thanksgiving is a healthy appetite and a pair of fat pants.

And Thanksgiving recipes don’t need to be complicated at all—I’m going to share some of them with you over the next few weeks. In fact, my favorite recipe is so easy that your KIDS could make it—Apple Crisp.

Why Not Start With Dessert First?

Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first. Or at least, make dessert first. While you’re busy putting the turkey in the deep fryer (keep your local fire department on standby!) or mashing your potatoes, you could have your kids making this quick apple crisp.

I actually had my daughter make it and it came out almost as good as mine. One of my favorite things about this apple crisp (besides the fact that it’s quick and simple to make) is that it only requires 5 ingredients…most of which I usually have on hand in the house: You can add granulated sugar to the cake mix—if you don’t like it super sweet, omit that part—it will come out just as delicious. And I know many people prefer apple pie on Thanksgiving (it is a totally American dessert), but honestly, try this quick apple crisp this year instead and I think you will love it just as much…if not, MORE because it’s so simple.

If you REALLY want Homemade Apple Pie, you can try this recipe.

The Easy Steps to a Delicious Apple Crisp

Start off by melting the butter in a microwave safe dish. I love the Pampered Chef Classic Batter Bowls because they are safe in the microwave (and oven) AND you can see through them so you know you’re mixing everything together well enough. Plus, they have the measurements on the side. It’s a win win! Then add the cake mix, sugar, and cinnamon—stir until crumbly. Set aside while you peel the apples. I used Granny Smith, but I have used other types like Honeycrisp and Gala and they’re great, too. I just wouldn’t use really soft apples like McIntosh because they’re difficult to peel.

The Apple Peeler Corer Slicer from Pampered Chef has been my best friend whenever I need to peel apples. I’ve had it for almost 17 years and it’s never let me down. Anyone who loves apple recipes should invest in a good apple peeler/corer/slicer because it takes a ton of work off your hands. The apples will come out like rings—the kids used to love to eat the apple rings when they were little (and they still do now…)—-another great reason to have an Apple peeler/corer/slicer—fast, healthy snacks.

Cut the rings in half and layer in a baking dish. Then add the crumb to the top.   Stick it in the preheated oven at 350 and bake for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly. I usually stick a piece of foil over the top for the first 25 minutes or so—it prevents the crumb topping from browning too fast. And that’s IT.

You can heat the apple crisp when you’re ready to eat, but a word of warning, let it cool for a few minutes so you don’t burn the roof of your mouth like I did. This quick apple crisp is perfect with a scoop (or two) of ice cream and a cup of tea.

Perfect ending for your Thanksgiving meal!

• 5 apples
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 2 TBSP granulated sugar
• 1/2 stick butter