Grandma's apple crisp, made from the pantry shelf

My grandmother made apple crisp when the first bag of apples came in from the orchard, and the whole house smelled like cinnamon by suppertime. Hers meant peeling and coring a dozen apples. Mine skips that part, because the apples come off my pantry shelf, and it still fills the kitchen with the same smell.

You get the cozy dessert without the knife work. Here is how it comes together.

Where the pantry earns its keep

Two shelf-stable staples do most of the heavy lifting here, and they hold up well against the fresh versions.

• Freeze dried apple slices give you orchard flavor any month of the year. Fresh apples bruise and go soft in the bowl. These lock in the taste and the nutrients, and they rehydrate in about five minutes to the right texture for a crisp. No peeling, no coring, nothing thrown out. You also get vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants along the way.

• Powdered Vitamin Butter makes the golden, crunchy topping. It comes back to butter in seconds, adds real richness, and brings vitamins A, D, E, and K. It keeps on the shelf, which matters if you are stocking ahead.

Grandma's classic apple crisp

This serves six and is ready in about 45 minutes.

Ingredients

• 4 cups Nutrient Survival Freeze-Dried Apple Slices

• 2 tablespoons sugar (brown sugar adds a little more warmth)

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 2 cups of your favorite store-bought granola (oats and honey granola works well)

• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

• 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

• 2 tablespoons Powdered Vitamin Butter, prepared per the can instructions and melted

• Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Rehydrate the apple slices by soaking them in water for 5 minutes, then drain them well. In a large bowl, gently toss the apples with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg if you are using it, and lemon juice until they are evenly coated.

2. Pour the apple mixture into a greased 8-inch square baking dish or a similar oven-safe pan.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the granola with the reconstituted Vitamin Butter. Stir in the nuts and dried fruit if you want them. Sprinkle this over the apples in an even layer.

4. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 to 35 minutes. It is done when the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

5. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving. It is best warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Comfort you can make any time

This is the dessert you can put together on short notice, for a weeknight or for company. With Freeze Dried Apple Slices and Powdered Vitamin Butter, there is no peeling and no long list of steps. Just good ingredients, a short prep, and a warm pan at the end of it.

Keep both cans on the shelf and you are ready for crisp season in October, or in July if the craving hits early.