Apple Season!

While planning a menu for my father's visit last week, I couldn't get the image of that enormous apple tree down by the duck pond out of my mind. For the native Shreveportians, I'm referring to the one on the corner of Kings and Kings (did that clear things up?). Has anyone else noticed it? 

I thought it would be fun to skip on down there, pick some apples with Gramps and the girls, snap few idyllic photos, and head home to make something that smelled like fall. Doesn't it just sound lovely? Well, the ideal fell apart when I couldn't find a place to park anywhere, and I circled. Apple Fail #1. So, off to the park to check out the ducks and make sure the slides all worked properly. Not to be dissuaded from my appley plans, I grabbed some plain old store bought apples and made the best of it! 

This recipe was very easy and very pretty. There was one head-smacking moment about ten minutes into baking: I forgot to put a pan under my tart pan! Smoke alarms ringing, children covering their ears screaming, fanning the smoke alarms with a dish towel, and trying not to cringe as my attempt to impress Gramps began to turn into a nice little Apple Fail #2 moment. Nobody wants that kind of drama with their dessert! But, the end did justify the smokey means. Boy-howdy, did it ever!

A super tender crust (and I am not a crusty lady!), and warm, happy fall flavors! 

Here's the recipe I used, via Alexandra's Kitchen. You should definitely head on over there and try this.  

It tasted as pretty as it looked, especially with a nice helping of vanilla ice cream right on top!