Almost any early fall fruit or fruit combo makes a fine crisp - ideal for entertaining.

Every once in a while I get a desire for a certain dish.With cool nights and the first golden leaves falling to the sidewalk, my hungry thoughts turn to deep-dish crusty-topped fruit crisps. Kind of fruit is optional - I could never choose one I think is the best - it's a choice based on what's in season at the market -  in my fridge or on the counter.

It was with crisps on my mind when I was planning a shower to honour the daughter, Jennifer and new granddaughter, Lily, of my friend Sandy Hall. (She is the home economist who was so much part of my early cookbooks and recipe testing.) There were to be a dozen around the table for dinner last week and a crisp for dessert just fell naturally into place.

This dessert meets all the criteria of an entertaining dish - you can make it ahead. Simple - a crisp is simplicity itself - no complicated steps or sauces to worry about when you're making the appetizers and mains.  But what's most important is the taste. Even though humble, a crisp never fails to charm guests. People scrape their bowls, then look up, signalling that seconds wouldn't be out of the question. Good vanilla ice cream is de rigueur.

The crisp recipe I use as a guideline comes from The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book, published last year by Transcontinental Books and now in its second printing. I treat the recipe as a template, with substitutions an ongoing option for the filling. What's divine about this recipe is the topping. This is not a crumble with rolled oats, sugar, butter and flour forming soft layer over the fruit. A real crisp has plenty of the soft butter, sugar and flour mixture to create a crunchy roof over the fruit. 

Pear and Cranberry Crisp

With lovely looking Bartlett pears at the market, this crisp is right in season. Since pears are always harvested green and hard, it's wise to buy them ahead of time and let them ripen in a single layer at room temperature. Pears will need 4 to 5 days to change from green to gold and soften enough to give to a light pressure at the base.

Bartlett pears particularly will become maddenly fragrant. Be sure you can stand the temptation. A wise baker buys an extra pear, to satisfy that desire for a fresh pear out of hand, or in case the usual calculation - 1 large pear = 1 cup (250 mL) peeled, cored and sliced pears, falls a bit short. 

6 cups (1.5 L) sliced peeled and cored pears

2 cups (500 mL) fresh or frozen cranberries, halved

1/4 cup (50 mL) liquid honey

1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour

Crisp Topping:

1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (175 mL) packed brown sugar

1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, softened

1/3 cup (75 mL) slivered almonds, optional

. Grease an 8-inch (2 L) squared glass baking dish or other shallow heatproof baking dish with the same capacity; set aside.

. In a large bowl, toss together the pears, cranberries, honey and lemon juice. Sprinkle the surface with flour; toss to coat the fruit evenly.

. Scrape the pear mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish; set aside.

. Crisp Topping: In a separate bowl, blend the flour and brown sugar. Using a fork, mash in the butter until the topping is crumbly. Stir in the almonds, if using. Sprinkle evenly over the pear mixture.

. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet in the centre of a 350°F (180°C) oven until topping is golden brown, pears translucent and the filling bubbling up around the edges, about 1 hour.

. Set on a rack to cool enough to serve, about 45 minutes. (Make-ahead: Let cool completely. Set aside for up to 8 hours. Reheat gently before serving.) 

. Makes 6 servings. 

Apple Crisp

A Canadian classic. The early crop apples available at the market tend to be ones that break down and become saucy in a crisp. By all means, if you like this kind of crisp, go for these harbingers of the Canadian apple harvest. Cortlands, then Golden Delicious and finally Northern Spy are my picks for crisps - but almost any fresh apple will make a just-a-little-more kind of dessert. If you do use a sweeter apple like the Golden Delicious or Gala, up the lemon juice a little to compensate for their lack of pucker power. 

 Make according to the method above using the following filling ingredients: 8 cups (2 L) sliced, peeled and cored apples, 1/4 cup (50 mL) granulated sugar, 2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cinnamon or 1/4 tsp (1 mL) nutmeg. The topping remains the same, although you might like chopped walnut halves instead of the slivered almonds.

Baby Shower Fruit Crisp

Because juicy fruit crisps tend to run over the top of a baking dish, a wise baker sets the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch the drips.

For this dessert, I checked the fruit I had in the fruit basket  -lovely late season peaches, purple prune plums and ripe pears, plus, from the fridge, a combo of wild and cultivated blueberries.  They measured:  7 cups (1.75 L) sliced peaches, 5 cups (1.25 L) sliced plums and 2 cups (500 mL) each blueberries and chopped peeled pears. (All fruit is pitted or cored). I tossed the fruit with 1/2 cup (125 ml) granulated sugar mixed with 1/4 cup (50 mL) all-purpose flour, and 2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh lemon juice and scraped the mixture into a 14-inch (35 cm) oval baking or gratin dish.

For the topping I thought doubling the ingredients was a good idea, but even with my love of crunchy, I had to reduce the quantities to about 1-1/2 the original. So I measured out 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour, 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) packed brown sugar and 3/4 cup (175 mL) soft butter. 

The crisp required about 1-1/2 hours baking time at 350°F (180°C), and for the first hour, I covered the top of the dish loosely with aluminum foil to prevent the crisp from over browning.

It served the dozen guests easily. Those who didn't have seconds requested take-home plastic containers of crisp for breakfast the next morning.  It's great with yogurt and you can almost imagine that it's healthy. 

For a nectarine and plum crisp, combine 4 cup (1 L) each pitted and sliced nectarines and plums with 1/3 cup (75 mL) packed brown sugar and 2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour. No need for lemon juice or spices. Use the same topping as for the Pear and Cranberry Crisp.

There's something very special about summer weekend mornings away from home. For me, it's at a cottage - but depending on where you live in Canada, the spot of ultimate relaxation could be called a chalet, a camp, acreage  - or a place in the country. What counts, is being out of the city, preferably by the water, breathing the proverbial fresh air and working up an appetite as your mind starts to focus on the day.

It's a time when you can give the high-fibre cereal a day off, and forget about the usual grab and go fare. Weekend mornings are the time to putter in the kitchen, make a batch of muffins, and once they're in the oven, put on a pot of coffee, pour some blueberries into bowls and sit down to visit - read the paper.  Or enjoy the view.

Nobody needs to be told that muffins are popular in Canada - even though we  love our doughnuts. But doughnuts are for getting in the car while muffins are about getting out an egg and milk, checking baking supplies and not worrying about getting out of your pyjamas...for a little while yet. 

The recipes I've chosen to showcase weekend muffins represent two kinds of muffins - the first , the Cherry Orange Muffins, make no pretense at being earnest - just fabulous to look at, and great to serve when there's company. The Honey Bran Muffins fall into the sort-of -health-oriented with bran cereal, milk and eggs. For neither recipes do you need to be a pastry chef to succeed - or require a lot of equipment, although muffin pans are useful.*

Another point to think about as you whisk up the dry ingredients.  Muffins may be the entry point into baking, i.e. easy to tackle, but in terms of appreciation and compliments, they rank right up there with fancy almond chocolate croissants. Hot from the oven with butter and honey, muffins have a knack of making most people weak in the knees - as they ask you to pass another one...or two. 

Cherry Orange Muffins

This recipe is a framework with which  you can indulge your talents for culinary improv. It calls for orange rind, juice and dried cherries. But, replace the cherries with blueberries, wild ones are best and they can be fresh now or frozen later and you have a whole new muffin. Ditto for dried cranberries or halved fresh or frozen cranberries, golden raisins or currants or chopped walnut or pecan halves. Or even chocolate chips if you so desire - but do call them cupcakes when you go that far. 

2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar

2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder

1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

1 large egg

1 tbsp (15 mL) coarsely zested or grated orange rind

1/2 cup (125 mL) each orange juice and milk

1/4 cup (50 mL) canola oil

1 cup (250 mL) roughly chopped dried cherries

Topping:

3 tbsp (45 mL) granulated sugar

1 tbsp (15 mL) coarsely zested or grated orange rind

. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or grease; set aside.

. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

. In separate bowl, whisk the egg until smooth. Whisk in the orange rind, orange juice, milk and oil. Pour over the dry ingredients; sprinkle on the cherries. Mix with a wooden spoon just until dry ingredients are moistened.

.  Scoop into prepared muffin cups. 

An ice cream scoop, or a "disher" as it's known in restaurant kitchens, is a neat way to scoop the batter evenly into muffin cups. A #16 disher, slightly heaped, fills typical muffin cups perfectly.

. Topping: In a small bowl, toss the sugar and orange rind together. Sprinkle equal amounts over the muffin batter.

. Bake in the centre of 375°F (190°C) oven until beautifully domed and golden, about 18 minutes. Let rest in the pan for 5 minutes for the still-delicate structure to firm up. Serve immediately, or let cool on rack. (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, wrap individually in plastic wrap and enclose in airtight container and freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

. Makes 12 muffins.

* Instead of muffin cups, it is possible to bake the muffin batter like a snacking cake in a 9- x 9-inch (2.5 L) square metal cake pan at the same temperature, but for about 25 minutes or until a cake tester or skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Kitchen Tip: a large navel orange yields 2 tbsp (30 mL) coarsely zested orange rind and about 1/2 cup (125 mL) orange juice. If there is not quite enough juice, simply add a bit more milk so that the liquid in the recipe totals 1 cup (250 mL). 

Honey Bran Muffins

There's no doubt that muffins taste better when hot. So, if you do make muffins ahead and store them at room temperature for a day or two, reheat in a toaster oven. If the muffins come straight out of the freezer, unwrap, cover loosely and microwave on high until steaming hot, about 20 seconds.

1-1/2 cups (375 mL) 100% Bran or All-Bran cereal

1 cup (250 mL) raisins, preferably golden or Thompson, or currants

1-1/2 cups (375 mL) buttermilk

2 large eggs

1/3 cup (75 mL) canola oil

1/4 cup (50 mL) liquid honey

2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla

1-3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (125 mL) packed brown sugar

1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) baking soda

1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly grated nutmeg**, or ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt

1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped walnut halves

8 walnut halves, optional

. Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners or grease; set aside.

. In medium bowl, stir together the cereal, raisins and buttermilk; set aside to soak for 15 minutes. Whisk in the eggs, oil, honey and vanilla.

. Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Pour bran mixture over dry ingredients; sprinkle with chopped  walnuts. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Stop stirring when the last of the dry ingredients meld into the batter.

. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling to top.

. If using walnut halves, cut in half lengthwise; centre one per muffin on muffin batter.

. Bake in centre of 375°F (190°C) oven until domed, deepened in colour and firm to the touch, about 18 minutes. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes; serve immediately or let cool on rack. (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, wrap individually in plastic wrap and enclose in airtight container and freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

. Makes about 16 muffins.

** So Why Use Freshly Grated Nutmeg?

Like all spices, nutmeg starts to lose its unique flavour as soon as it's ground or grated. To maximize nutmeg's aroma in a recipe like Honey Bran Muffins, I recommend buying whole nutmegs - sometimes still in their shells and wrapped in mace, but more often already shelled and ready to grate. A few years ago whole nutmegs were hard to find, but now they are available in Indian and West Indian shops, specialty food and bulk stores. They are worth searching out.  

Freshly grated nutmeg. Store the rest of the whole nutmeg, with the grater in an airtight jar in a cool dark spot in your kitchen.

Volunteers behind Phil Goodwin are planting shrubs on a wetland by the Don River.

Phil Goodwin is a publisher, and as a naturalist, a passionate supporter of the Don River. Flowing south through Toronto into Lake Ontario, the Don, like many rivers in Canadian cities has been in pretty rough shape over the last many decades. Deforestation, development, industry, pollution, carelessness and simple neglect have turned the river from a place to swim and catch salmon to a run of water in great need of recussitation.

Goodwin, tall and with an engaging smile is a key figure with the East Don Parkland Partners, the organization working to bring back the Don. While the health of the whole Don is Goodwin's passion, he and his supporters have taken on the replanting along a stretch of the river south of Cummer Avenue in North York. And that's where I headed on Saturday with my sister Janey Davis to help Goodwin's neighbours, friends, locals, colleagues, interested students and a whole Scout troop to plant native shrubs on a newly recreated meadow and wetland.  In early June, Goodwin will again assemble a group of volunteers to plant wild flowers and herbaceous plants in the same area.The Partners work with staff from the parks department who position the shrubs and trees, and bring the shovels, gloves for all size hands from kids to big and burly, mulch to keep the ground around the newly planted species moist, and planting know-how. There may be a better way to spend a spring Saturday, but I've yet to find it.

Saturday was cool and slightly overcast - perfect for planting. The one thing I thought I could provide besides the energy to plant, was homemade cookies to keep the planters energized. I chose Oatmeal Cookies found on page 35 of The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book (Transcontinental Books, $34.95). Because the group was big, my sister and I made two batches, one with white chocolate and dried cranberries, the second with pecans and maple chunks I had bought a few weeks ago at a store called Canadian Maple Delights in Old Montreal. 

Funny thing, just as the last cedar was in the ground, the last cookie went into tummy of one of the young planters. Couldn't be in better places.

Tree Planting Oatmeal Cookies

These are absolutely delicious oatmeal cookies, and you don't have to plant trees to earn one. I like to add cranberries and white chocolate, but you can accent the dough with any number of interesting add-ins. Raisins or currants are traditional as are chopped walnut halves. Regular chocolate chips of course. In all, your additions should measure about 1-1/2 cups (375 mL).  Feel free to add a little cinnamon or nutmeg if you like too. Or, some grated orange rind. 

2/3 cup (150 mL) butter, softened

1 cup (250 mL) packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla

1-1/2 cups large-flake rolled oats

1 cup (50 mL) all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp (2 mL) each baking powder and baking soda

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

3/4 cup (175 mL) chopped white chocolate

3/4 cup (175 mL) dried cranberries, dried cherries or raisins

. Line 2 large rimless baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats, or grease; set aside.

. In a large bowl, beat butter with brown sugar until fluffy; beat in the egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into the butter mixture in 2 additions until blended. Stir in the chocolate and cranberries.

. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Scoop by tablespoons (15 mL) into mounds, set 2-inches (5 cm) apart on prepared baking sheets. Roll each mound into a ball; with a fork, press down to about 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) thickness.

Rolling the dough into balls rather than just scooping the dough on the baking sheet helps make uniformly round cookies. Press evenly with a fork.

. Bake in bottom and top thirds of 350°F (180°C) oven until cookies are golden brown underneath and edges are crisp, about 12 to 15 minutes. Switch and rotate the baking sheets halfway through the baking to ensure even cooking.

. Let cookies rest on the baking sheets to firm up, about 3 minutes, before transferring to racks to cool. (Make-ahead: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week. Freeze for longer storage - up to 1 month if nobody  in the house knows about them.)

Cooling cookies on a rack helps keep them crisp.

. Makes about 24 cookies. 

Variation: Pecan Maple Oatmeal Cookies. Replace the cranberries and white chocolate with 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) chopped pecan halves and 1/4 cup (50 mL) maple chunks. 

The Oatmeal Cookies look more subtle with the chopped pecans and maple chunks, rice-sized pieces of hard maple sugar. A nice burst of natural maple flavour.

.