The word rustic comes from Wendy Van Wagner who owns a cooking school in Nevada City called “In the Kitchen.” She says rustic means that if you make the recipe wrong it will still turn out ok.

I enjoyed making this easy recipe and hope you will too. You can use peaches, pears, apples or plums.

Ingredients Needed:

• 4 cups uncooked oatmeal
• 3 cups brown sugar
• 2-3 sticks of cold butter (unsalted) or margarine
• Pinch of salt (salt brings out the sweetness of the fruit)
• Optional: nutmeg or cinnamon or both (sprinkle on fruit before baking)
• Bake pan

Step 1:Wash and cut the fruit into large chunks. Place the fruit in an ungreased bake pan. Push the fruit down as tight as possible. Cut fruit using a serrated bread or tomato knife.

Step 2: In a bowl add the oats, brown sugar and salt. Cut the sticks of cold butter into small pieces and mash by hand into the oat mixture until moist.

Step 3: Press the oat mixture in top of the fruit in the pan

Step 4: Bake for at least an hour at 400 degrees until the topping is brown.

With this recipe you can go over or under the amount of any ingredient and it will still turn out delicious.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whip cream. You can serve it by itself too.

Remember to take a dish to a friend or neighbor and spread the Aloha Spirit where ever you live.

Next month I will be featured on "Kooking Kahuna" show on Nevada County Television which is operated and located in beautiful Sierra foothills town of Nevada City, California: http://www.nevadacountytv.org/pages/.