Lentil salad and apple crisp

Lentils cooling

I've been trying to NOT cook on Sundays. A former neighbor, Geula, kept a Saturday Sabbath. "You should try it, Kathleen," she said, promising I'd love a day without thinking about food. Geula would make chicken salad Friday night, if I remember correctly, and in that spirit we've had tuna salad sandwiches on the last two Sundays. I made the salad and -- in one case -- chocolate chip cookies Saturday night, The week before, we were going to have cold shrimp, but it looked wan, so at the last minute I sautéed it lightly with sugar and salt. Last night I forgot, and I'm tired of tuna anyway. So I'm cooking again: we'll grill grouper sandwiches, and this morning I made a lentil salad and apple crisp. I did mix the topping last night, but today I peeled and sliced green apples. Geula was right: not cooking is easier, but you've got to think ahead.

Crumble topping for apple crisp

Mix in food processor:
1/3 C. light brown sugar
3/4 C. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. (or more) cinnamon
6 T. butter

When it's in little pieces that stick together, whirl in quickly:
1/4 C. (I use more) chopped walnuts
1/4 C. oatmeal

Slice enough apples for an 8" square pan. Cover with the topping. Bake at 375° for 40 minutes or until fruit is soft and top is lightly browned.
*Also good with a mixture of apples and cranberries, or with plums or berries.

Here are recipes for several good salads, including Alice Waters's Goat Cheese And Lentil Salad. I went easy on the garlic, and serve the cheese on the side because Clark doesn't like it. The ugly lentils in the picture above are from the step where they are cooled on a cookie sheet. I could have stopped right here; even minus the dressing, they are delicious. This would be good to make on Saturday night, if I could only get myself organized.