Apple Brown Betty

Mollie was the little chef yesterday and she made Apple Brown Betty. I had a hankerin' for this simple dessert after my friend, Amanda and I reminisced about Flintlock Camp last week. Flintlock was the summer camp I went to every year from the time I was seven years old until I was fifteen. My big sister and I went together for several of those years and we would stay an entire month. Back then, in the early 80's there was no email or Internet and the only contact we were allowed to have with our family was through snail mail. Reading those old letters is such a fun thing to do. I'll post some of them when I get a chance. We were never homesick, although I always wrote my mother saying I was. I guess I wanted her to know I missed her. Flintlock was not a cushy camp. It was rugged as possible. We slept in platform tents in the middle of the woods on bunk beds with 6 fellow tent mates and one counselor. We fell asleep each night to the sound of crickets and frogs. We woke when our eyes filled with the sunrise and the sound of Revel re on the bugle. All 56 or so campers would head down to the Quiet Place by the lake and sit on wooden benches while the camp director named Bootie would read an inspiring devotional. Then we would jump in the lake for a quick dip called the Polar Bear Club. I do not know to this day a better way of starting one's day than this. After breakfast and tent inspections, we would spend the entire day doing horseback riding, arts and crafts, singing, playing games, going on hikes, learning about nature, and swimming. After lunch, we would have rest hour. The afternoons were just as busy and fun filled as the mornings and then we would all gather in the mess hall for supper. The food at Flintlock was delicious. I am not sure if it was because we were all hungry but everyone ate whatever was served. We did not have a canteen or snacks unless you found some berries or crab apples around the barn to pick. At supper, there was always a yummy dessert. My favorite was Apple Brown Betty. I am not sure what the Flintlock Recipe was, but I tried to make it from the memory of the taste and I checked out a few recipes in some old cookbooks. I don't remember Flintlock's having oatmeal in it, but several recipes I read included it. Any way, give it a try and enjoy!
Ingredients: 6 slices whole wheat bread cut crusts off and tear into bite size pieces, 3 Granny Smith Apples (peeled and sliced thinly), 1 1/2 Cups dark brown sugar, 1 stick of real butter (salted) Directions: preheat oven to 375. Grease a baking dish with butter (we used a 9 inch pie dish). Layer bread pieces, apples, and brown sugar, repeat layers until all ingredients are used. We made 3 layers. Then place pads of butter all over the top. Bake for about 20 minutes or until apples are fork tender. Serve with vanilla icecream or whip cream.