This time of year, zucchini are in full bounty – we’ve had nearly half a dozen in our weekly CSA food boxes over the past two weeks. And there’s only so much ratatouille one can eat. With the end of summer looming, I wanted to bake something that would make use of the copious amounts of zucchini we’ve got, and could also make a healthy snack to send in lunches.

One word? Heavenly. Our weekly CSA food box with Taproot Farms contained the most lovely peaches (from sister farm, Noggins) this week, but for some strange reason my hubby isn’t a huge fan of peaches – a lesson I learned when a peach cobbler I made went to waste. So this time I decided to experiment a little and whip up a dessert that would incorporate the peaches, in disguise.

Apple crisp is a favorite across many households and generations within my family. And as the air cools off as we march along toward Autumn and the harvest,  this cozy dish seems like the perfect treat, with fresh, organic apples from Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, and spices of cinnamon, allspice, and the tiniest dash of ginger for that warm, comforting feeling. I adapted this recipe from my mother’s by adding some spices and melting the butter for the crumble topping.

I had forgotten how much I loved to bake. That is, until I left ordering a large batch of cupcakes too late and was left to my own (once quite practiced) baking devices on the eve of my daughter’s third birthday party. Three kiddies tucked neatly into bed, hubby out for a couple of hours with the guys, and donning a black-on-black embroidered cotton summer frock, I hoisted out my dust-covered Cuisinart mixer.