Fast-Baked Apples with Oatmeal Streusel

Core apples, cutting out a 1 1/4-inch diameter cylinder from center of each, almost but not all the way through to bottom. Remove peel about one-third of the way down from top. Place apples in shallow 1 1/2-quart ceramic casserole or 8-inch by 8-inch glass baking dish.

In small bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, dates, and cinnamon. Fill each cored apple with equal amounts of oat mixture. (Mixture will spill over top of apples.) Place 1/2 teaspoon margarine or butter on top of filling in each apple.

Cook apples, covered, on Medium-High (70 percent power) until tender, 12 to 14 minutes, turning each apple halfway through cooking time. Spoon cooking liquid from baking dish over apples to serve.

From Great American Classics Cookbook 2004 Hearst Books - Buy the book