The Pioneer Woman Cooks - Apple Brown Betty

8 slices wheat bread
3 apples, preferably Granny Smith, peeled and cored
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar, more if needed
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Generously butter a 9x13 rectangular baking dish.  Slice the bread into strips then slice the strips into diced pieces.  Cut the apples into slices, then dice them up too.  Place half the diced bread in the baking dish then sprinkle on half the diced apples and half the brown sugar.  Repeat with another layer of bread, apples and brown sugar.  Dot the top of the whole thing with pats of butter (the 2 sticks).  End by sprinkling 1/2 cup water all over the surface, a spoonful at a time.  Bake, covered with foil, for 45 minutes or until the apples are tender.  Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes to brown.  To serve, whip the heavy cream with the sugar until it's lightly beaten but still pourable.  Dish up the Apple Brown Betty onto a plate and drizzle the cream on top.

I have to say that this little dish was actually pretty good.  It reminded me of bread pudding so I need to make it for my youngest son next time he comes home.  It was super easy to prepare and made a good sized bowl full.  It tasted a lot like apple pie.  I even got my mother to try it.  She does not like any kind of dish with bread in it because she says it gets too soggy.  This is the same woman who will add a piece of cornbread to a glass of buttermilk.  YUCK!  Anyway, she tried it and said it was good but didn't ask for seconds.  My dad tried it too and he said that he would be willing to eat it again sometime.  I'm glad he liked it because he likes sweets but they don't like him and this was something he could tolerate pretty well.  HE likes to eat this weird concoction called 'milk toast'.  This has to be one of the worst things a person could eat.  My mother has to look away when he eats this stuff.  It is a piece of buttered toast placed in the bottom of a cereal bowl, sprinkled with sugar and warm milk poured on top.  It reminds me of those people who eat hot dogs competitively.  They dunk the buns in water so they can get more of them down.  I guess with a gallon of milk you could get down a loaf of bread?  Who knows?  All I know is that I will pass on the milk toast and have another helping of Apple Brown Betty!  Yum!!