Pear, Apple and Cranberry Crisp

On Saturday, we embarked on our annual trip out to the east end of Long Island in search of some apple and/or pumpkin picking.  We did not come across an apple orchard but we were lucky enough to discover a charming farm complete with a corn maze, pumpkin patch and hay rides.  The kids were delighted to navigate their way through the corn maze (although I must say I found it quite dizzying chasing after my two year old son in there...note to self: next year, wear wellies....the mud was not kind to my flats) and pick out their own pumpkins. (Looking forward to carving them...I saw some great ideas in the latest issue of Coastal Living.)  Of course, we couldn't resist picking up some fresh produce from the farm stand before departing.  So, we ended up with an array of apples, pears, butternut squash and spaghetti squash as well as some decorative kale that I potted and placed by my door step.  Initially, I was going to make an apple pie but yesterday morning as I was sipping my coffee and thumbing through Barefoot Contessa's At Home, I came across this recipe for a pear, apple and cranberry crisp.  To me, a crisp is the ideal fall comfort dessert.  The fruit bursts with flavor while the rich crumbly topping is begging to be paired with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.  Oh, and the best part...the house smells divine!  This recipe did not disappoint.  I experienced five full minutes of silence as the kids licked their spoons...and their plates down to the last crumb.