Fruit and Nut Crumb Bars

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan. In a large bowl, combine the flour with the oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the 2 sticks of butter and, with your fingers, rub it into the mixture evenly. Pat all but 1 cup of the crumble into the baking pan in an even layer and bake until the top is golden, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice, granulated sugar and cinnamon. Spread the apples evenly over the dough in the pan, then sprinkle with the almonds and the remaining crumble. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the apples are tender and the juices are bubbling. Let cool before slicing and serving.