apple bean bake

Frazzled.  Tired.  Frazzled and tired.  Quite thankful to sit and put the feet up for a few minutes.  I took Ethan and Grace to their check ups this morning (with the little ones in tow, to make things EXTRA interesting).  Ethan grew almost 2 inches and is now 5'8 and 3/4 inches tall (60%).  Grace grew one inch since last year.  Both 100% as HEALTHY as little horses so I am very grateful for that.  I went to Costco afterwards for toilet paper, which we have been out of for days (been using tissues).  I question, why don't the stores stock the t.p. on shelf right by the milk?  Then I would not forget it.

This weekend we went back home to NY for a family reunion for husband's side of the family.  It was at a beautiful state park in Whitney Point, NY, by a quiet lake.  Our pavilion was right next to a playground and bathrooms.  Bliss, as Sarah needs to be by bathroom since she is only 3 and can't wait.  The children loved the park.  Rich and the older boys brought three footballs and Ethan promptly jammed his pinky badly while playing catch.  I had to ask around for some Advil and get ice out of the beer cooler (ahem).  Then, a little while later he got a sliver up his fingernail on the corner of it....had to ask around for tweezers.  Family is wonderful and supplied all that we needed.  I should carry a first aid kit.  I had bandaids in my purse, however, no one needed those. 

After lunch, Sarah was playing with cousin and fell off a picnic table on her head and someone had to come and get me.  The first sight I saw was the aunts on the ground around her.  I only saw her tiny legs sticking out from under them, still and quiet...thought she was half dead, paralyzed for life, knocked unconscious, or worse.  Thankfully, she was crying and okay, just scared and wanting her mommy.  Very soon afterwards, she was asleep in my arms, for a much needed little nap.  I think I stopped shaking about half an hour later. 

David spun Caleb around and around on the swings until he had to run for the bathrooms and lose his lunch.

It really was a most wonderful time despite antics of large family.

 

 

1. My little nieces went swimming.
2. After lunch was over Seth ran around and collected every empty cup he could find; so cute.
3. David wanted to see how high he could go on the swings. 

It rained so that most of the boys were wet by the time we left.  I stayed under the pavilion as much as I could, however my sis in law and I enjoyed a walk toward the end.  We walked and talked and put our feet into a stream.

The food was good.  My favorite dishes were Aunt LouAnn's macaroni and cheese (I swear she made enough for an army!) and my sis in law's baked beans. 

Apple Bean Bake

1 (48 oz) can Great Northern beans
2 large Granny Smith apples, pealed and cubed (about 3 cups)
4 T. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. catsup
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 T. molasses
1 tsp. salt (optional)

Melt butter, add cubed apples and cook until tender.  Add brown sugar and white sugar and cook until sugar is melted.  Stir in catsup, cinnamon, and molasses.  Add beans and mix well.  Pour mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish.  Bake at 350 degrees about one hour.
recipe from cooks.com

The beans were so good I would be happy eating just a bowl of them for a meal....perfectly satisfying, no meat....and the recipe is nice because you could adapt it easily to what suits you (reduce sugar?).  I think you could also use your favorite canned baked beans instead of plain Great Northern ones.  Then just omit extra ingredients and add the cinnamon for unique flavor.  (I loved the cinnamon and apples added).  YUM.