Baseball season has started

Well, we've been busy all weekend with baseball. B had practice Saturday and Re and Ri had it on Sunday. Unfortunately, we got the batting cages mixed up and ended up at the wrong place for Ri's practice. We ended up skipping it because Paul couldn't find the right place.

Re had a practice game to get ready for the tournament next weekend and his team won. He was really excited because his team was on a losing streak last year. They won almost every game the year before and then lost some good players and gained some not-so-good ones for last year. This year, they lost the not-so-good players and have gained some good ones. Of course, it's all in how you play the game and not whether you win or lose, right? Tell that to an almost 11 yr. old.

J has had a cold, so hasn't been sleeping well. The weekend was a blur and I'm still not caught up on my sleep. Hopefully, I'll get a good night's rest tonight.

Paul has been busy with work. It's been a good month for him so far. He may be taking a different position at work, but he needs to decide whether he'll take that, but there's another company that is interested in him in Illinois. It'd be a management position and better pay, but we're not sure we want to move there. Actually, we'd rather not move there, but we'll just have to wait and see.

As for me, I've been busy in the kitchen. Here are some things I've been making:

These two are a bean and cornmeal pie. It was so yummy!




Here is an apple salad, although it isn't as tasty as Pat's Apple Salad with Snickers and whipped cream! The boys were so excited when I told them we were going to have Apple Salad for dinner. Imagine their disappointment to find this on the table:




These are Cashew Butter Sandwiches. They are SOOOOOO yummy! You all have GOT to try them! These are very fattening, but the kids loved them. Here's a picture:




Here's the recipe that I got online:

"We used a light wheat bread and spread cashew butter generously on one slice and apple butter on the other slice. On the cashew butter side put about a quarter of a large banana, sliced and on the apple butter side drizzle about a half teaspoon of maple syrup. Put together, spread margarine on both sides and grill in a skillet over medium heat until nice and brown on both sides. Oh, and make more than one because once you've had one you'll definitely want another."

I made cashew butter because it was cheaper than buying it in a jar. I just put cashews in my food processor with a T. of oil and processed it until smooth. I also used homemade bread because it tastes so much better.....really, it does! I think everyone should get a wheat grinder and grind their own flour because the bread has so many more vitamins and it doesn't taste rancid like store-bought bread. Truly.

I made apple butter, too, because I couldn't find any without sugar. Here's the recipe I used for that:

apples, apple juice and spices. It will also last for months if refrigerated in a jar."
Original recipe yield: 2 quarts.
Servings:
64 (change)


INGREDIENTS:
1 pound dried, unsulfured apples
1/2 gallon sugar-free organic apple juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground allspice
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:
In a Dutch oven, combine the dried apples, apple juice, clove, allspice and cinnamon; mix well.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
Place mixture in blender and puree until smooth. Place in jars and refrigerate.

(I didn't have allspice or cloves, so just used cinnamon and it still tastes great!)

Time for bed....