Walnut Apple Dessert

     I was lucky enough to grow up in the same town as all of my grandparents.  I never had a traditional babysitter, instead we got to spend time away from our parents with either my Grandma and Pop or my Nanny and Grampy.  I always looked forward to time at each set of grandparents' homes for different reasons.
     My Italian grandparents were known for spoiling us and I often spent weeks at a time sleeping over, literally right between my Grandma and Pop or on a plush bed made from every blanket they owned on the floor right beside their bed.  Summers meant time outside in the garden, getting scolded for picking unripe vegetables and climbing the peach tree.  We often went for walks around the neighborhood and my Grandma loved to toss coins and an occasional dollar bill for us to "find" along the way.
      At my Nanny and Grampy's house, I always hoped for a Toaster Strudel and a game of Rummy or Scrabble with Nanny, while narrowing avoiding a talking to from Grampy for getting into something we weren't supposed to.  I remember getting tucked into the giant bed in the blue room that used to belong to my Aunt Mary and listening to Nanny sing lullabies before we went to sleep.  I loved exploring the rooms and treasures left behind by my aunts and uncles.
     Lucky for Wren, and Arnauld and I, we also live in the same town as her grandparents and her great grandma.  We can always count on them to help out in a pinch or just be around to celebrate some seemingly minor occurrence that warrants dessert.  Yesterday was the very popular Grandparent's Day, so of course we marked the day with a special dessert party made from apples we bought at the Apple Festival in Monroe- with three of Wren's favorite ladies!

Walnut Apple Dessert
Recipe from samsclub.com

Ingredients
8 cups of baking apples, sliced (about 6 apples)
2 1/4 cup brown sugar, divided
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 cup walnuts, chopped
vanilla ice cream

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Place apples in a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon. 

2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and 2 cups of brown sugar.  Add the eggs then stir in flour and 1/2 cup of walnuts.

3. Spread the dough mixture over the apples.  Sprinkle with the rest of the walnuts.

4. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the apples are cooked.

5. Serve warm and with ice cream.

At the Apple Festival.