All posts by Lovinas Amish Kitchen

Lovina Asks for Help Naming Midnight’s Colt

Yesterday, the mercury on our thermometer dipped down to 29 degrees. We had a good frost, but we don’t think it did any damage to my pepper plants. Still, we are going to pick what’s left on there and pull the plants. The weather forecast says we will get a few warmer days, with today being in the 70s. It’s time to take advantage of that and clear out the garden and garden beds. Another planting season down in history. We had a nice harvest, maybe not as good as other years, but we are thankful for every jar that was filled and everything that we could put in the freezer.

Before we know it, the snow will be flying, and it will be butchering meat season.

Friday night, our whole family gathered at daughter Elizabeth and Tim’s house for our monthly family night. Ervin and Susan brought the casserole, daughter Verena brought a taco salad, daughter Loretta and Dustin brought Cake Delight, and I took a tray full of snacks. Oh, and Tim’s furnished ice creams and drinks. This time, I filled it and took it to Elizabeth and Tim’s. They will fill it for the next family night and leave the basket tray there.

My good friend Ruth gave me this basket with an insert that has compartments for a meat and cheese tray, a fruit tray, or other options. This is our family night snack tray. I filled the compartments with summer sausage, cheese, cheeseball, crackers, veggies, and veggie dip, and then I filled two compartments with chocolates (all kinds of little candy bars). This was a little too attractive to my hungry little grandchildren. This grandma loves to spoil her grandchildren, but I know that too much candy isn’t good for them or their teeth, so I try to limit it. (I said try haha.)

We had a nice night together and played games. Joe and I took our horse, Midnight. She was all excited to run the six-and-a-half miles home to get back to her colt. Yes, we still haven’t given him a name, and he is four months old. Any ideas?

Son Benjamin named his two-year-old horse Star; she is the daughter of his horse Beauty. Star has a star on her head, so he named her that. Joe’s first horse was named Star as well. Our neighbor boy Phillip is training Star for Benjamin since he broke his leg. Joe didn’t think he had the time and energy to train her. Once Star is trained for the buggy, then they can take over.

Eicher family members gathered to make applesauce for daughter Susan. The cooked apples are put through a strainer to sort out the seeds and peels prior to filling the jars for canning. Photo provided.

Today, my daughters and I, sister Verena, Ervin’s mom and sisters-in-law will assist daughter Susan with canning applesauce. They have 10 bushels of apples waiting to be processed and into jars. With five growing children, it takes a lot. They all love applesauce, and it’s something easy to put in lunches as well.

Ervin’s mom is bringing sandwiches for lunch, and I am taking a vegetable soup. The rest will probably bring snacks or whatever they decide. We should get a lot done for Susan. She said they bought 10 yards of material, and Esther (Ervin’s mother) will take it home and sew the three little boys some new pants for her. This really helps Susan.

On Sunday, Joe and I were home alone, so daughter Loretta and Dustin told us to come for breakfast. They made a good breakfast, or rather brunch, of fried eggs and potatoes, bacon, sausage, cheese, and hot peppers. Then we ended up also having supper there. Supper was mashed potatoes, gravy, chicken roll-ups, coleslaw, tomatoes, and cheese. Another good meal. Daughter Verena and her special friend Daniel Ray joined us there. Denzel loves Daniel and ran for him when they arrived. We played games after supper. Verena came here for the night and is still here. She will go along to Susan’s today and then go home from there. God bless!

Cherry Jubilee Cake
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 cup cherry preserves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch square cake pans. In a large mixer bowl, beat butter with sugar until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well. Add sour cream and mix thoroughly. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. The batter will be stiff. Stir in the vanilla, zest, and cherry preserves. Spread batter in pans. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold.  Because Lovina is Old Order Amish, she does not have email or a telephone in her home. Lovina does not respond to comments on this website, if you would like to contact her directly, click here.

Lovina Remembers Her Parents on Their Anniversary

It’s October 17, and although my parents have both been gone for over 20 years, I still think of their anniversary date. They were married October 17, 1957. Rest in peace, dear parents. You are still so greatly missed.

Tomorrow (October 18) is son-in-law Tim’s birthday. He will be 35. Happy birthday, Tim! We wish you many more happy years.

These two horses belong to son-in-law Tim, who just recently celebrated his birthday on October 18.

Our house feels so much more comfortable since my husband Joe started the coal stove on Saturday. We had four tons of coal delivered, and we will probably need more than that later. When it turns real cold, we heat part of the pole barn where we keep our phone and battery packs for the solar. We also have a kitchen sink and a bathroom in there, so it keeps that from freezing as well. Hard coal sure went up in price but so does everything else. The cost of living is so unbelievable. God always provides it seems. Sometimes we forget all the many blessings he sends to us.

It has now been almost five weeks since son Benjamin broke his leg. He went to the doctor’s last week and had his 17 staples removed. The doctor told him four more weeks of no weight on that leg.

Benjamin is still receiving cards, and he looks forward to that. Thanks so much to everyone for the cards and gifts. This had been a hard time for Benjamin to not be able to go to work and not be as active as he usually is. May God grant him the patience and help him through this trial in life.

Daughter Loretta is here again today with 10-week-old Byron and 15-month-old Denzel. Byron weighs 10 pounds, 1 ounce now. He was 6 pounds, 7.8 ounces at birth. Byron is starting to coo and giggle. He likes to watch toys hanging from the swing too. You can see he’s getting older and is so much more alert. Of course, Denzel loves to pick on his little brother. Denzel is starting his terrible twos already. He loves finding everything he isn’t allowed to have. My cabinets are his favorite place, and if someone forgets to close the gate on the upstairs steps, he gets up there so fast.

On Thursday, daughter Susan and Ervin will be table waiters at Ervin’s first wife Sarah’s Aunt Carolyn’s wedding. Carolyn is a widow and is getting married to a widower. We wish them God’s many blessings as they join hands.

Church services were held in the pole barn at niece Emma and Menno’s on Sunday. Their lunch menu included homemade wheat and white bread, ham, cheese, peanut butter spread, pickles, red beets, hot pepper butter, butter, jelly, hot peppers, coffee, tea, and cookies.

We went back for supper, and barbequed chicken was on the menu with various other food. Joe and I took our horse Midnight but had to come back in the afternoon to let Midnight’s four-month-old colt nurse before we went back for supper. Midnight gets rowdy when she’s away from her colt for too long.

Tomorrow is our final cooking and baking day for my forthcoming cookbook (June 25, 2024) called The Cherished Table.

God bless!

 

Chocolate Pumpkin Yummy

Cake:
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups canned pumpkin puree

Glaze:
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch bundt cake pan. Set aside. Beat eggs and sugar until blended. Beat in oil. Sift flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt into egg mixture. Fold in dry ingredients and pumpkin puree. Pour batter into pan and bake until a skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely.

Make glaze: Place chocolate and corn syrup in a heatproof bowl. In a pan, warm cream over medium heat until it simmers. Pour cream over chocolate, let stand 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Place cake on a rack over a baking sheet. Drizzle glaze over cake. Let sit until set.

 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold.  Because Lovina is Old Order Amish, she does not have email or a telephone in her home. Lovina does not respond to comments on this website, if you would like to contact her directly, click here

Lovina and Her Family Prepare for Cold Weather

This October week is bringing us cold, rainy weather. Today, the temperature was a high of 55 degrees and a low of 41 degrees. We have been burning our gas lights (propane) to help take the chill out of the house. Joe is getting the coal stove in the basement cleaned and ready for this winter’s use. We burn hard coal in the coal stove in the basement, and it has a jacket around it to help the heat come up through a floor vent. I dry all our laundry in the basement during the winter months. The coal stove heats all three stories of our house.

The leaves are starting to fall, and the colorful leaves are scenic.

On October 8, son-in-law Dustin had his 29th birthday. Dustin, Loretta, and sons; Tim, Elizabeth, and four children; and Ervin, Susan, and five children came yesterday for an early supper. Joe and I were alone all day, so we enjoyed their company. We put chicken on the grill and had a casserole, steamed green beans, cheese, pickles, etc., and blackberry shortcake and ice cream for dessert.

Recently, we had a nice surprise visit from another Uncle and Aunt. My dad’s brother Amos and Gyneth drove the two hours to visit us. Amos is the youngest of the 13 siblings and is 76. My dad was the second oldest of the 13 and passed away 23 years ago at the age of 69. I have nothing but good memories of him. Gone but not forgotten!

Friday evening, Joe and I, sons Benjamin and Kevin, son Joseph and his special friend Grace, daughter Lovina and her special friend Daniel, daughter Loretta and Dustin with Denzel and Byron all took supper to my sister Verena. The menu included grilled banana poppers along with a casserole and various other goodies. It was a nice evening spent together, although weather-wise it was rainy.

Today, I did laundry and hung some on the lines outside and some on the porch. It dried between the showers we had.

Another church family brought supper over. This was once again so much appreciated.

Tomorrow, I will go with son Kevin to the dentist for his cleaning. Then on Wednesday, I will go with son Benjamin to his two-week check-up at the doctor. This will be his first check-up since the surgery on his leg. We are hoping that all is healing nicely and that he can go back to walking without crutches in four weeks or so (and also back to work).

He appreciates all the cards and gifts and wants to thank everyone. God bless you for your kindness!

One day last week, many assisted niece Emma as she prepared to host church services this Sunday: daughter Elizabeth, Allison and Andrea, daughter Susan, daughter Verena, daughter Loretta, Denzel and Byron, sisters Verena and Emma, niece Elizabeth, nephew Benjamin’s wife Crystal and me. The other nine children came after school. They were all excited to be able to get off the bus there.

It is now the next morning, and I am working on my cookbook until it’s time to leave with Kevin.

Daughter Loretta and sons came over around 6 a.m. Denzel, 15 months, is sleeping in the playpen and Byron, 9 weeks, is sleeping on Loretta in the recliner. It’s almost 7 a.m., and I’m enjoying a coffee. All is still quiet. Joe and son Joseph left before 5 a.m., and Benjamin, Lovina, and Kevin aren’t up yet. I decided it was a good, quiet morning to get some “brain work” done on the cookbook. It stays dark for quite longer and is dark earlier at night. It will be darker even earlier once we are off Daylight-Saving Time.

Try this cabbage and beef soup if you have late cabbage from your garden yet or just want a good soup on a cold autumn night.

God’s blessings to all!

Cabbage and Beef Soup
2 pounds ground beef, browned
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 (32-ounce) can kidney beans, undrained
1 medium head cabbage, chopped
1 quart stewed tomatoes
1 quart tomato juice
4 teaspoons beef base
fresh parsley

In an 8-quart kettle, brown ground beef. Add all remaining ingredients, except parsley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Garnish with parsley.

 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold.  Because Lovina is Old Order Amish, she does not have email or a telephone in her home. Lovina does not respond to comments on this website, if you would like to contact her directly, click here.

Daughter Lovina Helps with Cookbook Preparations

Dear Readers,

I (daughter) Lovina decided to write the column for Mom today. She had a busy day, and I figured I’d help her out by taking one thing off her agenda. I’ve been wanting to for a while now anyway.

Not too long ago, I joined the church and was baptized, which was the best decision I have ever made in my life. Sunday, I participated in communion for the first time. I have been at communion church plenty of times, but it was really special to be a part of it since I am now a member of our church.

Daniel (my special friend) had his 22nd birthday on September 26. Friday night, we had a birthday supper with his family. I made a cake for him on Saturday. Then we also had tacos. Sunday, I invited my family to come for supper after communion church in honor of his birthday.

I got Daniel a birthday gift. Last time, I accidentally told him what I got him, and the time before that, I got excited and just gave it to him as soon as I bought it. This time, I didn’t blabber what I got him, and I actually gave it to him on his birthday.

I got him some stuff for his buggy, and he seemed to be really glad for it even though it wasn’t as big and expensive as the gift he got me for my birthday. Having a person like me in his life is probably a good enough gift. You can’t buy an awesome girlfriend at a gift shop. I’m just kidding. If I could buy bigger and better gifts I would, but unfortunately my piggy bank went on a diet. That was also a joke. I don’t have a piggy bank (because I don’t have any money to put in it). Haha. That was a joke too. I actually do have a piggy bank, and I do have money. I have this wallet named Daniel, and I call it my boyfriend. Then if I ask really nicely, it gives me money.

That was another joke.

Speaking of jokes, brother Kevin told me another of his infamous jokes that are actually not even that funny—after he tells one, we all just stand there in awkward silence because nobody laughs, because like I said, they aren’t that funny.

He said, what’s red and bad for your teeth… (five seconds later) A brick. I asked him, what’s bright yellow with red stripes and bad for your teeth? A brick painted yellow with red stripes.

Here’s another riddle for you all. What’s green, has wheels, and is extremely loud? Grass… I lied about the wheels and the noise.

Sorry about that; I don’t like it when people guess the riddles. It ruins the fun.

Daniel bought me a puppy. She’s half toy poodle and half Jack Russell, but she definitely favors the poodle side. She’s black with curly hair. I named her Shadow. I knew Mom didn’t want any more house dogs, so I snuck her up to my bedroom one night to sleep with me. That worked until Mom heard her. I remember when I snuck our miniature pony Prancer into our house. Mom had a good laugh about that one. Shadow stays outside with our dog Hatchi. They get along pretty well. When it starts to get cold, I’ll put Shadow in our heated shed.

We have been extra busy lately with Mom in the process of making a new cookbook. We’ve been testing a lot of recipes and having cooking/baking days when the photographers come. Grant and Jen (the photographers of the book) have been great through all of this. The cover photo is my hands holding a pie, which is kind of exciting. I am typing the recipes for Mom. I think we will all be glad when we get to the final stage.

Well, I better wrap this up. I hope you are all doing great! God bless!

 

Tacos
1 pound hamburger, browned
1 taco seasoning packet
lettuce, chopped
tomatoes, diced
green peppers, diced
onions, diced
hot peppers, chopped
shredded cheese
salsa
ranch dressing
sour cream
Doritos, crushed
flour tortillas

Add taco seasoning to the hamburger and prepare according to the directions on the packet. Some in our family wrap all the ingredients in a tortilla and some layer the ingredients onto the tortilla and top with crushed Doritos.

 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold.  Because Lovina is Old Order Amish, she does not have email or a telephone in her home. Lovina does not respond to comments on this website, if you would like to contact her directly, click here

Lovina Prepares for Son Benjamin’s Surgery

It’s Monday night, and I want to get this column written tonight. Early tomorrow morning (5:15 a.m.) I will be leaving with son Benjamin to go to the hospital. He will have surgery done on his leg and screws put in for his fractured fibula and torn ligaments. He’s been having a lot of pain, so hopefully the surgery will help with that. His brand-new buggy will need repairs as well, but that can be fixed. He can be so fortunate that it wasn’t worse and his horse was okay. He appreciates all the well wishes, cards, etc. It’s unbelievable what the estimated cost of the surgery will be, but I guess everything is going up. It could have ended so much worse, so we want to thank God for having his hand over Benjamin.

On Sunday evening, most of our family were home for supper. Joe grilled twenty pounds of chicken and some wings. Along with that, we had mashed potatoes, gravy, coleslaw, cheese, and dill pickles. Dessert was Swiss roll bars, M & M bars, cookies, grape salad, and ice cream.  Sister Verena also joined for supper.

Tonight, our supper was leftovers from last night. That was an easy supper.

We did laundry today and canned 22 pints of Thick and Chunky Salsa. I would like to can tomato chunks yet this week.

Wednesday I am invited to a birthday surprise for a neighbor lady. I am hoping I can go. Frieda will have a birthday next week. Her married daughter is planning the surprise. When we moved out here 19 1/2 years ago, Frieda and Abe showed up to help us unpack. We used to be in the same church, but after it got too big, we had to divide it. Sister Verena is also invited, so we will probably go together. That is, if Benjamin’s surgery goes okay. Frieda is five years younger than I am—she is sister Susan’s age.

Tomorrow, daughter Susan and Ervin plan to bring supper in. It was their date to bring supper in—our bishop’s wife Janie passed out slips of paper with a date on it to bring supper in for daughter Loretta and Dustin and our family. That really helps out and is greatly appreciated.

September 26 is daughter Lovina’s special friend Daniel’s 22nd birthday. We wish him a happy birthday and many more to come. Sunday night after communion services, our whole family will come here in honor of Daniel’s birthday.

Sister Verena stayed here for the night, then left this morning to go help niece Emma. They will host church services in 2 1/2 weeks, Lord willing.

Leaves are starting to fall and the calendar tells us autumn has officially begun.

I need to sign off and get ready for bed. Daughter Verena came tonight and will be here tomorrow while I am at the hospital.

Good night to all and God’s blessings to all of you.

 

Cheddar Chowder Soup
4 cups potatoes, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup onions, chopped
4 cups water
4 cups cheddar cheese
2 cups ham
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

White Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk

In a large pot, cook all vegetables in water until tender. Add cheese and ham along with salt and pepper. To make white sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, then stir in flour to let it start cooking. Gradually add the milk and cook until thick. Stir into vegetables. Makes 16 one-cup servings.

 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold.  Because Lovina is Old Order Amish, she does not have email or a telephone in her home. Lovina does not respond to comments on this website, if you would like to contact her directly, click here.

Lovina Shares Fun Time with Grandchildren

Another week has gone by and it’s time to pen another column. Everyone has gone to bed except me. I stayed up later to get organized for another day of cooking and baking recipes for the upcoming cookbook. The photographer will come tomorrow and take photos of the dishes we prepare to put in the new cookbook. This will be the third photo session. One more will need to be done to finish it up.

I had daughter Loretta and Dustin’s two little boys here this afternoon while Dustin went with Loretta to her six-week checkup at the doctor. Byron is now six weeks old and seems kind of fussy at times. It is hard to get him to burp after a feeding, which I think brings him discomfort and makes him fussy. Denzel is quite the busybody. I folded the laundry, and pretty soon he was crying because he managed to put the laundry basket upside down on top of him. He couldn’t figure out how to get it back off. Dustin said at home Denzel will empty the toy box and scatter them all around the house. Then he’s bored and heads for the cabinet door to empty all the Tupperware containers. If by chance someone leaves the bathroom door open, he unrolls the toilet tissue. He just loves to see what he could get into next. Such a little busybody, but ever so precious.

Grandsons Timothy (T.J.), Ryan, and Curtis go to school a few days a week. They all love it! One day their teacher asked Ryan which hat is his and which is Curtis’. Well, Ryan takes one and smells it, then shakes his head no. Then he smells the other one and shakes his head yes, that it’s his. I have no idea how he knows which is his by smelling it. One day Curtis came home from school barefooted. Somehow he slipped past the teachers without them seeing that he had taken his shoes off. I am sure this is the first of many adventures those ornery little boys will have. Haha!

On Friday, daughter Lovina made and decorated two cakes. One was for granddaughter Abigail, 7, and the other for grandson Curtis, 4. Curtis will have his fourth birthday on September 22. He is a sweet blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy and always has a big smile for me.

Abigail is growing up so fast and was really helping Lovina after she came here off the bus. We had Allison, 3, and Andrea, 18 months, here Friday while daughter Elizabeth took T.J. to his asthma doctor.

Then Friday night everyone came for family night. We had a nice evening together.

On Saturday morning we had a nice surprise when Joe’s 77-year-old Uncle Solomon from Dundee, Ohio, showed up for a visit. Last Saturday we had a surprise visit from Uncle Joe and Aunt Betty from Geneva, Indiana. Uncle Joe is 81 and a brother to my dad. Solomon is a brother to my husband Joe’s dad.

Son Benjamin has a broken leg from a buggy/horse mishap. The buggy had him pinned underneath, and after going to the emergency room and getting an x-ray, he found out it showed that he has a broken leg. Wednesday he will see the orthopedic doctor to have a cast put on. He has a temporary cast on now. It is still quite swollen and painful. We are so thankful that his horse was patient and didn’t keep going and waited until someone could lift the buggy off him. Benjamin is not one to stay quiet, and there will be some challenging weeks ahead as he has to stay off his leg. If anyone wants to send him a card to pass his time, it would be appreciated. God’s blessings to all!

 

Pumpkin Spice Cake
3 cups flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Maple Butter Cream Frosting
1/3 cup butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons maple flavoring
2 tablespoons milk
Dash of salt

Combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt in small bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs; beat in pumpkin, milk, water, and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. Spread batter evenly in prepared cake pans. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

For frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. Add flavoring, milk, and salt; mix well. Assemble cake with frosting between layers and on top of cake, leaving sides unfrosted. Garnish with nuts if desired.

 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold.  Because Lovina is Old Order Amish, she does not have email or a telephone in her home. Lovina does not respond to comments on this website, if you would like to contact her directly, click here

Lovina and Family Continue Canning as Autumn Approaches

Canning season is still in full swing around here. Yesterday after doing laundry, I helped daughter Loretta make Thick and Chunky Salsa (recipe below). We canned twenty pints for them. On Saturday I also helped her and Dustin can thirty quarts of V-8. She still wants to make pizza sauce. I came back home around 5:30 p.m. and supper had been brought in here for Dustins and us from a church family. How nice to not have to make supper after a long day. Son Joseph took some over to Dustins for their supper. A potato/meat casserole, mixed vegetables, fruit jello, and cookies were on the menu.

Daughter Verena came home for the night, so she joined us for supper. I was glad to see her again and to catch up on visiting. She still lives by herself but has Ervin and Susan close by.

Verena has a special friend now, and I wish her God’s blessings as she travels into the unknown future. Of course she has to make it confusing and also date a Daniel. Haha! Daughter Lovina’s special friend is also named Daniel, so we need to figure out a way to name them differently, other than their second or last names.

This afternoon, we will take care of 14-month-old Denzel and 5-week-old Byron while Dustin and Loretta have dentist appointments. Verena will be here to help. She enjoys spending time with them.

I am hoping to can some more V-8 and a batch of salsa for us this week. I still have pizza sauce left, so I won’t do that this year.

It is 5 a.m., and my husband Joe and our sons Benjamin, 24, and Joseph, 21, left for work already. Loretta and her two little ones should be here soon. Dustin will work up until it’s time to go to their appointments.

Loretta is here now. She’s on the recliner feeding little Byron. Denzel is sleeping in the playpen. It is 5:30 a.m., so they should sleep several hours yet. I might take a nap until daylight after I get this written. Usually I read until I fall asleep. After the morning rush, it’s nice to take a little break.

Friday night it’s our turn to host family night. We furnish the ice cream and the rest of the family brings in supper. I enjoy these nights. Once a month we get together taking turns to host it. October family night will be at daughter Elizabeth and Tim’s house.

Next week will be autumn already. The garden is clearing out fast, with only peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and muskmelon still in it. I brought in a few muskmelons and want to cut them up to see how they taste. I usually don’t grow any but was given some plants.

A bountiful harvest of green bell peppers, ready to be used in this week’s Thick and Chunky Salsa recipe.

I need to work on my upcoming cookbook, too. Daughter Lovina is typing it for me. I was excited to see the cover. There is a lot of work and thinking involved in making a cookbook, but it’s always exciting once the first copies come out. This is the third book I will have. I was co-author in some others that are mostly going out of print, but these last three are the ones I did along with my family’s help. God bless!

Thick and Chunky Salsa
14 pounds tomatoes, scalded, peeled, and chopped
10 green bell peppers, chopped
5 cups onions, chopped
2–3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup salt
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 teaspoons chili powder
3 teaspoons cumin, optional
10 tablespoons Clear Jel
3 cups water

In a large pot, mix together the tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, jalapeño peppers, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, oregano, chili powder, and cumin. Cook on low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a separate bowl, mix the Clear Jel and water until dissolved. Add the Clear Jel mixture to the pot and cook for 5 more minutes.

To can the salsa, ladle into hot pint jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims with a dampened paper towel. Adjust lids and process in a boiling-water canner for 20 minutes.

The salsa may also be frozen for later use. If you are making a smaller batch to eat rather than to can or freeze, cool to room temperature and serve.

Makes 10–12 pint jars.

Note: Clear Jel is a type of food starch you can purchase to use as a thickening agent in canning recipes. It thickens food evenly (without lumps) even when cooked at high temperatures in the canning process. You can find Clear Jel at bulk food stores and online.

Canning times are subject to change according to USDA regulations. For the latest canning times, check your county extension office or the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.

 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold.  Because Lovina is Old Order Amish, she does not have email or a telephone in her home. Lovina does not respond to comments on this website, if you would like to contact her directly, click here.

September Brings Baptisms, Birthdays, and a Recipe for Hot Pepper Butter

September has arrived already. How can we be in the ninth month of the year already? 2023 is flying by much faster than we want it to. This week I have lots of tomatoes to put into V-8 juice. We are out of V-8, so we will be glad for a fresh supply. We also want to can hot pepper butter and serrano peppers. Nephew Benjamin and Crystal brought supper in Friday evening and brought us a pint of fresh hot pepper butter and a quart of salsa with the meal. We are already almost done with the hot pepper butter. It is good on a slice of homemade bread with tomatoes sliced on top, or on scrambled eggs or haystack meals (lots of ingredients piled onto a plate).

Friday, September 2, was the 18th birthday of the youngest of our eight children (Kevin). Happy birthday, Kevin! That is also hard to think of, that he’s that old already. I baked him a cake, but nothing fancy like daughter Lovina makes. He didn’t care that it tasted better than it looked. Haha!

On Sunday, our church was well attended. Many friends and family gathered in honor of the three young souls that were baptized. Son Joseph and daughter Lovina were among the three. When we moved to Michigan nineteen years ago, Leroy was our bishop, but then the church was divided because of the growth and we had another bishop, then again later on through the years. Leroy and Clara were such a help to us and welcomed Joe and I, with our six young children. Then, shortly after our move, I ended up in the hospital with complications and had Lovina by emergency C-section. After a week in the hospital, we could finally come home, and Leroy and Clara were among the first to come see baby Lovina. Now, nineteen years later, Leroy baptized her (and Joseph), and that was special to me.

Brother Albert and Sarah Irene, and their son Marvin and Lori and their three sons, came here after the baptismal services to visit and enjoy some popcorn. We wanted them to stay for supper, but they had a driver and are from another community, so they didn’t.

Son Joseph bought chicken to grill for supper Sunday night. He invited friends and family, with the total being around sixty people. I made a pot of chicken noodles, and they also grilled small red potatoes from the garden. Everyone brought food in as well and the table was loaded with more than enough food. We all sang “Happy Birthday” to Kevin.

September 10 will be granddaughter Abigail’s seventh birthday. She is a joy to have around and is quite the talker already. She made Joe and I grandparents for the first time. She wants craft items for her birthday, too, so we will get her the same gift we gave Kaitlyn.

Yesterday (Labor Day), Dustin, Loretta, Denzel, and baby Byron (four weeks) took Joe and I along on their pontoon to the lake. We spent the afternoon on the lake. Joe and Dustin did some fishing but the fish weren’t biting much. Denzel enjoyed being on the pontoon and looking at the water. Last time he was on the pontoon he couldn’t walk. Now he walks all around, looking into the water. He especially liked when the motor was running and the water was splashing out the back. Byron ate and slept mostly, and we kept him shaded from the hot sun. It was a warm day. I must get busy. God’s blessings to all!

Hot Pepper Butter
40 hot peppers
6 cups sugar
1 quart vinegar
1 pint yellow mustard
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups water

Grind peppers and mix with the sugar, vinegar, yellow mustard, and salt. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup water, then slowly add to above mixture. Boil 5 minutes or more. Stir often to keep from sticking. Put in jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Note: Canning times are subject to change according to USDA regulations. Please check with your county extension office.

 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold.  Because Lovina is Old Order Amish, she does not have email or a telephone in her home. Lovina does not respond to comments on this website, if you would like to contact her directly, click here

Mourning a Loss in the Community

Another week has gone by, and it’s already time to write another column. Last week was very hot and humid, making for some restless nights. This week, temperatures are cooler and even chilly in the early morning hours with the mercury dropping to 50 degrees. It makes for some nice sleeping with the coolness at night. Although this morning, I lit a gas light for heat after daughter Loretta and her little ones came. Baby Byron is doing well and is a little sweetie to cuddle with. Denzel is getting adjusted to having to share his parents with his little brother.

Friday evening, our whole family, sister Emma and sons Jacob and Steven, nephew Benjamin and wife Crystal and son, all gathered at sister Verena’s. A lot of work was done around there for her. We all took supper along. Sister Emma brought a cake, and we had a belated birthday for Verena as well. Joe grilled chicken for supper too. Verena was so glad for everything that got accomplished.

Saturday, we had a short visit from sister Liz, Levi, and daughter Suzanne. It was good to see Liz again. We hadn’t seen each other since daughter Susan and Ervin’s wedding nine months ago. They also stopped at daughter Loretta and Dustin’s house to see little Byron. Loretta and Suzanne are the same age.

We were shocked to hear the sad news of the accident that took the life of 22-year-old Harley. He was a special friend to my great niece Sarah. Sarah’s mother Elizabeth is the daughter of brother Albert and Sarah Irene. Harley was driving in his buggy along a highway when he was rear-ended by a car. He was taken to the hospital but died later on. Harley’s mother Mary Susan (husband Chris) was in my grade in school, and we were in the same church growing up. My heart aches for the family and Sarah to lose a loved one so early in life. Sarah showed us a card Harley had in his buggy and was found in the wreck that he had signed out to her. He left her a nice memory. May God help them through this difficult trial in life and comfort them as they mourn the death of their son, brother, and special friend.

Sisters Verena and Emma, Joe, and I traveled over two hours to attend the viewing on Sunday afternoon. We stopped in at sister Liz and Levi for a while. So Liz and I got to see each other again.

Saturday evening, daughter Tim and Elizabeth and their four children, daughter Susan and Ervin and their five children, and Joe and I were supper guests at daughter Loretta and Dustin’s house. Son Benjamin came over for supper before he left for the community building where the youth gather on Saturday evenings.

Sunday will be baptismal services for three young souls in our church district, including son Joseph, 21, and daughter Lovina, 19. As a parent, I am so thankful that they are taking this step in accepting Jesus Christ as their savior. May God always be their guide as they travel into the unknown future.

I need to hurry now as I’m going to town to get groceries. Tomorrow, the girls and I will have a cooking and baking day. I am in the process of making another cookbook, so the photographer will come to take pictures of the dishes we prepare. It’s always a lot of work but also enjoyable to have the girls here and work with them. This cookbook should be out next year sometime.

Until next week… God bless!

Good Goulash
1 pound hamburger
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups macaroni
1 quart tomato juice
1 pint marinara sauce
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup sugar

Brown the hamburger and onion in a skillet, then drain off excess fat. While the hamburger is browning, cook the macaroni in water for 10 minutes. Drain off liquid. Combine all ingredients with macaroni and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve over mashed potatoes.

 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold.  Because Lovina is Old Order Amish, she does not have email or a telephone in her home. Lovina does not respond to comments on this website, if you would like to contact her directly, click here.

It’s the Start of Another School Year for Lovina’s Grandchildren

First of all—a very happy 57th birthday to dear sister Verena. May she have many more happy, healthy years. She still misses sister Susan so much. We all do, but Verena most of all because they lived together all their lives. Yes, life brings us many changes. It’s good we can’t see the future and only take one day at a time. God is a great help as we travel into the unknown future.

Family night was held at daughter Verena’s house on Friday evening. It was also granddaughter Kaitlyn’s seventh birthday. Daughter Lovina made a cake for her and decorated it. Kaitlyn was so excited to blow out the candles. She kept telling Lovina how it was her “bestest” cake ever. It’s cute how everything is her bestest at this age. She’s a darling and has won our hearts since she joined our family. I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, and she said craft things, so we gave her a few different craft sets, and she was so excited about it. She had also said she likes fruity ChapSticks, so we added that to the gift. Her eyes lit up when she saw what she had in the bag.

Kaitlyn started school last week. She attends the Amish school in our church district. She is in first grade.

On Monday, Abigail, six; Jennifer, five; and Isaiah, five, started at our small public school, which our children have attended since our move to Michigan. There are less than 300 students in K–12. It is a small, close-knit village about three miles from here. Abigail is in first grade, and Jennifer and Isaiah are in kindergarten. They were all excited to go to school. I’m sure daughter Susan’s house felt extra empty this morning when three of her five children left. She has Ryan, four, and Curtis, three (He will be four next month) at home with her.

Wednesday night, most of our church families gathered at neighbors Joas and Susan’s house for their annual fish fry. Joas loves to fish and always has plenty of fish to fry. Everyone brought a dish, and the tables were filled with lots of food for everyone.

My husband Joe stayed home because he has some sores on his legs that won’t heal. The boards at work bang against them, and it seems that once he gets a sore, it won’t heal very fast. I have been putting bandages on them with a medicated cream from the doctor. We did find out his sugar level was higher than normal, so that could be a reason for it not healing fast. He’s been trying to cut back on foods that aren’t good for that. His legs were so swollen, so he decided to stay home and elevate them, so I took Stormy and the pony wagon to pick up sister Verena to go to the fish fry.

On the way home, some of the grandchildren wanted to ride with me and Verena. Sister Emma and nephew Benjamin, Crystal, and son Isaiah were stopping in at daughter Loretta and Dustin to meet their sweet little Byron Liam. I asked sister Verena if she wanted to stop in there too to see the baby again. So Tim and Elizabeth and Ervin and Susan also came to pick up their children, who had been left with us. Tim and Elizabeth had just left with the children when we heard a crash outside. A car had run the stop sign by Dustin’s house and hit a young girl heading east. We ran to help the girl, who was very shaken up. An ambulance was called, and there was quite a commotion for the next few hours as police and fire rescue trucks came.

Son Joseph had gone home earlier from the fish fry and walked our mower down to sister Verena’s house to mow her grass. This same car that had run the stop sign earlier that night almost hit him and the mower. So we were thankful no one was killed. There are bad memories when we hear of an accident. I always feel bad for the ones involved.

It is just after 5 a.m. now. Daughter Lovina walked over to be with Loretta and the little ones when Dustin left for work. Joe and son Joseph left for work, and son Benjamin will leave in an hour.

Take care, and God’s blessings to all!

Peaches and Cream Pie

Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup corn oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk

Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2–3 fresh peaches, diced
16 ounces whipped topping, divided
1 (3.4 ounces) box instant vanilla pudding
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon almond flavoring

Crust: Mix ingredients and press into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Filling: Mix cream cheese with 2 tablespoons milk and sugar, and fold in 2 cups whipped topping. Spread in pie crust. Press diced peaches into the filling. Mix pudding with 1 cup milk and almond flavoring. Let set for 5 minutes, fold in the remaining 2 cups of whipping topping. Put on top of peaches. Garnish with whipped topping and peaches, as desired.

 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold.  Because Lovina is Old Order Amish, she does not have email or a telephone in her home. Lovina does not respond to comments on this website, if you would like to contact her directly, click here