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