Tag Archives: Easter

Prayer and fasting give way to joyous Easter for Eicher family

We are in the last week of March with Friday being Good Friday and Easter is Sunday, April 1. It’s an early Easter this year.

My oldest sister Leah and Paul were married 37 years ago on April 16. I remember that Good Friday was April 17 in that year (1981) and was the day after their wedding. I was in the third grade and still remember going to the mailbox to get in the mail on Good Friday. That is one way I can always remember that mail does go on Good Friday.

In our community, we honor Good Friday and have a time of prayer and fasting in the forenoon. We usually have lunch with family or friends and enjoy the rest of the day visiting.

Daughter Elizabeth and Timothy want our family to come to their house this year. Timothy plans to grill some chicken, with Elizabeth making all the trimmings. I always look forward to spending time with family. Of course, spoiling my little granddaughters is so much fun.

Right now little Jennifer is staring at me and smiles when I look up. How precious! Daughter Susan just breastfed her and is rocking her to sleep. Susan came this morning, as she has a very stiff neck and it was hard for her to lift the baby off the bed. Mose and the driver dropped them off here early this morning when the driver picked up my husband, Joe, to go to work.

After applying heat and cold packs and taking some pain relievers, Susan says her neck is feeling a little better. She thinks she sprained it from lying on it during the night while feeding Jennifer. A stiff neck can be miserable! Jennifer is extra fussy today, so I’m glad she is here so we can help her. And no one complains when they have to hold Jennifer!

Daughter Verena was excited to have her cast cut off last week at her doctor’s appointment. She does need to wear an air boot for four more weeks. She is having some pain as she gets used to walking on her foot again, but it’s getting better every day. Mail time is still exciting for her. We appreciate everyone who took time to send a card, write a letter or mail a gift to her. May God bless you for your kindness.

Son Kevin, 12, went along to the appointment so that Verena’s doctor could check his feet. The doctor decided to wait six months and have him wear night splints that help his feet. It’s very miserable to sleep with the splints on, and he can’t walk in them. He wasn’t too excited, but he chose those over the braces, which he would have had to wear during the day. We will see what is going on in six months and will try to prevent surgery if possible.

Yesterday the girls and I attended sister Emma’s Tupperware party and stayed for lunch. Our friend Beth picked us all up with her van, and she picked up daughters Elizabeth and Susan as well. Emma served us a good lunch of tater tot casserole, macaroni salad, cheese, dirt pudding, applesauce, Jello and chocolate chip bars. She had leftover food so she sent some home for our supper. It was nice to have supper made. Daughter Loretta left with Dustin and his family to attend a visitation and viewing for a friend of the family who died. Son Benjamin and nephew Henry went to town to get some groceries for me. The boys were back for supper but Loretta wasn’t.

Our horses, Midnight and Beauty, will be three years old this spring. We gave Beauty to Benjamin for his 18th birthday last year. The horses need miles, and it helps when the boys drive them during the week. My husband, Joe, trained both horses last summer. We saw a lot of excitement, and I was glad when he had the horses going in the buggy! Midnight was a challenge and I didn’t think she would ever listen. But now she takes us wherever we want to go.

Lovina shares her recipe for a large traditional potato salad serving 12-18, great for a get together or potluck.

I need to finish this column so that I can get to my sewing. Jesus has risen! Have faith in Him and He will always be there for you. I hope you had a blessed and happy Easter. Peace to all!

Potato Salad

2 1/2 pounds potatoes, cooked until tender
6 hard-boiled eggs, cut up
1 cup celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing (or store brand)
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1/4 cup vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons salt

Dice potatoes or put through slicer. Then combine potatoes, eggs, celery and onion in a bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together salad dressing, mustard, vinegar, sugar, milk and salt. Pour over potato mixture and stir together. Large recipe serves 12-18.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife and mother of eight. She is the co-author of three cookbooks; her newest cookbook, The Essential Amish Cookbook, is available from 800-245-7894. Readers can write to Eicher at PO Box 1689, South Holland, IL 60473 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply) or at LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org.

Guess who’d rather plant garden barefooted?

As I write this, we are almost through March. April 1 is already Friday. Next week our three children will be home from school for spring break. Parent/teacher conferences will be held on Thursday. After spring break there are only nine more weeks of school left. It is hard to believe how fast this term is going.

My husband Joe planted quite a few Red Pontiac seed potatoes on Saturday. We have been wanting to also get some peas and radishes planted. We are hearing that we will have another cold week coming with temperatures below freezing. I hope it will miss us but we can’t control the weather and need to accept what God sends.

Joe is always eager to start planting garden. It’s a good thing that he is because I like to put it off as long as possible. I like planting garden when it’s warm and I can go out barefooted to plant.

Daughter Susan has started training her pony, “Tough Boy,” now. He is already two years old. She is line driving him and teaching him the commands. He is almost ready to hitch to the pony cart. Susan works at the RV factory then spends her evenings working with Tough Boy.

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On Good Friday we had a nice relaxing family day. We set the table for all the family. The men and boys grilled the chicken while the girls and I prepared the rest of the menu.

Our meal consisted of mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, barbequed chicken, corn, taco salad, Easter eggs, dill pickles, hot peppers, celery and carrot sticks, sliced Colby and Swiss cheese, homemade bread, butter and strawberry jam. Also Swiss roll bars (that daughter Elizabeth brought), cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip cookies, and ice cream.

It is always such a good feeling to sit down at the table when the whole family is present. Not everyone can do this and my heart goes out to broken families and also to families that have had loved ones that passed on before. God has given us so many blessings and so much to be thankful for. Do we thank God enough for all he provides for us?

Our five daughters fixed a tray of food to take over to our 88-year-old neighbor Irene. They walked it over to her house before we started eating. We also made mashed potatoes for our neighbor Joe’s little daughter Jaylyn. She had her tonsils removed and is only allowed soft foods. She loves mashed potatoes and we had more than enough for us. It is nice to have good neighbors.

Our afternoon was spent playing games. Joe has a croquet set that eight people can play but outside the wind was chilly so it was decided to play games indoors.

Daughter Susan is still only working four days at the factory so she will be home on Friday. Daughter Elizabeth has plans to come home on Friday. It’s always enjoyable to work with the girls.

Son-in-law Timothy is allowed to start putting weight on his foot. He is slowly getting around but still relies on his crutches at times.

This week I’ll share the recipe for Ho Ho Cake, which is kind of like a giant Hostess Ho Ho if you’re familiar with those. Several readers have requested it.

God’s blessings to all!

Ho Ho Cake

Bake one chocolate cake in a 9×13 inch pan. Let cool.

Topping 1:
5 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oleo
1 cup shortening

Mix flour and milk in saucepan and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Cream together sugar, oleo, and shortening. Add flour mixture, beat well and put on cake.

Topping 2:

1/2 cup oleo
1 egg
3 tablespoons cocoa
2 1/2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Melt oleo and cocoa together. Cool. Beat egg, vanilla, and water; add powdered sugar, blending well. Stir with oleo/cocoa mixture. Pour this topping over first topping on cake and refrigerate.

 

Lovina Eicher is an Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife and mother of eight. Formerly writing as The Amish Cook, Eicher inherited that column from her mother, Elizabeth Coblentz, who wrote from 1991 to 2002. Readers can contact Eicher at PO Box 1689, South Holland, IL 60473 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply) or at LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org.

 

When husband Joe surprised two little boys Easter morning

DaffodilsFriday is Good Friday and we look forward to Easter on Sunday. Good Friday we traditionally keep as a holiday, so no one in our family will go to work or school. The Amish churches in this community have “Fast” (no eating) and prayer until noon. Our family will all be here and have family time. Then we’ll gather here for the noon meal.

On Easter Sunday we will go to church. Easter is the time to rejoice and be thankful for the gift of life Jesus gave for someone like you and me.

Photo040418491The younger children still enjoy coloring eggs for Easter. As I was growing up we always colored eggs. The bright colored eggs always remind me of the colors of the rainbow. Our parents taught us the true meaning of Easter. May we all remember the true meaning of Easter.

Son Benjamin always gathered the eggs when he was a little boy around four and five. One Easter morning Jacob and Emma and family were here. My husband Joe knew Benjamin and Jacob would go gather the eggs from the hen house as soon as they were awake. Joe took all the eggs out and replaced them with colored eggs. I still remember the excitement those two little boys had when they discovered the colored eggs.

Dandelion greens are getting bigger every day. We had our first meal of dandelion salad this week, and I shared that recipe last week. This is a good way to use up the extra colored eggs since it takes hard-cooked eggs. I keep watching for the asparagus to pop through. The rhubarbs are looking good.

I love spring and all the signs of it. I know it brings more work but it is so nice to go out on a nice warm and sunny day and feel the gentle breeze blowing. I enjoy hanging the clothes outside again. What a wonderful creator God is!

Last Friday (the week before Good Friday), sister Verena had a Tupperware party in the forenoon. She and sister Susan made lunch for all who attended. They served hash brown casserole, potato salad, jello cake, golden M&M bars, apple and strawberry slices with fruit dip, punch, and coffee. After everyone else left, sister Emma and my daughters Elizabeth, Susan, Verena, and Loretta stayed and spent the afternoon with sisters Verena and Susan. Daughter Elizabeth came here in the morning and went with us to the party. Susan biked and Elizabeth, Verena, Loretta and I took Stormy our pony and the pony buggy. The ride was a little chilly but we didn’t have far to go. Stormy was eager to run and was a little rowdy. He doesn’t get out too much in the winter months.

Saturday evening Timothy and Elizabeth came for the evening and stayed here all night. Daughter Verena left them sleep in her bedroom, which was Elizabeth’s room before she was married. It seemed really good to have them here for the night. Mose (Susan’s friend) went home with Timothy to do their chores Sunday morning while the girls and I made breakfast.

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Tim and Elizabeth have a new colt, born to their horse, Shi Ann.

On our menu were eggs, potatoes, bacon, cheese, toast, strawberry jam, butter, and hot peppers, with chocolate milk, orange juice and coffee for drinks.

Timothy and Elizabeth stayed all day. We played games in the afternoon and enjoyed each other’s company.

I’ll share the recipe for golden M&M bars. We like them!

God bless and I hope you all have a blessed Good Friday and Easter.

Golden M&M Bars

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vanilla chips
1 3/4 cups M&M’s, divided

Cream together sugars and butter. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into butter mixture. Fold in chips and M&M’s, reserving 3/4 cup M&M’s. Spread in 9 x 12 greased pan. Sprinkle reserved M&Ms on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

 

Lovina Eicher is an Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife and mother of eight. Formerly writing as The Amish Cook, Eicher inherited that column from her mother, Elizabeth Coblentz, who wrote from 1991 to 2002. Readers can contact Eicher at PO Box 1689, South Holland, IL 60473 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply) or at LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org.