Category Archives: Canning and Freezing

Canning and Freezing, Vegetables

Lovina and Family Take a Trip to the Orchard

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Last week we went to the orchard to pick grapes. All the households in our family went along, and our driver pulled an enclosed trailer so we could all get our grapes home. We take along 5-gallon buckets, and that is counted as a half-bushel. Some picked Niagara grapes, which make a light-colored juice. I prefer the Concord, so that was what we picked for us. Daughter Susan mixes the Niagara and Concord for her juice. The Niagara grapes were easy picking, but the Concord were more of a challenge and time-consuming, because of wet weather and hail earlier this year.

Friday we canned grape juice using steamers. I helped daughter Loretta with hers. We also brought cider home from the orchard, so we are enjoying that with popcorn and apples (we also bought those at the orchard). The orchard is a 30-minute drive away with a vehicle, so that’s why we all go at the same time.

While filling the jars from the hose of the steamer, I had an accident. The hose slipped from the jar and the boiling grape juice went over my hand. I have a pretty big burn from it. It is sore, but I get relief when I put a burdock leaf on it along with B&W salve. It’s just unhandy, since it’s my right hand and I’m right-handed. It hurts to write, and I feel sorry for my editor that has to try to read my handwriting. I need to get after my daughters to see if they will take a turn writing again. It’s a busy time of the year for the young mothers.

We also canned hot peppers, and I’ll share my recipe this week. We like the Serrano peppers. They seem to stay crisper after canned.

We also like to grow the sweet banana peppers to stuff with cream cheese and shredded cheese then wrap with bacon, using round toothpicks to hold it on. We put them on the grill until the bacon is cooked. I don’t can those peppers but like to keep some for as long as I can after the frost. We pick them and keep them in our back porch where it’s cool on days like this. Some places have had a frost, but my garden plants still didn’t get frosted.

October 2 was brother Albert and Sarah Irene’s 36th anniversary. I was 15 when they were married. Alberts are hosting our family gathering on October 15. Our family is almost to the 200 count when we are all together. One of the siblings hosts the family each year. They furnish the hot food and everything else is brought in. It accumulates to quite a bit of food.

October 1 was daughter Loretta and Dustin’s first anniversary. October 4 was sister Liz and Levi’s 30th anniversary. They were married the year before Joe and I, so next year will be Joe and my 30th anniversary—Lord willing!

We wish all three couples many more happy and healthy years together and God’s blessings always!

Also, congratulations to niece Rosemary and Josiah as they were united in marriage on October 1. May God bless them through their married life together.

And as I bring this to a close, I want to sign off wishing you much good health and happiness as we travel into the unknown future! God bless!

This week Lovina canned pickled hot peppers, and shares her recipe. Photo provided.

Pickled Hot Peppers
Hot peppers, sliced
3 cups vinegar (white)
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt

Fill jars with sliced hot peppers. Heat vinegar and water, bringing to a boil. Add sugar and salt, stirring until dissolved. Pour brine over peppers and seal jars. Process in a boiling-water bath canner according to USDA guidelines suggested by your local extension office or the National Center for Home Preservation website. Makes enough brine for 5–6 pints.

 

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.

Canning and Freezing, Vegetables

Lovina Remembers Baby Marilyn

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Thirteen years ago today—September 14—sister Emma and Jacob were blessed with a daughter Marilyn. She died eight and a half months later, leaving heartbroken parents and siblings. We were so close to her—how hard it was to go tell Jacob and Emma’s children and my own in school that day that their little sister/cousin had gone to be with Jesus. Often through the years, when we have seen girls her age, we wonder how Marilyn would look at that age. But it was God’s will. From the sidelines, though, I know how Emma and Jacob hurt. Such an angel! Emma was still breastfeeding her, and her arms felt so empty. Marilyn’s stay on earth was short, but she received lots of love in that time. Emma miscarried twins a few years later but wasn’t able to have more children. She is blessed with two girls and three boys. She misses her dear husband, Jacob.

We found our 18 1/2-year-old horse Ginger dead in the field one morning. Ginger put in a lot of miles pulling our family through the years. We have her daughter Midnight for our main horse. Joe trained Ginger and Midnight. Son Benjamin has her half sister Beauty for his horse.

Ginger was born six days after we moved to Michigan. Her mother, Itty Bit, was also a good horse. It’s always hard to part with a horse that has been around a long time, and you grow attached to them. She was a leader in our group of horses, so they all looked a little lost for awhile.

Our garden is all cleared out and ready to till. The garden beds still have tomatoes, green peppers, sweet banana peppers, serrano peppers, and cucumbers. We plan to can serrano peppers today, along with more pickles. We canned twenty quarts of pickled red beets on Monday—ten quarts for us and ten for Dustin and Loretta. We serve these red beets at our church lunches when we host the services.

Niece Emma and Menno are hosting church on Sunday, at which we will be having council meeting (preparatory services for communion). Lunch is usually served during the services, as the service lasts until early afternoon. A couple dozen people at a time will go in to eat until everyone has eaten. Tomorrow my daughter and I have plans to go assist Emma with whatever she needs help with for church services on Sunday.

Saturday evening we went to daughter Elizabeth and Tim’s house for Abigail’s birthday supper. She was excited to have everyone come for her sixth birthday. Elizabeth made cupcakes and had six candles for her to blow out. Supper menu was grilled hamburgers (along with all the add-ons such as lettuce, tomatoes, etc.), potatoes (cooked on the grill), cupcakes, cookies, and ice cream. We played games after supper.

Granddaughter Jennifer (Susan’s daughter) started school this week. She seems to like it. Abigail (Elizabeth’s daughter) said she’ll take care of Jennifer if she’s scared. Abigail, Jennifer, and Kaitlyn (Ervin’s daughter) all seem to be enjoying school.

Yesterday I attended a Tupperware party hosted by daughter Verena’s friend Laura. She’s a neighbor to Susan and Verena. I took our horse Midnight and our buggy to the party. Afterwards I went to daughter Susan’s house for a few hours. I wanted to be there when Kaitlyn and Jennifer came home from school. Abigail had been dropped off already. Isaiah (Ervin’s son), 4, said he goes to school, too. When they asked him what his teacher’s name is, he said Jesus. He sees the others going to school and wants to go, too.

Ervin (Susan’s friend) is now a homeowner here in Michigan. He bought the farm around the corner from Susan’s house, around a half mile from there. Next month will probably be busy, getting his things all packed again and moved to his new place. This will be so much easier for Susan and Verena to watch the children while he’s at work.

I’ll share the recipe for pickled red beets for those interested in canning.

God’s blessings to all!

This week Lovina canned 20 quarts of pickled red beets, to serve at church lunches when they host. Photo provided.

Pickled Red Beets
10 quarts raw beets
5 cups white vinegar
12 cups water
6 cups sugar
4 teaspoons salt

Boil beets until tender, 10–15 minutes, then drain, peel, and cut into chunks. Mix together vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Pour brine over beets and cook for 10 minutes. Put in jars and seal. Process in a boiling-water bath canner according to USDA guidelines suggested by your local extension office or the National Center for Home Preservation website.

This recipe makes a brine for 10 quarts of beets. If the vinegar is strong, you may adjust the brine ratio to 1 cup of vinegar to every 3 cups of water.

 

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.

Canning and Freezing, Vegetables

Lovina Helps Clean to Prepare for Church Services

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Today is the last day of August. This summer is flying by so fast, it seems. I have tomatoes, pickles, and red beets to be put in jars. I will probably make salsa with the tomatoes that I have picked. The plants are loaded with more. How thankful we can be for this bountiful harvest. We can now enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Last week we canned 42 quarts of V-8 juice, which makes a good drink. I make ours spicy by adding extra hot peppers, but I also make some that isn’t spicy so I can use it in soups when the grandchildren come home.

Lovina recommends adding hot peppers to make the juice spicy. Photo provided.

Yesterday daughter Lovina and I and daughter Loretta and seven-and-a-half-week-old baby Denzel went to daughter Elizabeth’s to assist her with her cleaning. We used our horse Midnight and Dustin and Loretta’s buggy. Their buggy is pretty neat. It has a lift in the back run by a battery charged by a solar panel on the buggy. So I could push a button, and it lifted Loretta and her mobility scooter into the buggy. There were many times when Loretta didn’t want to leave because she didn’t want us to have to lift her in the buggy. So now she can leave with us when Dustin isn’t along.

Daughters Susan and Verena were also at Tim and Elizabeth’s helping, and so were Susan’s friend Ervin and the children. Ervin mowed the grass, and we cleaned the kitchen, bathroom, and windows. Church services will be held at Tim and Elizabeth’s house on Saturday instead of Sunday. This will be baptismal services for son Benjamin—Lord willing. Services will be held under a tent.

Elizabeth was glad for all our help. With four children ages five and under, it’s hard to get everything done. I want to go help her Friday again.

Granddaughters Abigail and Kaitlyn came home from school together. It was so cute to see them with their backpacks. They are really getting attached to each other.

The little boys enjoyed the day together. They were playing by the window well, and Ryan, three, slipped into the well. There was a toad in there, and he was screaming because he was scared of the big toad. When Loretta went to see why he was crying Isaiah, four, and T.J., three, were pulling Ryan out of the window well. It was so sweet how the two little boys were helping Ryan.

Granddaughter Andrea, six and a half months, gets around everywhere in her walker. I was cleaning the stove, and she kept coming up to the stove, trying to grab the racks I had sitting there. She’s a sweetie and has the biggest eyes and smile.

Jennifer, four, and Allison, two, were playmates and kept each other entertained. Most times, they play doll, and Allison is Jennifer’s little girl. It’s funny how the little girls and little boys have different interests. Curtis, two, likes to hang close to wherever Susan is. He’s really attached to her already. He also likes to play with baby Denzel and Andrea.

Kaitlyn, Isaiah, and Curtis are Ervin’s children, but they already seem like my own grandchildren. They are so easy to love.

Loretta went to see the doctor again, and she still has some blood clots in her leg, so she still needs to take a blood thinner and keep them elevated often. She will have an ultrasound done again in the future.

Meanwhile, Denzel seems to keep growing. He weighs almost 10 pounds already. He really smiles and is very alert.

Friday, September 2, our youngest child Kevin will be 17 already. It’s hard to believe!

God’s blessings to all!

V-8 Juice
15 pounds of tomatoes, cut into chunks
4 celery stalks, cut in half
4 carrots, diced
4 onions, diced
4 cucumbers, sliced
4 green peppers, each cut into about 8 pieces
4–6 hot peppers, jalapeños, or whatever your preference; left whole with stems removed
6 garlic cloves

Combine all ingredients in a 20-quart kettle over medium-high heat. Cook until soft, stirring often (around 30 minutes). Remove celery stalks. Put through a Victorio strainer and pour juice into jars. I add 1 teaspoon of salt to every quart of juice. Seal jars and process them according to recommendations from your county extension office or the National Center for 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.

Canning and Freezing, Vegetables

Lovina and Her Family Celebrate Two Birthdays

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We are in the midst of canning season. Yesterday, we canned 16 quarts of sweet and sour dill pickles. Now I want to make dill spears yet. I’ll use the rest of my cucumbers to can some for daughter Loretta. This way, she’ll have pickles whenever their turn comes to host church services. I am running low in dill, so we will ask the neighbors if anyone has extra. The recipe calls for two dill heads per quart, so that takes quite a few. I use Palace King cucumbers to make my pickles. They are a firm cucumber and make nice crispy canned pickles.

Next on the agenda is to make V-8 juice. My tomato plants are loaded and need to be picked.

Son Joseph, 20, is gone this week. He’s working in Traverse City, Michigan. They never do this, but someone wanted a pole barn built by their crew, so they decided to travel the four hours and stay at a motel while they do the job. Joseph called home, and it sounds like they are ready to finish up today. They will do some sightseeing before heading home on Friday.

It seems empty without Joseph here at night. He does so many errands for me after work on weekdays. He has helped me keep the flowers on the porch watered because he knows I’m bad at keeping them watered. The flowers need water which shows I’ve come to depend on him.

Granddaughters Abigail and Kaitlyn are enjoying going to school. Granddaughter Jennifer came here with daughter Verena yesterday and said she wants to go to school too. She said Kaitlyn brings books from school.

We attended Kaitlyn’s birthday party. We met her grandparents and some aunts/uncles on her mother’s side. We also met more of Ervin’s family. Kaitlyn was so excited to have everyone there for her. Daughter Verena filled a piñata with little toys and candy for the children. They had fun hitting the piñata until it broke.

Before we went, my husband Joe grilled chicken to take along for supper. Also on the menu was tater tot casserole, corn chip salad, peaches, watermelon, mocha pudding, cake, and ice cream.

Monday, August 22, was my sister Verena’s 56th birthday. We took supper to her. Son Benjamin mowed her grass for her. Quite a few of the church people dropped off some goodies for her. She doesn’t have a garden, so the fresh fruits and vegetables are good for her. Someone also had a nicely decorated cake along with other things dropped off at her house. Dustin, Loretta, and baby Denzel also joined us to have supper with her; daughter Verena did too.

The wedding day of Alvin and niece Leanna was a very nice day! My sisters, I, and one of Alvin’s aunts made a lot of gravy for the meals. The menu was barbequed chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, green beans topped with bacon bits and cheese sauce (corn was served instead for the evening meal), chicken lettuce salad, homemade bread, butter and strawberry jam, fresh fruit mixture, mocha pudding, pecan, peach and white chocolate pies. The wedding cake was served at night.

I met quite a few readers, which always encourages me. It is interesting to me to meet them. And of course, it was nice to see family again. We wish Alvin and Leanna a long, happy married life together.

We now have an invitation for another niece Rosemary and Josiah. They set their wedding day on October 1. This would be daughter Loretta and Dustin’s first anniversary. Also, another invitation we have and I’m really hoping we can attend is the wedding of Elmer and Wilma. Elmer is cousin Susan’s son, and this wedding would be in Monroe, Indiana. This wedding will be on September 2.

I’ll share the pickle recipe. God bless!

 

Sweet & Sour Dill Pickles
Sliced cucumbers (I slice them about 1/4 inch or a little thicker)
2 cups vinegar (I use white)
3 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 tablespoons salt
4 garlic cloves (per quart)
2 dill heads (per quart)
pinch of alum (per quart)

Put sliced cucumbers, dill heads, garlic cloves, and alum in jars. Heat vinegar, sugar, water, and salt until sugar is dissolved, and pour over pickles. Repeat this step until all pickles are covered. Process in a boiling-water canner. Check your county extension office or the National Center for Home Food Preservation website for the current recommended canning time.

 

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.

Canning and Freezing

Appreciating God’s creation in a cold spell

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It was snowing most of the day yesterday, although there was not much accumulation. It really does feel good to have heat in the house again. We had let the stove go out over the warm-up.

I have been busy sewing this week, and that is my plan for today. The wedding where daughter Loretta and her special friend Dustin are table waiters is Friday already. Daughter Lovina and her special friend Daniel will also go for the evening meal, as will son Joseph and his special friend Grace. Grace is a sister to Dustin and Daniel.

Last night, daughter Verena came here with grandchildren Jennifer, T.J., and Allison. Daughters Susan, Elizabeth, and son-in-law Tim went to get some more stuff for Susan’s house. They are finishing the second bathroom. Susan took Ryan along. Abigail cried because she didn’t want her parents to leave, so they took her along, too. Ever since son-in-law Mose’s accident, she gets scared when both her parents leave. She used to never mind staying here while they shop. Poor little children can’t understand everything, but then even we adults don’t understand it all.

As I write this, my husband Joe is still waiting on his ride to work. He’s later than usual. Sons Benjamin and Joseph left already. Daughter Lovina is at sister Verena’s house, so she should be on her way to work.

Joe has the gardens tilled up and wants to get some garden planted once we are through this cold spell.

Rhubarb and asparagus are coming up nicely. My spring flowers are also out. Hopefully the cold doesn’t bother any of it.

Lovina appreciated the opportunity to do a book signing and share some baked goods at the Plain and Simple Craft Fair in Shipshewana, Indiana. Photo provided.

On Saturday, daughters Verena and Lovina went with me to the book signing in Shipshewana, Indiana, at the Plain and Simple Craft Fair. My good friend Ruth took us, which was very much appreciated. We met a lot of readers there. Thanks to all who came, and we received so much encouragement. May God bless you for your kindness. Plain and Simple is an Amish craft and décor magazine, and they hosted the craft fair. There were over 80 vendors there, so it was quite interesting.

As I pull the curtains back this morning, a beautiful scene greets me. Although it might not be perfect timing for us—it’s God’s creation. Every tree is white, and the grass is covered with snow. The sun is out, and the snow is already dripping from the house roof. I don’t think it will stay long, but we won’t care, as we were loving the spring weather and warm days. Another time we let God be in control.

This is now a little later and I just talked on the phone with sister Verena. She called to let me know the sad news. Cousin Amos’s wife Rosemarie from Wisconsin had a heart attack and died this morning. Rosemarie is a sister to my sister-in-law Sarah Irene (brother Albert’s wife). Rosemarie is 63 and also a mother-in-law to nephew Ben and niece Elizabeth (sister Leah’s children). A lot of grieving hearts within their family. Our heartfelt sympathy to all! May God be their guide as they face life without wife, mother, grandmother in the future. How much we know of the heartache that lies ahead for them. God makes no mistakes!

This week I will share the rhubarb juice recipe, since quite a few readers requested it again. It is also in my cookbook The Essential Amish Cookbook. Thank you to all the readers who have bought that book and the newest book, Amish Family Recipes. It has helped us so much.

God bless!

 

Jars of rhubarb juice canned and ready to enjoy. Photo provided.

Rhubarb Juice

8 pounds rhubarb, washed and diced
8 quarts water
2 (12-ounce) cans frozen orange juice
2 (46-ounce) cans pineapple juice
4 cups sugar
2 (3-ounce) packages strawberry gelatin

Combine rhubarb and water and cook 25-30 minutes or until rhubarb is soft. Strain liquid into a bowl, discarding rhubarb. Add the orange and pineapple juices, sugar, and gelatin. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Serve the juice as is, add club soda or ginger ale, or mix with additional pineapple juice.

The juice may be frozen or canned. To can the juice, heat to 190 degrees. Ladle into hot quart jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims with a dampened paper towel and adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water canner for 20 minutes. Makes 8–10 quarts.

 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her cookbooks, The Essential Amish Cookbook and Amish Family Recipes, are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at PO Box 1689, South Holland, IL 60473 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.

Canning and Freezing

Spring garden and back to work

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It is 4:30 a.m. and son Joseph just left for work. They have a one-and-a-half-hour drive to the job site today, so they had to leave earlier than usual. Joseph enjoys construction work.

Son Benjamin started back to work this week at the horse trailer factory after being off since March 23. Unfortunately, the factory shut down a few lines, leading to layoffs for quite a few employees. My husband Joe was one of them. We are hoping and praying that the economy will pick up again so he can also go back to work before too long.

Son-in-law Mose was called back to work too, which was a great relief for them. The layoffs have been hard on families who struggle to make ends meet without an income. We are thankful we have canned food and a freezer of meat to rely on. Our trips to town have been few the last few months, and we realize we can make do with less. God is good and we put our full trust in him.

Son Kevin has finished a few of his school subjects, with daughter Verena now in charge as his teacher. It is a big help to me to have her explain the work to him. She keeps him motivated, as he seems to have other interests that are more fun to him.

My husband Joe has been planting more garden, and now has our potatoes out. The peas, radishes, and onions are still doing well. I really do hope it warms up to stay soon. I like to work in the garden when I can go barefoot and don’t need a jacket. Since Joe is not back to work, I haven’t had to help with the garden yet. My turn is coming though, once the weeds start taking over, and that will be here before we know it.

Sunday, we hosted church services in our pole barn, which was the first time we met since the lockdown. Our church members decided to gather for the service, and then all leave and have their lunches at home. Usually, the family hosting the church service furnishes a lunch such as sandwiches made with homemade wheat and white bread, ham, cheese or cheese spread, pickles, red beets, butter and jam, and coffee and tea. It was decided to skip the lunch and ask everyone to eat at home to honor the COVID-19 lockdown rules. It didn’t feel right not to sit and visit and have lunch with our church fellowship, but we are thankful that we could at least gather together to hear God’s word.

Church benches fill the Eicher family pole-barn for church services they hosted. Photo provided.

After preparing for church services for weeks, it is a relief to have our turn over for another year. Now we can concentrate on other work. My goal is to get some sewing done.

Our five grandchildren are really growing up fast. They each have a unique thing about them. They are so precious to us! Abigail is three and a half, Timothy (T.J.) is 17 months, and baby Allison is four months now. Allison, when put on a blanket on the floor, rolls over and over and scoots forward on her tummy, so she’s not too safe just anywhere. She’s little but mighty. Jennifer is two and Ryan is nine months. Ryan scoots on his bottom or pushes backwards on his tummy. He doesn’t like to crawl on his knees but has figured out ways to get around.

My rhubarb is looking nice and plentiful, so I want to can rhubarb juice, and of course it’s not officially spring until those first rhubarb custard pies are taken from the oven. According to my husband, Joe, that is the first thing rhubarb should be used for in the spring.

Asparagus is also on the menu now at our house. The first of it froze from that cold snap we had. There are so many ways to fix it. Stay healthy and safe!

I will share my recipe for rhubarb juice this week. We love it!

God’s blessings to all!

 

Rhubarb Juice

8 pounds rhubarb, washed and diced
8 quarts water
2 (12-ounce) cans frozen orange juice
2 (46-ounce) cans pineapple juice
4 cups sugar
2 (3-ounce) packages strawberry gelatin

Combine rhubarb and water and cook 25-30 minutes or until rhubarb is soft. Strain liquid into a bowl, discarding rhubarb. Add the orange and pineapple juices, sugar, and gelatin. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Serve the juice as is, add club soda or ginger ale, or mix with additional pineapple juice.

The juice may be frozen or canned. To can the juice, heat to 190 degrees. Ladle into hot quart jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims with a dampened paper towel and adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water canner for 20 minutes. Makes 8–10 quarts.

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 now from the publisher, Herald Press, 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 email  LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.

Canning and Freezing

Lovina shares gratitude for words of encouragement from readers

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A good morning to all you wonderful readers across the miles. I am still tired at 4:45 a.m. but I need to have this column done before I leave today.

I don’t often enough thank all you readers for your kind words of encouragement. It makes writing this column so much easier. I also appreciate the patience you have when I am late in answering your letters. There are so many nice letters, but of course once in a great while an unsigned letter will be amongst my mail with criticism directed toward my writing. I remind myself that all writers get these, and of course we aren’t perfect. So I want you to know the encouragement is what makes me take this pen in hand each week even though time is limited with raising a family and being Grandma to four. In the back of my mind, I always thought that as the children grew older life would slow down or get easier, but I was wrong. With grandchildren, you reach out to help, and there are more homes that need to be cleaned, canning to be done, etc.

Today the girls and I will go help daughter Susan with laundry and canning. Daughter Elizabeth and children will also be there. We plan to can pizza sauce and pickled red beets today. Susan has tomatoes, but not quite enough, so I will take some of ours. We have already canned 85 quarts of vegetable juice this summer from our garden. I usually put tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, green peppers, hot peppers, celery, carrots, and garlic in my vegetable juice. It has a good flavor and a small glass of it with breakfast is a great drink in the mornings. My husband Joe likes his spicy so we make some with more hot peppers and then some without, or just a few, for the flavor.

Sons Benjamin, 20, and Joseph, 17, left for their jobs at 4:30 a.m. so I got up before they left. It was so tempting to crawl back in bed until son Kevin gets up for school at 6:00 a.m., especially on a chilly morning with the temperature in the mid-50s.

After school Kevin will bring home some of his friends to spend the night here. His 14th birthday is on Labor Day (September 2) this year, but they don’t have school tomorrow and he wanted to have them over when they could sleep in the next morning. It’s usually hard to get them to settle down on a school day, so it’s nicer this way.

Is it actually possible that our youngest is 14 already? Life moves right along and we can’t stop it. What counts is what we make with the life we have. Let us always make time for God each day!

On a recent Saturday we were invited, along with all the rest of the neighbors, to our neighbors Richard and Erma’s house for supper. They have a pond and said if anyone wanted to swim in the afternoon they could come earlier. Erma had told me about the invitation at our last church services. Not once did I think of it that day until I saw Erma at church services the next day. I can’t believe I forgot all about which day it was planned for. That is why I should have marked the calendar.

We are enjoying lots of garden goodies, which makes meal planning so much easier. In a few days we are already into September. I will share the recipe we will use to make the pizza sauce today.

God’s blessings to all!

 

Pizza Sauce

3 gallons tomatoes, chopped
Fresh parsley
3 to 4 onions
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons oregano

 

Cook tomatoes, parsley, and onions; put through Victoria strainer to produce about 3 gallons of juice. Add the remaining ingredients to the juice and bring to a boil. Thicken with Clear Jel or Perma Flo; start with 6 to 8 tablespoons, then add more as needed to thicken to your preference. To keep Clear Jel from getting chunky, cool 1 quart of the juice and stir in Clear Jel, then combine with the rest of juice and boil well. Process according to your cooker instructions.

 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, The Essential Amish Cookbook, is available from the publisher, Herald Press, 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 email LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.

Canning and Freezing, Vegetables

A grandmother’s wonderful news

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We have entered the month of August and the sun is shining this morning as I sit writing at the desk. I am by the east window, but the wraparound porch keeps the sun from shining in the windows. It makes nice sleeping with the cool evenings.

First of all I want to share our wonderful news of the birth of our fourth grandchild. Ryan Isaiah Bontrager was born to daughter Susan and son-in-law Mose on July 27, 2019 at 1:56 a.m. Ryan weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces and was 22 inches long. He joins his sister, Jennifer, 18 months old. Jennifer loves the baby but she doesn’t like when we hold him before we hold her first. And Mose isn’t allowed to hold Ryan; Jennifer thinks he’s only her daddy. It’s hard for her to understand that she’s not the only child anymore.

We sure have been enjoying baby Ryan. Susan is doing as well as expected. Daughter Verena and Lovina have been helping out with household duties over at Mose and Susan’s.

Today baby Ryan is five days old. Mose brought Susan and the children here for the day while he’s at work. Daughter Verena was there the last few days and came back home with them this morning. It’s nice to have her back home. She enjoys helping out with the little ones.

I closed our windows to make the house warmer for the baby. The temperature was in the 60s, so with all our windows open there was a chill in the house.

It is now later and the breakfast dishes are washed. Susan and baby Ryan are resting. Daughter Elizabeth and children Abigail and T.J. joined us for the day. The house is full of action with all the grandchildren. I love every minute of it, but this grandmother needs to finish this column. I am already past the deadline. I moved out on the porch to finish writing this. I need to concentrate, and with all these sweet babies it’s hard to do so.

Fresh dill sprigs will be placed in each jar. Photo provided.

We want to can pickles today. I didn’t have enough fresh dill, so neighbor Susan said I could have some of hers. Elizabeth and I went over there and cut a bagful, so now we can get started. Sure appreciate neighbors who are willing to loan or share with each other.

As I look across the road at neighbor Irene’s house, it gives me a lonely feeling. Irene would usually be mowing or working outside on such a nice cool day like today. Such a friendly neighbor and always willing to help. Her grandson Joe lives beside us and is also a good neighbor.

We are also enjoying tomatoes and had a few meals of sweet corn. I’m disappointed that my green beans didn’t come up. Joe planted them twice, so I am not sure why they didn’t grow. Zucchini are more than plentiful. I’m also getting a lot of cucumbers.

When pickling cucumbers come into season, it takes multiple rounds to can them all. Photo provided.

Tomato plants are loaded with tomatoes, so I think we should be canning V8 and tomato juice soon. We are out of V8, so I will be glad once we have some again. We love it with our breakfast.

Last night we were invited to neighbor’s Joas and Susan’s for a fish fry supper. They had all the families in our church district invited. The children had appointments, and with the two-hour drive we didn’t make it home in time to attend. We appreciated the invite. Mose and Susan couldn’t go with the baby so young yet. Tim and Elizabeth and children went, then stopped in here on their way home. T.J. was just so happy to see us.

I must get busy now. It’s so nice out here, but those pickles need to be canned.

Jars of sliced cucumbers ready to be filled with pickling brine and then canned. Photo provided.

This week I’ll share the recipe for vegetable juice (V8). Process it according to your canning instructions. God bless!

 

Homemade Vegetable Juice

Makes 14 quarts

I tried to sit down and make a recipe, and that is what I will share with you readers. But you can add whatever vegetables you want. There is no rule on how much of anything to put in. I always put in more tomatoes than anything else. I like to add a lot of extra jalapenos, as we like the spicy flavor they give. We love to drink this for breakfast on weekends.

15 pounds tomatoes, cut into chunks
4 onions, diced
4 green bell peppers, seeded and diced
6 large jalapenos, diced
6 small potatoes, peeled and diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 cucumbers, sliced
2–3 teaspoons garlic powder
Salt

Combine all the ingredients except the salt in a 3-gallon stainless steel pot over medium-high heat. Cook about 30 minutes, or until softened enough to go through a food mill or strainer. Strain and put into sterilized quart jars and add 1 teaspoon salt to every jar.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, The Essential Amish Cookbook, is available from the publisher, Herald Press, 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 email LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.

Canning and Freezing, Jams and Jellies

God’s blessings as we travel into the unknown future

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Where should I begin? This week is going much too fast for me.

Friday and Saturday were spent helping out at daughter Elizabeth and Tim’s house. The tent was set up and benches set up under the tent. Friday was Elizabeth’s birthday, although she didn’t take much time to think about it.

Benches set up for Sunday services. After the service, the benches serve as tables for the lunch meal. Photo credit: Grant Beachy/©MennoMedia

Sunday morning brought many visitors from other church districts and communities. The tent was filled to capacity. After the services the benches were used to make five tables to serve the meal. The tablecloths were rolled out on the tables; glasses, coffee cups, and silverware were placed at each setting.

It was Father’s Day, and I hope all fathers out there had a nice day with their family. In honor of Father’s Day, ice cream was served to everyone after the lunch. On the menu for lunch were homemade white and wheat bread, cheese spread, peanut butter spread, ham, pickles, pickled red beets, hot peppers, fresh garden lettuce, strawberry jam, butter cookies, and coffee and iced tea (also made fresh with tea leaves from sister Emma’s garden). Popcorn was served as visiting was done, and the dishes were washed and packed up to put back in the bench wagon for the next service.

Sunday evening we received the sad news that my husband Joe’s Uncle Phillip from Dundee, Ohio, had passed away. Phillip’s death was a shock to all of us. He was never married but left to mourn many siblings and nieces and nephews. Phillip was a brother to Joe’s dad. They were 17 siblings, with Phillip being the sixth one laid to rest. Phillip, age 67, enjoyed spending time with family and friends and fishing trips to Canada. Rest in peace, Uncle Phillip! You will be greatly missed.

We spent several days in the Sugarcreek, Ohio, area and attended the viewing/visitation on Tuesday and the funeral on Wednesday. Joe’s sister Esther and brother Benjamin both live in that area, so we got to visit with them. Also his sister Carol from Tennessee and his sister Loretta from Michigan and their families. And many uncles, aunts, and cousins of Joe’s were there. I met some more of my readers and appreciate the encouragement! We arrived home last night.

This morning seems hard to get started after all the traveling, but I need to make a salad to take to the visitation/viewing of a man from our community. Daughters Elizabeth and Susan are taking a dessert. I will drop the food off on my way to town for son Kevin’s therapy appointment. I won’t be able to stay and help, as we already have plans to help package gifts for the Christmas Behind Bars program.

The wagon loaded with benches for the Sunday service. The wagon travels from home to home as families host Sunday services. Photo Credit: Grant Beachy/©MennoMedia

We will travel to Shipshewana, Indiana, for this with other members from the community that are also volunteering to help. Joe and I, sons Benjamin, 19, and Joseph, 16, and daughter Lovina, 15, will go along to help.

The girls will have granddaughter Abigail here today, which they will enjoy. Daughter Elizabeth is going to a workday at Tim’s sister’s house. Not having to keep an eye on Abigail, 2, will let her get more work done. Abigail is at the age where she can be in one place one minute and in another so fast.

It is another rainy day here in Michigan. We have had so much rain. We saw a lot of flooding while traveling. Makes us appreciate the sunny days so much more. I need to get busy. There’s much to do, and time does not stand still.

I want to wish all of you God’s richest blessings as we travel into the unknown future. As the minister at Uncle Phillip’s funeral reminded us, death is final, and there isn’t any limit to how young our age is when our time here on earth is done. Let us pray for one another and for peace in the world! Take care!

Try this version of rhubarb jam. It has pineapple added to it. Enjoy!

Rhubarb Jam

4 cups chopped rhubarb4 cups sugar
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 (6-ounce) package strawberry-flavored gelatin

Bring rhubarb, sugar, and pineapple to a boil in a saucepan. Boil gently for 12 minutes. Add gelatin and boil for 1 additional minute. Place into sterilized jars and seal.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, The Essential Amish Cookbook, is available from the publisher, Herald Press, 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 email LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.

Canning and Freezing, Cookies, Desserts

Busy hours fill the day: Diary for April 17, 2019

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4:00 a.m. I get up to pack lunch for son Joseph, 16, and make him breakfast before he leaves for work. They are working an hour away so they will start out earlier than usual.

4:30 a.m. Joseph leaves for work. I go back to bed until I need to get up to wake the children for school.

6:00 a.m. Alarm rings again. Daughter Lovina, 14, and son Kevin, 13, start getting ready. They eat breakfast at school, as the school serves free breakfasts to all the students each morning.

6:45 a.m. Lovina leaves for school.

7:15 a.m. Kevin’s bus is here to pick him up. Kevin can now wheel his wheelchair down our ramp to the bus, so no one needs to help him. Coming home it’s harder for him to wheel his wheelchair up the ramp, so someone usually pushes him in.

8:00 a.m. Daughters Elizabeth and Susan and children arrive with horse and buggy. Elizabeth is driving this week. They take turns each week. Son Benjamin, 19, goes out to take care of the horse for them. I help carry in the little ones. Abigail is awake but just too tired to walk in so she still wants Grandma to carry her in the house. Jennifer is smiling and in a good mood. Baby Timothy is four months old today and is as lively as ever. He is so active and rolls over and over.  He’s not safe on a bed and moves all over already. He looks like his daddy and is always smiling. So precious when he reaches his little hands out to come to Grandma.

My husband Joe is home, so he gets to enjoy the grandchildren too. Benjamin is off work this week as the RV factory he works for is shut down this week. He has been hauling manure out to the fields every day.

8:45 a.m. We are ready to eat breakfast, which consists of fried eggs and potatoes, ham, cheese, toast, butter and jelly, and coffee and grape juice. Daughters Verena and Loretta help get the little girls fed. Abigail and Jennifer love their aunts.

9:30 a.m. Verena and Loretta wash dishes and watch the little ones while Elizabeth, Susan, and I go down to the basement to start cleaning. On Monday, Susan was here and we cleaned the can room where we have shelves of all our canned food. That is a big job done. Susan cleans the windows and Elizabeth helps me organize and mop the floors, dust, etc. With our coal stove in the basement it causes a lot of dust down there.

Joe and Benjamin are cleaning out our pole barn where we will have church services in. It seems somehow things accumulate over winter. On Monday son-in-law Mose and Loretta’s boyfriend Dustin helped Joe run new water lines in the pole barn where we have cabinets and a kitchen sink, and also to the bathroom. This winter a pipe froze, breaking the hot water line, so we didn’t have any water out there. They ran a new kind of pipe and did better insulating. I’m glad that is done. It will be nice to do my canning out there this summer.

1:00 p.m. Verena and Loretta have lunch ready so we all gather in the kitchen to eat. We have chicken noodle soup and leftover pizza from supper last night.

2:00 p.m. We all go back to our work. Verena and Loretta rock the little girls for their naps. Elizabeth fed baby Timothy and he is sleeping.

3:15 p.m. Kevin is home from school.

3:30 p.m. Lovina is home from school and gives Abigail a swing ride. Jennifer is taking a walk with Verena. She’s still learning how to walk good over bumpy surfaces.

4:30 p.m. The girls leave for home.

5:30 p.m. Joseph is home from work. Benjamin has evening chores done.

6:30 p.m. Supper is ready. Campfire stew, cheese, and crackers are on the menu.

7:30 p.m. Dishes are washed and everyone is getting cleaned up for the day.

9:30 p.m. Everyone has gone to bed. Good night to all! God bless!

Note: I would also like to mention that a reader wrote explaining that the math in the column for the week of 3/18/19 isn’t correct. So I thought I needed to give credit to daughter Lovina, who wrote the column, and mention that it wasn’t her mistake but a publishing typo.

Daughter Lovina thanks all of you for the very nice letters written to her. I also want to thank everyone for the letters and cards of encouragement to our family

 

Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars

Crumbs:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups quick oats
3/4 cup sugar
2 sticks margarine

Filling:
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 oz) cream cheese
1 (16 oz) rhubarb filling (any kind of fruit filling is good; see recipe below)

Crumbs: Mix ingredients together, reserving 1 1/2 cups; put the rest into a 13 x 9-inch pan, pressing flat. Bake 15 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.

Filling: Mix cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk and pour over baked crust. Top with rhubarb filling (see below) and add the reserved crumbs on top. Bake 20–40 minutes.

Rhubarb filling:

3 cups rhubarb
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook together on medium heat.

 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, The Essential Amish Cookbook, is available from the publisher, Herald Press, 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 email LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.