snow | Lovina’s Amish Kitchen

Today baby Allison is already two months old. She’s so petite but very active. Last Sunday I was holding her in church, and she made so many facial expressions. When we started singing, she wasn’t sure if she should be sad or smile. It was so cute to see her smile then change to a frown and almost cry then smile again. Such little sweet innocent angels. She has brought much joy to daughter Elizabeth and Tim. Abigail likes being the big sister and T.J. isn’t sure if he wants to hug her or try to slap her. That little guy keeps them on their toes.

Baby Ryan is seven months old today. He weighs 20 pounds and is a tall guy. He gets around everywhere with his walker when he is in it. Ryan did his best to ignore me when he saw me holding baby Allison. Not until I took him would he look at me. Isn’t it amazing how fast they catch on to things? Jennifer makes sure to push Ryan’s walker away from things he shouldn’t have. She will say, “No, Ryan, you can’t have that.” Ryan has such a calm personality and is full of smiles. He tries to talk a lot. Jennifer and Ryan keep Mose and Susan busy, but they enjoy every minute of it.

Abigail, 3, sings a German song that she learned from just hearing her father Tim sing it. She does a good job. It’s amazing what young children pick up so fast.

In today’s column Lovina shares stories about spending time with her growing grandchildren.

Sons-in-laws Tim and Mose have been busy tapping Maple trees for syrup. They use bags now to collect the sap, instead of buckets.

Yesterday we awoke to winter weather again with the world coated in white. I would guess we have six to eight inches of snow. It’s the kind of snow that sticks to everything and, like our children used to say, the kind that makes good snowmen. I remember one year they made a snowman and the weather warmed up overnight. Son Benjamin wasn’t very old and woke up the next morning to see the snowman had disappeared. He looked up at the fluffy white clouds and said, “Mom, our snowman is up there.” He was so sure those fluffy clouds were his snowman.

Schools were closed yesterday due to the road conditions. Last night we had a voice mail from our school saying school has been cancelled for today as well.

Lovina and family experienced more snow this week in the waning weeks of winter.

Daughters Elizabeth and Susan had plans to come home yesterday for the day with a driver. The driver cancelled at the last minute, so they had some disappointed little children who were looking forward to spending the day at Grandpa and Grandma’s house. It is understandable when the roads are not good but trying to explain that to little children is hard. Their plans are to come today instead. It has quit snowing so maybe it will work out.

Son Joseph, 17, was home from work Monday and Tuesday. The contractor he works for is son-in-law Tim’s brother-in-law. His father passed away and the funeral was Tuesday, so they didn’t work. Monday evening we went to the viewing, which was a two-hour drive with a hired driver. Those going with us were my sisters Verena and Susan, sister Emma and Jacob, daughter Elizabeth, Tim, and baby Allison, my husband Joe and I, and son Joseph and daughter Lovina. We dropped Abigail and T.J. off at daughter Susan and Mose’s house until we came back. It was 4:00 p.m. when we started picking everyone up. It was after 11:00 p.m. when we got home so it was a late night by the time we made it to bed. Our sympathy goes to the family. It is never easy parting with loved ones. After traveling that many miles, we are always thankful to make it back home safely.

Sunday we will already be entering March. Where did the time go? Spring is just around the corner which I am so ready for, but God controls the weather so we will accept whatever he sends.

Take care! God’s blessings to all!

Almost Pizza
5 cups cooked and shredded potatoes
2 cups white sauce (see below)
1 cup pizza sauce
1-pound ground beef, browned
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese
All your favorite pizza toppings

Layer potatoes in the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan. Pour white sauce over potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and layer on pizza sauce and remaining toppings. Bake 15 minutes longer.

White sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour until smooth and bubbly. Slowly add milk and salt stirring constantly until thickened and smooth.

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, will be available in April 2020 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.

Winter weather is back! We’ve received around three inches of snow and it’s still snowing. The roads must not be the best as school is cancelled for today! I let son Kevin sleep in, so he doesn’t yet know school is cancelled. He will be happy when he wakes up.

Lovina and family received over three inches of snow after a brief thaw. Photo provided.

Son-in-law Mose had a birthday yesterday, February 5. Mose, Susan, and Jennifer all had the flu so he didn’t have the nicest birthday. We will wash their laundry here for them today, since Susan didn’t feel up to washing clothes this week. In the winter months I like to add a laundry disinfectant to the water to help with germs during the flu season. I really think it helps.

Tuesday the girls and I spent the day at daughter Elizabeth and Tim’s house. We washed a lot of laundry for them and cleaned her house. She was glad to have everything clean again. Daughter Lovina stayed there for the night and came home with Elizabeth and all three children the next morning. Daughter Susan and children couldn’t come as they still had the flu.

Monday the temperature went over 50 degrees so we hung some of our laundry out on the lines to dry. The bedding smelled so fresh when put back on the beds. We also cleaned our windows while the temperature was warmer.

Daughter Verena bought aqua colored paint to have her bedroom painted. So far, this week has been too busy to start with it. The boys did move Verena’s bed into Loretta and Lovina’s bedroom. The dressers will be moved to the middle of her room and covered up. Her bedroom walls are still the same color daughter Elizabeth had when she had that bedroom. It’s a burgundy color and Verena prefers aqua. Elizabeth has been married four and a half years and we still haven’t changed the color. It will brighten up the bedroom.

Saturday, we helped sister Emma and Jacob butcher two hogs. Sister Emma served us all breakfast when we arrived which was a breakfast casserole.

Read in this week’s column about how pon hoss is made (pictured here, sliced and ready to fry). Photo provided.

After the meat was cut up, we rendered the lard and cooked the pork off the bones. The meat from the bones was put through the grinder and then added back to the cooking water. Flour, salt, and black pepper were added to the cooking water making 17 gallons of pon hoss! We added four cups of flour, two tablespoons of salt, and one tablespoon of black pepper to each gallon of juice. The flour is sifted so it doesn’t get chunky, and someone stirs constantly to keep it from sticking to the big kettle while it cooks over an open fire. After the pon hoss is thickened, it is taken off the fire and poured into pans to cool. After it is cooled it can be sliced and fried in a pan until golden on each side. It can be fried longer for a crispier taste if preferred.

The sausage was all ground, seasoned, and packaged for the freezer. Some was processed in quart- and pint-sized jars. We usually season our sausage with brat and ranch seasoning we get at the meat market. It makes a good flavor for sausage patties or sausage gravy. The pork chops, ham, and bacon were also all sliced and packaged for the freezer.

Everything was mostly done by 1:30 or 2:00 p.m. then we had a delicious lunch of mashed potatoes, gravy, pork tenderloin, coleslaw, lettuce salad, cheese, Jello cake, cowboy bars, donuts, cake, and ice cream.

Baby Allison will be six weeks old tomorrow. She has the brightest blue eyes and smiles when you talk to her. So adorable and precious!

Stay healthy during this flu season! God bless!

Sausage Delights

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
1/3 cup shortening
1-pound bulk sausage, fried
1-1 1/2 cup shredded Colby or cheddar cheese
2/3 cup milk
1 egg

Combine dry ingredients and cut in shortening. Add the fried sausage and shredded cheese. Stir in milk and egg and mix well. Drop onto greased pans and bake at 375 degrees until done. Serve plain or with butter or sausage gravy.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen

Tag Archives: snow

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