Tag Archives: wedding reception

Many blessings as newlyweds begin life as one

Tonight was daughter Lovina’s eighth-grade graduation. Her class has 23 students. Our school is a small public school and is very close-knit. Friday is the school picnic, then school doors will close for another term.

Lovina’s school days will be over. She said she will miss seeing her friends but is excited to be done. Son Kevin will be the last of our children to graduate eighth grade next year. Time goes much too fast.

I had a nice 48th birthday on May 22 even though it was spent at sister Emma and Jacob’s house preparing for the Friday wedding of niece Elizabeth and Manuel. Thank you so much for all the cards and gifts. They are greatly appreciated.

Saturday before the wedding, the cook wagon with six stoves and two stainless steel sinks and much counter space arrived. Also a portable restroom, which saves the bathroom in the house from getting used so much. A walk-in cooler and freezer were brought in, and also the storage wagon with tables and everything needed for a 360-place setting. Everything you need to cook for over 1,000 guests is included in this wedding wagon package.

Hundreds of people typically attend Amish weddings. The meal after the ceremony is served in multiple sittings. Each couple chooses special colors. Female attendants sew their dresses in these colors, and the tables at the meal are decorated in the same colors. One corner (called an “eck” in Pennsylvania Dutch) is reserved for the bride and groom and their attendants and decorated with special memorabilia. Photo by Ruth Boss

On Saturday, tables were set up and set with all the china. They were then covered to keep them clean for the next week. Also, over 30 loaves of bread were toasted for the dressing and bagged.

 

Sister Liz, Jacob and Emma’s neighbor Laura, and I were asked to be head cooks. On Saturday, Laura and I made up the grocery list with the amounts of everything needed. Emma had a good start on her shopping.

In addition to 75 pies, the cooks prepared 16 s’mores cakes for guests to enjoy at the wedding of Manuel and Elizabeth. Photo by Ruth Boss

Wednesday and Thursday, women arrived to help prepare food. They cut up 600 pounds of chicken, baked 16 cakes and 75 pies, and prepared 16 pans of orange cream cheesecake. Vegetables were shredded and diced for the dressing and salad, and so many more little jobs that needed to be done or to make less work for Friday morning. Also over 30 loaves of bread were baked.

On the wedding day almost 400 pounds of potatoes were peeled and cooked for mashed potatoes. Manuel’s uncle grilled the 600 pounds of chicken. The menu included gravy, chicken noodles, dressing, mixed vegetables, lettuce salad, cheese, hot peppers, bread, fresh rhubarb jam and butter, s’mores cake, orange cream cheesecake, rhubarb, pumpkin, and cherry pies, fresh fruit (watermelon, muskmelon, grapes, blueberries, and strawberries), and candy bars.

The cook wagon outfit was being picked up Saturday at 7 a.m., so all was loaded and packed back in by 10 p.m. Friday. Some of the neighbors, Timothy, Elizabeth, Mose, Susan, Joe, and I helped get everything packed. The pole barn and tent looked empty, but it makes for a quick clean up.

I wish Elizabeth and Manuel many blessings as they begin life as one. May God always be their guide. I’m sure Jacob and Emma’s house seems empty this week with Elizabeth moved to her new home and only the three boys left. Life brings changes!

A lovely quilted wall hanging with Manuel and Elizabeth’s names greeted guests at the meal after the wedding ceremony. Photo by Ruth Boss

I want to thank my friend Ruth for once again helping out at a wedding and for writing my column. She does so much for all of us. She picks up my mail and delivers it here. I am sorry for the delayed responses to readers who wrote, but that is next on my list. Thanks to all of you!

Joe’s uncle Solomon from Dundee, Ohio, came here after the wedding to spend the night. Joe and I made breakfast for him before he left Saturday morning.

We recently had a visit from Joe’s youngest sibling—his sister Susan and her sons Freddie and Seth. They stayed for supper, and the cousins didn’t take long to get reunited with each other.

God’s blessings to each and every one!

 

Orange Cream Cheesecake 

Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted

Filling:
1 (3-ounce) package orange gelatin
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup orange juice concentrate
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip

 Topping:
2 cups Cool Whip
1/4 cup sugar

Crust: Combine cracker crumbs, cinnamon, and butter. Press into bottom of 9 x 13-inch pan. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Filling: Prepare gelatin according to package directions. Set aside 1/2 cup at room temperature. Chill remaining gelatin until slightly thickened, about 80 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat together cream cheese and sugar. Gradually beat in evaporated milk and lemon juice on medium speed for 2 minutes. Gradually beat in orange juice concentrate, vanilla, and room-temperature gelatin. Fold in Cool Whip and pour over prepared crust.

Topping: Beat together Cool Whip and sugar. Beat in refrigerated gelatin. Mixture will be thin. Chill for 30 minutes. Gently spoon over filling. Refrigerate 8 hours before serving.

Note: We place mandarin orange slices on top. Delicious!

 

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.

Life goes on: preparing for a wedding reception without Amos

Life goes on: preparing for a wedding reception without Amos

It’s Thursday, April 5. Today is niece Lisa and Matthew’s wedding reception in Berne, Indiana. Lisa is brother Amos and Nancy’s daughter—the third from youngest out of ten siblings.

Matthew and Lisa joined hands together as one on January 20. They were going to wait to have their reception until it warmed up. Little did they realize Amos would be gone eleven short days later. It must be so hard for Nancy and her children to prepare for this meal without her husband there—my dear brother Amos—to help.

Amos was a hard worker and was always busy with something. At all his other daughter’s weddings, Amos would always greet us when we came. This is Amos and Nancy’s seventh daughter getting married. He always made us feel like we brightened his day. We question why but we do know God makes no mistakes. Trust in Him. His ways are not our ways!

I had a dream this week and in the dream I was having a good talk once again with Amos. He was so happy in the dream, almost as if telling me, miss me but let me go!

My wish for Matthew and Lisa is to have a happy and long married life together with God as their guide. Matthew and Lisa have been living with Nancy since their marriage which I’m sure has been a comfort to Nancy since the sudden loss of her husband.

Daughter Verena is table waiter at the reception today and I will be cook. Verena will do the best she can with still wearing the Aircast boot on her foot.

Tuesday morning I cut out Verena and my dresses, capes, and aprons for the reception today, Friday. Verena has to wear dark blue and white. I will wear black and white. The girls made the meals so I could keep sewing. I managed to get both suits sewed. I actually surprised myself that I finished.

As I sewed, my mind often went to the dream I had of Amos the night before. Life goes on and we never know who is next to leave us. What’s important is to be ready when our time comes. With Easter Sunday just this past week, we were again reminded how Jesus Christ sacrificed for us.

On Good Friday we had a nice time with family at daughter Elizabeth and Timothy’s house. The afternoon was spent visiting and a few of us played Phase 10. The men and boys all went for a walk in the woods and back by the river that runs behind their property. It was a nice day. We went outside with granddaughter Abigail for awhile. We also enjoyed baby Jennifer until Mose and Susan left to go to his parents’ place for supper.

On Sunday evening we made supper here for all of our family, sister Emma and Jacob and family, and my sisters Verena and Susan.

On the menu were grilled pork steaks, potatoes and mushrooms (also on the grill), deviled eggs, homemade horseradish cheese, cheeseball and crackers, and desserts. The desserts were all brought in by everyone which ended-up all being puddings—cinnamon pudding, dirt pudding, and peanut butter pudding.

Abigail got to help color these Easter eggs last weekend for the first time! The beautiful colors are enjoyed by all.

Yesterday, daughters Elizabeth and Susan and their little girls came home for the day. It was blowing snow, and quite cold once again. Spring does not want to be here. Joe said our rhubarb is peeping through. Also some flowers so we hope warm weather will soon be here to stay.

We leave at 11:30 a.m. today for Berne. Cooks and table waiters have to be at Amos and Nancy’s house by 2:00 p.m. to prepare supper for 5:30 p.m.

Son Kevin, 12, is enjoying this week at home on spring break from school. The Yorkies are happy to have him here all day!

God bless you all!

Deviled Eggs

1 dozen eggs, hard boiled
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons Miracle Whip
3/4 teaspoon vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
pepper
2 teaspoons mustard
paprika

Boil eggs and cool.

Deviled eggs. (Photo by Melodie Davis)

Peel eggs and and slice them in half lengthwise. Remove yolks; in separate bowl, mash yolks with fork. Add Miracle Whip, sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir until smooth. Fill egg halves. Sprinkle with paprika as desired.

 

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.