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The Amish Cook

By LOVINA EICHER

We have entered the last month of 2010. Where has the year gone? It seems every year goes faster than the one before. A friend told me to enjoy all the moments of the children while they are all still in the same house. She said it only seems like the blink of an eye before they are all grown and on their own. I don’t even like to think about that but I know what she means.

The month of December also brought the first long-awaited snow for the children, about 4 to 5 inches. After we got home from church yesterday, the children bundled up and played in the snow for a long time. They made snow angels and slid around on the ice. This morning it was almost a relief when the bus came. It was a little bit of a rat race until all six of the children had eaten breakfast and were dressed.

One or the other had a boot or a mitten or something missing. I managed to get everyone ready in time, though. Joseph, 8, went outside before the bus (editor’s note: many of the Amish children in Lovina’s community attend public schools) came to make a path for the others. The bad thing about it was he decided he didn’t need a shovel to do it so he was crawling back and forth on his hands and knees. By the time I seen him he was covered with snow from head to toe. I sure hope his coats will be dry in time for recess. We have only 3 boys but the things they come up with sometimes makes up for a dozen., although I am thankful they are all healthy.

Verena will be 13 on Friday the 10th. So far she is still doing really well, which we are so thankful for. It is so different to see her go to school every day. It is also nice for the whole family to be able to attend church together again. What blessings from our Dear Savior. I told my husband Joe that I think we should do something special for Verena’s birthday. With all she has been through this year she deserves something special but I am not sure what we will do yet. Not only is Verena happy for her continued good health but all the rest of the family is too. It has been very stressful on everyone seeing Verena have the post-concussion episodes.

After church services yesterday all the women signed up for what they would bring for the annual Christmas potluck in two weeks. I signed up to take a casserole. Other categories to sign up for included desserts, fruits and salads. It is always enjoyable to have a potluck and share in the fellowship afterwards. It was snowing on the way to church and during most of the service. It gave a person such a relaxing feeling to watch the snowflakes falling outside, all of the beauty by our Master Artist. Also having a birthday this week worth mentioning is Joe’s grandmother from Berne, Indiana. She will be 97 years old on Thursday, December 9. Daughter Verena has a letter ready for her whenever I send her card. Verena has written back and forth to her great-grandmother throughout the years. It was always an excitement to her when she gets a letter back.We wish grandmother good health in the coming years.

Daughter Elizabeth, 16, baked pumpkin cookies last week to use up the pumpkin I had last week to make pies and pumpkin rolls. She also made a batch of ranger cookies (for recipe, see www.amishcookonline.com). Homemade cookies seem to have a way of disappearing around here.

Saturday night daughter Loretta made four batches of breakfast casserole. You can make the casserole the night before and refrigerate and then bake in the morning. I add cheese when it is almost done. I had a pan-full left over to reheat for an easy breakfast Monday morning for the children to eat before school. In this recipe you can use sausage or ham in place of the bacon. The recipe can also be made without the onion. Here is the recipe:

Amish Breakfast Casserole

6 slices white or wheat bread, crumbled

6 eggs

2 cups milk

1 onion, diced (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound crumbled bacon fried and drained

1 pound grated Colby cheese

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Put the bread in the bottom of a greased 9 by 13-inch baking dish. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, then add the milk, onion, salt and bacon. Pour everything over the bread. Bake for 45 minutes and then top with cheese and then bake an addition 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden brown.

Serves: 6 to 8

AN AMISH CHRISTMAS: FREE SHIPPING now being offered. From now through Dec 15, the Amish Cook’s “An Amish Christmas” by Elizabeth Coblentz, Lovina EIcher, and Kevin Williams will be for sale. This 100-page booklet is filled with holiday recipes, Thanksgiving blessings and Christmas memories. This is an updated reprint of the original “Amish Christmas” first published in 1992, with additions by Lovina Eicher and her children. Cost is $12.99 plus shipping. To order visit www.oasisnewsfeatures.com/special, call (513) 849–9158 or send $12.99 to Oasis Newsfeatures, P.O. BOX 157, Middletown, Ohio 45042. All phone and internet orders will ship same day from Amazon. Any books ordered before Dec. 17 will be guaranteed arrival by Christmas. $10 per book on orders of 5 or more.

For the first time in 10 years, “An Amish Christmas” has been removed from the vault and is for sale. More elusive than the McRib, this cookbook will be put back into storage after Dec. 25, so get it while it’s available. This little cookbook has 100 holiday recipes, vignettes and stories. It’s been a tough year for The Amish Cook column, but glimmers of