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Aug 22, 2009
Cream Sauce
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Water, to dissolve cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Heat heavy cream, Irish cream liqueur and sugar. Mix cornstarch with about 1 tablespoon of water. Stir into the cream mixture and heat until thickened. Add vanilla. Serve over bread pudding.
Cook’s Note: You can make this up to 3 days in advance.
Cook Time 3 min
Level Easy
Yield about 2 1/2 cups
Cilantro Lime Mayo
4 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 teaspoon Paula Deen Hot Sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Blend all ingredients in food processor except mayonnaise and salt and pepper. Process until cilantro is fine. Add mayonnaise and process just until blended. Season with salt and pepper, to taste
Cook’s Note: This sauce is good with any seafood or fish, especially salmon.
Prep Time - 10 minutes
Yield - 1 1/2 cups
Difficulty - Easy
Fried Ice Cream
1/2 to 1 gallon vanilla ice cream
4 egg whites
4 cups crushed cubed cereal (recommended: Golden Graham)
Vegetable oil, for frying
Cinnamon, honey, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, optional garnish
Directions
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Scoop the ice cream into 2-inch balls and freeze on prepared baking sheet for a least 2 hours.
Lightly beat the egg whites in a medium bowl. Put the crushed cereal in a separate medium bowl. Dip a frozen ice cream ball into egg whites and then roll in the crushed cereal and return to the baking sheet. Repeat the procedure with the remaining ice cream balls, egg whites, and cereal. Put the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight.
*Cook’s Note: For extra crispiness, dip the coated ice cream balls again into the egg whites, and reroll in the crushed cereal
In a large Dutch oven or fryer, pour vegetable oil to a depth of 4 inches and heat to 375 degrees F.
Fry the ice cream balls, in batches if necessary, until golden, about 1 minute. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately with optional garnishes, if desired.
Cook Time 10 min
Level Easy
Yield 8 to 10 servings
1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Water, to dissolve cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Heat heavy cream, Irish cream liqueur and sugar. Mix cornstarch with about 1 tablespoon of water. Stir into the cream mixture and heat until thickened. Add vanilla. Serve over bread pudding.
Cook’s Note: You can make this up to 3 days in advance.
Cook Time 3 min
Level Easy
Yield about 2 1/2 cups
Cilantro Lime Mayo
4 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 teaspoon Paula Deen Hot Sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Blend all ingredients in food processor except mayonnaise and salt and pepper. Process until cilantro is fine. Add mayonnaise and process just until blended. Season with salt and pepper, to taste
Cook’s Note: This sauce is good with any seafood or fish, especially salmon.
Prep Time - 10 minutes
Yield - 1 1/2 cups
Difficulty - Easy
Fried Ice Cream
1/2 to 1 gallon vanilla ice cream
4 egg whites
4 cups crushed cubed cereal (recommended: Golden Graham)
Vegetable oil, for frying
Cinnamon, honey, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, optional garnish
Directions
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Scoop the ice cream into 2-inch balls and freeze on prepared baking sheet for a least 2 hours.
Lightly beat the egg whites in a medium bowl. Put the crushed cereal in a separate medium bowl. Dip a frozen ice cream ball into egg whites and then roll in the crushed cereal and return to the baking sheet. Repeat the procedure with the remaining ice cream balls, egg whites, and cereal. Put the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight.
*Cook’s Note: For extra crispiness, dip the coated ice cream balls again into the egg whites, and reroll in the crushed cereal
In a large Dutch oven or fryer, pour vegetable oil to a depth of 4 inches and heat to 375 degrees F.
Fry the ice cream balls, in batches if necessary, until golden, about 1 minute. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately with optional garnishes, if desired.
Cook Time 10 min
Level Easy
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Juiciest Burgers:
Top Ten Tips For Making the Juiciest Burgers:Don’t overwork your meat when mixing the ingredients.
Allow your patties to come to room temperature before cooking.
The higher the fat content in your meat, the juicier the burger.
Be gentle when forming patties…don’t use too much pressure.
Like a pancake, don’t press down on the patties while cooking. Test doneness by touch. The firmer the burger is, the more well done it is.
Make sure one part of the grill it hot enough to sear the meat, and another warm enough to cook it. The first thing you want to do is sear it, this locks in all the juices. THEN move the patty to another part of the grill that is a lower temperature for cooking.
Turn your patties only ONCE.
Try a teaspoon of butter or your favorite herb butter in the middle of every patty. This will ensure juiciness.
After you have cooked your burgers, allow them to rest without cutting for 5 minutes.
Don’t forget about ground chicken as an option for a super juicy burger. (Note: you will need to add a binder of breadcrumbs to keep the burgers together for cooking)
Allow your patties to come to room temperature before cooking.
The higher the fat content in your meat, the juicier the burger.
Be gentle when forming patties…don’t use too much pressure.
Like a pancake, don’t press down on the patties while cooking. Test doneness by touch. The firmer the burger is, the more well done it is.
Make sure one part of the grill it hot enough to sear the meat, and another warm enough to cook it. The first thing you want to do is sear it, this locks in all the juices. THEN move the patty to another part of the grill that is a lower temperature for cooking.
Turn your patties only ONCE.
Try a teaspoon of butter or your favorite herb butter in the middle of every patty. This will ensure juiciness.
After you have cooked your burgers, allow them to rest without cutting for 5 minutes.
Don’t forget about ground chicken as an option for a super juicy burger. (Note: you will need to add a binder of breadcrumbs to keep the burgers together for cooking)
KITCHEN TIPS
Kitchen Tips
•Unless specifically instructed not to do so, always preheat your oven to the temperature required.
•Always beat eggs before adding sugar.
•Combine dry ingredients together when baking.
•Add flour and milk to egg mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. This will make for a lighter cake, muffin or biscuit.
•To eliminate the odor from Collard Greens being cooked, add one washed, unshelled pecan to the collards pot before turning the stove on.
•To see if an egg is fresh, place the uncracked egg in a glass of water. If it sinks to the bottom, it is fresh. If it floats, throw it out!
•To make fluffier scramble eggs, beat in a small amount of water, instead of milk.
•When baking a double-crust pie, brush the top layer lightly with milk for a shiny crust; for a sweet crust, sprinkle with granulated sugar or a mixture of sugar and cinnamon; for a glazed crust brush lightly with a beaten egg. If you place the pie on a hot cookie sheet in the oven during preheating, it will ensure that the bottom crust will bake through.
•You can always substitute 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour for 2 cups cake flour.
•For muffin tins, if you don’t have enough batter to fill all the cups, pour a little water in to the empty cups. This will prevent the pan from scorching.
•To sanitize cutting boards and countertops, use a mixture of 1 tablespoon bleach to 1 gallon of water.
•Don’t throw away stale bread, cut it into cubes and bake for croutons, or throw it in the food processor and make breadcrumbs.
•When picking crabmeat free of bits of shell, spread the crabmeat in a thin layer on a baking sheet and place in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. This will make it easier to see the bits of shell.
•When making meringue, always have the egg whites at room temperature, and be sure they’re free of any yolk. Make sure the bowl and beaters are spotless and free of grease.
•If soup is too salty, drop a raw, whole, peeled potato into the soup. Serve from around it.
•To get more juice from a lemon, pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds on high power.
•When boiling crab, shrimp, or any other shellfish, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water. This helps to loosen the meat from the shell.
•Store eggs tapered side down for a longer shelf life.
•Soak chicken in 1 tablespoon of baking powder with enough water to cover the chicken. Soak for 10 to 15 minutes to discourage bacteria. Rinse chicken and cook thoroughly.
•When sautéing, always heat your pan before putting in the fat. This will temper the pan and reduce sticking.
•When deep-fat frying, try adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the fat before heating. This will keep the food from absorbing too much of the fat.
•Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to beef stews to tenderize the meat.
•When cooking green vegetables, add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to the pot to help retain their color.
•Don’t salt fresh corn during cooking; salt will toughen it. Salt the corn to taste after cooking.
•Add a little oil to pasta water to keep the water from boiling over and the pasta from sticking together.
•Unless specifically instructed not to do so, always preheat your oven to the temperature required.
•Always beat eggs before adding sugar.
•Combine dry ingredients together when baking.
•Add flour and milk to egg mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. This will make for a lighter cake, muffin or biscuit.
•To eliminate the odor from Collard Greens being cooked, add one washed, unshelled pecan to the collards pot before turning the stove on.
•To see if an egg is fresh, place the uncracked egg in a glass of water. If it sinks to the bottom, it is fresh. If it floats, throw it out!
•To make fluffier scramble eggs, beat in a small amount of water, instead of milk.
•When baking a double-crust pie, brush the top layer lightly with milk for a shiny crust; for a sweet crust, sprinkle with granulated sugar or a mixture of sugar and cinnamon; for a glazed crust brush lightly with a beaten egg. If you place the pie on a hot cookie sheet in the oven during preheating, it will ensure that the bottom crust will bake through.
•You can always substitute 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour for 2 cups cake flour.
•For muffin tins, if you don’t have enough batter to fill all the cups, pour a little water in to the empty cups. This will prevent the pan from scorching.
•To sanitize cutting boards and countertops, use a mixture of 1 tablespoon bleach to 1 gallon of water.
•Don’t throw away stale bread, cut it into cubes and bake for croutons, or throw it in the food processor and make breadcrumbs.
•When picking crabmeat free of bits of shell, spread the crabmeat in a thin layer on a baking sheet and place in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. This will make it easier to see the bits of shell.
•When making meringue, always have the egg whites at room temperature, and be sure they’re free of any yolk. Make sure the bowl and beaters are spotless and free of grease.
•If soup is too salty, drop a raw, whole, peeled potato into the soup. Serve from around it.
•To get more juice from a lemon, pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds on high power.
•When boiling crab, shrimp, or any other shellfish, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water. This helps to loosen the meat from the shell.
•Store eggs tapered side down for a longer shelf life.
•Soak chicken in 1 tablespoon of baking powder with enough water to cover the chicken. Soak for 10 to 15 minutes to discourage bacteria. Rinse chicken and cook thoroughly.
•When sautéing, always heat your pan before putting in the fat. This will temper the pan and reduce sticking.
•When deep-fat frying, try adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the fat before heating. This will keep the food from absorbing too much of the fat.
•Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to beef stews to tenderize the meat.
•When cooking green vegetables, add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to the pot to help retain their color.
•Don’t salt fresh corn during cooking; salt will toughen it. Salt the corn to taste after cooking.
•Add a little oil to pasta water to keep the water from boiling over and the pasta from sticking together.
Conversion Tables
Baking Pan Substitutions
10” x 3 ½” Bundt = Two 8” x 2” Rounds
10” x 2” Round = 9” x 9” x 2” Square
Standard 12-Cup Muffin Tin = 8 ½” x 4 ½” x 2 ½”
Loaf OR 9” x 1 ½”
Round OR 8” x 8” x 1 ½” Square
10” x 2” Round = 9” x 9” x 2” Square
9” x 2” Round = Two 8” x 1 ½” Rounds OR 10” x 15” x 1” Jelly Roll OR 8” x 8” x 2” Square
NOTE: BAKING TIMES WILL VARY BASED ON PAN SIZE. FOR EXAMPLE, DEEPER PANS REQUIRE LONGER BAKING TIMES!
STAGE OF CANDY: TEMPERATURE:
Dark Caramel 350-360 degrees F
Medium Caramel 338-350
Light Caramel 320-338
Hard Crack 300-310
Soft Crack 270-290
Hard Ball 250-266
Firm Ball 244-248
Soft Ball 234-340
Thread 223-234
Weight & Measures
1 Tablespoon = 3 Teaspoons
1/8 Cup = 2 Tablespoons
¼ Cup = 4 Tablespoons
1/3 Cup = 5 Tablespoons + 1 Teaspoon
½ Cup = 8 Tablespoons
2/3 Cup = 10 Tablespoons + 2 Teaspoons
¾ Cup = 12 Tablespoons
1 Cup = 48 Teaspoons OR 16 Tablespoons OR ½ Pint
8 Fluid Ounces = 1 Cup
1 Tablespoon Liquid = ½ Ounce
1 Pint = 2 Cups OR 16 Fluid Ounces
1 Quart = 2 Pints
4 Cups = 1 Quart
1 Gallon = 4 Quarts
16 Ounces = 1 Pound
8 Quarts = 1 Peck
4 Pecks = 1 Bushel
Food Weights & Measure
2 Tablespoons Butter = 1 Ounce
2 Cups Butter = 1 Pound
1 Square Baking Chocolate = 1 Ounce
1 Cup Grated Cheese = 4 Ounces
4 Cups Coarsely Chopped Nuts = 1 Pound
2 1/3 Cups Uncooked Rice = 1 Pound
1 Cup Uncooked Rice = 3 ½ Cups Cooked Rice
2 Cups Granulated Sugar = 1 Pound
2 ¼ Cups Packed Brown Sugar = 1 Pound
3 ½ Cups Sifted Confectioners’ Sugar = 1 Pound
1 Pound Raw Ground Meat = 2 Cups
Liquid Metric Equivalencies
Customary Metric
¼ Teaspoon 1.25 Milliliters
½ Teaspoon 2.5 Milliliters
1 Teaspoon 5 Milliliters
1 Tablespoon 15 Milliliters
1 Fluid Ounce 30 Milliliters
¼ Cup 60 Milliliters
1/3 Cup 80 Milliliters
½ Cup 120 Milliliters
1 Cup 240 Milliliters
1 Pint (2 Cups) 480 Milliliters
1 Quart (4 Cups) 960 Milliliters (.96 Liter)
1 Gallon (4 Quarts) 3.84 Liters
Dry Measure Equivalencies
1 Ounce (by weight) 28 Grams
¼ Pound (4 ounces) 114 Grams
1 Pound (16 ounces) 454 Grams
2.2 Pounds 1 Kilogram (1,000 Grams)
Oven Temperature Equivalencies
Fahrenheit Celsius
200 90
250 120
300-325 150-160
325-350 160-180
350-375 180-190
375-400 190-200
400-450 200-230
450-500 230-260
10” x 3 ½” Bundt = Two 8” x 2” Rounds
10” x 2” Round = 9” x 9” x 2” Square
Standard 12-Cup Muffin Tin = 8 ½” x 4 ½” x 2 ½”
Loaf OR 9” x 1 ½”
Round OR 8” x 8” x 1 ½” Square
10” x 2” Round = 9” x 9” x 2” Square
9” x 2” Round = Two 8” x 1 ½” Rounds OR 10” x 15” x 1” Jelly Roll OR 8” x 8” x 2” Square
NOTE: BAKING TIMES WILL VARY BASED ON PAN SIZE. FOR EXAMPLE, DEEPER PANS REQUIRE LONGER BAKING TIMES!
STAGE OF CANDY: TEMPERATURE:
Dark Caramel 350-360 degrees F
Medium Caramel 338-350
Light Caramel 320-338
Hard Crack 300-310
Soft Crack 270-290
Hard Ball 250-266
Firm Ball 244-248
Soft Ball 234-340
Thread 223-234
Weight & Measures
1 Tablespoon = 3 Teaspoons
1/8 Cup = 2 Tablespoons
¼ Cup = 4 Tablespoons
1/3 Cup = 5 Tablespoons + 1 Teaspoon
½ Cup = 8 Tablespoons
2/3 Cup = 10 Tablespoons + 2 Teaspoons
¾ Cup = 12 Tablespoons
1 Cup = 48 Teaspoons OR 16 Tablespoons OR ½ Pint
8 Fluid Ounces = 1 Cup
1 Tablespoon Liquid = ½ Ounce
1 Pint = 2 Cups OR 16 Fluid Ounces
1 Quart = 2 Pints
4 Cups = 1 Quart
1 Gallon = 4 Quarts
16 Ounces = 1 Pound
8 Quarts = 1 Peck
4 Pecks = 1 Bushel
Food Weights & Measure
2 Tablespoons Butter = 1 Ounce
2 Cups Butter = 1 Pound
1 Square Baking Chocolate = 1 Ounce
1 Cup Grated Cheese = 4 Ounces
4 Cups Coarsely Chopped Nuts = 1 Pound
2 1/3 Cups Uncooked Rice = 1 Pound
1 Cup Uncooked Rice = 3 ½ Cups Cooked Rice
2 Cups Granulated Sugar = 1 Pound
2 ¼ Cups Packed Brown Sugar = 1 Pound
3 ½ Cups Sifted Confectioners’ Sugar = 1 Pound
1 Pound Raw Ground Meat = 2 Cups
Liquid Metric Equivalencies
Customary Metric
¼ Teaspoon 1.25 Milliliters
½ Teaspoon 2.5 Milliliters
1 Teaspoon 5 Milliliters
1 Tablespoon 15 Milliliters
1 Fluid Ounce 30 Milliliters
¼ Cup 60 Milliliters
1/3 Cup 80 Milliliters
½ Cup 120 Milliliters
1 Cup 240 Milliliters
1 Pint (2 Cups) 480 Milliliters
1 Quart (4 Cups) 960 Milliliters (.96 Liter)
1 Gallon (4 Quarts) 3.84 Liters
Dry Measure Equivalencies
1 Ounce (by weight) 28 Grams
¼ Pound (4 ounces) 114 Grams
1 Pound (16 ounces) 454 Grams
2.2 Pounds 1 Kilogram (1,000 Grams)
Oven Temperature Equivalencies
Fahrenheit Celsius
200 90
250 120
300-325 150-160
325-350 160-180
350-375 180-190
375-400 190-200
400-450 200-230
450-500 230-260
A Simple Amish Menu
A Sample Amish Menu
Below are three actual meal menus from an Amish family. Each meal includes homemade bread, butter, and jelly.
Breakfast - Eggs, cornmeal mush with ketchup, oatmeal with raisins, applesauce
Dinner (lunch) - Beef and carrots, scalloped potatoes, gravy, baked corn, carrot salad, graham cracker pudding, cookies, peaches
Supper - Vegetable soup, bologna, tomatoes and Chinese cabbage, apple sauce, chow chow, apple dumplings with milk and sugar
Below are three actual meal menus from an Amish family. Each meal includes homemade bread, butter, and jelly.
Breakfast - Eggs, cornmeal mush with ketchup, oatmeal with raisins, applesauce
Dinner (lunch) - Beef and carrots, scalloped potatoes, gravy, baked corn, carrot salad, graham cracker pudding, cookies, peaches
Supper - Vegetable soup, bologna, tomatoes and Chinese cabbage, apple sauce, chow chow, apple dumplings with milk and sugar
Amish News
Celebrating 20 Years!
AMISH RECIPE:
Good Food & Family Values
Weddings, frolics, and church services all have one thing in common in the Amish world. There are special foods for each occasion. Snitz pie, made from dried apples, is often served at Amish church services. Amish "roast" (bread filling with pieces of chicken or turkey, and gravy) is served for the wedding feast along with creamed celery, mashed potatoes, and numerous other dishes. A picnic or frolic means a table spread with chunks of cheese and relishes, such as chow chow and pickled red beets.
Most people have heard stories of the large meals served to hundreds of people at Amish barn raisings and weddings. With over 300 people at a wedding, it is not uncommon to need gallons of mashed potatoes and gravy, many quarts of coleslaw and applesauce, many pies, and hundreds of doughnuts. Good food and family values are the recipe for Amish meals both large and small.
Eating at Home
Unlike many families today, the entire Amish family sits together to eat at least two of the three meals each day. After the milking is done, and before the children leave for school or an off-the-farm job, the family gathers for breakfast. This might consist of eggs, fried potatoes, fried mush or scrapple. They often finish with cereal topped with fruit. Cooked oatmeal could also be served. Farm fresh milk is always available to pour over fruit or cereal. Cold cereal is bought in bulk and might be eaten as a snack before retiring at night.
Most Amish women do not spend lots of time cooking creatively. Their cooking is often done "on the run," as they have other chores around the house or may even help in the fields or in the barn. The garden and lawn all require lots of attention during the summer, so the recipes are very basic. The large meal at noon might consist of meat and gravy, mashed potatoes made with lots of butter, noodles, and a vegetable served with either browned butter or melted butter as a garnish. Applesauce is served with the main course as a salad.
Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken pot pie is another dish that can be prepared while doing other chores. The chicken is cooked earlier and then the potatoes are added along with a few chunks of carrots and celery to simmer for about one hour. The pot pie noodles are added as the final step and then cooked another 20 minutes.
Amish women prefer to make their own pot pie noodles by combining one cup of flour and one egg. The egg is dropped in a hole made in the flour and mixed with a fork. Just enough water or milk is added with a half teaspoon of salt to make a stiff dough. Some women add a dash of baking powder. This is rolled very thin and cut into squares to be added to the boiling stew.
If they are in a hurry, they will resort to store-bought noodles. Noodles can also be added to beef stew. The meat in an Amish home is usually cut rather small and served in stew or gravy, and meat loaf is very popular.
Treats from the Garden
Annie, an Amish mother of six, said that she really appreciates the "treats" from the garden to round out her supper or "snack." These treats from the garden are usually watermelon, cantaloupe, or fresh tomatoes. Cheese and pretzels would also be on the table. Ice cream would be an appropriate dessert, although this may not always be available. To be Pennsylvania Dutch is to enjoy a salty pretzel with your ice cream.
In the hot summer months, the afternoon meal might consist of cold sandwiches of bologna and cheese. As an alternative to sandwiches, many Amish have "bread soup." This is simply homemade bread torn into pieces in a soup bowl, with fresh fruit over top and fresh milk poured over it. If fresh fruit is not available, they could use some of those canned peaches or pears stored in the cellar.
Picnics
Gas grills have made an impact on Amish cooking. Chicken has always been a staple meat, and now many Amish prepare barbecue chicken for a picnic, family gathering, or even to sell to tourists. This could even complement a "corn roast." The corn is left in the husk and steamed on an outdoor fireplace over a wood fire, with lots of butter available to put on the corn.
A salad would also be served at a picnic. This is prepared on a large platter with layers of lettuce, shredded carrots, onions, tomatoes and cheese, topped with dressing. Fresh garden vegetables are readily available.
More Than One Dessert
Desserts are always popular at gatherings. Banana pudding, vanilla cornstarch, caramel pudding, as well as cracker pudding are all well received. Layered desserts with fruits like peaches or pineapple with Jell-O are often seen. When entertaining, four or five desserts at one meal would not be uncommon. Finally, shoofly pie is a staple that can be served for any meal of the day, including breakfast!
Christmas Goodies
Christmas is the time for the family to spend those long winter days making candies and cookies for the holidays. Many pounds of coating chocolate are bought at the local store to be melted down for Christmas candies and cookies. One favorite is made by applying a layer of peanut butter to a graham cracker, topping it with another cracker, and dipping it in melted chocolate. These are then placed on wax paper to harden and dry. Caution: if the finished cookies are not well hidden, they will disappear quickly.
The Amish remind us of the simple joys of gathering the family together for special times. To have a good time, the Amish do not need food that is exotic or expensive. Celebrating together as a family is a trait of the Amish that we can carry into our own homes.
* * *
AMISH RECIPE:
Good Food & Family Values
Weddings, frolics, and church services all have one thing in common in the Amish world. There are special foods for each occasion. Snitz pie, made from dried apples, is often served at Amish church services. Amish "roast" (bread filling with pieces of chicken or turkey, and gravy) is served for the wedding feast along with creamed celery, mashed potatoes, and numerous other dishes. A picnic or frolic means a table spread with chunks of cheese and relishes, such as chow chow and pickled red beets.
Most people have heard stories of the large meals served to hundreds of people at Amish barn raisings and weddings. With over 300 people at a wedding, it is not uncommon to need gallons of mashed potatoes and gravy, many quarts of coleslaw and applesauce, many pies, and hundreds of doughnuts. Good food and family values are the recipe for Amish meals both large and small.
Eating at Home
Unlike many families today, the entire Amish family sits together to eat at least two of the three meals each day. After the milking is done, and before the children leave for school or an off-the-farm job, the family gathers for breakfast. This might consist of eggs, fried potatoes, fried mush or scrapple. They often finish with cereal topped with fruit. Cooked oatmeal could also be served. Farm fresh milk is always available to pour over fruit or cereal. Cold cereal is bought in bulk and might be eaten as a snack before retiring at night.
Most Amish women do not spend lots of time cooking creatively. Their cooking is often done "on the run," as they have other chores around the house or may even help in the fields or in the barn. The garden and lawn all require lots of attention during the summer, so the recipes are very basic. The large meal at noon might consist of meat and gravy, mashed potatoes made with lots of butter, noodles, and a vegetable served with either browned butter or melted butter as a garnish. Applesauce is served with the main course as a salad.
Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken pot pie is another dish that can be prepared while doing other chores. The chicken is cooked earlier and then the potatoes are added along with a few chunks of carrots and celery to simmer for about one hour. The pot pie noodles are added as the final step and then cooked another 20 minutes.
Amish women prefer to make their own pot pie noodles by combining one cup of flour and one egg. The egg is dropped in a hole made in the flour and mixed with a fork. Just enough water or milk is added with a half teaspoon of salt to make a stiff dough. Some women add a dash of baking powder. This is rolled very thin and cut into squares to be added to the boiling stew.
If they are in a hurry, they will resort to store-bought noodles. Noodles can also be added to beef stew. The meat in an Amish home is usually cut rather small and served in stew or gravy, and meat loaf is very popular.
Treats from the Garden
Annie, an Amish mother of six, said that she really appreciates the "treats" from the garden to round out her supper or "snack." These treats from the garden are usually watermelon, cantaloupe, or fresh tomatoes. Cheese and pretzels would also be on the table. Ice cream would be an appropriate dessert, although this may not always be available. To be Pennsylvania Dutch is to enjoy a salty pretzel with your ice cream.
In the hot summer months, the afternoon meal might consist of cold sandwiches of bologna and cheese. As an alternative to sandwiches, many Amish have "bread soup." This is simply homemade bread torn into pieces in a soup bowl, with fresh fruit over top and fresh milk poured over it. If fresh fruit is not available, they could use some of those canned peaches or pears stored in the cellar.
Picnics
Gas grills have made an impact on Amish cooking. Chicken has always been a staple meat, and now many Amish prepare barbecue chicken for a picnic, family gathering, or even to sell to tourists. This could even complement a "corn roast." The corn is left in the husk and steamed on an outdoor fireplace over a wood fire, with lots of butter available to put on the corn.
A salad would also be served at a picnic. This is prepared on a large platter with layers of lettuce, shredded carrots, onions, tomatoes and cheese, topped with dressing. Fresh garden vegetables are readily available.
More Than One Dessert
Desserts are always popular at gatherings. Banana pudding, vanilla cornstarch, caramel pudding, as well as cracker pudding are all well received. Layered desserts with fruits like peaches or pineapple with Jell-O are often seen. When entertaining, four or five desserts at one meal would not be uncommon. Finally, shoofly pie is a staple that can be served for any meal of the day, including breakfast!
Christmas Goodies
Christmas is the time for the family to spend those long winter days making candies and cookies for the holidays. Many pounds of coating chocolate are bought at the local store to be melted down for Christmas candies and cookies. One favorite is made by applying a layer of peanut butter to a graham cracker, topping it with another cracker, and dipping it in melted chocolate. These are then placed on wax paper to harden and dry. Caution: if the finished cookies are not well hidden, they will disappear quickly.
The Amish remind us of the simple joys of gathering the family together for special times. To have a good time, the Amish do not need food that is exotic or expensive. Celebrating together as a family is a trait of the Amish that we can carry into our own homes.
* * *
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