Lovina’s Amish Kitchen
Lovina Eitcher,
Old Order Amish
Cook, Wife &
Mother of Eight
It is Monday evening, around 9:45 p.m. Everyone has settled down for the night. It would be so good to go to bed as well, but I need to write this column. Tomorrow will be a full day, and I do not see how time will allow me to get this in the schedule.
Tomorrow, daughter Verena is hosting a Tupperware bridal shower here for daughter Lovina at 10 a.m. Lunch will be served afterwards.
Verena and I made two casseroles for tomorrow. We also made one to send to our neighbors. She had a baby and had a hospital stay. We thought sending a casserole might help out.
I washed laundry this morning while Verena was helping daughter Loretta. It looked like it could rain earlier, but then it cleared up, and the sun came out. By tonight, the clothes were all dry.
On Friday night, we had supper at son Joseph and Grace’s house. It was a change to see Joseph’s belongings in a new house. They are still getting settled but have a nice home. They grilled chicken and wings plus had mac and cheese and more. They were great hosts, and we had a very nice evening.
On Sunday, we attended church services. We came home after church and rested, then left again to go to daughter Elizabeth and Tim’s house. They had invited our family over, and all were there except Joseph and Grace and Daniel Ray and Verena.
Elizabeth made four different pizzas, which were all delicious!
They are gradually getting their unattached garage made into living quarters so they can move in until they get their house taken care of from the mold.
Sunday in church, I still need to get used to the fact that I only have two grandchildren and not twelve in church with us. It will take a lot of getting adjusted to. I am thankful I was able to see them all at Tim and Elizabeth’s then for supper.
Friday, October 18, will be son-in-law Tim’s birthday. May he have a great birthday and many more happy healthy years.
It is now 5:45 a.m. I didn’t fair so well with my writing. It was so hard to stay awake, and I feel sorry for my editors when they need to read my writing when I’m tired. I would probably do them a favor if I got better at typing. I haven’t used my typewriter for so long that the ink is probably dried up in it.
My husband Joe and son Benjamin left for work quite a while ago. Daughter Verena went to daughter Loretta’s around 5:30 a.m. They will come over in a few hours when the boys are awake. It is cold this morning, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we have a frost this week. Maybe tonight we can pick the rest of the peppers and tomatoes; then our garden is history for 2024.
Daughter Lovina will probably come with daughter Susan. I haven’t talked to her since Sunday night. She has been staying with Susan while Daniel goes to work. Susan still hasn’t passed her kidney stone, so she’s still miserable.
Granddaughter Andrea, 2 (Tim and Elizabeth), always brings her doll along. She takes it to church and everywhere she goes. Last week, she brought two dolls along. After she and Elizabeth left for home, I saw one of her dolls (not her favorite one) hidden behind my recliner. We knew who always hides stuff there—Denzel, 2 (Dustin and Loretta). He was annoyed that Andrea wouldn’t let him have one of her dolls, so the first chance he got, he hid it from her. Usually this is also where he hides from Loretta when he knows he’s in trouble. Haha! He knows Loretta can’t get behind the recliner with her mobility scooter. Children are so funny sometimes! They are also so precious and can win your heart.
Let us keep praying for all those affected by the hurricanes. I cannot imagine what they are battling with. One of the men from our community took a trailer load of things to the victims. May God give them strength through the time and always God bless!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.
Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her three cookbooks, The Cherished Table, The Essential Amish Cookbook, and Amish Family Recipes, are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, PO Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email [email protected] and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.
