Homemade Ketchup {Amish Family Recipes}

October 30, 2015 by Justina Dee

Having grown up in Texas, my favorite condiment is of course, Salsa. But there’s another tomato specialty that ranks right up there at the top, and it is Homemade Ketchup. My Amish Grandmother (Barbara Glick-Dienner) made delicious ketchup, as did my Mama. There’s nothing that can compare to the tangy, slightly sweet, full of fresh-garden-produce, flavorful goodness of this homemade sauce.

I’ve modified the original recipe from the Mennonite Community Cookbook in several ways; first, making a smaller batch, and second, using canned tomato juice and tomato puree’ from the grocery store, as I don’t have access to half a bushel of fresh garden tomatoes at this time.

Begin by chopping the peppers, onions and celery into large pieces.

Place vegetables in a large pot, add 3 cups of water, and cook (over medium heat) for 3o minutes.

When vegetables have softened, pour into blender along with water from pot, and puree’.

Combine tomato puree’ and tomato juice in same pot in which vegetables were cooked.

Pour vegetable puree’ through strainer, into tomato mixture.

Stir, and place on low to medium heat.

Measure spices.

Add vinegar, sugar and spices to pot. Stir well. Cook at a simmer for 30 minutes.

Mix 2 tablespoons tapioca flour with 1/4 cup water in a small bowl, and stir till smooth. Add to tomato mixture, and stir well. Bring ketchup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to thicken for 15 minutes.

If you want to preserve any of your ketchup, place new canning lids in simmering water, and sterilize pint jars with boiling water. Pour hot ketchup into jars and make sure tops are clean. Place canning lids on top, and finish with canning jar rings. Give your jars a “Water-bath” in canner for 15 minutes. Test jar lids by gently pressing the center in 24 hours to ensure they have sealed. If you hear a popping noise when you apply pressure, the jar has not sealed properly and should be kept in the refrigerator.

Enjoy your Homemade Ketchup in all the usual ways you would use the “store-bought” version!

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Homemade Ketchup {Amish Family Recipes} ~ Quick Method

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 7 pints

Homemade Ketchup {Amish Family Recipes} ~ Quick Method

Ingredients

1 quart tomato juice
32 ounces tomato puree'
1 red Bell pepper and 1 green Bell pepper
1 onion
5 stalks celery, including leaves
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups raw sugar
2 Tablespoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper + *a dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
4 cloves
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 rounded Tablespoon tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour)

Instructions

Chop peppers and onions into quarters.
Place in pot with 2 cups water and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from pot and puree for 1 minute in blender.
Pour tomato juice and puree' in pot used to cook vegetables.
Add liquid from strained vegetables.
Add sugar, vinegar and spices.
Bring to boil, turn down to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
(*If canning ketchup, prepare canning jars and lids now.)
Mix tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour) with enough water to make a paste. Stir into hot tomato mixture and heat on high until thickened, stirring constantly.
Put in jars while boiling hot to self seal. Put lids on immediately.

Recipe Source |© www.lydiaglick.com 2015

Baked Cup Custard {Amish Family Recipes}

October 29, 2015 by Justina Dee

Soft and creamy with a hint of vanilla and a sprinkle of nutmeg – my Grandma Esh made the best Baked Cup Custard I ever tasted. It was always exciting to watch her mix the egg-thickened farm milk mixture, pour it into her beautiful, brown, earthenware custard cups, sprinkle each serving with nutmeg, place them in the oven in a dish of hot water, and then savor every bite of custard for dessert after it was baked.

I’ve heard Cup Custard (a simple dessert made with only five ingredients) called Creme Brûlée’s country cousin. Custard’s origins can be traced all the way back to Roman times, and Cup Custard is mentioned in French and Italian medieval literature. Cooks throughout Europe and the Americas adopted the method, including Amish and Mennonites who love to serve delicious desserts.

Putting the desert together is a relatively simple task, followed by about 45 minutes of baking. With its uncomplicated but delicious flavor, our entire family enjoys it!

Begin by heating the milk till it begins to steam – very hot, but not boiling.

Whisk eggs, add sugar, salt and vanilla and mix together.

Add milk to egg mixture very slowly, whisking the entire time.

Pour into custard cups or ramekins.

Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Place custard cups in a baking dish, and pour hot water into the dish until it reaches approximately the level of the custard.

Bake at 325 for 45 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. This old-fashioned dessert may be served warm or chilled, and with or without whipped cream. Enjoy!

Yum

Baked Cup Custard {Amish Family Recipes}

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Yield: 8 custard cups

Baked Cup Custard {Amish Family Recipes}

Ingredients

4 eggs
1/2 - 2/3 cup sugar (based on personal preference of less or more sweet.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

Beat eggs.
Add sugar, salt and vanilla, whisk till combined.
Scald milk - or heat till just below boiling point.
Slowly pour hot milk into egg mixture while whisking to prevent eggs from cooking.
Pour into custard cups, filling 2/3 - 3/4 full.
Sprinkle with nutmeg if desired.
Set cups in a baking dish or pan and pour hot water around them until it comes to the level of the custard.
Bake at 325 approximately 45 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean when inserted in the center of the custard.
Do not let water in pan boil.
Serve with whipped cream if desired.
Makes 8 custards.

Notes

Recipe source: Mabel Yoder and Mrs. I. Lapp; Mennonite Community Cookbook, Herald Press

Recipe Source |© www.lydiaglick.com 2015

Baked Limas {Amish Family Recipes}

October 22, 2015 by Justina Dee

The things I most appreciate about Amish-Mennonite cooking are its use of simple, straightforward and real ingredients, the seasonal nature of the food, the wholesome food traditions they have managed to maintain in spite of our commercialized culture, and the way their cooking is a model example of hospitality and community – as it relates to food. Baked Limas are a delicious example of this!

This dish has roots in Early American, Greek and German cooking, among others. Giant Limas were relatively easy to dry at the end of summer’s gardening season, and were often prepared and served throughout the winter months – hot, or cold, with bread.

I love the slightly sweet, tangy flavor of Baked Limas, and I’ve taken the liberty to add the Greek’s use of garlic to my version of the Amish Community Cookbook’s recipe.

Although this dish is very easy to prepare, it does take some time, and requires soaking the beans overnight, in advance of cooking the next day.

Soak the beans overnight by covering completely with water, after washing them thoroughly. The next morning, rinse them, place in Dutch oven or large pot, cover with fresh water and a bit of sea salt, and cook for 1 hour. (Till just tender, but not soft.) After cooking, drain the beans.

Chop onions, green peppers and garlic. Sauté in olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato purée, and seasonings. Cook for 30 minutes.

Combine drained beans and the delicious tomato sauce you’ve just cooked. Taste and add more salt and/or fresh ground pepper if needed. (I like to add cayenne for a little kick.)

Place bacon strips over the top of your beans. (Optional.)

Bake for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, or until beans are desired softness. Serve your Baked Limas as a side dish – or all on their own, with a hearty slice of wholesome bread. Delicious!

Yum

Baked Limas {Amish Family Recipes}

Cook Time: 2 hours

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

1 pound dried Giant Lima beans
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green Bell pepper
1 can plum tomatoes, chopped (keep juice)
1 can tomato purée
2 teaspoons sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 Tablespoons brown sugar or honey
2 Tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley
4 slices bacon (optional)

Instructions

Wash beans and cover with water (several inches over beans).soak overnight.
Next morning, rinse beans, place in large pot, add 8 cups fresh water and 1 teaspoon salt.
Cook for 1 hour, or until they're slightly tender, but not too soft.
Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add onions, peppers and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes and tomato purée, all seasonings, and brown sugar or honey.
Cook for 30 minutes, on medium-low heat.
Combine with beans.
Place in baking dish.
Place bacon slices on top. (Optional.)
Bake for 1 1/2 hours - 1 hour covered, and 30 minutes uncovered.
Serve hot, or at room temperature.

Notes

Recipe modification from base recipe source: Mennonite Community Cookbook, Herald Press

Recipe Source |© www.lydiaglick.com 2015

Old Fashioned Sand Tart Cookies {Amish Family Recipes}

October 21, 2015 by Justina Dee

Cookies at Grandma’s house are one of every child’s favorite things, and I was no exception! During the holidays my Grandma Lydia made many varieties of delicious cookies for her family to enjoy. One of my favorite kinds was “Sand Tarts”. These are thin and crispy, with a delicious, simple flavor similar to a sugar cookie. My grandmother had lots of wonderful cookie cutter shapes she used for her Sand Tarts – including stars and candy canes, and she sprinkled them with colored sugar.

The origins of this cookie recipe are not clear, although everyone agrees they’re in the family of sugar cookies. Some say their name is derived from “Saint Heart” cookies (a sugar cookie made in the shape of a heart for Catholic holy days), and others say they are named “Sand Tart” because with their round shape, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, they resemble the ocean’s Sand Dollar. Some recipes call for lemon flavoring, and some call for an egg wash before baking, while others call for milk. Some recipes call for nuts, others do not. Regardless, this old-fashioned cookie is a wonderful holiday favorite of mine, and lots of fun to make! Today, I’m using the recipe from the Mennonite Community Cookbook.

Begin by creaming the shortening or butter (I use half of each), and sugar together. (I like to use raw sugar.) Add vanilla extract.

Sift all dry ingredients together, and add to butter mixture. Mix until dough forms, taking care not to over-beat. Chill the dough for 2 or more hours.

After dough is chilled, roll onto floured surface. The thinner your dough, the crispier your cookie will be. Cut cookies into desired shapes, using cookie cutters.

Brush with milk or half & half.

Sprinkle with only sugar, or with sugar and cinnamon.

Bake for 8-11 minutes at 350. Watch the cookies, and remove before the edges begin to get too brown.

Enjoy your cookies with family, neighbors, friends, and a cup of tea, coffee, or milk!

Yum

Old Fashioned Sand Tart Cookies {Amish Family Recipes}

Cook Time: 11 minutes

Yield: 4 to 5 dozen cookies

Old Fashioned Sand Tart Cookies {Amish Family Recipes}

Ingredients

1 cup shortening or butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
Cinnamon & Sugar to sprinkle on top of cookies

Instructions

Cream shortening (or butter) and sugar together.
Add eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy.
Sift together flour, salt and baking soda.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture.
Mix just until medium-soft dough is formed. (Do not over-mix.)
Chill for several hours in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350.
Roll on floured surface, until thin, and cut with desired cookie cutters.
Brush tops with milk or half & half, and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
Place 1 inch apart on a greased cookie sheet, bake for 8-11 minutes.

Notes

Recipe source: Mrs. Samuel Martin; Mrs. Richard Danner; Mennonite Community Cookbook, Herald Press. ("The oldest recipe books call these cookies Saint Hearts.")

Recipe Source |© www.lydiaglick.com 2015

Baked Goat Cheese and Tomato Sauce Appetizer {Amish Family Recipes}

October 18, 2015 by Justina Dee

There’s nothing that can compare to the taste of fresh, garden tomatoes. My mother grew up on a working dairy farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. One of the crops her family raised was tomatoes. She has many recipes for delicious tomato dishes, that make my mouth water, just thinking about them! Fresh-from-the-garden-tomato sandwiches, served on thick slices of homemade bread, and creamy tomato soup were two of my favorites.

Another one of the unforgettable ways she prepared tomatoes was a simple dish called “Tomato Sauce”, from the Mennonite Community Cookbook. I compare it to an Italian Marinara sauce. The cookbook suggests serving this sauce over fish, but our family used it as a topping for savory French Toast.

I decided to put my own twist on this recipe, and serve it in a way I knew my family and friends would enjoy, by combining the fresh flavors of tomato sauce with creamy goat cheese, served over French baguette slices, for an appetizer. The result was successful, and one of my daughter’s new favorites! We were able to share it with friends at a baby shower this weekend, and we all enjoyed the cheesy-tomato goodness.

To make this appetizer, you will begin by washing the tomatoes. Place in a large bowl, then crush by hand. Add one cup of water.
Strain off and remove one cup of liquid, leaving remaining liquid with crushed tomatoes.

In saucepan, combine crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, chopped onion, torn basil and celery leaves, cloves, sugar, salt and pepper(s). Place over medium heat.

Heat olive oil in skillet, add flour and whisk together over medium heat. Add the cup of “tomato” liquid. Combine over heat until slightly thickened.

Add this mixture to the saucepan with tomatoes. Stir.
Pour into shallow baking dish.
Slice goat cheese and place on top of tomato sauce.
Place under medium-high broiler for 10-12 minutes (or until slightly browned).

Serve warm, with sliced French baguette or Crostinis.

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Baked Goat Cheese and Tomato Sauce Appetizer {Amish Family Recipes}

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 5 cups tomato sauce, or 10 - 12 servings

1/2 cup

Baked Goat Cheese and Tomato Sauce Appetizer {Amish Family Recipes}

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh, heirloom, roma or small, sweet tomatoes, crushed by hand, plus 1 cup water
16 ounces strained tomatoes, or tomato puree
1/2 small onion, chopped (optional)
8 cloves
1 heaping Tablespoon sugar
3/4 - 1 teaspoon salt
1/8 cup Celery leaves, torn (optional)
1/8 cup Basil leaves, torn
1/8 teaspoon black pepper, plus a sprinkle of capsicum pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons flour
8 ounces soft goat cheese

Instructions

Wash tomatoes, then crush by hand. Add one cup of water.
Strain off and remove one cup of liquid, leaving remaining liquid with crushed tomatoes.
In saucepan, combine crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, onion, basil, celery leaves, cloves, sugar, salt and pepper(s). Place over medium heat.
Heat olive oil in skillet, add flour and whisk together over heat. Add the cup of "tomato" liquid. Combine over heat until slightly thickened.
Add this mixture to the saucepan with tomatoes. Stir.
Pour into shallow baking dish.
Slice goat cheese and place on top of tomato sauce.
Place under medium-high broiler for 10-12 minutes (or until slightly browned).
Serve with sliced French baguette or Crostinis.

Notes

Recipe adapted from the Mennonite Community Cookbook, Herald Press "Tomato Sauce"

Recipe Source |© www.lydiaglick.com 2015

Chocolate Espresso Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting {Amish Family Recipes}

October 16, 2015 by Justina Dee

One of my favorite treats at “Grussmommy” (Grandmother) Dienner’s house was the chocolate cake she often made for dessert. This decadent cake my girl’s and I baked today is reminiscent of the rich, chocolaty goodness my grandma so often served her family.

The original chocolate cake recipe (from the Mennonite Community Cookbook) that I’m using today calls for strong coffee. I substitute espresso. The original frosting recipe is simply Caramel Frosting. I add a sprinkle of sea salt. Together, this updated cake and frosting make a perfect flavorful pair!

To get things started, sift together the dry ingredients.

Then add the shortening, mixing with whisk attachment until fine crumbs form.

Add coffee and buttermilk, mix on medium speed for about one minute. Then add the additional buttermilk and eggs, and mix until smooth.

Pour into greased cake pan(s), and bake.

While cake is baking, it’s the perfect time to make the frosting!

Combine all four ingredients in saucepan, and bring to boil. Heat until caramel sauce temperature rises to 238, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and cool for 15 -20 minutes.

Place caramel sauce in mixing bowl and beat until creamy frosting forms.

Spread over warm cake, sprinkle with sea salt, and serve! *Note, this is a thin layer of frosting, a little heavier than a glaze. If you want a thicker layer of icing, simply double the frosting recipe.

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Chocolate Espresso Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting {Amish Family Recipes}

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Chocolate Espresso Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting {Amish Family Recipes}

Ingredients

Sift together: 1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups sugar
Add: 1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup cooled espresso
1/3 cup buttermilk
Add: Another 1/3 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, unbeaten

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2, 8 inch round cake pans, or 1, 13x9 cake pan.
Sift together dry ingredients.
Add shortening and blend into dry mixture until fine crumbs form, using whisk attachment on mixer.
Add espresso and 1/3 cup buttermilk.
Beat until smooth.
Add another 1/3 cup buttermilk, and eggs.
Beat just enough to blend thoroughly.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
To make Salted Caramel Frosting: Combine 3 cups brown sugar, 1 cup half and half, 2 Tablespoons butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Heat together in saucepan until boiling.
Continue to stir, and bring to 238 degrees.
Remove from heat, and cool in pan for 15-20 minutes.
Beat on high setting with whisk attachment, until creamy.
Spread on cake while cake is still warm, and sprinkle with sea salt.

Notes

Recipe source: Mrs. James Clymer; Mennonite Community Cookbook, Herald Press

Recipe Source |© www.lydiaglick.com 2015

Chicken Croquettes {Amish Family Recipes}

October 15, 2015 by Justina Dee

Chicken Croquettes. My daughter calls them gourmet, grown-up chicken nuggets, which makes me smile. Considering their savory, tender inside, enclosed in a crispy, crumb coating, I’d say her description is perfect! Our family enjoys serving mashed potatoes or baked sweet potatoes and a fresh, green salad, alongside this tasty main dish.

“Croquettes, small shaped masses of some savory (or occasionally sweet) substance deep-fried, typically in a coating of breadcrumbs, get their name from their crisp exterior: for croquette is a derivative of the French verb croquer, crunch.”
—An A to Z of Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 98)

Although the croquette’s origins are French, it’s a frequently served dish in Amish and Mennonite households, and my grandmother’s homes were no exception.

Begin by chopping pre-cooked chicken into small pieces. (I use chicken breasts.)

To make the white sauce, melt the butter. Add flour and whisk together over medium-low heat. Add milk slowly, whisking constantly to keep the sauce smooth.

When the sauce thickens, turn off the heat and add seasonings.

Mix white sauce with minced chicken. Beat eggs, and pour breadcrumbs into dish.

To form the croquettes, shape chicken mixture into meatball-sized portions. Dip each croquette into beaten eggs. then roll in breadcrumbs. (I use seasoned Panko crumbs.)

Heat skillet and coat the bottom with olive oil. Pan-fry the croquettes until lightly browned. Drain on napkin to remove any excess grease.

And now your Chicken Croquettes are ready to serve! This recipe may be prepared in advance, or even frozen. If that is the case, pan-fry only until lightly browned, then chill. When serving, place in oven at 400 until heated through.

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Chicken Croquettes {Amish Family Recipes}

Yield: 8 croquettes

2 croquettes

Chicken Croquettes {Amish Family Recipes}

Ingredients

2 cups minced, cooked chicken
2 Tablespoons butter
2 1/2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion or garlic powder
1 Tablespoon minced parsley
1/8-1/4 teaspoon thyme (optional)
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup dry bread crumbs
Olive Oil to coat bottom of skillet

Instructions

Chop the pre-cooked chicken.
Make a white sauce of the butter, flour and milk.
Add salt, pepper and other seasonings to the white sauce. Cool.
Combine chicken and seasoned sauce.
Shape into eight croquettes. (About the size of large meatballs.)
Dip in beaten eggs, then into crumbs.
Pan-fry in olive oil at medium heat, for 3-5 minutes per side, or until brown.
Set on napkins to remove excess oil before serving.

Notes

Recipe source: Mrs. Simon P. Kraybill; Mennonite Community Cookbook, Herald Press

Recipe Source |© www.lydiaglick.com 2015

References: An A to Z of Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 98), source, TheFoodTimeline.org

Food for a Barn Raising {Amish Family Recipes}

October 7, 2015 by Justina Dee

What exactly is the “Mennonite Community Cookbook“? There are two answers to that question.

First, the Mennonite Community Cookbook was the food bible of sorts in our home kitchen, where my talented mama taught me how to cook. It’s the first cookbook we referenced when looking for a traditional Amish recipe, and it was the standard for our family’s Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. My mother has a hardback edition, and she gave me the copy depicted in the photo when I set up my kitchen as a young married woman.

My Grandma Lydia’s “Good Dishes”, used for entertaining. {Photo Credit Kathryn Dienner

And next, this cookbook (initially published in 1950), was the first comprehensive gathering of Amish and Mennonite recipes. Its collection is “a compilation of over 1,100 recipes, chosen from more than 5000 recipes sent in from Mennonite communities in the United States and Canada”, a gathering and organizing of hundreds of hand-written, traditional recipes passed down through the generations. It’s truly a treasure.

Although I’m not Amish, I come from a beautiful heritage of Antibaptist, Amish and Mennonite ancestors. My blog is named after my two, Amish grandmothers, Lydia Esh, and Barbra Glick-Dienner. Last year during the #write31days challenge, I shared stories and lessons from my Amish family, that I wanted to be sure are not lost to my daughters. It was such a special experience that I decided to continue in the same vein this October. As this cookbook is an important part of the Amish-Mennonite culture, naturally I decided it was a great starting point for this month’s writing!

This is day 7 of the #write31days challenge, and I had scheduled “Cup Cheese” for today’s post. Unfortunately the cheese process didn’t get my memo ;-), and is taking longer than planned. So I thought I’d share a fun recipe of sorts from the “Miscellaneous” section of the Mennonite Community Cookbook.

Thank you for following along with my cooking and writing journey this month. I am thoroughly enjoying every post! So, with no further ado, here’s the recipe for today: Food for a Barn Raising, “enough food for 175 men”.

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Food for a Barn Raising {Amish Family Recipes}

Yield: Enough food for 175 men

Food for a Barn Raising {Amish Family Recipes}

(Photo of my Grandpa Esh's Amish barn, in Morgantown, Pa. Circa 1970

Ingredients

115 lemon pies
500 fat cakes (doughnuts)
15 large cakes
3 gallons applesauce
3 gallons rice pudding
3 gallons cornstarch pudding
16 chickens
3 hams
50 pounds roast beef
300 light rolls
16 loaves bread
Red beet pickle and pickled eggs
Cucumber pickle
6 pounds dired prunes, stewed
1 large crock stewed raisins
5 gallon stone jar white potatoes and the same amount of sweet potatoes

Instructions

"This bit of information was found in a quaint, old handwritten recipe book from Great-grandmother's day...As many of us know, a "barn raising" was quite an event during those early years. When a new barn was built, all the fiends and neighbors came on the specified day to help put up the framework of the barn. This policy is still carried out in some communities where neighbors are neighborly. Homemakers of our day will no doubt be astounded at all the food consumed in one day. What is more difficult to believe is that it was all made in Great-grandmother's kitchen." ~ Mary Emma Showalter, author of the Mennonite Community Cookbook

Notes

Recipe source: Mennonite Community Cookbook, Herald Press

Interesting link: Amish Barn Raising Time-lapse Video

Oatmeal Lace Wafer Cookies {Amish Family Recipes}

October 6, 2015 by Justina Dee

One of the things I appreciate most about traditional Amish recipes is the simplicity of ingredients. Many of them can be made with things on hand in a well-stocked pantry, and require no trip to the grocery store. Another great fact is the cost-effectiveness for many of these recipes, such as previously shared Chicken Corn Soup, and Old-fashioned Apple Dumplings.

My Amish grandmothers made many varieties of delectable cookies, especially around the holidays. The recipe I’m sharing today is taken directly from the Mennonite Community Cookbook. These flour-free wafers are thin and crispy, with a slightly chewy center, making them a perfect pairing with tea or coffee!

The recipe can be made gluten free, simply by ensuring the oats you’re using are processed in a gluten-free location. (The packaging should inform you of this.) These cookies can also be dairy free, simply by substituting coconut oil for the butter.

To make the Oatmeal Lace Wafers, begin by combining the butter and sugar. Beat with mixer. Add vanilla, then the eggs.

Beat these ingredients together till fluffy, making sure to scrape sides with spatula.

Combine oats with salt and baking powder. Stir well.

Add oat mixture to creamed mixture. Beat together until entirely combined.

Place small (not generous) teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. (I like to use coconut oil spray.) Note from personal experience: If you make the cookies too large before baking, they will run together and you will have a hot mess on your hands, resembling one, giant cookie. 🙂 So be sure to control the cookie-dough size on your sheet!

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes before removing from the tray.

And there you have it! A delightful little, crispy, cookie – ready to be enjoyed with family and friends.

Yum

Oatmeal Lace Wafer Cookies {Amish Family Recipes}

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 11 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Oatmeal Lace Wafer Cookies {Amish Family Recipes}

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder

Instructions

Cream together butter and sugar.
Add vanilla.
Add eggs and beat until fluffy
Combine oats with salt and baking powder, then add to creamed mixture.
Drop by (small, not generous) teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet, spaced about 2 to 3 inches apart.
Bake at 375 for 12 minutes.
Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Notes

Recipe source: Mrs. L. Strong; Mennonite Community Cookbook, Herald Press

Baked Stuffed Peppers {Amish Family Recipe}

October 5, 2015 by Justina Dee

Wholesome, flavorful and satisfying describe this Baked Stuffed Peppers recipe, based on the Mennonite Community Cookbook.

I’ve modified the recipe, adding some flavors our family enjoys. This dish is simple to put together, and even those who don’t care for peppers will enjoy the stuffing from inside!

The first step of this recipe is to cook your rice (I use brown Basmati, as it creates a nice texture and flavor in the stuffed peppers). All the other prep work can be done while the rice is cooking. Now it’s time to chop & prepare your vegetables.

Remove the tops from your peppers, and take out seeds and membrane from the inside.

Saute onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil, and brown the seasoned ground beef. Add diced tomatoes. Parboil the prepared peppers for 5 minutes, by placing them in boiling water, and removing promptly when the timer rings.

Drain the peppers, and now they’re ready to stuff!

Combine vegetables, ground beef, rice and parmesan cheese in pan. (*I kept some of the mixture to the side before adding parmesan cheese, so that I have a gluten and dairy-free serving for a family member.)

Place peppers in a greased baking dish. Spoon your prepared mixture into the peppers. (The red pepper is our dairy-free and gluten-free pepper. 🙂 )

Next top the peppers with Panko bread crumbs that have been toasted in butter, and combined with Parmesan cheese.

Place in the oven and bake for only 25 minutes. Top with sour cream, and ENJOY!

Yum

Baked Stuffed Peppers {Amish Family Recipe}

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

1 pepper

Baked Stuffed Peppers {Amish Family Recipe}

*This recipe is based on one from the Mennonite Community Cookbook

Ingredients

8, medium sized bell peppers
1 pound lean ground beef
3 cups prepared rice (1 cup rice, cooked in 2 cups water, using standard rice cooking instructions)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2-3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper and a dash of red pepper
1 teaspoon (or more) basil
1 teaspoon (or more) oregano
2 Tablespoons browned butter
3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese ( 1/2 for meat and rice filling, and 1/2 cup for breadcrumb topping
Sour Cream for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350, and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
Cook and salt rice according to directions. While rice is cooking, prepare vegetables and stuffing:
Fill large pot with water, place on stove and bring to boil.
Cut tops off peppers, remove seeds and veins.
Place peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes and then remove immediately. Drain off excess water.
Mince onions and garlic, lightly saute in skillet, add ground beef and seasonings, (salt, black and red pepper, basil and oregano), and cook until beef is browned. Add cooked rice and parmesan cheese.
Stuff peppers evenly.
Melt butter in skillet, brown slightly and add bread crumbs. Toast lightly. Turn off heat and add parmesan cheese. Place this mixture on top of stuffed peppers, arranged in baking dish.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, then turn to 400 and back for 5 additional minutes.
Garnish with sour cream if desired.

Notes

For dairy-free, gluten-free version: Omit parmesan cheese in the filling, and refrain from topping with breadcrumb/cheese mixture. Be sure to prepare the rice with olive oil instead of butter.

Lydia Glick

…learning to live fully & love radically

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