06/18/2007

The Amish Cook

Kids are a big help in summer

Laundry is already dried and mostly folded

By Lovina Eicher
The Amish Cook
Read past Amish Cook columns here

The children and I just had a light lunch of cold meat sandwiches. We had "Egg Dutch” for breakfast, which is pretty filling, so I decided that sandwiches would be good enough.

The temperatures are in the 80s now, but the wind makes it feel cooler. The sky looks like a rain could blow up, which we could really use.

My oldest daughter Elizabeth, who turned 13 last week, and I did the laundry this morning while the rest of the children washed dishes and swept floors. We have most of the clothes inside already folded. The wind makes the clothes dry fast.

We also did some hoeing and weeding in the garden and transplanted some wave petunias into hanging pots. Whenever my husband Joe gets around to putting more hooks on my porch, I like to hang the petunias there. Meanwhile, a finch is sitting on five eggs in my hanging fuchsia plant. We try to be careful when we water it and not get any in her nest of eggs.

The older girls are rocking baby Kevin and Lovina to sleep for their afternoon naps. They are singing, which sounds nice. They harmonize well together already at their young ages.

School doors have closed for another term. I can already feel that I have more help here at home. The girls did a good job in helping around the house this forenoon, so I told them they can have the afternoon off.

We sold Frisco's (our rat terrier) puppies this week. Joseph hated to see them go. He spent a lot of time with them while the other children were in school.

The recent rains have really helped our hayfield grow, along with the grass and garden. Of course, rain also brings weeds out of the ground. Joe plans to run the tiller through wherever he can tonight, then we'll hoe the rest of the garden.

I wish I had a small tiller that I could handle and would fit between the narrower rows. It would go a lot faster than hoeing. I still want to plant my third batch of corn, so that'll be more plants to tend to.

This past Sunday, we attended a sad funeral in Indiana for a 32-year-old Amish man who drowned in a pond. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and four small children. She will have many lonely days ahead.

Along with the sad event, we also got to see a lot of family. We stopped to see where niece Elizabeth and her husband Paul live. It makes me feel older to know I have nieces married and starting their life together.

We also stopped to say "hi” to sister Leah, Paul and family since they weren't at the funeral. Leah treated us with all kinds of snacks and sandwiches before we started for home.

I also got to visit with a good friend of mine while visiting in Indiana. She gave me this recipe, which goes well if you want something a little different, but simple, for supper.

Pinto Bean Pie

• 1&1/2 c. white sugar
• 1 c. cooked beans, drained and mashed
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 c. coconut flakes
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1-9 inch pie shell

Using a spoon, mix together sugar, beans and butter. Add eggs, coconut and vanilla. Stir until well mixed. Pour into pie shell. Bake one hour at 350°.

Lovina Eicher is Old Order Amish. She hand-writes this column from her home in southern Michigan. Anyone with cultural or cooking questions can send them to: Lovina Eicher, The Amish Cook, P.O. Box 2144, Middletown, OH 45042. Read all of her columns online at www.record-eagle.com/columns/amish.