It is a cold, rainy, cloudy March day as I write this.
I was hoping to get caught up on laundry today and have a nice afternoon to hang it all out on the lines. But since it is rainy, I decided to skip doing laundry today and am hoping for a nicer day tomorrow. Instead I will try to do some sewing.
I am teaching daughter Elizabeth, 13, how to sew. She would like to learn how to sew her own dresses, which would help me out a lot. I hope she'll love to sew as much as I do. I do not care to do mending, though, but that goes along with it.
I learned to sew when I was around Elizabeth's age. I remember really disliking when Mom would make me open a seam and redo it. Now I am thankful for everything she taught me. She wanted us to sew neatly and get our seams straight.
When I was around 18 years old, I started working at a sewing factory. I worked there until a little before Elizabeth was born. I learned a lot about how to fix my sewing machine while working in the factory. The only difference is that those were electric and would sew much faster than ours at home, which were foot pedal.
Over that time I remember when I'd go home and want to sew very fast like I did on the electric machines. It was confusing switching from an electric to a treadle. (Editor's note: In a change from a generation or two ago, many Amish people work in non-Amish-owned factories that use electricity and other modern conveniences. The church allows this, but these "luxuries" are not permitted at home.)
On Tuesday, my sisters and I spent the day at my sister Emma's. She had us all come for breakfast, which consisted of scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, bacon, cheese, hot peppers and homemade bread. We did her laundry, cleaned walls, furniture and mopped. Because of baby Steven's heart problems, Emma and Jacob skipped their church turn in March, but their house still needed spring cleaning and we were happy to lend a hand.
Yesterday we spent all day at brother Albert and Sarah Irene's house. They had church services there in the morning and then had singing for the youth in the evening. It was enjoyable to hear the youth singing together. I am guessing there were probably around 150 there for supper.
Sarah Irene had a delicious meal for everyone. Her supper menu consisted of casseroles, salads, corn, ham sandwiches, pickles, red beets, homemade cakes, mixed fruits, ice cream and pies. There was plenty of food for everyone. We came home around 8:30 p.m., so the children had a long day. They were ready for bed as soon as we came home.
Joe and the boys have been building a dog house in their spare time. They have one done now and would like to make two more. The boys enjoy hammering and pounding nails into wood.
Last week I tried a new recipe for supper one night that someone in church gave me. My children didn't want to eat the meal when they saw the ingredients that I was putting into it, but they ended up enjoying it so much that I barely had enough to feed everyone. I'll definitely be making it again. I will share it with you readers.
Spicy Potato Casserole
1&1/2 lbs. hamburger, browned
1 package (1.25 oz.) taco seasoning
1 small onion, diced
8 medium potatoes, boiled and shredded
4 T. butter, melted
2 c. grated cheese
1 t. salt
1 pint sour cream
1 can (10&3/4 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can of milk
21/2 c. crushed cornflakes
1/4 c. melted butter
Combine hamburger, taco seasoning and onions. Brown in a skillet over medium heat, drain grease and then put mixture in bottom of a casserole dish. Mix potatoes with 4T. butter, cheese, salt, sour cream and mushroom soup. Mix with milk. Spoon over the hamburger mixture. Top with combined butter and corn flakes. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
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/amishcook.
Print this story
E-mail this story
