By Lovina Eicher
Special to the Record-Eagle
August 11, 2008 12:00 am We are in need of rain. The gardens are dry and the grass is turning brown in some areas. Last night it was thundering and lighting and we thought we'd get some rain, but never did get any. It looks cloudy this morning and I hope we'll get some rain today. Even with it being dry our gardens are still producing: tomatoes and sweet corn have been on our menu quite a bit this last while. I need to make some pickles out of the many cucumbers I am getting right now. I'll probably make freezer pickles and then some of them I will put in jars and make dill pickles. Also red beets are being canned, too. I am using my beets for buttered beets the past week or so. I don't really need more canned beets as I have plenty now but I will can whatever I have left. The children love red beets and will eat them for a snack. We always serve them with the church lunches, too. Church services were held at our neighbors yesterday followed by a noon lunch. We were also invited back for supper and for the youth singing in the evening. On their supper menu was "campfire stew" made in a kettle over the open fire. It was delicious especially with all the fresh vegetables in it. Also on the menu was cole slaw salad, egg salad, peanut butter, homemade pickles, homemade wheat and white bread, jello, various kinds of pies, cake and ice cream. Volleyball games and singing were done by the youth while parents visited with one another and watched the youth. It was a nice evening of fellowship and relaxing to hear the youth all sing together. Friday evening Joe and sons Benjamin and Joseph went fishing on the lake. In less than 2 hours they caught close to 50 bluegill. Joe still needs to help the boys bait their hooks or I am sure they would have caught even more. As soon as they put their lines in the water they had a bite. That was exciting for the boys to have such luck. I had to laugh at when they came home the boys started to pick out the ones they caught. They argued over a few of them which they both thought they had caught, but I thought they all looked alike so I think they were only guessing. Jacob and Emma's baby, Steven, had his first birthday on July 30. He seems to be doing really well and his heart surgery back in March was a real success. Elizabeth had a four-day break from de-tasseling. It is so good to have her home this morning. My editor Kevin and his fiancee, Rachel, were here a few days last week. Was nice to get to visit with them again. They will be very busy in the next few weeks preparing for their upcoming wedding. Joe is on three-day work weeks now with the factory being slow. We pray that the economy will improve as we know many people are hurting. How thankful we are with the garden vegetables and the fresh caught fish for our meals, it really keeps the grocery bill down. I can hear it thundering in the distance now. Clouds look very dark so it looks promising for some rain. It will be appreciated very much after this dry spell. This past weekend I ended up making blueberry pie filling with the blueberries given to me. I will share the blueberry pie filling recipe I used: Editor's Note: The recipe below is shared for cultural insight, as most Amish homemakers are avid canners. Proper USDA canning guidelines should be followed when attempting home-canning. The most up-to-date home-canning procedures can be found online at USDA.gov or by contacting your local county extension agent. Also, the "clear-gel" mentioned in the recipe is a common thickener found in many bulk food stores and specialty groceries. For more information about Amish cooking, culture and information about the Eicher family, visit amishcookonline.com. Homemade Blueberry Pie Filling 6 quarts of fresh blueberries 6 cups sugar 2 1/4 cup clear gel 7 cups cold water 1/2 cup lemon juice Use fresh, ripe blueberries or unsweetened frozen blueberries. Wash and drain if using fresh blueberries. Combine sugar and clear-gel in a large kettle over medium high heat. Add water (blue food coloring can be added here to give the filling even more of a "blue hue." Cook on medium high until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil one minute, stirring constantly. Fold in berries and then fill sterilized jars up to 1/2 inch from the top. Adjust lids and process immediately in boiling water for 30 minutes. Store in cool place. Using filling for pies. 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.
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