THE AMISH COOK

    The children are enjoying their spring break from school, which so far we have been having beautiful days. Temperatures are reaching the 70 degree mark almost every day.  They are enjoying taking our pony, Stormy, and the pony wagon for rides again after this long winter interrupted that favorite pastime. Rhubarb and winter onions are starting to peek their way through, hopefully a sure sign spring is here to stay.
    While the children are home we want to get the yard raked and cleaned
up.  We need to plant grass in some more places.   On Saturday evening we had a surprise when brother Albert, wife Sarah Irene and nine of their ten children arrived.  They had come to visit Jacob and Emma to see how Baby Steven is doing.  Albert's live in another Amish community about 20 – 25 miles from here.  It took them almost two hours to come with two buggies.
    We managed to find room for everyone to sleep, even if not everyone ended up with a bed.  I fixed some pizza casseroles and we also had corn, salad, and cake for our evening supper.  The following morning, Sunday, we had breakfast casserole, fried potatoes, sausage links,
cheese, toast, hot peppers, orange juice, milk, and coffee.   After
breakfast dishes were washed and we all drove the four miles over to Jacob's in three buggies.   Also some of the children drove with
Stormy and the pony wagon and some with bikes.  Sisters Susan and Verena joined us there as well.  Emma and Jacob's had a delicious noon dinner of barbecued chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, corn, peas, potato salad, pickles, and deviled eggs.  The meal was followed by cherry, apple, and pecan pies for dessert.  It was a beautiful day    and the children enjoyed the outdoors while at Emma's.
    Albert started for home in the afternoon for their two hour journey back.  Before we left for home Joe and Jacob took the boys for a bike ride.   By the time we got back to our place in the evening, everyone was ready for bed early as they were tired form an eventful weekend. We hope Albert's had a safe journey back home.
    Next on my list today is to get the laundry washed and hung out on the line.  It is so nice again today.  We were all hanging laundry outside which makes it smell so much fresher.
    Thank you to the readers who are supporting this column by joining the "friend club."  I feel humbled and unworthy of such encouragement. May God bless you.
    My sister Susan recently made some pumpkin whoopie pies and sent some over here. They didn't last too long!  Here is her recipe:




PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1 /2 cups fresh pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 /2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1 /2 teaspoons cloves
1 1 /2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350. Stir together brown sugar, oil, pumpkin, vanilla,
and eggs.  Then blend in flour, salt, ginger, baking soda, cloves,
cinnamon, and baking powder. Stir all until the batter is smooth. Drop
by heaping teaspoons onto light greased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for
10 to 12 minutes.  Spread icing between two cookies and press together
like a sandwich.

ICING:

2 teaspoons vanilla
4 tbsp. flour
2 egg whites, unbeaten
2 tbsp. milk
1 1/2 c. vegetable shortening
1 box confectioners' sugar (1 lb.)

Stir vanilla, flour, egg whites, shortening, and sugar in a large bowl
until smooth.  Spread onto whoopie pie cookies.

THE AMISH COOK FRIEND CLUB

To ensure The Amish Cook column's future, we are turning to readers
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readers to do so. For the full story behind the creation of the
"Friends Club", go to amishcookonline.com.

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