5 Indispensable Amish Thanksgiving Recipes From Gravy to Pie

By Kevin Williams

Okay, we'll keeping rolling out the Amish thanksgiving recipes. By the way, Thanksgiving is very hit and miss among the Amish.  Most of the most conservative Amish really don't observe the day.  The Amish that do celebrate the day are largely doing so out of pop culture/secular pressure.  "Well, this is Thanksgiving Day, so let's have a supper."  There's not a lot of historical lineage with Thanksgiving among the Amish, most say that they give thanks everyday, why do we need a single day to give thanks?

So while you will find some Amish having Thanksgiving suppers, it really depends on their exposure to pop culture and secular influences.  I can almost guarantee if you stopped by an Amish home in the conservative Amish communities near Vevay, Indiana on Thursday, you won't find a turkey in the oven.

For the Amish that do celebrate Thanksgiving, and it is more widespread among the Mennonites and Brethren, they have a bunch of tried and true recipes to call upon.  So, here goes!

FAVORITE AMISH CRANBERRY SALAD

• 1 box strawberry jello
• 1 box black raspberry jello
• 3 cups boiling water
• 5 unpeeled apples
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1 orange, peeled
• 1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple
• 1 cup white sugar

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Then add cold water. Grind apples,cranberries, and orange. Add crushed pineapple and sugar. When jello begins to thicken add fruit and mix well.

AMISH WEDDING GRAVY

• ½ cup butter
• 1 /4 cup flour
• 1 /2 teaspoon seasoning salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water

Melt butter, heat until browned. Add flour and seasoning. Whisk together and boil several minutes. Add chicken brother and water Bring to a boil. Let boil several more minutes, stirring constantly.

AMISH SOUR CREAM RAISIN PIE

Amish Sour Cream Raisin Pie

1 cup sugar

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

⅛ teaspoon salt

1 cup thick sour cream

3 eggs, slightly beaten

2 cups raisins, ground

1 unbaked pie shell

1. Combine all ingredients and turn into uncooked pie shell. Bake in hot, 450 degree oven 15 minutes, and then reduce to 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

MAKE AND BAKE MASHED POTATOES

This is a Mennonite recipe and, wow, wouldn't it be awesome to make the mashed potatoes early, stick them in the freezer, take them out on Thanksgiving and you're ready!  Or you can just, as the recipe implies, make, take, and bake!

10 pounds potatoes

1 pound cream cheese

1 pint sour cream

1 /2 cup minced fresh onion

1 1 /2 tablespoon salt

1 /2 cup butter

pepper

milk

Peel, cook, drain, and thoroughly mash potatoes. Add rest of ingredients and enough potato water or milk to make soft consistency. Put into greased casserole dishes. Bake at 350 or freeze until needed. This amount serves 25.

GOURMET CHEESE POTATOS

1 /4 cup butter

1 /2 cup chopped onion

1 /2 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 1 /2 cups milk

2 cups Velveeta cheese

4 cups cooked, cubed potatoes

1 /4 cup dry bread crumbs

1 teaspoon butter

Saute onion in butter until soft. Add flour, salt, and pepper.  Gradually add milk and cook until thickened. Add cheese. Arrange potatoes and cheese sauce in layers in casserole dish.  Top with buttered bread crumbs and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.