Amish Cook, Week of April 2: Swiss Roll Bars

THE AMISH COOK

BY LOVINA EICHER

This is a very nice and sunny Thursday with the mercury going over the 50 degree mark on our thermometer.  Susan and I did laundry including some curtains.   Susan hung a lot of the clothes outside taking advantage of this spring-like day.  Earlier this week we had snow flurries.  My husband Joe was off work today and won’t go back until April 9.   He is also taking advantage of the weather and is hauling manure out of the barn.  Next week the children will be home all week for spring break.   Tomorrow is Good Friday so they will be home as well.  I am un-thawing a 12-pound turkey for tomorrow’s dinner.  We will have a nice, restful family day.  Daughter Elizabeth will go with Timothy to his parents house for dinner.  Mose will be here for dinner and then Susan will go with him to his sister’s house for supper.

Easter is on Sunday.  Let us remember our Savior who died on the cross for our sins.  Let us honor him for the opportunity he provided for us all.  The children plan to color some eggs on Saturday.  Our hearts are still saddened from the news we received a week ago. Joe’s cousin Jonathan’s wife Barbara died shortly after giving birth to their 11^th child.  Barbara is only 36 years old and leaves her  and 11 children to mourn.  The oldest child is a daughter, only 15 years old  God has again showed us that we do not need to be old to be taken from this world.  Joe and Jonathan and families were neighbors growing up so the cousins were together often.  We regret that we were not able to attend the funeral.

Jonathan lives over 7 hours from here.  Our most heartfelt sympathy goes out to Jonathan the children and the extended family. It won’t be easy caring for a newborn without a mother there.

We were glad to hear Joe’s Aunt Nancy is on the road to recovery since having a heart bypass surgery.

Yesterday  I helped cut up beef and sister Emma and Jacob’s house.  The rest of my family came to help in the evening.  It was a 1700 pound beef with Jacob’s taking half and niece Verena  and Melvin taking the other half.  Verena and Melvin were also there to help.  The meat was all cut up and the hamburger was ground.   We were glad we could get it all done before it warmed up too much.

While Joe is off from work we would like to mix some summer sausage and smoke it.  I would like to try  Dad and Mom’s recipe that they always used.

I’ve made this recipe and they have become a favorite snack among the family.

SWISS ROLL BARS

2 eggs

1 1 /2 cups sugar

1 /2 cup vegetable oil

1 /4 teaspoon salt

Teaspoon baking soda

1 /2 cup cocoa

2 cups apple sauce

2 cups flour

Mix everything together and divide between two large (10 X 15) cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes.  Put wax paper under one it is easy to remove.

Filling:

1 16 ounce container of whipped topping

1 8 ounce package of cream cheese

1 1 /2 cups of powdered sugar

Mix together and put on one of the layers of cake mix is cooled off.  Remove the other cake from pan and put on top of this.

Topping:

1 package of chocolate chips

5 tablespoons of butter

Melt butter. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips and stir until they are melted.

Spread on top of cake.Chill and cut into bars.