I always discover something new at Chrisholm, this is some signage about "summer kitchens." "Summer kitchens" are still in use in many Amish homes today, providing a place to do cooking in the heat of summer that doesn't add more heat to the house.
Anne Jantzen has been a wonderful force in preserving the Amish-Mennonite heritage that is in my backyard here in Butler County, Ohio and she was nice enough to share some recipes with us. The first comes from her cousin Leah (strawberry cake, amazing!). And the next three are from the Cooking with Shirley Cookbook that is now out of print. Friends of Chrisholm, put it together to honor Shirley Gingrich (now deceased) who was one of our board members and a member of the Trenton Mennonite Church. This is a cookbook that I'd love to get my hands on someday, as I am sure some of the area's original food culture can be found in it.
Cousin Leah’s
Simple Strawberry Cake
6 tablespoons unsalted butter,
softened, plus more for pie plate
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved.
2 tablespoons sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch pie plate. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.
Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.
Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack. Cut into wedges. Cake can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days.
Mushroom Caps
24 large button mushrooms
4 slices bacon
2 Tbsps. minced onion
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup sauerkraut, drained, chopped fine
1 cup grated swiss cheese
Salt/pepper to taste
Scrub mushrooms well, remove the stems
Saute bacon until crisp, crumble
Mince mushroom stems and sauté with onions in a little bacon grease.
Put all ingredients together and mix well.
Stuff mushroom caps with mixture and brush with butter.
Broil until lightly browned.
Prep time 20 minutes.
Can freeze the mixture to fill the caps and do ahead.
Great for snack or appetizer.
Becki Kennel, member of the Trenton Mennonite Church
Bunny Salad
In a large glass bowl layer:
1 bag finely shredded cabbage
1 bag of shredded carrots
1 package frozen defrosted peas, drained
1 can corn, drained
15 to 20 thin slices of quartered cucumber
1 green pepper, chopped
On top lay some La Choy noodles ( ¼ to ½ package)
Finally pour one 8 oz. bottle of creamy Italian dressing over top of vegetables. Do this immediately before serving. Don’t stir. Chill and serve.
Darlene Combs
Buckeye Bars
Soften in the microwave and mix together 1 cup peanut butter and 1 cup butter. Stir in 2 cups graham cracker crumbs, and 2 ½ cups powdered sugar. Mix well. Pat mixture into bottom of 9 x 13” pan. On low heat, melt 10 ounces milk chocolate chips. Stir in 6 Tbsps. cooking oil. Pour over crust and refrigerate for several hours. Cut into bars.
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