Ah...birthdays....
Birthdays are celebrated and cherished among the Amish, just as they are in the general population. I feel like I read somewhere in some book someplace that there are some Amish sects that don't like, and even forbid, "surprise parties".  But I've never run into that. In fact, I know of some Amish who have thrown surprise parties. But I suppose somewhere that could be the case that such parties are forbidden.  I mean, most Amish birthdays by their very nature are going to be relatively low key: cake, family, food.  Not often will you find party hats and streamers for an adult's party, anyway.  Homemade cakes are always popular, but so are Dairy Queen ice cream cakes (no, thanks....if I want ice cream, I'll get ice cream...if I want cake, I'll get cake...don't mess up two great things by trying to mish-mash them)
So I turned 42 over the weekend. Â On one hand, every year is a blessing, every day is a blessing that one gets with good health, family, and the ability to fill one's lungs with fresh air. Â Still, there's a lot that I wanted to have accomplished by this age, dreams that remain unfulfilled. Â And if I could go back, say, 20 years and to tell my 22-year-old self what life would be like at 42....I would have been less than thrilled with some of my professional accomplishments or lack thereof. Â The original Amish Cook, Elizabeth Coblentz, had a tendency to say "good thing we don't know the future" and she was probably right on that count.
But wisps of melancholy aside it was an enjoyable birthday. Â Being a Dad for the first time over past year has definitely added a twinkle to my existence. Â The day before my birthday was Aster's birthday, it simply doesn't seem possible that she will have been with us ONE YEAR next month. Â Incredible. Â Rachel saw to it that I had an enjoyable birthday. Â Â I guess there was a bit of an Amish touch to my birthday dessert. Rachel made me this chocolate chip cookie cake in a cast-iron skillet. Â That is the Amish touch. Â Stainless steel skillets are popular among Amish cooks, but cast iron has always been the gold standard in Plain kitchens.
So, these are pictures of Rachel's skillet chocolate chip cookie. Â And, yes, it was as good as it looks here. Â Yum! Â Want the recipe? Click here.
WARNING: Simply looking at the dessert with add calories to your life, actually consuming it? Â Be prepared for a rich, delicious dessert that'll have you avoiding the scale for a few days!
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