The Amish Cook: Week of August 8, 2013

THE AMISH COOK

BY LOVINA EICHER

The 7^th month of 2013 is almost history already. Another year going by way too fast!  I want the boys to pull the onions out of our garden today. Don’t know if the saying is true about not letting the August sun hit your onions (for storage). Seems by that time of year they are ready to be pulled and hung up to dry for storage anyways.

We are enjoying sweet corn too now. With corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, red beets,  lettuce, green beans, and peppers in the garden meal planning is much easier.  The grocery bill also comes down a lot at this time of year.  One evening we had sweet corn, sliced tomatoes, cucumber salad, and sliced cheese.  Another evening we had red potatoes, green beans, fried zucchini, sliced tomatoes, cucumber salad and sliced cheese. Kevin, 7, likes to husk the corn but wants me to clean it. He said he stays so busy with all his jobs like picking up eggs, husking corn, giving the grass that the boys mowed to the horses and feeding the dogs. He likes to feed the corn husks to the horses and ponies. One of our hens has little chicks and it’s hard to keep Kevin away from her little chicks.

We are also enjoying the hamburger patties we made and put in the freezer when we butchered beef last winter. With tomato slices, lettuce and sweet onions on the grilled hamburgers make a delicious, tasty sandwich.

Foremost on our minds is the sad news of Uncle Emanuels’s death. Uncle Emanuel, who lived in Harlan, Indiana, turned 79 on July 10^th.  His wife, Aunt Catherine, is my Dad’s sister and she passed away in July 2011. Emanuel leaves to mourn sons Emanuel Clyde, William , Robert and a daughter Cathy along with all their partners and children.  May God be with them as they go through this trial in life. I know how they must feel losing both parents in two years time. Life seems emptier and it always feels like someone is missing at family gatherings.  Life goes on and we must accept God’s ways. Trusting and believing in “Him” helps to make the burdens in life easier.

The funeral will be on Saturday which we have plans to attend. The annual Coblentz reunion was just held this month in Wisconsin. It was close to where Uncle Joe and Melvin live. We regretted that we weren’t able to make it there once again.

A lady from our church district is taking orders for peaches. She has the truck deliver them all to the houses for our church district.  So peaches will soon be here to can and freeze. Today we will make more dill pickles. After this batch I will have enough pickles for the year.  I’ll share my recipe for goulash!

GOULASH

1 pound hamburger

1 small onion, chopped

8 medium tomatoes, peeled and chunked

2 cups macaronis

1 quart water

Brown hamburger and onion. Add tomatoes and water. When water starts boiling add macaronis. Cook till macaronis are soft. Season to taste. Note: you can add more hamburgers or tomatoes for your preference.