Weekly Blogroll: Mennonite Pecan Bars, Pills - How Many Do You Take?, Apple Fritters, Katie Troyer, and More!

By Kevin Williams

Okay, we have a lot of fun posts today so let's get right to it!

BRUCE STAMBAUGH:   This is Bruce Stambaugh's blog from Amish Country in Ohio and he is sharing some thoughts today that aren't related to the Amish but that I still thought would be interesting to discuss.  I could totally relate to his explanation of why he has ditched his wrist-watch, same reason I have and I am sure many of you have: cellphones. I just whip out my phone to tell the time, no need for a sweaty watch band.  But then he talks of another way he tells time and I almost had a mini-panic attack reading it.  His method of telling what day it is: his pillbox.  First of all, let me be clear, I am not saying there's a thing wrong with taking pills.  My grandma could have supplied a Walgreens on all the pills she took in her final years.  My parents take  a veritable cornucopia of pills.  But I don't.  Not a single one. I'm only 45.  So when does the pill-taking start?  I love the idea of not taking any pills, my body just propelling me towards the end all on its own.  But, SIGH, one of these days, I'm sure, my doctor will scold me for my blood sugar, cholesterol,  blood pressure, something... Anyway, you can read Bruce's column this week here.

MENNONITE PECAN BARS:  You know, Patricia has sold me on the Hillscrest Thrift Shop. If you are ever in Greater Kansas City, shop there.  Sounds like a fun place and at the very least she's always taking these amazing sounding baked goods there for volunteers to eat.  These are Mennonite Pecan Bars.  She scored the recipe from a cookbook called Kitchen Klatter that she found at an estate sale.  Very few copies of that book available on Amazon and ones that are available are over $40.  Anyway, click here for the Mennonite Pecan Bar recipe.

KATIE TROYER:   Okay, for newbies, Pinecraft, Florida is a winter retreat for Amish snowbirds seeking to escape the harsh midwestern winters.  Amish people will come down by the busload to this small enclave near Sarasota, spend a few weeks in the curative sunshine, and then head back home.  Peak time in Pinecraft is January - March.  March is still pretty busy in Pinecraft, so I'll be sharing photos for the next few weeks, but once Easter arrives, there is a mass exodus and Pinecraft is pretty empty through the summer.  Already, though, some are beginning the trek north. Katie captured some good photos of this ritual here.

DOUGHNUT DAY:  Today is "doughnut day" in many places as Mardi Gras is celebrated.  This doughnut recipe is a Fat Tuesday tradition in the Home Joys household, check it out here.    Home Joys is a blog written by a talented young Mennonite mom in Pennsylvania.

MEEMAW'S HAMBURGER GOO SANDWICHES:  Okay, MeeMaw is a fun blogger who lives in the Kalona, Iowa Amish community.  She's not Amish, but her cooking style and experiences have been influenced by the Plain people, for sure.  Here is what MeeMaw says about "hamburger goo":

My mom lived through the Depression, and she absolutely knew how to stretch a dollar…and how to stretch a pound of hamburger. You’ll notice this recipe uses only one pound of hamburger, yet it makes six sandwiches! And the ingredients are so very simple. So simple, in fact, that I didn’t even have to head to the grocery store before I made the sandwiches!

I have NO IDEA where Mom got this recipe. And I have even less of an idea how the recipe got it’s bizarre name. But all of the ingredients were already in my refrigerator and pantry….click here for Hamburger Goo.