This is Monday morning, and we have entered the month of May. I need to do laundry today, and so far, it doesn’t look too nice outside weather-wise. I am hoping the rain holds off until I get the clothes all dried. Yesterday was a rainy day.
Verena left Tuesday evening and came home last night (Sunday). She traveled with Daniel Ray’s family to Iowa, an eight-hour drive, for his cousin’s wedding. She was glad to be able to meet a lot of his relatives, such as his grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc. I am glad she was able to go, but I really missed her here at home.
Friday morning, my friend Ruth came to pick up my husband Joe and me. Then we stopped to pick up our son, Joseph, and Grace. We traveled to Ruth’s house, around two hours, then she made a delicious lunch for us. We then headed for the Kankakee Public Library. I signed books from 3 to 5 p.m. Thanks to all the readers who came to meet me and support me. I hope you enjoy your cookbooks. Sometimes I feel like giving up writing this column each week. Then I talk to you, wonderful readers, and all the encouragement you give me. It makes it all worth my time and effort to write each week.
I must also thank Ruth for making this all possible. She was a great hostess and we really did enjoy our stay at her house. I could never repay her for all she has done for us. God bless her kind heart. I was really glad I could see some of her grandchildren again. My, how they have grown. She has such a beautiful family.
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Saturday, we all went to Crown Point, Indiana, to sign cookbooks from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with Shipshewana on the Road. There were over 200 vendors, and it was an interesting day. This was located at the fairground. I was happy Joseph and Grace were along to help out. We met many wonderful readers and also some we had met already. A reader even traveled five hours from Ohio. Bless her heart!
Yesterday was the funeral of Joe’s 89-year-old Aunt Christine from Salem, Indiana. We were unable to go to the viewing/visitation or funeral. Now, this morning, we received news of the death of Joe’s Uncle Joe. He was 90 and married to Joe’s mother’s oldest sister, Maryann. She isn’t in the best of health either, she is also 90. Joe and Maryann lived beside Joe’s family when he was growing up. They have many memories of living there.
Plans were to attend the wedding of Devon, son-in-law Ervin’s brother, and Karen in Nappanee on Thursday. If the funeral ends up being on Thursday, we will probably go there instead. Joe and Maryann live in the Berne, Indiana, community, two hours from here. They have 11 children and spouses, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Tomorrow morning, daughter Susan will leave her three youngest boys, Ryan, Curtis and Ervin Jr., here while she goes to help prepare food for the wedding in Nappanee.
Friday, daughter Elizabeth will leave her two youngest daughters, Allison and Andrea, here while she goes with Abigail and Timothy (TJ) on a field trip. Daughter Susan is also planning to go along on this field trip with Kaitlyn, Jennifer and Isaiah, but her husband Ervin will be home to watch the boys.
Son Benjamin mowed our grass for the first time this year. We still have some yard clean-up to do from the recent storms. We have six and a half weeks left before Verena and Daniel Ray’s wedding day. The time will go faster than we want it to. I need to get started on the grocery list, and we need to get the rest of the invitations sent.
I will share the recipe for zucchini bars this week.
On Mother’s Day, we lift up everyone who loves with a mother’s heart – those who are mothers, those who long to be, those who have lost, and those who nurture others with compassion and grace. We honor and celebrate all of you!
God’s blessings!
Zucchini Bars
1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups shredded zucchini
¾ chopped walnuts, optional
Grease a 15x10x1-inch pan. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and sugars, beat until fluffy, add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Stir in flour mixture. Stir in zucchini and nuts. Spread evenly in the prepared pan. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely in a pan on a wire rack.
Drizzle cinnamon frosting. Cut into bars. Makes 36 bars.
Cinnamon Frosting
In a large bowl, beat till smooth:
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
• Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, an Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife and mother of eight. Her three cookbooks, “The Cherished Table,” “The Essential Amish Cookbook” and “Amish Family Recipes,” are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, P.O. Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply), or email questionsforlovina@gmail.com and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.