FROM the FARM: Farm friends' anniversary a reason to celebrate

Today marks the 43rd wedding anniversary for Steve and Joann Scamerhorn, our good farm friends from down the road.

It seems like just yesterday that our families were together at All Saints Church celebrating their anniversary mass for their 25th silver anniversary.

It was so cold on that January day when they were married, Joann said even the fresh flowers in her bouquet, which included Calla lilies, froze when she was going from the church to the wedding reception.

Besides growing up with daughters Ann and Amy, I also have many fond farm memories from time spent with Joann's sister Alice, who is doing well, and her late husband Byron, in addition to Grandma Lydia Scamerhorn and Granny and Grandpa Wojdula, all gone now, but not forgotten.

Many of our memories are from our church gatherings and the simple blessings of everyday life.

At Sunday's church service, the priest explained it best when he said happiness comes from realizing what's really important in life, rather than material gain. In contrast, he shared a famous quote from billionaire industrialist John D. Rockefeller, who when asked "How much is enough?" replied "Just a little bit more."

Rockefeller, whose fortune was made from founding Standard Oil Company, was worth a staggering $663 billion when he died in 1937 at age 97.

I know Joann and Steve will like today's featured dumpling recipe. I've enjoyed Joann's roast pork and dumplings many times over the years.

Today's recipe is from Rev. Doug Meyer, the priest at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Valparaiso. But I always think of Father Doug  as the kindly young priest assigned to St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Student Center by Valparaiso University where I graduated in 1992. When I first started at VU in 1988, it was called Thunderhouse Newman Center as it was originally created in 1973 by Monsignor John Charlebois. Father Doug, who would always whip up some amazing dinners for the students and staff to enjoy, was also a good friend of Irene Jakubowski, who I met just a few years later when I began working for The Vidette-Messenger Newspaper, where Irene also worked.

Father Doug always made the most delicious brown gravy with red wine, to serve with his roast pork and dumplings.

Today's recipe for "Father Doug's Bohemian Dumplings" is featured in the new "Society of St. Vincent de Paul Feed the Hungry Cookbook." The hardcover binder cookbook showcases 200 recipes collected from priests and church hall cooks from throughout the Diocese of Gary. The cookbooks, which are $15 and raise money for families in need, are available from Diane by calling (219) 845-7531.

Father Doug's Bohemian Dumplings

2 cups self-rising flour

1 cup milk

2 egg yolks

Pinch of salt

2 cups diced stale white bread

4 tablespoons butter plus 1/3 cup melted butter

2 egg whites

DIRECTIONS: Sift flour in bowl and set aside. In a second bowl, mix milk, egg yolks, salt and then gradually mix with flour until blended smooth. Spread the break pieces over the formed dough and pour the 1/3 cup melted butter over the entire mixture. Let stand in a warm area for 1 hour. After 1 hour, blend the dough mixture until well combined. Beat the 2 egg whites until stiff and fold into dough. Soak a tea towel in water and squeeze dry and line a sieve or colander with it. Add the dough and pull the cloth up and around the dough and tie off. Place on a rack in a pot of boiling water and poach for 1 hour, each side 1/2 hour each. After cooking, transfer the dumpling to a plate and allow to cool for a few minutes. Once cooled, untie and remove cloth. Cut the dumpling into sliced uses a strong thread, dental floss or a pastry line. Serve dumplings with your favorite roasted meat and plenty of gravy.

Makes 10 servings.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or 219.852.4327.