Amish Cook: Strawberry pie is an easy spring treat

It's 7 a.m. and the children just left for school. My husband, Joe, has been at work several hours already and daughter Elizabeth left for her job at 5:15 a.m.

Amish Cook: Asparagus casserole stars on spring menu

We are having cold, rainy weather again. Monday was nice and sunny so we could get the laundry all dried. We are out of coal so hopefully it won’t get too cold yet.

The Amish Cook: Serve strawberry-rhubarb pie to guests

It is windy and looks like rain. This whole week seems to have been rainy and stormy. Yesterday we managed to get half of our laundry dried before the rain came.

Amish Cook: Plan to make easy, flavorful coffee cake

The children went back to school after a week here at home for Spring break. My husband Joe went back to work on Tuesday. The house seems empty during the day. Daughter Susan is working 4 days this week but is home today.

The Amish Cook: Mystery biscuits are on the menu

5 a.m. The alarm goes off. I get up because daughter Elizabeth will leave for her job at the factory soon. She has been working a lot of 10-hour days at the factory.

Amish Cook: Swiss rolls a favorite family snack

This is a very nice and sunny Thursday with the mercury going over the 50-degree mark on our thermometer. Susan and I did laundry including some curtains.

Amish Cook: Sharing tips for growing rhubarb and recipes for easy pastries

Rhubarb finds its way into so many baked goods. It just adds a nice, tart taste to everything. Mom baked with her homegrown rhubarb often, and she never had trouble growing rhubarb.

The Amish Cook: Burrito Casserole remains an enjoyable spring dish

It's a nice sunny day in March although the thermometer shows 25 degrees this a.m. We have all the meat from our beef either in cans or in the freezer.

Amish Cook: Hard work abounds on butchering day

Here's a recent rundown of a day's activities.

Amish Cook: Easy recipes for a winter day

Note: Lovina Eicher's regular Amish Cook column will return next week. For today, Lovina is sharing a couple of quick recipes from "The Amish Cook's Baking Book."

The Amish Cook: Sausage and rice bake is quick and easy

Editor’s Note: Lovina’s church is more progressive when it comes to safety-oriented technology like smoke detectors. When their home was built, local home inspectors required such detectors be installed. Some more conservative Amish groups, like the Swartzentruber Amish, have opposed such devices.

Amish Cook: Daughter Verena makes an easy, sweet pudding treat

The school will have Friday and Monday off for a mid-winter break. Today is Valentine’s Day so the elementary classes are having their party.

Amish Cook: Sharing a favorite seasoning for meat

My husband Joe has been home the last three days, not having any work. Makes it a little harder on payday but we shouldn’t complain. God always provides a way if we keep our trust in him.

Amish Cook: Lovina's daughter Susan shares her thoughts and a recipe

Hi, I am Susan. I decided to write for Mom this week. My 17th birthday is tomorrow the 24th so my treat to Mom is to write the column for her.

Amish Cook: Sharing a recipe for an easy cornbread salad

We attended both funerals of my cousins over the weekend. So nice to see cousins, uncles, aunts, and friends that we don’t often see but sad for the reason we had to gather.

A hard day in the life of the Amish Cook

The following is a rundown of a recent day.

Amish Cook: Serve 'never fail cupcakes' to dinner guests

A whole brand new year lies ahead. What does it have in store for us all? Only God knows so let us put our trust in him. I hope everyone had a great, safe holiday. We had a very nice holiday after the flu bug finally left our house.

Amish Cook: Soup's on for cold winter days

I hope everyone had a blessed and healthy Christmas Day. I've been struck with the same flu that has been going around this household. Hopefully I'll be on the mend soon. With Joe off this week and the kids home from school, the house has been full. We've had snow and cold the past few days,…

Amish Cook: Eggs star in easy recipe

Wednesday evening and supper is over. Everyone went their own way, some reading, some writing, and some still down with the flu.

Amish Cook: Like shoofly pie? Try recipe for shoofly cake

It's a nice and sunny but cold day. After a few cloudy days we welcome the sun even more.

Amish Cook: Onion lovers will crave easy recipe

Another week has already passed and it is time to write the column again. We have also entered the last month of 2012. Where does time go so fast? I keep thinking next week will be less busy and before I know it the week has passed.

AMISH COOK: An 'outrageous' cookie perfect for a holiday party

The Thanksgiving holiday is over with and everyone is preparing for Christmas. As we prepare for Christmas let us remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. So often people forget what Christmas is really about.

Amish Cook: Amish Cook shares holiday recipes

I hope everyone had a happy, healthy, and blessed Thanksgiving holiday. Hard to believe there's only a month left before 2012 is history. I thought I'd share a few favorite recipes from our family that you might enjoy during the upcoming Christmas season. Try these.

Amish Cook: Add homemade dressing to Thanksgiving spread

Gun season opens today for the deer hunters, which meant lots of activity in this household. Daughter Susan went hunting with her friend Mose, which was the first time she had ever gone hunting.

Amish Cook: Sharing a quick monkey bread recipe

I am at the dentist’s office while daughter Susan gets her teeth cleaned. We came in our buggy pulled by our 18-year-old horse Diamond.

AMISH COOK: Peanut butter fans will love these popcorn balls

We have entered the 11th month of this year already. Where did time go so fast? Every year seems to go faster than the year before.

Amish Cook: Serve this easy cornbread for a family dinner

Our six youngest children left for school at 7 a.m. This is the third day now that Loretta has taken the regular bus. She can make it all day at school without her wheelchair, although when she comes home she is ready to rest. Her braces will be ready Tuesday and that is also when her therap…

Amish Cook: Diary recounts a day in the life of Lovina

Today, Oct. 18, is daughter Elizabeth's friend Timothy’s birthday. So birthday greetings go out to him.

Amish Cook: ’Tis the season for pumpkin bread

It's another chilly morning with the temperature dipping below 40. So far my garden hasn’t been hit with a killing frost. I am surprised because it has been quite cold on some mornings.

Amish Cook: Tater tot casserole is a flavorful, easy meal

Last night Benjamin and Joseph picked over a 5-gallon bucket of tomatoes. I now have enough to make a batch of homemade pizza sauce today.

THE AMISH COOK: Carrots star in muffin recipe perfect for autumn

Autumn is here now and it is obvious. Mornings are chillier and leaves are starting to fall.

Fresh tomatoes enhance pizza sauce recipe

I have 10 loaves of bread rising and daughter Susan is mixing two batches of ranger cookies. The cookies are being made to take along to church services on Sunday.

Amish cook shares popular salsa recipe

I decided to write this column while my red beets are cooking. I cook them long enough so that the skin peels off easily. I want to make pickled red beets to put in cans.

Use surplus tomatoes in easy soup recipe

It is a nice, sunny Thursday forenoon. So far nights have been cool which make for some nice sleeping weather.

THE AMISH COOK: Country Brunch Skillet great for a quick family meal

It is 5:15 a.m. and 18-year-old daughter Elizabeth just left for her job at the factory. My husband Joe left over an hour ago for his job. Elizabeth started at the factory a couple of weeks ago. She works five days a week. Her cleaning job didn’t give her enough workdays each week. At the fa…

THE AMISH COOK: Fresh tomatoes star in goulash recipe

The laundry looks dry on the wash-line and is ready to come in and be folded. Daughters Susan and Verena just came home from detasseling. They are always ready for a shower and getting cleaned up when they come home.

THE AMISH COOK: Summer keeps family busy

It is July 30 and 2012 is already halfway over. A happy fifth birthday to nephew Steven, Jacob and Emma’s son. I find it hard to believe he will be starting school this fall. Time seems to go faster every year.

THE AMISH COOK: Lovina shares her recipe for easy hobo supper

We had a steady rain earlier this morning. It amounted to almost two-tenths of an inch. Every little bit helps the grass, crops and gardens.

THE AMISH COOK: Family enjoys a week at the lake

It feels so much better to have cooler weather this morning. Last week temperatures were more than 100 on some days.

Lovina reveals a difficult medical diagnosis in the family

This is a hot and humid Saturday evening. The mercury on our thermometer has passed the 90-degree mark.

Rhubarb stars in sweet baked recipe

It's another rainy Monday, which will put laundry off until tomorrow.

THE AMISH COOK: Sharing a favorite family recipe

Today is the last day of April. It is difficult to believe 2012 is now one- third over.

THE AMISH COOK: A day in the life of an Amish family

6:30 a.m. Our day begins. The girls and I start with breakfast while my husband Joe and the boys do the morning chores. Joe also starts a fire in the stove since it is chilly in the house. Our thermometer shows 30 degrees and it looks like it has frosted in some places. Hopefully it was not …

AMISH COOK: Homemade cake perfect for Easter

There is a lot more activity going around here this morning since six of our children are home from school on spring break. Makes it a little harder for me to concentrate and sit down to write this column. I should have written it before everyone was awake, but the extra sleep sure gave me a…

THE AMISH COOK: Early spring weather yields first rhubarb of season

The sun is shining brightly at 7:45 a.m. Looks like it will be a nice day to dry laundry outside. I do hope it will warm up as our thermometer shows 34 degrees. After having 80 degree weather this seems cold.

THE AMISH COOK: Sharing one of mother's favorite recipes

This past week has been very busy with cutting up the beef.

THE AMISH COOK: Beef butchering season here again

It is 7 a.m. and our six youngest children just left for school. I thought I would get this column written right away this morning. I am battling a bad head cold that kept me awake a lot during the night. It makes for a tired mind and it doesn't help matters when I think of the extra busy we…

THE AMISH COOK: Vegetable soup comforting in cool weather

The second month of 2012 is almost over already. A few days ago it was blowing snow and we received quite a few inches. This morning the sun is shining bright and our thermometer is almost 40 degrees. I will probably take advantage of the weather and wash some coats while we do laundry. I li…

THE AMISH COOK: Banana nut coffee cake warms up cold winter mornings

It's a little past 7 a.m. and the bright glow in the eastern sky looks like a promise for a sunny day. The sun is always welcome at this time of the year. The ground is covered with snow again and the temperatures are colder. Finally feels like winter. Saturday morning our thermometer showed…