Article by Georgia Varozza

A great part of celebrating Thanksgiving is all the delicious food. I love when my family sits down to enjoy the feast I’ve prepared. And since I love to cook, there’s always more food than we can possibly eat. (And believe me, we give it our best try.) The happy result? Thanksgiving leftovers!

Many families—mine included—have a ham and a turkey at Thanksgiving. There are many recipes out there for leftover turkey, but not as many, it seems, for leftover ham. So I’m going to share a recipe with you here that might just help. Easy. Delicious. Perfect for a cool fall day.

Ham, Potato, and Apple Pie

• 1 lb. potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about 3 good-sized potatoes)
• ½ tsp. dried sage (I usually use a bit more)
• ½ tsp. ground nutmeg (I usually use a bit less)
• 3 cups diced, cooked ham
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1-2 cooking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 1¼ cups chicken broth
• pastry for single crust pie

Preheat oven to 425º. Butter a deep dish pie dish (the kind you would use for a pot pie).

Layer potatoes in the bottom of the buttered dish. Season with a bit of pepper if desired, and some of the sage and nutmeg. Next, layer the ham, then the onion, and last of all the apples. Pour broth over the layers and then finish by sprinkling on the remaining sage and nutmeg and a bit more pepper if desired. (Note that you don’t need to add any salt because the ham and broth are salty enough.)

Roll out pastry and make several slashes with a knife or use a decorative cutter so steam can escape while baking. Fit pastry over pie, sealing and fluting the pastry to the edge of the dish.

Bake at 425º for 10 minutes and then turn down temperature to 350º and bake for about 40-45 minutes longer or until the pastry is golden. The juices will be thin like broth, which is unusual for pot pies.

Now the only thing left to do is enjoy!

* * *

Georgia Varozza, author of the popular Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook (more than 70,000 copies sold) and 99 Favorite Amish Recipes, enjoys teaching people how to prepare and preserve healthy foods, live simply, and get the most from what they have. Visit her online and discover more recipes at www.georgiaplainandsimple.blogspot.com.

Filed under: Georgia Varozza, Meats/Main Dishes by Amber | AmishReader.com
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Happy first day of autumn, dear Amish readers!

On Monday we asked our Facebook fans to vote for a hearty meal recipe they’d like to try to celebrate the change of seasons:

1. Dutch Meat Loaf
2. Farmer’s Soup
3. Potato Chip Chicken Casserole

The winner is…Farmer’s Soup!

However, it was a pretty close race between Farmer’s Soup and Potato Chip Chicken Casserole, so we want to offer both recipes to you! You can find the recipe for Farmer’s Soup on our Facebook and Pinterest pages. Below, you’ll find the recipe for Potato Chip Chicken Casserole.

If you want to try the Dutch Meat Loaf or discover even more delicious recipes, don’t miss the new cookbook, 99 Favorite Amish Recipes by Georgia Varozza!

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Georgia Varozza, Meats/Main Dishes by Amber | AmishReader.com
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99 Favorite Amish Recipes by Georgia Varozza released this month! On Monday we asked our Facebook fans to vote for a meal recipe out of three options (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) from the cookbook:

1. German Egg Pancakes
2. German Potato Salad
3. Cabbage Patch Stew

And the winner is…Cabbage Patch Stew!

You can check out the recipe below or on our Facebook page. And don’t forget to check out the new cookbook, 99 Favorite Amish Recipes!

Variation (included in the cookbook):

Prepare a batch of biscuit dough; making sure there is plenty of broth in the stew, pour the stew into a large baking dish. Top the stew with the cutout biscuits and bake at 375º for about 20-25 minutes or until biscuits are done and golden on top.

 

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Meats/Main Dishes, Sherry Gore, Tricia Goyer by Amber | AmishReader.com
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The Made with Love celebration continues! On Tuesday we asked our Facebook fans to vote for a savory meal recipe out of three options from the novel:

1. Potato Soup
2. Underground Ham Casserole
3. Yoder’s Restaurant Chicken Stuffing Casserole

And the winner is…Yoder’s Restaurant Chicken Stuffing Casserole!

You can check out the recipe below or on our Facebook page. And don’t forget to check out Made with Love to see where the dish pops up in the story (and to get additional yummy recipes)!

Filed under: Amish Fiction, Meats/Main Dishes, Sherry Gore, Tricia Goyer by Amber | AmishReader.com
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Amish cooks are fond of using Velveeta cheese because it’s shelf stable. And it makes sense when a household lacks refrigeration, because Velveeta can be stored on pantry shelves right alongside all the home-canned fruits and vegetables that Amish women process to feed their families over the winter months. So, even though it doesn’t seem “Amish” or “old-fashioned,” Velveeta cheese is a staple in many homes. (Although, with the advent of propane or gas-powered refrigerators, using Velveeta is more for taste than it used to be.)

The recipe I’m going to share with you today is one that I got years ago from an Amish Mennonite friend, but I’ve changed it—instead of using Velveeta cheese I now use cheddar cheese, which I think tastes much better. But if you like Velveeta, feel free to substitute—use 2 cups Velveeta cheese, cut into small cubes. It might take longer to fully melt into the cheese sauce, so turn the heat to low and keep stirring until completely melted.

One more note: This recipe easily serves 8-12 people, so feel free to cut the recipe in half (in fact, that’s what I did for the photos that accompany this post) and bake it in an 8 x 8-inch baking dish instead.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

½ cup Panko crumbs (you can substitute bread crumbs if you don’t have Panko)
½ cup (1 stick) butter, divided
4 cups uncooked elbow macaroni noodles
¼ cup flour
3 cups whole milk
1½ tsp. dry mustard
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper

* * *

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and, in a small bowl and using a fork, mix melted butter with the Panko crumbs, mixing until completely incorporated; set aside for now.

Cook macaroni according to package directions—don’t overcook! Drain noodles.

While the noodles are cooking you can make the cheese sauce as follows:

Using 2 tablespoons of the butter (which has been softened to room temperature for easy spreading), grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish; set aside for now.

In a large pot, melt ¼ cup (½ stick) butter over medium-low heat and then sprinkle in the flour, whisking as you do so. Turn the heat to about medium (or a wee bit higher) and cook the roux, whisking all the while, for 1 minute. Pour in the milk, whisking while you pour. Add the mustard, salt, and pepper and continue whisking until the roux boils and thickens slightly. Reduce the heat to your lowest setting, add the cheese, and stir to melt.

Combine the cheese sauce and cooked macaroni noodles; mix gently but thoroughly.

Note: You can eat the macaroni as is, but I like the Panko crumbs on top, so if you’re in agreement, read on.

Pour the macaroni and cheese into the buttered baking dish. Top with the buttered Panko crumbs and then broil until the Panko crumbs are lightly browned. You can also refrigerate the macaroni and cheese and heat later. When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator, cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350º oven about 25 minutes or until bubbly. You can finish by removing the foil and placing it under the broiler until the crumb topping turns light brown and crisps up.

* * *

This is a very kid-friendly dish, but adults like it too. Whenever I make my homemade macaroni and cheese I’m sure to get compliments on the meal. And with the topping of Panko crumbs, deliciously golden and crisp, it’s a dish you can even serve company!

Enjoy and may you and your loved ones be richly blessed today and always.

Georgia Varozza, author of the popular Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook (nearly 60,000 copies sold), enjoys teaching people how to prepare and preserve healthy foods, live simply, and get the most from what they have. She works in publishing and lives in a small Oregon community. Visit her online at www.georgiaplainandsimple.blogspot.com.

Filed under: Georgia Varozza, Meats/Main Dishes, Recipes by Amber | AmishReader.com
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On Monday our Facebook fans were asked to vote for the recipe they’d prefer out of three options. Due to the cold winter weather, this month’s recipe options were centered on spring, warmth, and sunshine:

1. Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake
2. Chilly Day Stew
3. Sunrise Pancakes (with Vanilla Cream Syrup)

And the winner is…Chilly Day Stew! Mmmmm.

Here’s the recipe straight from The Authentic Amish Cookbook (a collection of recipes from the Amish community in Evart, Michigan, curated by Norman and Marlena Miller):

 A bowl of Amish Chilly Day Stew sounds quite appealing for a late-winter’s evening, wouldn’t you agree?

Filed under: Meats/Main Dishes, Recipes by Amber | AmishReader.com
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On Tuesday our Facebook fans were asked to vote for the recipe they’d prefer out of three options. With the release of the first book in a new series by Jerry Eicher in February, this month’s recipe options featured characters/stories from some of Jerry’s other series:

1. Aunt Betty’s Country-Fried Venison (from A Hope for Hannah)
2. Ella’s Beef Casserole (from A Wedding Quilt for Ella)
3. Rebecca’s Oatmeal Pancake Mix (from Rebecca’s Promise)

And the winner is…Ella’s Beef Casserole! Sounds like a hearty dish for a potluck or big family dinner, don’t you think?

You can find the casserole recipe (taken from The Amish Family Cookbook by Jerry & Tina Eicher) on our Facebook or Pinterest pages.

And don’t forget that Miriam’s Secret, the first in the “Land of Promise” series, is releasing in a little over a week!

Which book/series by Jerry Eicher is your favorite? 

Filed under: Jerry Eicher, Meats/Main Dishes, Recipes by Amber | AmishReader.com
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On Monday our Facebook fans were asked to vote for the recipe they’d prefer out of three options. Since Thanksgiving is tomorrow, the options this month are centered on what you can do with your turkey leftovers:

1. Turkey Supreme
2. Leftover Turkey Croquettes
3. Chicken Party Buns (substituting leftover turkey)

And the winner is…Turkey Supreme! That name does have a certain ring to it, wouldn’t you agree?

Here is the turkey supreme recipe, taken from The Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook by Georgia Varozza:

You can find the other two recipes in the same cookbook, which is currently only $1.99 in ebook format.

So after you’ve feasted on Thursday, enjoy trying something new with those leftovers! Have a simply wonderful Thanksgiving, Amish readers.

Filed under: Meats/Main Dishes, Recipes by Amber | AmishReader.com
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On Wednesday our Facebook fans were asked to vote for the recipe they’d prefer out of three options. With the arrival of the harvest and the great fruits and vegetables it brings, the theme for this month’s recipe choices was comfort food featuring seasonal favorites:

1. Pumpkin Bread
2. Corn Chowder
3. Fresh Apple Cake

Although it was a close race, the winner is…Corn Chowder!

Here is the corn chowder recipe, taken from The Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook by Georgia Varozza:

This is the perfect time of year for something warm, savory, and comforting. Tell us, will you and your loved ones be enjoying a hot bowl of corn chowder this season?

Filed under: Meats/Main Dishes, Recipes by Amber | AmishReader.com
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Amish Rockets

Print recipe

Serves	6-8
Prep time	40 minutes
Cook time	20 minutes
Total time	1 hour
Allergy	Milk
Meal type	Main Dish
Misc	Serve Hot
From book	The Amish Family Cookbook

Amish rockets are a great grilled meal to make anytime. With chicken, stuffed jalapenos and bacon slices, this one's sure to please!

Ingredients

• 1/2lb chicken breast strips
• 3/4 cups Italian dressing, divided
• 4oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 12 Medium jalapenos
• 12 thin slices bacon

Directions

Step 1

Place chicken breast strips and 1/2 cup Italian dressing in a shallow dish or resealable plastic bag; cover or seal; chill 30 minutes.

Step 2

Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade.

Step 3

Grill chicken, covered with lid, over medium heat (300-350 degrees), 4-5 minutes on each side or until done, basting with remaining 1/4 cup Italian dressing.

Step 4

Let chicken cool slightly and finely chop. Stir together chicken, cream cheese, salt, and pepper.

Step 5

Cut peppers lengthwise down 1 side, leaving other side intact; remove seeds.

Step 6

Spoon 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons chicken mixture into cavity of each pepper.

Step 7

Wrap each pepper with 1 bacon slice, securing with 2 wooden toothpicks. This can all be done the day before serving. (For milder peppers, look for jalapeno peppers with rounded tips).

Step 8

Grill stuffed jalapenos, without lid, over medium hear, 20-25 minutes or until bacon is crisp, turning frequently.

The Amish Family Cookbook By Jerry and Tina Eicher Available Now From the home of bestselling author Jerry Eicher (more than 350,000 books sold) and his wife, Tina, comes this warm and inviting peek into an Amish kitchen, complete with Amish recipes, proverbs, and humor. Readers will laugh, pray, and eat robustly with The Amish Family Cookbook at their side. Learn more: http://bit.ly/AmishFamilyCookbook

Filed under: Meats/Main Dishes, Recipes by AmishReader.com
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