We are in the middle of August already. Happy ninth anniversary (Aug. 14) to daughter Elizabeth and Tim. May they have many more happy, healthy years together. God has blessed them with four sweet children: Abigail, 7, Timothy (T.J.), 5, Allison, 4, and Andrea, 2.

Grandson Byron turned a year old Aug. 7. He is taking a few steps, so I’m sure it won’t be long until he is running around with his “big” brother Denzel.

Granddaughter Kaitlyn (Ervin and Susan) is excited about her upcoming birthday. She turned 8 Aug. 18. She and Abigail are three weeks apart in age with Abigail turning 8 Sept. 10. They have become the best of friends since becoming “cousins” several years ago. They are my two oldest grandchildren out of the 12.

Recently, our family gathered at daughter Loretta and Dustin’s house to help with preparations for son Joseph and Grace’s wedding in about three weeks.

Lots of jobs were accomplished. The roof on one side of the house was redone. This was a job Dustin needed to have done quite a while already. The manure was hauled out to the fields and lots of weed trimming done. Windows were cleaned, and her back porch was cleaned thoroughly. Lunch was brought in by all of us. We furnished the hot food, which was barbecued chicken and creamed potatoes. Also on the menu was ham and cheese sandwiches, cucumber salad, pudding, muskmelon, and ice cream.

On my to-do list this week is sewing for the wedding. I have my suit cut out but need to sew it. I will help daughter Lovina with hers and also daughter Verena. I hope I can get all that done, but canning season is here. I want to make another batch of salsa. I have my corn and green beans in the freezer. We have lots of hot peppers, but I don’t need more in cans, so I’ll let one of the girls have them to can.

We have had lots of peppers on the grill already. We have sweet bananas and jalapenos. The sweet bananas are not hot for those who don’t care for the spice. We mix shredded Colby cheese and cream cheese. After taking out the seeds, we stuff the peppers with the cheese mixture, then wrap them with a slice of bacon. We use toothpicks to hold the bacon in place. We grill them on the charcoal grill.

On Sunday, I made broasted chicken for the first time. I usually fry or bake our chicken or Joe grills it, but I always wanted to try broasting it in the deep fryer. I made my breading for the chicken and just guessed on what to put in it such as flour, cornmeal, seasonings, etc.

Everyone loved it. Son Joseph wasn’t here Sunday evening, and I put a few leftover pieces in his lunch. When he came home from work, he asked who made that chicken. He said the flavor was so good, and he liked it. Since he does construction work, he doesn’t have a way to heat food up, but he still likes cold chicken in his lunch.

I also made fries after I made the chicken on Sunday. Dustin and Loretta’s little boys love fries. It was nice to cook everything on the porch. Dustin marinated a pork roast that he cooked on the grill to add to our menu.

Daughter Verena and Daniel Ray (her special friend) were here for supper as well. We played Phase 10 with Dustin, Loretta and them.

Wishing everyone God’s many blessings!

Gingersnap

cookies

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup dark molasses

1/3 cup cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves and salt. Blend well. Beat oil, egg, brown sugar and molasses. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture, blending as you add. Repeat until all the flour is added. Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll in the cinnamon sugar and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked.

Readers can write to Lovina Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, P.O. Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.