When I thought up my storyline of two teenagers persuing an unusual dream for Old Order Amish–publishing a children’s book–I never dreamed I would find someone who fits this description, living in the same area as my fictional characters. Elmer Y. works in a local leather shop, keeps up with his chores at home, attends private auctions (another of his passions), frames and mats commissioned artwork, and paints watercolor landscapes. Oh, did I mention he’s only seventeen years old? And I have seen pictures of his artwork and he is very talented. He has accomplished all this despite a severely injured spinal cord as a toddler. His accident has never slowed him down.
I am tickled to report that Elmer has agreed to provide a sketch for my February release, An Amish Family Reunion. The drawing will represent the fictional children’s story that Phoebe and her beau concoct. We all know that life often imitates art, so what do you think? Will young Elmer of Ohio’s Amish Country soon meet the girl of his dreams, marry, and live happily ever after? Only time will tell….
Filed under: Amish Fiction, Authors, Mary Ellis by Mary
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I did not grow up with the Amish but I grew up with the Mennonites and there are a lot of similarities between the two groups in certain areas. Both use German (the Mennonite low German is close to the Amish Pennsylvania Dutch), both are pacifists (though some Mennonite groups would be less so than others these days most still lean in that direction), both have strong ties to the land (Mennonites are in every occupation under the sun but a lot of them have rural or agricultural backgrounds), both revere the Bible as the Word of God (though some Mennonite groups would be less fervent about that), both enjoy strong family and church community relationships.
I’ve written four Amish books now and as I wrote them I reflected on my warm memories of Mennonite churches and friendships quite a bit. I found that just as the Mennonites I know often live their faith in the big world outside of Mennonite communities (which in Canada include places like Winkler, Manitoba and Abbotsford, BC) my Amish characters have a way of leaving their communities in Paradise or Elizabethtown or Bird-in-Hand and living their unique faith in the bigger world around them. Sometimes the year is 1861 or 1917 or 1875 or even 2011 but they engage and interact with and even transform the non-Amish people around them because they do not leave what they believe at home or at church or at the barnyard or in the horse-drawn buggy.
That is the fascination I have with the Amish right now and this fascination is reflected in the tales that come bubbling up from within me – how true are they to their vision of God and the Christian life if they are placed in settings where there are not always hundreds of similar-minded Amish around them for support? Does the non-Amish community mold them or do they bend the non-Amish world towards their approach to life in Christ? It creates an interesting dynamic which I’m still not tired of exploring.
I say I’ve written four books but the first two aren’t due to be published until January 1st, 2012, just a little over four months from now. The other two should be released in 2013, God willing. I have plans for many more and I hope my first ones bless, entertain and challenge in good ways that open the doors for the others to appear in their footsteps (or buggy tracks).
The titles of those first two books are The Wings of Morning (Harvest House) and A Bride’s Flight From Virginia City, Montana (Barbour).
God’s peace to you.
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Hello, Amish Readers! Here is today’s selection from Georgia Varozza’s The Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook.
Baked Chicken and Apples
1 whole chicken
2 apples, peeled, seeded, and quartered
1 onion, quartered
salt
pepper
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. sage
1 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 cups hot water
cooked rice
Clean and place the chicken in a deep roaster or casserole dish. Fill the cavity with apples and onion. Sprinkle the salt and pepper and spices around and on top of the chicken. Pour 2 cups hot water into the roasting pan and loosely cover chicken with foil.
Bake at 350 for approximately 1 1/2 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (but not touching the bone) reads 180.
The broth will be rich and have a greenish tint. If you think there isn’t enough broth for serving, you can add a little more boiling water or broth. To serve, slice the chicken and place on top of the cooked rice on individual plates with deep sides (to hold the broth). Place some of the onion and apple on the side and spoon broth over everything.
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Amish Bacon Bean Soup
1 pound bacon ends or sliced bacon, cut into small pieces
1 pound navy beans
1 chopped onion
4 quarts water, approximately
salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a large pot and simmer for at least 2 hours or until beans are thoroughly cooked.
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Creamed Celery and Almonds
4 T. butter, divided
3 cups celery, diced
1 cup slivered almonds
2 T. flour
1/2 cup half-and-half or cream
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup chicken broth, boiling
3 T. Parmesan cheese
Melt 2 T. butter in a large skillet until frothy. Add celery and almonds. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 more T. butter and let melt. Blend in flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add half-and-half or cream, pepper, and boiling chicken broth, continuing to stir constantly until sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Spoon casserole into a 1-quart casserole dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Broil in oven until cheese until cheese melts and browns slightly.
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Butter Crust Pastry
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter
2 T. cold water
Combine the flour and salt and then cut in the butter until the mixture is the size of small peas. Sprinkle on 2 T. or more of cold water. Blend with a fork just until dough comes together, forming a ball. Turns out on a floured surface and roll crust 1/8-inch thick. This is enough to make one single crust.
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Hello, Amish Readers! Here is today’s selection from Georgia Varozza’s The Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook.
Hamburger Gravy and Mashed Potatoes
1 lb. hamburger
4 T. oil or butter
5-6 T. flour
1 quart hot water
Kitchen Bouquet liquid seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
mashed potatoes
In a heavy pot, brown hamburger; do not drain off fat. Add oil or butter (or a combination of the two) and melt butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in 5-6 T. flour, depeneding on how lean or fat the hamburger was therefore how much grease there is to work with. Stirring constantly, slowly add the water and continue stirring until thickened. Add Kitchen Bouquet and salt and pepper.
Serve over mashed potatoes.
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Hello, Amish Readers! Here is today’s selection from Georgia Varozza’s The Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook.
German Meatballs and Sauerkraut
1 lb. hamburger
1/2 lb. ground pork
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
1 T. fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2-3 T. oil for frying
1 27-oz. can sauerkraut, undrained (or use homemade)
In a mixing bowl, combine the meats, bread crumbs, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, egg, and milk and mix well. Shape into 2-inch balls.
Heat the oil in a skillet and brown the meatballs. Remove and drain the fat from the skillet. Spoon the sauerkraut into the skillet and top with the meatballs. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes or until meat is completely cooked. Add water if necessary during cooking so the dish doesn’t become too dry.
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Thank you to Kathryn Patterson for the breakfast suggestion! This is from Georgia Varozza’s The Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook.
Stovetop Breakfast Casserole
1 T. butter
2 slices bread, torn up
1/2 lb. sausage, browned and drained
2/3 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter in a skillet that has a lid and turn to cover the entire bottom of pan. Add torn bread and stir a bit to distribute evenly and completely cover the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle on sausage, cheese, and spinach.
Beat together the eggs and milk that have been seasoned with salt and pepper and pour over the sausage mixture. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes or until eggs are set.
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A big thanks to Johanna Veal for the vegetable dish idea! This is from Georgia Varozza’s The Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook.
Zucchini and Corn Side Dish
1 T. butter
1 T. oil
6 small zucchini, sliced
3 large ears corn, cooked and cut from cob
1 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. dill weed (optional)
In a large frying pan or skillet, melt butter and oil until hot, being careful not to let the butter burn. Add the zucchini and fry until golden, 5-6 minutes. Add the corn, sugar, salt, and pepper and cook until corn is heated through. Sprinkle with dill weed if using and serve immediately.
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