Over the weekend we attempted to put produce our first "cooking show" based on the Amish Cook's recipes.  All I can say is this ain't the Food Network.  At least on my computer, the video is a little dark in places and the sound a bit less than stellar quality at times.  Still, I think it'll probably be fun to watch.  You get the general gist of what some of these recipes look like and the preparation process.  My Rachel can be heard speaking the intro to the video.  In the video, I am working on the recipes with Jessica.  She has worked with me editing and preparing recipes for our Amish Cook books in the past and has a good grasp of the simple style that is the hallmark of Amish cooking.  So, with the "quality disclaimers" in mind, feel free to watch our first installment of "Plainly Delicious" (someone on here suggested that  title and Rachel, Jessica, and Lovina liked it).    If we do future ones, we'll have better lighting, sound, and video.   And if you enjoyed the video and would like to see more in the future, click the "donate" button on the right side of your screen and you'll be emailed a "bonus video" within the next 24 hours.  The video is of me having breakfast at Lovina's. The bonus video captures a very typical Amish breakfast table with pitchers of homemade grape juice, tomato juice, and biscuits and gravy.  Below are the recipes that we prepared during the cooking show.  Enjoy!

 

CINNAMON COFFEECAKE

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups flour

Topping: 1 /2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 4 tablespoons
butter or margarine.

Stir together the first five ingredients until well-moistened. Pour
into greased and floured 9 by 9 inch pan. Sprinkle brown sugar over
cake top with pats of butter and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 350
until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean - about 25 minutes.

NOTHINGS

1 egg
3 cookspoons (large kitchen spoons) cream
pinch salt
enough all-purpose flour to make a stiff dough
Shortening for frying

Beat the egg, and then stir in cream and salt. Add enough flour to
make a stiff dough. Work it with your hands well. Dive dough into 6 or
7 balls and roll out real flat and very thin. Then cut three slits
into each flat piece of dough. Have a kettle of hot lard or Crisco
ready and one by one drop the dough in. Remove when golden. Sprinkle
sugar on them and stack on a plate.

THE AMISH COOK'S OATMEAL PIE

8 eggs
3 cups of light corn syrup
3 cups of brown sugar
3 cups of rolled oats
1 pound of margarine
2 cups of nut meats

Melt margarine. Cream sugar, margarine, and eggs together. Add corn
syrup and rest of ingredients and mix. Pour into four unbaked pie
shells. Bake in a slow oven until done

I'm excited about the upcoming "cooking show" that will be available on this site next week. I wrote about it a few days ago.  This show will be a great way to learn about some of the Amish cultural significance behind the recipes and provide a chance to see how some of these dishes are supposed to look when complete.  We will shoot the show this weekend and I hope to have it up and available for you to view on Monday.  The tenative line-up of recipes includes:  Amish wedding "nothings", oatmeal pie, cinnamon coffeecake and "Amish church spread."  The "nothings" also known as "knee patches" are an interesting wedding treat served in some communities.  All of these are easy to make and delicious.  The "menu" isn't 100 percent set, if someone has a recipe you'd like to suggest we prepare instead, please post your ideas here and I'll consider it.  The recipes for the dishes we make on the cooking show will be posted on this site.

Also, thanks for your thoughts and prayers about Lovina's nephew.  Little Steven is scheduled for heart surgery on Monday.  I'll let everyone know how he comes through.