This column will wrap up my writing for October already. Daughter Loretta and Dustin have been married a month on Monday. Where does the time go? Do we take enough time out of our busy lives to thank God for all the blessings we have? When our lives don’t go as we expect, it is so easy to give up. We need to take one day at a time and remember that God will help us through the hard trials.
Last week sister Emma and I spent a day with sister Verena. We washed off her bedroom walls, ceiling, window, and furniture. We emptied sister Susan’s desk and dresser and packed some of her clothes in totes for now. This was a hard job to do. It makes it so final. Susan collected a lot of things through the years, so we have lots more to sort through. But we made a start at least. The physical work wasn’t what was hard. It was the going through a loved one’s belongings and knowing they won’t need them anymore. It made me think that the only thing I can take with me one day are my children. Let us spend time with our family while we still have each other.
Sunday evening we had supper at niece Emma and Menno’s house. They served a good supper of mashed potatoes, gravy, chicken, deep fried mushrooms, potato salad, desserts and more I am probably forgetting. Those enjoying the supper were Joe and me, and sons Benjamin, Joseph (and special friend Grace), and Kevin, daughter Lovina (and special friend Daniel), daughter Loretta and Dustin, daughter Elizabeth, Tim, and children, daughter Susan and children, daughter Verena, sister Verena, sister Emma and sons Jacob, Benjamin (and special friend Crystal), and Steven, and niece Elizabeth and Manuel. The three special loved ones that were usually with all of us were dearly missed. We played board games after supper. It was a rainy evening and cold outside so it was nice to be indoors.
Yesterday daughter Verena hosted a Pampered Chef bridal shower for daughter Loretta which was held here. It was a very good turnout, and Loretta was able to choose lots of free items for her kitchen. The consultant made a chicken club ring and chicken salad. I made a tater tot casserole and potato salad. My daughters and sister and her daughters all brought desserts and snacks, so we had a nice meal to enjoy after the party.
Sister Verena had been staying with us since Sunday. She went home with sister Emma. Emma had supper brought in last night from our bishop, ministers, and deacon and their families. She wanted us to come, but it is not so easy to leave since we don’t have our buggy. The boys use our other buggy, and Benjamin has one he bought. We need to go look for another one since ours was demolished in the storm in August. We do have an old buggy here that they use to train horses, but the door doesn’t shut on one side and with the cold weather it’s not fun to ride in. To think Joe and I both grew up with open buggies. I think we are spoiled now.
Today daughter Elizabeth goes on a field trip with granddaughter Abigail’s class to a pumpkin patch, corn maze, and pet farm. Daughters Susan and Verena will have her other two children T.J. and Allison at their house for the day. Abigail is so excited to have her mother come to school with her.
Saturday we travel to Berne, Indiana, to attend my family gathering at sister-in-law Nancy’s house. It is right on brother Amos’s 60th birthday. He will be greatly missed as will all the other loved ones that have gone on before us. God’s blessings to all!
Chicken Club Brunch Ring
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, snipped
1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
1 (10-ounce) can chunk white chicken, drained and flaked
1 pound bacon slices, crisply cooked and chopped
2 (8-ounce packages) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 cup (4 ounces) finely shredded Swiss cheese, divided
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper
2 cups lettuce, shredded
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, parsley, and onion; mix well. In another bowl, put in flaked chicken, bacon, 3/4 cup cheese and 1/3 cup of mayonnaise mixture; mix well. Unroll crescent dough and separate into 16 triangles. Arrange triangles in a circle on a 13-inch round baking stone (or other round pan) with wide ends of triangles overlapping in the center and points toward the outside. There should be a 5-inch diameter opening in center of stone. Using a medium scoop, divide the chicken mixture evenly onto the widest end of each triangle. Bring the outside points of the triangles up over filling and tuck under the wide ends of dough at center of ring. The filling will not be completely covered. Cut tomato slices in half and place a tomato half over the filling in between the openings of the ring. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven immediately and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Cut top of bell pepper off. Remove membranes and seeds. Fill bottom part of pepper with the remaining mayonnaise mixture and place in center of ring. Arrange lettuce around pepper. Slice and serve.
Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at PO Box 1689, South Holland, IL 60473 (please 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.