It is a Friday night and we had a nice, sunny day in the 60s. I spent the day with our children who have muscular dystrophy at their annual appointments in Ann Arbor. It was a long day, leaving home at 5:30 a.m. and returning at 3 p.m. It’s also a stressful, tiresome day for them to do all the testing, etc. It’s a two-hour drive each way so we hired a driver to take us.

My husband Joe mixed up 25 pounds of deer jerky yesterday and was putting it in the dehydrator today. Son-in-law Tim brought us a doe he shot. We were glad for the meat.

Joe is grilling chicken for our supper and I heated up leftover spaghetti and meatballs from last night to go with the chicken.

Sons Benjamin and Joseph will leave after supper. Benjamin will go spend the night at Mose and Susan’s and go deer hunting in the morning. Joseph will go to Tim and Elizabeth’s and go deer hunting with Tim.

Little granddaughter Allison (Tim and Elizabeth) is really walking everywhere now. She likes to sing the song “High Cotton,” and we just think it’s the cutest thing. She acts so much older than her age.

Last week we had pon hoss. Last winter we canned pork broth, so Joe opened up some broth, added flour, salt and pepper, and made pon hoss. Usually we only have that after butchering pork in the winter months. It made two cake pans of pon hoss, which was used up in a few meals. Of course, they wanted coffee soup with the pon hoss.

Joe hauled manure on the garden too. It seems he is getting lots of jobs done around here but there is only one problem—it doesn’t bring in a paycheck. It’s frustrating but we need to trust in God. He will help us through difficult times. We have so much to be thankful for.

Last Sunday we attended church at nephew Benjamin’s girlfriend’s (Crystal) house about 45 minutes from here. We went with sister Emma, Jacob and sons, sisters Verena and Susan, niece Emma, Menno and children, and niece Elizabeth and Manuel. It was an enjoyable day meeting new people. We appreciated all the hospitality and am glad I got to talk with readers of this column! They have no idea how much their encouragement meant to me.

This is now Monday morning at 4:45 a.m. Sons Benjamin and Joseph are off to work.

Yesterday daughters Loretta and Lovina and son Joseph went to church with Dustin and Daniel (Loretta and Lovina’s boyfriends) to their church district. (Our community has 15 church districts with each having an average of 20-plus families. When a district gets too big, they divide and a new set of ministers, a deacon and a bishop are ordained in whichever side needs a replacement. The dividing line is what determines which side you are going to go to.)

Sons Benjamin and Kevin and daughter Verena spent yesterday at sister Emma and Jacob’s house. Joe and I were home alone so we decided after breakfast to go for a ride. We went to Mose and Susan’s house and enjoyed playing with Jennifer, 2, and Ryan, 1. Then we headed to Tim and Elizabeth’s house to enjoy some time with Abigail, 4, T.J., 23 months, and Allison, 10 1/2 months. They put out snacks such as venison jerky, popcorn, chips and salsa for us to enjoy before heading home the 6 1/2 miles. It was snowing but nothing stayed. Stay safe and healthy and God bless!

Turkey & Dressing Casserole

2 1/2 cups leftover dressing
1/2 cup canned mushrooms
2 cups cooked turkey, cubed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream

Spread the dressing in the bottom of a two-quart casserole or 9×9 inch baking pan. Add the mushrooms in a layer, then the turkey. Combine the soup and sour cream and spread over the turkey layer. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Additional note: Leftover mashed potatoes can also be added or used to replace the sour cream and chicken soup. I sprinkle mixed vegetables on top and add cheese too.

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 now from the publisher, Herald Press, 800-245-7894. 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.