Another week has flown by, and it’s already time to pen this column again. Actually, the last column for this month. We will enter March, and soon the calendar will be saying it’s spring. My wish is that the weather will match the calendar. We had a few nice days of temperatures over 50 degrees, so we really had a little spring fever.

Sister Verena has been staying with us. She hopes to be able to stay alone again after the snowy weather is done. She has many lonely days and has been back and forth from our house to sister Emma’s. She has been talking about spending a week with sister Liz and Levi. I really wish she would. It would be a change of mind for her.

After temperatures were in the 50s yesterday, we woke up to 22 degrees, and it was snowing again.

It’s a good thing God controls the weather, and we need to accept whatever he sends to us.

Monday, I went with daughter Elizabeth and baby Andrea to her doctor’s appointment to have her staples removed.

Andrea is now nine days old and such a bundle of joy. She makes so many different facial expressions that it’s just fun holding her and watching her. Her cute little dimples when she smiles are so precious. A real blessing from God!

Andrea’s appointment at the baby doctor was canceled because the doctor was sick. Five-year-old Abigail was very concerned when she heard Andrea’s doctor was sick. She asked Elizabeth, “Mom, Oh no! Who makes the doctor better when he gets sick?”

Yesterday, grandchildren Jennifer, four, and Ryan, two, stayed here while daughter Susan went shopping. Jennifer told Susan before they came, “Mom, Grandma is a pretty girl.” I am so thankful for my sweet little innocent grandchildren. They are so much fun! The things they say and come up with are so special. Jennifer told me if Ryan starts to get fussy, you need to make him take a nap. Of course, Ryan is more interested in checking out Grandpa’s headlight and sunglasses and asking where Grandpa is.

Daughter Loretta was here, and the grandchildren love when she plays games with them. We made breakfast for them. We had eggs, potatoes, bacon, and cheese. They ate better when they could sit on both sides of Loretta.

Our plans are to dress a beef this weekend. It will be a relief to get our beef cut up and bagged and be done with putting up meat for another year. We will give Dustin and Loretta half of the beef. When our children get married, we give them a half of a beef and a hog the first winter to help them get started. My parents helped us out by giving us something to butcher when we first were married.

A reader asked if I make our own cheese. I would make cheese when we had our own cow with the excess milk. We sold our cow then, and now it’s easier just to buy the big horns of cheese.

I will share the mozzarella cheese recipe I used to use. My niece Marlene had shared it with me years ago.

God’s blessings to all!

Mozzarella Cheese
2 gallons cold whole milk
3 teaspoons citric acid
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup cold water
1/3 rennet tablet
2 quarts water
1/2 cup salt

Put milk in a large container. Dissolve the citric acid in 1/4 cup cold water, then add to cold milk. Mix well and keep stirring until heated to 90 to 95 degrees. Remove from heat; add 1/4 cup cold water and rennet tablet. Stir well, then let sit for 1/2 hour.

Cut into squares with a long-bladed knife. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Heat to 110 degrees. Continue stirring to keep curds from sticking. Remove from heat and let sit 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat 2 quarts of water with 1/2 cup salt to 175 degrees. Drain cheese in a colander for 15 minutes. Cut or pull cheese apart into small cubes and put it in a large bowl. Add hot saltwater; use a wooden spoon to stretch cheese in an upward motion until it is soft and springy. Drain in the colander. Knead a little bit as you would bread; put in a container to cool. A bread pans work well. Very good!

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 [email protected] and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails or comments left on this site.