The Amish Cook Lovina wishes to thank the many readers who have sent her cards and well wishes as she recovers from her recent surgery. Lovina will turn 38-years-old this week and she is taking time off to fully recover from her surgery and will turn next week with her column at full strength. Speaking of full-strength, the Amish Cook Friend Club is still in great need of members. It is very difficult to reach out to readers in 2009 to help The Amish Cook column continue. It's difficult because we are in a recession and times are tough for everyone. Not all businesses will survive and I'm not sure that this column is any more deserving of any other. Last year, however, the Friend Club was created with the logic that it is not carried in enough newspapers for it to be economically viable, but it does reach enough readers to make it viable. The Amish Cook Friend Club still does need members, however, if there is a silver lining it is that we need far less than last year when over 800 readers joined.

This year, we need half that, which I think is do-able even in this tight economy but we aren't there yet. The hope is by next spring we won't need a Friend Club at all as the column approaches its 20th anniversary. Here is the Friend Club information:

$25 Basic: receive Thank-you letter and a "Lovina Eicher" name card

· $50 Gold: receive Thank-you letter, name card and quarterly newsletter, The Amish Cook Extra.

· $75 Editor's Circle: receive Thank-you letter, name card, and single sheet 2010 wall calendar with picture.

The biggest benefit of the club is ensuring the column's continuity. People who join can have their name and city published in the newsletter's "Wall of Appreciation". Inclusion is optional.

To help attain May's "membership month" goals, you can join the Friend Club the following three ways.

By snail mail: Please send membership dues to Oasis Newsfeatures, PO BOX 2144, Middletown, Ohio 45042 Toll-free by phone with credit card, 24/hours 7 days: 877-571-4112. Internet: log on to amishcookonline.com

A common custom among the Amish is a "grocery shower", where community members "shower" a sick or infirmed person with needed groceries and toiletries. Lovina was a recipient of just such a shower this past week. Included in the items: a bag of homemade granola.

someone put a bag of homemade granola in the grocery shower. The children really liked it. Lovina wanted to share her recipe this week for homemade granola. This can be cut down because it is for larger families:

Homemade Granola

20 cups oatmeal

2 cups pecans,chopped

2 cups coconut

2 2 /3 cup brown sugar

4 teaspoons salt

2 2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 1 /2 cups water

2 tablespoons maple flavoring

2 teaspoons vanilla.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir the liquids together. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. Bake at 275 for one hour or until golden brown. Stir every 15 minutes.

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