The Amish Cook by LOVINA EICHER We spent the past weekend in Indiana. My Aunt Barbara's funeral was held on Saturday, June 6. It was exactly one month after her sudden death. Uncle Henry was dismissed from the hospital on Wednesday, June 3rd after being admitted on May 8th. The funeral had been postponed until he was dismissed from the hospital. He still looks very weak. We wish God's blessings to the family as they go through this trial in life. We started out on Saturday morning at 4:30 a.m. to attend the funeral. While at the burial we could also saw where my father and mother's graves were which are in the same cemetery. We drove past my parent's old home place but things looked very different. There are two more sets of buildings on it and also several hog barns have been added.

We stopped in at the place where Joe and I lived for eight years before our move to Michigan. The young Amish couple who lives there now were very nice and let us look around. It is hard to believe that only our three oldest children seem to remember the place. Benjamin was 4 at the time and barely remembers any of it. We appreciated their hospitality while we were there. They have a two-week old baby and had company coming for supper but they still took the time to let us look around.

After visiting our old home-place, we stopped in to see where niece Susan and her husband lives and meet little Susan who was born in May. Afterwards, my brother Amos and his wife Nancy invited us to come for supper. We had an enjoyable meal outdoors. They made soup in the kettle over the open fire and also cooked sausage links and made hot wings on the grill. Everything was very delicious. Joe and I and our six youngest children spent the night at my Uncle Joe and Aunt Betty's house. Betty fixed a very good breakfast for us. After breakfast we drove around visiting families. Meanwhile, daughters Elizabeth and Susan went to Joe's sister Ruth's house to spend the night with their cousins. They attended church with them the next day. We arrived back home in Michigan on Sunday evening safe and sound. Everyone was tired and ready for bed. We had not all been out to our old Indiana community for over a year. With gas prices soaring up again it effects us too when we have to hire a driver to take us. Then if we stay the night we have to pay for the driver's hotel room making it quite an expensive trip.

We are enjoying strawberries out of the garden. I have June-bearing strawberry plants, but I am sure we will enjoy plenty of strawberries. We are also enjoying lettuce, radishes, and onions from the garden. Looks like it won't be long before the peas are ready. Try this delicious recipe for using up your fresh strawberries!

Homemade Strawberry Bread

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 2/3 cup flour(stir or sift before measuring)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries-fresh or frozen and lightly drained

1/2 cup chopped nuts-your choice

Beat eggs until foamy. Add oil, sugar, vanilla, and almond to eggs and mix well. Stir well or sift together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add to previous mixture and stir until just barely moistened. Add strawberries and nuts and lightly mix being careful not to overmix. Pour into greased 9x5 loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes in a 350⁰ oven until nicely browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. May need to put foil over top if browns to quickly.

Amish Cook Friend Club

The Amish CookFriend Club fell short of its member goal number for May. Readers can join The Amish Cook Friend Club at any one of the following levels:

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

Membership dues can be sent to: Oasis Newsfeatures, P.O. BOX 2144, Middletown, OH 45042.

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