Amish Kitchen: Giving everything a thorough cleaning, but not without enjoying company

It’s Thursday morning and it’s almost 5 a.m. This column needs to be written, although my eyes still want to close for more sleep.

At least it’s not 3 a.m. That is the one thing I don’t miss from my husband working at the RV factory.

Son Joseph, 16, is waiting on his ride to go to work. Son Benjamin left for work at 4:30 a.m. The rest are still in bed. I feel extra tired this morning, but we did have a long day on Wednesday.

That’s when my sister Emma, her daughters Elizabeth and Emma, and baby Jessica, along with my daughters Elizabeth and Susan and grandchildren, Abigail, Jennifer and baby Timothy, all came here to assist us with cleaning for our upcoming church services.

We will host here on Sunday. It will be communion services, so that usually lasts all day. We serve lunch halfway through the day, to a few tables of people at a time, until everyone is fed. Communion is usually around 3 p.m.

Anyway, back to my much-appreciated help. We accomplished so much and still had a nice day spent together. Walls, ceilings, furniture, etc. were cleaned from top to bottom in the living room, dining room and kitchen. Curtains were washed and quickly dried with the nice, breezy day with lots of sunshine.

Everything looks so crisp and clean this morning, and the curtains look nice and white hanging on the sparkling windows. I love to admire the clean windows because I know before long they will be speckled by flies resting on them. They used white vinegar and water to clean them, and that works well.

Also last week, daughters Verena and Loretta washed out my cupboards. Meanwhile, my sisters Verena and Susan came to help, so they helped my daughters clean out cabinets. I appreciated their help, too.

I still need to defrost the freezer on our propane refrigerator and clean out the refrigerator. Also, my gas stove and oven need a thorough cleaning.

Everyone came for breakfast on Wednesday so I made a casserole with shredded hash browns, scrambled eggs, crumbled bacon, chopped green peppers and onions and shredded cheese and topped with gravy. My sister Emma brought cherry coffee cake that was still warm, so that went good for dessert.

We enjoyed the four little ones. They are so precious and so much fun. Abigail wanted to help me hang the laundry, so I told her to hand me the washcloths and a clothespin with each one. That kept her entertained for a while. She wanted to play on the swing that hangs from our tree branch, so I lowered the seat for her. Jennifer came outside for a while, enjoying the nice day. She kept picking up twigs and bringing them to me.

The two babies, Jessica (almost 3 months) and Timothy (4 months), took a nap on Kevin’s bed, which is still in our living room since his first surgery. Timothy is quite active and was entertained rolling over and trying to grab Jessica’s face after he awoke. The baby swing bouncer also entertained the babies while their mothers worked.

For lunch, daughter Susan brought spaghetti and meatballs and we also had leftover tacos from the previous night’s supper. Along with the coffee cake for dessert, it made a quick, easy meal.

While we were cleaning, my husband Joe was outside in the garden planting early red potatoes. He also has sweet onions he wants to plant and more seeds to get out in the garden. Our radishes and lettuce are up from his previous gardening. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and let them survive.

God’s blessings to all.

Hamburger potato casserole

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 teaspoons salt, divided
• 2 cups macaroni or shells
• 1 pint pizza sauce
• 2 quarts cubed potatoes
• 3 cups milk
• 2 rounded tablespoons flour
• 1 pound Velveeta cheese, melted

Instructions: Place ground beef and onions in a large skillet. Add pepper and one teaspoon salt (or as desired) and cook over medium heat until brown. Pour into a roasting pan or two large baking dishes. Cook macaroni until soft, then drain and add pizza sauce. Pour on top of meat. Cook potatoes until soft. Drain, then add milk, two teaspoons salt and flour. Add cheese and pour over macaroni. Bake in a 350-degree oven until it’s hot. Feeds a family of 12.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, “The Essential Amish Cookbook,” is available 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.