Mary Ellis – Recipe for Romance – Part 1 of 1

Shannon here: Amish romance author, Mary Ellis shares some Amish recipes plus a chance to win a copy of a 3 in one novella, An Amish Miracle which includes Mary’s novella – Always in My Heart along with novellas by Beth Wiseman and Ruth Reid. Comment on any post dated Dec 24 – 27 to enter the drawing. Deadline: Jan 4th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Mary:

Amish Recipes

Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter, softened (do not use margarine)

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

3 3/4 cups flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

Cinnamon sugar

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in milk and vanilla. Sift together flour and baking powder; then add to creamed mixture.

Roll dough into one-inch balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake at 375 degrees for 10–12 minutes.

 

Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups butter

2 cups sugar

2 cups brown sugar

4 eggs

4 cups flour

5 cups oatmeal

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

Approx. 40 ounces chocolate chips (Can use 2 different varieties, such as milk, dark, mint, or white.)

3 cups chopped walnuts

In mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. In separate bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix flour mixture into sugar mixture. Add chocolate chips and nuts.

Roll into one-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Makes approximately 9 dozen cookies.

 

Chicken Pie Supper

2 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken

1/4 cup mushrooms

1/4 cup peas

3 medium carrots peeled, chopped, and cooked

3 cups thickened chicken stock (or) cream of chicken soup

1/2 tsp. salt

Pepper to taste

Mix ingredients together and pour into greased 11/2-quart casserole dish. Place biscuits on top and bake at 450 degrees for 15–20 minutes.

Biscuits

2 cup flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

4 Tbsp. shortening

3/4 cup milk

Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together. Cut in shortening.

Add milk. Turn dough lightly on floured board and knead gently 30 seconds. Cut dough with knife or biscuit cutter. Place on chicken mix.

 

Afternoon Chili Mac

1 cup ground beef

½ cup onion, finely chopped

1 ½ cups cooked tomatoes (small jar of home canned tomatoes)

1 cup cooked kidney beans

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. chili powder

1 ½ Tbsp. vinegar

½ cup water

4 ounces macaroni

In large skillet, brown beef and onions. Add tomatoes and kidney beans. Mix in sugar, salt, and chili powder. Add vinegar and water and stir into meat mixture until smooth. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in macaroni, then cover and simmer 20 minutes.

 

Sarah’s Meat Pie

2 ½ pounds potatoes peeled and cut in half-inch squares

2 pounds boneless chuck roast

Salt

Pepper

2 uncooked piecrusts. (Recipe below or can use frozen)

Place chuck roast in Dutch oven or similar size pot. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Continue simmering until tender (2 to 3 hours).

Boil potatoes until soft (about 20 minutes). Drain.

Cut cooked roast in cubes and mix with potatoes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Fill uncooked piecrust and cover with top crust. Score top of crust to vent.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with brown gravy.

Pie Crust (makes two)

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 tsp. white sugar

2 tsp. salt

1 cup vegetable oil

4 Tbsp. milk

Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Divide in half. Chill for 1 hour. Roll each crust out on wax paper. (Sprinkle flour on top before rolling.)

 

Rosa’s Pineapple Pecan Cake

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup shortening

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 ½ cup sifted flour

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

Pineapple topping

2 Tbsp. softened butter

½ cup well-drained crushed pineapple

2 Tbsp. honey

1/3 cup chopped pecans

Mix sugar, shortening, and egg thoroughly. Stir in milk. Sift together dry ingredients and stir into shortening mixture. Spread batter in greased and floured 9x9x2-inch square pan. Mix topping ingredients and spread over batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 25–35 minutes or until done.  Serve warm.

About Mary: Mary Ellis grew up close to the eastern Ohio Amish community, Geauga County, where her parents often took her to farmer’s markets and woodworking fairs. She loved their peaceful, agrarian lifestyle, their respect for the land, and their strong sense of Christian community.
She and her husband now live close to the largest population of Amish in the country–a four-county area in central Ohio. They often take weekend trips to purchase produce, meet Amish families, and enjoy a simpler way of life.
Mary enjoys reading, traveling, gardening, bicycling and swimming. But her favorite pasttime is snorkeling, which she seldom gets to do living in Ohio. She is a former middle school teacher and a former saleswoman for the world’s best chocolate company. Now she writes full-time and wonders why her house is still dusty and her garden has so many weeds. She is currently working on the New Beginnings series.

About the novella – An Amish Miracle: 

Always Beautiful by Beth Wiseman

Becky Byler is eighteen and overweight. She is overwhelmed by the embarrassment she feels when comparing herself to other girls her age. Having lost all hope, she considers taking her own life. As she stands before rushing water, unable to swim, Becky begs God for a miracle. In just several months, Becky sees her prayers answered as food and temptation lose their hold over her. She’s finally pleased with how she looks, but does she like the person she has become? And has the man she has dreamed of been right beside her all along, loving her exactly as she is?

Always His Providence by Ruth Reid

Widow Rosa Hostetler has one month to pay her delinquent taxes before the county auctions her farm. She’s prepared to sell whatever is necessary to pay the lien, but she isn’t willing to request money from the community’s widow fund. She’s embarrassed and refuses to admit she needs help. Rosa depends on income from selling eggs, but when that income is threatened, only a miracle can help Rosa accept the kindness of a neighbor.

Always in My Heart by Mary Ellis

Hope Bowman believes God is punishing her for giving up her firstborn son when she was a teenager. She’s hidden this secret from her husband, who is thankful for their daughters but longs for a son. Hope prays desperately, but the son God sends her isn’t a new baby but the fifteen-year-old boy she gave up years ago.

Includes Reading Group Guide and Old-Order Amish Recipes. Visit AmishLiving.com

Always in my Heart, will also be available separately as a Kindle download in February. Jere’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/Always-My-Heart-Miracle-Novella-ebook/dp/B00E68O026/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386004946&sr=8-1&keywords=always+in+my+heart+by+mary+ellis

The novella anthology, in both print and electronic, is available now.

Come back Dec 30th for Nike Chillemi!