January Recipes

Amish-Style Peanut Butter
1/2 c. creamy or chunky style peanut butter, your favorite
1/4 c. Marshmallow Creme or Fluff
1 c. light corn syrup

In a mixing bowl, stir all the ingredients together till combined. Place in a covered container. Store in refrigerator; bring to room temperature before using, or soften in microwave. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Amish Bread Starter
1 Tbsp. (or 1 pkg) of active dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. milk

Do not use metal utensils and is can cause a reaction with the yeast.
Dissolve yeast in water and allow to sit for ten minutes. Whisk together dry ingredients in large glass or plastic bowl. Slowly add milk and yeast mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon. Cover with a cloth or towel and store at room temperature for one day. Do not refrigerate.
Day 2 through 4 stir your starter with a wooden spoon. On Day 5, add 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, and 1 cup sugar and stir to combine. Day 6 through 9 stir mixture with a wooden spoon.
Day 10 add 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup sugar, stir with wooden spoon.
You should have 4 cups of starter. Separate into 1 cup portions as follows:
* Save 1 cup of the starter to make your bread
* Separate 2 cups of the starter into two separate plastic zipper storage bags or plastic containers you don't mind parting with
* Keep the remaining cup of starter in the refrigerator (this will slow the fermentation process) or start the entire process all over again by starting with Day 2 in the instructions above.
This starter can also be frozen which will stop the fermentation process. You can thaw it at room temperature for a few hours to start the process up again.

Amish Biscuits
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. Amish bread starter
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. butter, melted

In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl combine eggs, Amish Starter and oil. Mix well. Add starter to dry ingredients and mix until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and roll until1/2-inch thick. Using a 3-inch circle cutter or floured glass cutout biscuits and place on a lightly grease cookie sheet. Brush top of biscuits with melted butter. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Bake in a preheated 350*F oven for 15-20 minutes.

Amish Hot Potato And Onion Salad
6-8 medium potatoes
2 Tbsp. bacon drippings
1 onion, chopped fine
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter
Pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes in their jackets. Drain and put back over heat to dry. Peel as hot as possible and slice, set aside and keep warm. Heat the bacon dripping, add the onion, stir until brown, pour the whole over the potatoes. Bring to a boil: the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, butter and pepper. Pour boiling hot over the potatoes and toss together lightly. Place in a warm dish. Sprinkle top with parsley.

Amish Pot Roast
3-4 lb. beef roast (sirloin tip, rump, English cut)
1 Tbsp. oil
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 c. coffee
2 bay leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 onions, sliced

Sear roast in 1 Tbsp. oil on all sides in heavy Dutch oven. Pour sauce over meat. Put half of onions on meat, the other half in sauce. Cover and roast 4-5 hours at 325*F.

Amish Shoo Fly Pies
Crumb mixture
2 c. flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. margarine
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon

Syrup mixture
1 c. molasses
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c. hot water
1 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in the hot water
2 unbaked 8" pie crusts

Mix crumb ingredients together until crumbs are formed. In separate bowl, mix syrup ingredients together. Pour 1/2 of syrup into each pie shell, then top each with crumbs, using 1/2 on each. Bake at 400*F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350*F and bake for 50 more minutes. Cool completely before cutting.
Note: This recipe makes 2 pies.