Amish Cooking Class - The Seekers Read online

  © 2017 by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  ISBN 978-1-62416-744-7

  eBook Editions:

  Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-68322-162-3

  Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-68322-163-0

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the publisher.

  All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

  All German-Dutch words are taken from the Revised Pennsylvania German Dictionary found in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously.

  Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

  For more information about Wanda E. Brunstetter, please access the author’s website at the following Internet address: www.wandabrunstetter.com

  Cover Design: Buffy Cooper

  Cover model photography: Richard Brunstetter III, RBIII Studios

  Published by Shiloh Run Press, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, OH 44683, www.shilohrunpress.com

  Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses.

  Printed in the United States of America

  To my friend Mae Miller, who has treated us many times

  to some of her delicious Amish meals.

  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;

  and all these things shall be added unto you.

  MATTHEW 6:33

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Heidi’s Cooking Class Recipes

  Discussion Questions

  Prologue

  Walnut Creek, Ohio

  A deep moan escaped Heidi Troyer’s lips as she glanced at the clock on the far wall. Lyle was late for supper again, and she’d fixed his favorite meal—sweet-and-sour spareribs, pickled beets, Amish broccoli salad, and German-style green beans. For dessert she’d made an oatmeal pecan pie. But in all fairness, her husband had no way of knowing supper had been waiting for the last hour. This morning Lyle said he could possibly be late and had suggested a sandwich or bowl of soup for supper once he got home. Since the auction was only ten miles away in Mt. Hope, Heidi expected her husband would be home by now.

  “That’s what I get for assuming. Shouldn’t have gotten carried away cooking a big meal.” She sighed. What else was there for her to do this afternoon but cook? She’d washed clothes, hung them out to dry, cleaned the house, and pulled weeds in the garden. Boredom had set in until she’d decided to cook something—her favorite pastime. Heidi enjoyed spending time in the kitchen and often shared her baked goods with others in their community who had less time for cooking.

  Woof! Heidi’s Brittany spaniel rubbed against her leg, wagging his stubby little tail and interrupting her musings.

  “I know. I know. You’re desperate for attention.” Heidi filled her plate with food and took a seat at the kitchen table. “Looks like it’s just you and me again this evening, Rusty.”

  The dog whined then grunted as he turned around in a circle before lying down under the table. He gave a long doggy sigh and rested his silky head on Heidi’s bare foot.

  “Your life is pretty tough, isn’t it, boy?” Reaching down to rub his soft, feathery ears, Heidi felt grateful to have Rusty with her. He was a good companion—someone to talk to when her husband was away.

  Heidi wiggled her toes and giggled when Rusty started snoring. She rarely wore shoes in the house unless she had company or was fighting the bitter cold of winter. With spring less than a week away and warmer weather making its appearance in Holmes County, Heidi saw no reason to confine her feet in a pair of shoes unless she went out.

  Bowing her head, she closed her eyes and offered a silent prayer before eating. Heavenly Father, please keep my husband safe as he travels home this evening. Help me be more patient while I wait for him. Bless our family and friends with good health. Thank You for the food set before me. And thank You for getting us safely through the winter months. Amen.

  As Heidi bit into a succulent sparerib, she thought about the letter she’d received this morning from her mother’s sister, who lived in Shipshewana, Indiana. Aunt Emma had been teaching quilting classes in her home for the past several years, and every class brought a variety of interesting students. A few years ago, when she and her husband, Lamar, spent the winter in Sarasota, Florida, Aunt Emma opened her vacation home to six local people wanting to learn how to quilt.

  One line in her aunt’s letter caught Heidi’s attention. It read: “I enjoy quilting, and because I like meeting new people, I’m thankful for the opportunity to share my ability with others.”

  Heidi took a sip of water, letting a new thought take root in her brain. Having been married eight years, with no children to care for, she spent a good deal of her time rambling around the house, looking for things to do once all the basic chores were done each day. She was finally about caught up on things—even the decluttering in closets she’d put off doing until yesterday. She felt good about donating several items to the local Share and Care Thrift Store in nearby Berlin.

  Heidi would soon plant a garden. She’d started growing tomatoes inside by the kitchen window from seed packets purchased at the local hardware store. She enjoyed keeping watch on their progress and tending the plants each day. Unfortunately, supervising the tomatoes’ growth didn’t take up much of her time.

  She had been good at cooking since she learned as a child under her mother’s tutelage. Whenever the days became boring or lonely, she brought out her kitchen utensils and whipped up a favorite old recipe or tried something new. Lyle sometimes teased her about trying to make him fat, even though he had nothing to worry about. His six-foot frame was lean and trim. It amazed Heidi how much he could eat and never gain weight.

  She drummed her fingers along the edge of the table. I wonder if I should consider teaching a cooking class. It would give me something meaningful to do and provide a little extra money.

  Heidi looked at the calendar hanging on the kitchen wall. If she made up several flyers and placed a few ads, perhaps enough people would sign up so she could begin her first class the second Saturday of April.

  Heidi smiled as she forked a piece of broccoli into her mouth. I can teach a total of six classes every other week from April through June and still keep up with the chores needing to be done around here.

 
Grabbing a paper and pencil, she began sketching the layout of the flyer advertising her cooking class. Now Heidi could hardly wait until Lyle got home to get his approval on this new venture.

  Chapter 1

  Sugarcreek, Ohio

  Loretta Donnelly’s vision clouded as she sat on the front porch, watching her children play in the yard. Conner, with dark curly hair like his daddy’s, was three. His sister, Abby, whose hair was medium brown like Loretta’s, had recently turned five and would go to kindergarten in the fall.

  “They are growing too fast and missing out on so much,” Loretta murmured, pulling her long hair into a ponytail. She squeezed her eyes shut, struggling not to cry as she often did when she thought of Rick. He’d been gone nearly a year, but it felt like yesterday when she’d received the news of his death. Rick had been on a business trip. Loretta wished she had urged him to spend the night somewhere before heading home for the weekend. But having been gone for six days, Rick was anxious to get home. Loretta was excited for him to return, and so were the children. It was a shock when she’d received the horrifying news that an accident had occurred on the freeway. Rick had apparently fallen asleep at the wheel, causing his car to hit a guardrail and flip onto its side. Fortunately, no other vehicles were involved.

  Loretta’s eyes snapped open when her daughter touched her arm. “Mommy, can I have a ponytail like yours?”

  “Sure, sweetie, turn around.” Loretta reached into her skirt pocket and found an extra hair band. Pulling Abby’s shoulder-length hair back, she secured the ponytail with the band.

  “Thanks, Mommy. We look alike now.”

  “You’re welcome.” Loretta bent down and gave Abby a hug.

  After Abby joined her brother again, Loretta’s thoughts turned to her financial situation. They’d been living on the money from Rick’s life insurance policy, but it wouldn’t last forever. Eventually, Loretta would need to look for a job, which meant finding a full-time babysitter.

  Loretta’s parents lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Soon after Rick died, Mom and Dad suggested Loretta sell her house and move in with them. She appreciated their offer but didn’t want to uproot the children. Loretta wanted to give Abby and Conner a simpler life, like they had here in Amish country, rather than exposing them to big-city living. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to move the children closer to one set of grandparents but farther from the other. Rick’s parents lived in Colorado, and Loretta had no desire to move there. Residing in this simple home in this quiet town helped her feel closer to Rick. This was where she wanted to raise her children. Unless God told her otherwise, she planned to remain right here.

  Loretta’s attention turned to her children when she heard Conner’s cry. She rose from her chair and hurried into the yard. “What’s going on with you two?”

  “He threw dirt at me.” Abby wrinkled her nose. “Then he pulled my ponytail.”

  “Did you throw dirt back?”

  Sniffling, Abby nodded.

  Oh, great. Now they’re both crying. “No more dirt throwing or hair pulling.” She shook her finger at the children before taking hold of their hands. “Let’s go inside now and get you cleaned up. After that, we’ll have lunch.”

  Once Loretta made sure Conner and Abby were clean, she made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The two sat giggling about something on the cereal box still sitting on the table from breakfast. It was good to see how quickly they recovered from the argument they’d had outside. It was one of the benefits of kids their age—they could be mad one minute and happy the next.

  While Abby and Conner ate their lunch, Loretta sat at the table, sipping a cup of tea, reading the latest edition of The Budget newspaper. After seeing what some of the local Amish scribes had written, she noticed an ad for cooking classes. The first class would begin next Saturday. Anything related to the Amish interested her, and it would be fun to learn how to make some traditional Amish dishes.

  She took a sip of tea, letting the idea float around in her head. I probably shouldn’t spend the money right now, but if I can find someone to watch the children, I may sign up for those classes.

  Dover, Ohio

  “How are things coming along with your wedding plans?” Charlene Higgins’s friend Kathy Newman asked as they took seats inside Sammy Sue’s Barbeque restaurant.

  Placing both hands beneath her chin, Charlene groaned. “What wedding plans? Len and I haven’t even set a date for the wedding, much less made any plans.”

  “I thought after he proposed last week you two would be working out the details for your future together.” Kathy’s pale eyebrows squeezed together.

  Charlene drank some water before giving her response. “Len wants to wait until he’s told his parents about our engagement before we set a wedding date.”

  Her friend leaned slightly forward. “When does he plan to tell them?”

  “I—I don’t know.” Charlene fingered the fork lying on her napkin. “I’m worried his folks—especially Annette, won’t approve of Len’s choice for a wife.”

  “For goodness’ sakes, why not?” Kathy lifted her gaze toward the ceiling. “They should be happy their son’s fallen in love with someone who is not only beautiful but smart.”

  Slowly, Charlene pulled her fingers through the ends of her long hair. Ever since she was a girl she’d been complimented on her creamy complexion and shiny brown hair with golden highlights. When she’d reached her teenage years, her friends suggested she become a model. Charlene wasn’t interested in pursuing that profession. After high school graduation, she’d gone to college and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in early education. For the last year she’d been teaching kindergarten at one of the elementary schools in Dover.

  “Are you ladies ready to order?” their waitress asked, stepping up to the table.

  “Most definitely. I’ll have the pulled-pork flatbread.” Kathy smacked her lips. “I love the caramelized onions and cheddar cheese on it.”

  Charlene looked over the menu a few more seconds then ordered the same thing. With so many choices, it was easier to go with a familiar sandwich rather than try something new.

  “Now, getting back to Len needing to tell his folks about your engagement …” Kathy paused to pick up a slice of lemon and squeeze it into her water. “Why do you think he needs their approval? Is Len one of those guys who must check with his parents on everything?”

  “I don’t think so, but …” Charlene pointed at the window. “Look at that! Wish I’d brought my camera with me today.”

  “What are you pointing at? I don’t see anything out of the ordinary.”

  “A flock of geese heading for the Tuscarawas River, but you missed them.” Charlene continued to watch out the window. “Their wings were stretched out for a landing. Bet they made quite a splash.” She slouched in her seat. “Wish I was over there on the bridge right now. I could at least get a picture of the geese on my cell phone.”

  “Too bad I missed it, but at least you got to see them come in for a landing.” Kathy stretched her arms out like a bird. “I’m surprised you don’t have your digital camera with you. You take it nearly everywhere.”

  “I was running late and didn’t think to grab it before I went out the door. Wouldn’t you know the one day I didn’t have it was when I could have gotten a great shot?” Heaving a sigh, Charlene shrugged. “Oh, well. I’m sure there will be other times I can photograph geese.”

  “Okay now, before the geese captured your train of thought, what were you going to say? Was it something about Len’s parents?” her friend prompted.

  “Yeah. Len’s mother is quite domesticated. Her house is spotless, and she’s an excellent cook.” Charlene pursed her lips. “I, on the other hand, can barely boil water, which is why Len and I always go out to eat, rather than me cooking him a meal.”

  Kathy’s forehead wrinkled as her mouth opened slightly. “You’ll never learn to cook if you don’t practice.”

  “I am not going to use my f
iancé as a guinea pig. He could end up with food poisoning.”

  “Don’t you think you’re being a bit overly dramatic?”

  “Maybe, but the one time I had Len’s parents to my condo for supper, I burned the roast, and the vegetables were overcooked.” Charlene picked up her water glass and took another drink.

  “Maybe you need a new timer for your stove.”

  “Or maybe I ought to take some cooking lessons.”

  Kathy smiled. “Hey, not a bad idea. In fact, I saw an ad in the paper the other day advertising cooking classes. If you’re interested, I’ll give you a call with the information as soon as I get home.”

  Charlene lifted her shoulders in a brief shrug. “I’ll give it some thought, but unless the person teaching the classes is a miracle worker, I may be a lost cause.”

  “Don’t be silly. You know what you need, my friend?”

  “What?”

  “A good dose of self-confidence.”

  Charlene didn’t argue. Although she had little or no confidence when it came to cooking, she was plenty confident when it came to teaching her students. Of course, she couldn’t feed her future husband properly by being a good teacher. Maybe I will consider taking those cooking classes.

  Walnut Creek

  Eli Miller had just started cleaning his barn when his neighbor Lyle Troyer showed up. They’d been friends a good many years.

  “Hey, what’s new with you?” Eli set his shovel aside.

  “Not much. I have a box for you in my buggy, though.” Lyle grinned. “A gift from my fraa.”

  “You don’t say. What kind of gift did Heidi send for me? It’s not my birthday or any special occasion.”

  “Doesn’t have to be. She made you one of her famous peanut butter kichlin.”

  Eli chuckled. “Your wife’s cookies are good, but I didn’t realize they were famous.”

  “Bet they will be after she starts teaching her cooking classes.” Lyle thumped Eli’s shoulder. “Heidi also asked me to find out if you’d like to come over for supper tonight.”

  “I’d be pleased to, but what’s this about Heidi teaching cooking classes?”