I remember taking many long drives to the authentic Amish restaurant in my neck of the woods while growing up. My whole family would pile in the car with empty bellies and eagerly await all the delicious, traditional food we'd soon have piled on our plates.
There's a reason simple, hearty recipes like the ones below have stood the test of time over generations. Even though we might not be members of their community, each one makes us feel like we're right at home as we chow down on the comfort food.
That is also why they all taste even better when you can whip up the meals in your own kitchen!
From filling breakfast casseroles, to savory chicken noodle soup, and all the way to a sweet and sour cherry dessert, these options are sure to put a smile on your family's face.
And be sure to SHARE the traditional Amish dishes with your friends on Facebook!
Left Thumbnail Photo: Wikimedia Commons / National Archives and Records Administration
[H/T: Amish America]
1. Country Bean Soup
Ingredients:
1 pound soup beans
1 ham bone
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced celery
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 cup diced potatoes
2 tsps. minced parsley
Salt and pepper
Hard-boiled eggs
Instructions:
Soak the beans in water overnight and drain. Add more water and cook them slowly with the ham bone for about 2 hours. Mix in the onion, celery, potatoes, tomato sauce, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Let them simmer until the veggies are soft, then remove the ham bone, trim off any meat and add back into the soup. Slice up the hard-boiled eggs and add before serving.
2. Meat Pie
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups leftover meat
3 tbsps. flour
1/4 cup drippings
1 cup milk
1 tbsps. grated onion
1/3 cup chopped pepper
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Blend the flour and drippings together, then add milk slowly. Stir constantly while it cooks, until thick. Add the salt, onion, and green pepper, then mix in the meat, cut into chunks. Line a baking dish with pastry and pour mixture on top. Add another layer of pastry for the top crust and bake for about 25 minutes at 425°.
3. Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
4 lbs. chicken
2 1/2 qts. water
2 1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups cooked noodles
1 tsp. peppercorns
1 small, sliced onion
1 sliced carrot
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Cut the chicken into serving sizes and bring to a boil in the water. Let the meat simmer for about 2 1/2 hours and skim off the fat. Add the noodles, spices, and veggies and bring to a boil again. Allow everything to cook for another 20 minutes before serving.
4. Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients:
1 pound sausage
6 slices of bread
1/4 cup melted margarine or butter
1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
5 eggs
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 cups half-and-half
1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions:
Cook the sausage and drain the fat. Pour melted butter into a baking pan and line with the bread cut into small square pieces. Add the sausage on top and cover with more bread and the cheese. Beat the eggs together with the mustard, salt, and half-and-half. Pour the mixture over the other ingredients and allow to chill overnight before baking for about 40 to 50 minutes at 350°.
5. Corn Fritters
Ingredients:
2 cups grated fresh corn
2 eggs
2 tbsps. flour
1 tbsp. sugar
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Separate the egg yolks and and beat them in a small bowl. Mix in flour, a teaspoon of salt, and dash of pepper, then mix in the egg yolks. In another bowl, beat the egg whites into stiff peaks and fold in the yolk mixture. Drop spoonfuls onto a frying pan or greased griddle and cook slowly until golden brown.
6. Fried Tomatoes
Ingredients:
4 tomatoes
Flour
3 tbsps. hot fat and butter
2 tbsps. brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Slice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and coat thoroughly with flour. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and fry the slices until brown. Place the fried slices on a serving dish and season with salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan used during frying and blend with a tablespoon of flour to make a thick cream, then pour over the tomatoes before serving.
7. Chicken And Oyster Pie
Ingredients:
1 chicken
1 pt. oysters
1/2 lb. butter
Salt and pepper
Flour
Pastry crust
Instructions:
Stew the chicken until it's tender, then season with the butter, salt, and pepper. Line a deep baking dish with the pastry crust and pour in the chicken mixture. Use a teacup to slice a circle out of the center of another crust and add on top.
While that bakes in the oven, prepare the oysters by heating the juice from their shells with a dash of flour and water. Add salt and pepper to taste, and 2 more tablespoons of butter. Once the liquid is boiling, pour it back over the oysters and add the mixture to the chicken about 20 minutes before the pie is finished baking.
8. Potato Dumplings
Ingredients:
6 raw potatoes
10 slices bread
1 grated onion
2 eggs
1 tsp. minced parsley
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Soak the slices of bread in cold water, then squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. Mix the bread with parsley, onion, salt, and pepper. Grate the potatoes and beat the eggs, then add both to the bread mixture until combined. Shape the dough into balls and coat lightly with flour, then drop into salted boiling water, covered, for about 15 minutes before removing.
9. Meatloaf
Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 small, chopped onion
1/2 chopped green pepper
1 cup cubed cheese
2 1/2 cups bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 cup ketchup
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Combine all of the ingredients, minus the ketchup, and shape the mixture into 2 loaves. Coat the tops of each loaf with the ketchup, then bake at 375° until the meat is completely cooked through.
10. Sour Cherry Pie
Ingredients:
1 qt. fresh sour cherries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
Unbaked pie crust
Instructions:
Make sure the cherries are pitted, then combine with the flour and sugar in a bowl. Fill the pie crust with the mixture, then add a vented crust on top. Bake for about 10 minutes at 450°, then reduce the temperature to 375° for another 20 minutes.
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