The Heart of the Amish Harvest Blessings Cookbook by Barbour Books

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©2026 by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Edited by Rebecca Germany. Print ISBN 979-8-89151-433-1 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher. Reproduced text may not be used on the World Wide Web. No Barbour Publishing content may be used as artificial intelligence training data for machine learning, or in any similar software development. All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Cover design: Greg Jackson, Thinkpen Design Interior Images (non-recipe) © JD Schrock, Facebook.com/AmishLeben Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., 1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com Our mission is to inspire the world with the life-changing message of the Bible.

Printed in China.

Harvest Season by Mindy Steele ��5 Spring by Mindy Steele �� 7

Nourishing the Family ��9 Main Dishes ��10 Soups and Stews �� 39 Side Dishes �� 56 Salads �� 82

Summer by Mindy Steele �� 95 Satisfying the Sweet Tooth ��97 Desserts �� 98 Pies �� 110 Cakes ��121 Bars and Cookies �� 127

Autumn by Mindy Steele �� 133 Preserving the Harvest �� 135 A Word of Caution About Canning ��136 Jams and More ��139 Pickles and More �� 162 Various Preserves ��181 Soups to Can �� 197

Winter by Mindy Steele ��205 Index of Contributors ��207 Index of Recipes by Section ��209 Index of Recipes by Key Ingredients �� 213

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted. Ecclesiastes 3:1–2

Harvest Season There’s a harvest for every season. The Amish rely on time-honored methods of food preservation to sustain their families throughout the year. Techniques such as canning, drying, smoking, and otherwise storing produce ensure that each harvest is fully used—and that food remains plentiful in every season. Root cellars and icehouses play an essential role in this process, providing cool, stable environments for storing vegetables, dairy, meat, and other perishables. This thoughtful approach to preservation minimizes waste and reduces reliance on outside sources, reflecting deeply held values of simplicity, thrift, and self-reliance. Amish families and communities work side by side, placing the care of their farms, homes, and health at the center of daily life. Community “frolics” transform hard labor into shared responsibility and celebration, strengthening bonds of both family and the wider community. Whether harvesting crops, canning food, cutting and storing ice, or performing larger tasks such as raising barns and building homes, these gatherings reflect a spirit of cooperation and mutual support. By embracing a life shaped by tradition and the steady rhythms of nature, the Amish have come to embody the principles of true homesteading. Their way of life values preparation over convenience and stewardship over excess. Although many households enjoy daily supplies of fresh milk and eggs, it is careful planning, a strong work ethic, and quiet determination that keep pantries stocked and tables well set throughout the year. Through dedication and foresight, the Amish continue to thrive, preserving not only their harvests but also a heritage rooted in resilience, community, and respect for the land. Mindy Steele Mindy writes Amish romance fiction, drawing inspiration from her Amish neighbors in rural Kentucky. 5

Spring Spring holds special significance in Amish communities, marking a season of renewal, cooperation, and shared purpose. As the land awakens, so too does community life, with gatherings that reinforce strong social bonds. Quilting bees, weddings, barn raisings, and baptisms are among the cherished events that bring families and neighbors together, blending celebration with tradition and mutual support. Spring also signals the beginning of the planting season. Fields are prepared and seeds sown in anticipation of the months ahead. Through careful planning and generations of agricultural knowledge, Amish farmers are able to enjoy early harvests of crops such as beets, carrots, garlic, asparagus, and lettuce. Cooler springs bring maple and walnut syrup harvest, while warmer years yield bounties of honey. In the spring, hens start laying more frequently, adding additional eggs. New life is welcomed to farms as chicks, calves, and piglets appear. Foraging also plays an important role during the spring months. The search for ramps (a type of leek), dandelion greens, and young plantain leaves provides both nourishment and healing benefits. In states such as Kentucky and Indiana, mushroom hunting is not only a practical pursuit but also a favored way to spend time outdoors, exploring woodlands as the weather warms and nature comes back to life. Mindy Steele, KY

NOURISHING the FAMILY Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. Genesis 50:21

Main Dishes BARBECUE BEEF SANDWICHES INGREDIENTS: 3 pounds beef bottom round roast 3 green peppers, seeded and chopped 2 cups chopped onions 1 clove garlic ½ cup brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In large Dutch oven or roasting pan, combine all ingredients. 3. Bake for 2 to 3 hours, until beef is tender. (I put mine in the oven, but it can also be cooked in slow cooker on high heat.) 4. Slice or shred roast. Serve on sandwich buns.

3 tablespoons chili powder

Mariam Schwartz, (no location given)

2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon dry mustard 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

HEARTY SCALLOPED EGGS INGREDIENTS: ¼ cup butter ½ cup flour 4 cups milk 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 4 cups cooked or canned green beans, drained 8 hard-boiled eggs 2 cups soft breadcrumbs

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour. 3. Add milk and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. 4. Add salt and Worcestershire sauce. 5. Place half of beans in 8x12-inch baking dish. 6. Slice 4 eggs on top. 7. Cover with half of breadcrumbs. 8. Pour half of sauce over breadcrumbs. 9. Add remaining green beans and top with 4 sliced eggs. 10. Pour on other half of sauce. 11. Top with breadcrumbs. 12. Bake 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Leah D. Schwartz, Berne, IN

BAKED FISH INGREDIENTS: 1 pound walleye, perch, or pike fillets ¼ cup milk 1 cup crushed potato chips ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese ¼ teaspoon dried thyme 1 tablespoon dry breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Cut fish into serving-size pieces. 2. Place milk in shallow bowl. 3. In another bowl, combine potato chips, Parmesan cheese, and thyme. 4. Sprinkle greased 8-inch square baking dish with breadcrumbs. 5. Dip fish into milk, then coat with chip mixture. Place fillets over crumbs and drizzle with butter. 6. Bake uncovered for 12 to 14 minutes or until fish flakes with fork. 7. Serves 4 Mindy Steele, KY

EGG SANDWICHES INGREDIENTS: 1 tablespoon butter 6 eggs 4 heaping teaspoons Miracle Whip salad dressing 1 teaspoon mustard Salt and pepper to taste Additional Miracle Whip Bread Sliced cheese

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. In skillet, melt butter. 2. Break eggs into pan and stir in Miracle Whip and mustard. 3. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 4. Keep stirring until eggs are cooked. Don’t overcook. 5. To make a sandwich, spread some Miracle Whip on a slice of bread and add a slice of cheese. Top with cooked eggs and another slice of bread. This is a family favorite. To make it even better, add bacon. Esther Schwartz, Harrisville, PA

CHICKEN NUGGETS INGREDIENTS: ½ cup fine breadcrumbs ⅛ cup Parmesan cheese ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese Seasoning salt ¼ teaspoon basil ½ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. In bowl, mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, several shakes of seasoning salt, basil, salt, and pepper. 3. Dip chicken pieces in melted butter and then into mixture. 4. Bake for 10 minutes.

¼ teaspoon pepper

Mervin Miller, Whittmore, MI

1 large chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces Butter, melted

CHICKEN BACON RANCH TATER TOT CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS: 4 chicken breasts or 4 cups diced chicken 2 pounds frozen Tater Tots 5 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons flour 2 cups milk 1 ounce package ranch seasoning 6 to 8 slices American cheese 6 slices bacon, fried and crumbled

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In greased skillet, cook chicken until done. 3. In large casserole dish, place Tater Tots on bottom. Layer chicken on top. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Gradually add flour and milk, cooking until slightly thickened. Stir in ranch seasoning and cheese, stirring until cheese melts. 4. Pour over chicken. Top with sprinkling of bacon and cheese. 5. Bake one hour. Rebecca Herschberger, Bear Lake, MI

2 cups shredded cheese of choice

SUMMER SUPPER INGREDIENTS: 1 onion, chopped ½ green pepper, chopped ¼ cup water 2 cups tomato juice ½ cup butter

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. In saucepan, combine onion, green pepper, water, tomato juice, butter, zucchini, broth, and salt. Cook until vegetables are tender. 2. In skillet, brown ground beef then add to vegetables.

2 cups grated zucchini

Mrs. Menno Miller, Gallipolis, OH

1 cup cut green beans 2 cups beef broth ½ teaspoon salt 1 pound lean ground beef

ASPARAGUS CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS: 1½ cups mashed potatoes 1½ cups cooked asparagus ½ cup breadcrumbs 2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion or ¼ teaspoon onion salt ½ teaspoon celery salt ¾ cup sliced hot dogs or meat of choice 2 tablespoons butter

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 2. Grease 9-inch pie pan. Pat mashed potatoes into pan, forming crust. 3. Drain asparagus and layer into bottom of crust. 4. In bowl, combine breadcrumbs, onion, and celery salt. Sprinkle over asparagus. 5. Arrange sliced hot dogs on top. Dot with butter. 6. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Note: Green beans can be used in the place of asparagus. A layer of cheese can also be added. Miriam Gingerich, Dalton, OH 16

GARDEN SCRAMBLE INGREDIENTS: 1 medium zucchini, peeled and cubed 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed 2 large potatoes, cubed 2 large red potatoes, cubed 1 medium green pepper, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 2. In large bowl, toss all ingredients together until well coated with oil and seasonings. Arrange in single layer on 10x15-inch baking pans. 3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally. 4. If desired, top servings with shredded cheese.

1 medium red pepper, chopped

Regina Yoder, Media, IL

1 small onion, sliced 3 medium carrots, chopped 4 garlic cloves, peeled 1 teaspoon basil 1 teaspoon oregano 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon garlic salt ½ teaspoon pepper ½ cup olive or canola oil

HARVEST CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS: 2 pounds ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped Salt and pepper to taste Sliced potatoes Carrots, cut into 1-inch sticks Celery, cut into 1-inch sticks 1 can tomato soup 1 can water Sliced green pepper Grated cheese

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In skillet, brown beef and onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 3. In 9x13-inch casserole dish, layer half of potatoes, carrot sticks, and celery sticks. Top with half of beef-and-onion mixture. Top with other half of potatoes, carrot sticks, and celery sticks. Top with remaining beef mixture. 4. In bowl, mix soup and water; pour over meat layer. Top with slices of green pepper. 5. Bake, covered, for 1 hour. 6. Top with grated cheese and bake 30 minutes. Miriam Gingerich, Dalton, OH

BEEF AND CABBAGE CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS: 1 medium onion, chopped 2 tablespoons butter 1 pound ground beef 1 cup finely shredded carrots 3 cups finely shredded cabbage 1 teaspoon salt Dash pepper 1 pint spaghetti sauce ½ cup grated cheese

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In large skillet, sauté onion in butter. Add beef and brown. 3. In 2-quart casserole dish, layer carrots and half of cabbage. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 4. Cover with browned beef. Press down slightly and top with remaining cabbage. 5. Pour spaghetti sauce over all. 6. Cover and bake for 1 hour or until cabbage is soft. 7. Add cheese on top and bake uncovered for 5 to 8 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Christina Hilty, Willshire, OH

POTATO PATCH CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS: 1 pound ground beef ½ cup chopped onion 1 egg 1 ⅓ cups milk ¼ cup breadcrumbs 1¼ teaspoons salt ¼ teaspoon celery salt ½ teaspoon pepper 4 tablespoons butter, divided ¼ cup milk 1 teaspoon salt ½ pound processed cheese (Velveeta or Meltz)

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In bowl, combine beef, onion, egg, milk, breadcrumbs, 1¼ teaspoons salt, celery salt, and pepper. 3. Shape mixture into small balls. Roll in flour. 4. In skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter and brown meatballs. Set aside. 5. In saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter in milk with 1 teaspoon salt. Add cheese. If needed, thicken with a little flour. 6. Place potatoes and carrots in 3- to 4-quart casserole dish. Top with meatballs and cover with cheese sauce. 7. Cover and bake for 1 hour.

4 cups cooked potatoes, chopped

Mrs. Menno Miller, Gallipolis, OH

10 ounces cooked carrots, chopped

BREAKFAST POTATO QUICHE INGREDIENTS: 3 cups shredded raw potato 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon chopped onion (optional) 1½ cups grated cheese 1½ cups cooked and diced sausage, ham, chicken, or beef 1 cup milk 2 eggs ½ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon pepper

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 2. Rinse potatoes with water. Drain. Mix in oil and onion. Press evenly into 9-inch pie pan. 3. Bake for 15 minutes. 4. Remove from oven and layer on cheese then sausage or other meat. 5. In bowl, mix milk, eggs, salt, pepper, and parsley. Pour over meat. 6. Return to oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes until browned. 7. Allow to cool a few minutes before serving.

1 teaspoon parsley flakes

Janet Weaver, Lititz, PA

ITALIAN CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES INGREDIENTS: 1 whole chicken Salt or poultry seasoning 8 cups cubed potatoes 3 cups sliced carrots 4 cups cubed butternut squash 1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian dressing

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 2. Sprinkle chicken with salt or your favorite poultry seasoning. 3. Bake for 1 hour. 4. Add potatoes, carrots, and squash around chicken. Pour Italian dressing over all. 5. Bake for additional 1½ hours until chicken pulls apart and vegetables are soft. Mrs. Atlee Yoder, Big Prairie, OH

STUFFED PEPPERS INGREDIENTS: 2 tablespoons butter 1 small onion 2 pounds ground beef Salt and pepper to taste 1½ to 2 cups water 1 cup rice 4 ounces cream cheese 1 cup sour cream 1 cup Velveeta cheese 1 cup pizza sauce 1 tablespoon taco seasoning 8 large bell peppers, cored and cut in half mozzarella cheese

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In skillet, brown butter. Sauté onion in butter. Add ground beef, salt, and pepper. 3. In saucepan, bring water to a boil. Immediately stir in rice and cover. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Don’t remove lid but move pan from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. 4. To beef, mix in cream cheese, sour cream, Velveeta cheese, pizza sauce, and taco seasoning. 5. Fluff rice and mix into beef. 6. Set pepper halves in baking dish. Fill peppers with beef mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese. 7. Bake for 45 minutes or until peppers are softened. 8. Note: You can also chop up peppers and mix them into beef mixture. Spread mixture into baking dish and top with cheese and bake for a yummy casserole. Mrs. Leroy (Barbara) Miller, Big Prairie, OH

EASY HAM CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS: 3 pounds potatoes, cubed 2 pounds ham, cooked and chopped ¼ cup chopped onion

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Mix all ingredients together. Place in casserole dish. 3. Bake for 1 to 1½ hours until potatoes are soft.

2 cups shredded cheese

Anna. M. Weaver, Mertztown, PA

½ cup milk 1 can cream of chicken soup 1½ cups sour cream ½ cup butter, melted Pepper to taste

EASY HAMBURGER CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS: 1 pound ground beef, browned 2 cups thin sliced potatoes ½ cup chopped onion ¼ cup chopped bell pepper 1 cup thin sliced carrots ½ teaspoon oregano

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In bottom of 2-quart casserole dish, place browned beef. Top with potatoes then onion, bell peppers, and carrots. Mix oregano, pepper, and salt into tomatoes and pour over vegetables. Top with cheese. 3. Cover and bake for 2 hours.

½ teaspoon pepper

Julia Wengerd, Allensville, PA

1 teaspoon salt 2 (16 ounce) cans tomatoes ½ cup shredded cheese