“Them that works hard, eats hearty.”Amish saying.

Nothing warms the belly like a hot, hearty soup after a long winter day working in the cold. Soups are a traditional part of Amish cooking and the Pennsylvania Dutch housewife can apparently soup out of anything. If she has only milk and flour she can still make rivel soup. However, most of their soups are sturdier dishes, hearty enough to serve as the major portion of the evening meal.

Sausage and Lentil Soup

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.
2. In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and add in the Italian sausage. Brown the sausage until it is cooked through.
3. Add in the onions, celery, carrots, zucchini, garlic, herbs and spices, cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often.
4. Add the chicken stock, canned tomatoes, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 ½ hours, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed to adjust the consistency of the soup. We tend to prefer ours a little on the thick side, so I add in about 3 cups half way through the cook time.
6. Check the seasonings – add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley.

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Amish “In A Hurry” Chicken and Dumplings

Need a hot meal in a hurry?

 This quick recipe creates a filling meal for 8 in only half an hour.

Ingredients

• 4 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cup milk
• 2 cup fresh or frozen peas and carrots

Dumplings:

• 2 cup flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp butter (softened)
• 1 cup milk

AMISH BEAN SOUP

The Amish have church every other Sunday. Afterwards, they always have a meal. Most often that meal is soup, ham, peanut butter and home-baked bread.

This soup is a popular one for these meals.

A thick, delicious Amish bean soup popular during the cold winter.

RECIPE:

• 1 1/4 cup dried navy beans
• 5 cups water
• 1 teaspoon molasses
• 1/2 cup salt pork, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 1/3 cup finely chopped celery leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 slices of bacon, cut into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup cooked carrots, diced
• 2 cups milk
• Salt to taste

• Rinse the beans well and remove any foreign debris.  
• Place the beans in 4 or 5 quart saucepan or Dutch oven.  
• Add the water and bring it to a boil.  Remove the pot from heat and let it stand covered for 2 to 24 hours.  (The longer the beans soak, the softer the finished beans and the thicker the broth.)
• Add the molasses, salt pork, celery leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Cover the pot and simmer 2 hours or until the beans are tender. Shake the pan or stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Cook the bacon and onion in a small skillet until the bacon is lightly browned. Mash the beans slightly. 
• Add the bacon, onion, carrots, and milk to the beans.  Add more salt to taste.  
• Cover and simmer the soup 10 minutes longer.  
• The soup is then ready to serve or can be cooked longer to desired consistency.