This is a delicious casserole. With some salad and fresh bread, it makes a meal.
The Pennsylvania Dutch are a hard working people and an Amish saying is, “Them that works hard, eats hearty.”
Get ready for a hearty and comforting dish that will transport you straight to grandma’s kitchen! These Amish Scalloped Potatoes with Ham are the perfect comfort food for a cold winter day. The creamy potatoes and savory ham will melt in your mouth, and the cheesy top will add a delicious crunch. Perfectly paired with a side salad or green beans, this dish is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. So gather your loved ones around the table and enjoy a comforting and delicious meal that will warm your hearts and souls.
Amish recipes are a blend of dishes from their many homelands and the ingredients grown in their newly adopted country which produced tasty dishes that have been handed down from mother to daughter for generations.
Ingredients
4 cups potatoes, thinly sliced
2 cups diced ham
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons flour
1-1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 tsp salt
Dash pepper
McCormick paprika, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter and then whisk in the flour. Let it cook for a minute and then add the milk; season with salt and pepper. While stirring, bring the mixture to a slow boil.
Place half of the sliced potatoes in a greased casserole dish. Add half the ham. Cover with half of the sauce. Repeat and sprinkle the top with paprika.
Bake for 1 hour and serve.
The Amish have a saying when asked how much of an ingredient you should put in a certain recipe. The answer is “however much is necessary.” Wie viel ist nötig.
You add however much is necessary to make a make a recipe work or to taste great. For example, if the tomatoes you use are too acidic, you can add a little sugar. If you like a lot of meat, add more. If you like a thicker sauce, add more tomato paste.
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped, about 3/4 cup
3 cloves garlic, minced, about 1 tablespoon
1/2 cup – fresh basil
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
4 whole cloves
Salt and pepper
Grated Parmesan and Pasta of choice
Cooked Pasta
Directions
Brown meat over medium high heat
Drain fat.
Add olive oil.
Add chopped onions and sauté until clear and tender.
Add minced garlic and stir about one minute.
Add basil, tomatoes and tomato paste, Balsamic vinegar, crushed red pepper and cloves.
Bring to a boil, then lower temperature to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 hours.
Remove the cloves from the sauce.
Stir pasta and sauce together. Sprinkle with cheese.
Enjoy.
A delicious breakfast idea. Can be frozen the night before and them baked in the morning.
Amish Snickerdoodle Toast
1 1/4 cups half and half cream
3 eggs, beaten
2 TBS sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
5 cups of cinnamon and sugar crispy sweetened cereal, (Cinnamon Toast Crunch), crushed
12 (3/4 inch thick) slices of Amish bread
Spray a 15 by 10 by 1 inch baking tray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Beat together the cream, eggs, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla in a shallow bowl. Place the crushed cereal in another bowl. dip the bread slices into the egg mixture, allowing it to sit for several minutes on both sides so that some of it is absorbed by the bread. Dip the soaked bread into the crushed cereal, coating it on both sides. Place on the prepared baking tray. When they are all dipped and coated and place on the pan.
Place in an oven that has been preheated to425*F
Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, turning over halfway through the baking period.
Ingredients:
3 cups Idaho potatoes, peeled, boiled and cut into cubes when cool, approx. 1 lb.
4 tablespoons butter…
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese, diced
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb. smoked sausage
1/8 teaspoon paprika
Cheese Potato & Smoked Sausage Casserole
Directions:
Cut skinless smoked sausage in half, lengthwise, and then chop into 1/2 inch “half moon” cuts.
Cook in a frying pan for about 15 minutes, turning frequently to SLIGHTLY brown.
Meanwhile, put cooked & diced potatoes in 2 quart casserole.
Add cooked meat and give it a gentle toss.
Mix all remaining ingredients (except for shredded cheddar cheese & the paprika) in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, melted and smooth. (Use a whisk and stir constantly.)
Pour white/cheese sauce over potatoes and meat.
Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top, and then sprinkle paprika evenly over the top.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes (watch, until golden brown on top).
Beyond the Horse and Buggy: Discovering the Hidden Charms of Plain City, Ohio’s Amish
The community’s shops and restaurants attract a lot of visitors. Yutzy’s Farm Market and the Cheese House are two examples.
Original tastes, creative comforts and new-found friendships will flavor your experience. This is a friendly, familiar American small town for a relaxing day trip or a week’s vacation.
Amish and Mennonite Communities
In Plain City and the surrounding countryside, visitors will see Amish families on their farmsteads and at local markets and shops. A visit is a great opportunity to learn about Amish culture and traditions, including one-room schooling, community service and socializing. Although the Amish differ on some aspects of religion, they all agree on two main points: complete obedience to their church and separating themselves from the outside world.
Amish are bi- and even tri-lingual; they speak a Low German dialect among themselves and High German for church services. They drive buggies and use a church wagon to transport the benches they use for their weekly church services, which alternate between members’ homes. Their children attend one-room schools until they are eight years old.
Although many Amish have religious objections to being photographed, they allow visitors to photograph their crafts and products. They also welcome visitors to visit their shops and restaurants, including the popular Der Dutchman Restaurant and Dutch Kitchen cooking school, Amish-owned furniture stores, cheese houses and farmers’ markets.
While the majority of Amish in Holmes County are Swartzentruber, significant numbers of Amish from other affiliations also live in the area. The Amish in Ashland and Medina Counties, for instance, follow stricter church rules, including an absolute ban on tobacco and automobiles for their youth. These residents use gray Slow Moving Vehicle triangles rather than orange, and they use white instead of black for their church wagons.
Businesses
As with any town, there are a variety of successful businesses that exist in Plain City. Among these are Jan And Tony’s, which has been around since 1991, and Pioneer Pizza, which is another well known pizza place that gets a lot of business. Another popular eatery is the Plain City Lanes, which offers bowling leagues and parties.
The town also has some smaller businesses, such as the Grainery, which is a music venue and restaurant that does a good amount of business in the summertime. There’s also the Red Hen, which serves breakfast and lunch meals. The newest addition is the Amish Door Village, which does triple duty by offering restaurants, lodging and shopping.
One of the biggest attractions is the annual Plain City Steam Threshers show, where you can see different types of steam engines and agricultural machinery in action. It’s a fun and educational experience for people of all ages, and it draws in large crowds of people from across the state.
Another popular attraction is Pastime Park, which has a number of events throughout the year and hosts many of the town’s big festivals. There are baseball and softball fields, sand volleyball courts, playgrounds and a public swimming pool that all get lots of use. The town is also home to the Plain City Performing Arts Center, which stages various shows throughout the year.
Tourist Attractions
Hundred-year-old covered bridges, remnants of tallgrass prairie and the occasional arrowhead unearthed from a farmer’s field are just part of what makes Plain City so unique. The town’s people still live on the land of their great-grandparents and enjoy the simple, homemade food of a time gone by.
There are a number of other places to visit in the Amish community. You can find shops that sell wood furniture (the Amish are fine craftsmen) such as Yoder Cabinets and Berlin Village Gift Barn. There are also many specialty food stores. Troyer’s Trail Bologna is one of the best known. You will also find plenty of homemade craft and antique stores.
While many of the restaurants in this area serve only non-alcoholic beverages, there are a number of wineries. The Ugly Bunny Winery, Sunny Slope Winery, Doughty Glen Winery and Swiss Heritage Wine Cellars are all worth a stop. Be sure to keep an eye out for the horse-drawn buggies when driving through the countryside. The Amish believe that a picture of themselves is a graven image and do not allow pictures in their homes or have them on the backs of their cars.
Things to Do
The village is known for its Amish culture and offers visitors a chance to step back in time to experience the way of life that has been largely unchanged for centuries. Guests can explore Amish farms, attractions and tours, shop for handmade crafts or chow down on authentic Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine.
The Amish community is active in the local government, and residents are encouraged to become involved by serving on committees that focus on a variety of topics, from parks and recreation to zoning. The village council meets on the second and fourth Monday of every month. The public is welcome to attend and will be given two minutes per topic to address the council.
There are plenty of things to do in Plain City, from petting bristly pigs at a farm to relaxing with a glass of wine and acoustic music. The village is also home to a number of locally owned businesses, including Mark Troyer Builders, Yutzy Brothers Plumbing and Miller’s Furniture/Amish Wood Shop. Those looking to sew their own clothes will find everything they need at D&J Fabrics, while Coblentz Chocolates will satisfy the sweet tooth of any visitor.
The median household income in Plain City is $73,351 and the average individual income is $48,402. Most residents of this village are homeowners with only 23% renting their homes.
And don’t forget Der Dutchman for a taste of Amish cooking and a chance to sit in an Amish buggy booth.
