Wednesday, February 4, 2026
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Lettuce Eat Local: A is for Avocado

By
tammiehoeme
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0

Amanda Miller
Columnist
Lettuce Eat Local

It’s beginning to look a lot like…school time! Pencils, markers, and notepads have been on sale for several weeks now, with “Back to School” slogans everywhere. As someone who doesn’t have school-age kids yet, the real way I can tell it’s that time is when my Facebook feed is plastered with those sweet first day of school photos. 

I can still say “yet” in regards to school-age, but I know that distinction will disappear in less than a jiffy. We don’t exactly know at this point what direction we plan for our kids’ school attendance to take, whether homeschool, microschool, private, or public, and we’ll naively enjoy telling ourselves we have plenty of time to decide…right? 

I was homeschooled all 12 grades and it was perfect for me, so it would be easy for me to assume that would be the best route for my kids, too. However, Brian was also homeschooled almost all the way, and he did not love it, which is a good reminder that our kids are not me —  and I am also not my mom, and I am very intimidated at the thought of being responsible for my childrens’ learning.

However it works out, one of the educational milestones that feels so incredible to me is learning to read. Who knows if I actually do, but I tell myself I remember as a four-year-old coming out onto the porch to show my parents my new skill of reading. The first book I read was Dick and Jane, and I’m just glad that riveting plotline (see Spot run!) didn’t throw me off of literature forever.

When Benson was discharged from the NICU after treatment for his potential brain damage at birth, the doctors said one of the best things we could do for his development would be to read to him daily. I thought it was a little silly and annoying to try and read to a baby who was too young to understand or who only wanted to eat the pages, and I definitely didn’t get it done every day in the early months. However, books are some of that boy’s favorite things now — them, his yellow skidsteer toy, and his inside bicycle win the prize for longest-lasting obsessions so far. 

I can tell if he wakes up before his light turns green (meaning he can get up) in the mornings by the thud! thud! of books being tossed from his bed as he finishes looking at them; we get what’s coming to us if we ever suggest it’s too late for bedtime stories. The library is one of his best-loved places to adventure to, even though the sorrow caused by needing to return animal encyclopedias can be almost too deep for words. 

Benson has known the alphabet for quite a while (I’m sure he’s some kind of child prodigy), and he went through a few-weeks long interval when he was constantly singing The Song. It was mostly adorable, unless of course you wanted him to finish brushing his teeth, eat lunch, go to sleep, do anything besides chant the ABCs. He always added his own spin at the end, and instead of, “Next time won’t you sing with me,” he would make it situationally relevant. “Next time won’t you cut cucumbers with me,” “push feed with me,” “change pjs with me.” 

Like I said, adorable. In keeping with the new school year and alphabetical theme, I decided to attach a theme to my articles for the next 26 weeks. You can probably guess what direction I’m headed. 

Next time won’t you eat the ABCs with me?

 

A Very Herby Guacamole

We usually say A is for Apple, but Avocado was both of my kids’ first food so it seemed right to start with. Plus you know I love avocados so any excuse to feature them is a good one in my book. It seems like almost all guacamoles are the same, which is on purpose since they’re so good, but I had seen a recipe using a whole bunch of herbs, so I threw in what I had on hand. While I’ll still default to the OG style, this was a lovely divergence. 

Prep tips: choose avocados that are firm but with a smidge of give, and try to get ones with that little nubbin still in the top. 

a couple avocados

coarse salt

a small handful each of fresh cilantro, basil, tarragon, chives, and mint

optional lime juice

Scoop out the avocados and mash lightly, until smoothly chunky. Stir in remaining ingredients to taste, not neglecting the salt. 

Lovina and Her Family Celebrate an Anniversary and Birthdays

By
tammiehoeme
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0

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen
Lovina Eitcher,
Old Order Amish
Cook, Wife &
Mother of Eight

We are in the middle of August already. Happy ninth anniversary (on August 14) to daughter Elizabeth and Tim. May they have many more happy, healthy years together. God has blessed them with four sweet children: Abigail, 7, Timothy (T.J.), 5, Allison, 4, and Andrea, 2. 

Grandson Byron turned a year old on August 7. He is taking a few steps, so I’m sure it won’t be long until he is running around with his “big” brother Denzel. 

Granddaughter Kaitlyn (Ervin and Susan) is excited about her upcoming birthday. She will be 8 on August 18. She and Abigail are three weeks apart in age with Abigail turning 8 on September 10. They have become the best of friends since becoming “cousins” several years ago. They are my two oldest grandchildren out of the 12. 

On Saturday, our family all gathered at daughter Loretta and Dustin’s house to help with preparations for son Joseph and Graces’s wedding, which will be in a little over three weeks. It is coming up fast. Lots of jobs were accomplished Saturday. The roof on one side of the house was redone. This was a job Dustin needed to have done quite a while already. The manure was hauled out to the fields and lots of weed trimming done. Windows were cleaned, and her back porch was cleaned thoroughly. Lunch was brought in by all of us. We furnished the hot food, which was barbequed chicken and creamed potatoes. Also on the menu was ham and cheese sandwiches, cucumber salad, pudding, muskmelon, and ice cream. 

On my to-do list this week is sewing for the wedding. I have my suit cut out but need to sew it. I will help daughter Lovina with hers and also daughter Verena. I really hope I can get all that done this week, but canning season is here, and I will need to put our tomatoes into juice one day. I also want to make another batch of salsa. I have my corn in the freezer and also green beans. We have lots of hot peppers, but I don’t need more in cans, so I’ll let one of the girls have them to can. 

We have had lots of peppers on the grill already. We have sweet bananas and jalapeños. The sweet bananas are not hot for those that don’t care for the spice. We mix shredded Colby cheese and cream cheese. After taking out the seeds, we stuff the peppers with the cheese mixture, then wrap them with a slice of bacon. We use toothpicks to hold the bacon in place. We grill them on the charcoal grill.

On Sunday, I made broasted chicken for the first time. I usually fry or bake our chicken or Joe grills it, but I always wanted to try broasting it in the deep fryer. I made my own breading for the chicken and just guessed on what to put in it such as flour, corn meal, seasonings, etc. It was a success, and everyone loved it. Son Joseph wasn’t here Sunday evening, and I put a few leftover pieces in his lunch. When he came home from work, he asked who made that chicken. He said the flavor was so good, and he really liked it. Since he does construction work, he doesn’t have a way to heat food up, but he still likes cold chicken in his lunch. 

I also made fries after I made the chicken on Sunday. Dustin and Loretta’s little boys love fries. It was nice to cook everything on the porch. Dustin had marinated a pork roast that he cooked on the grill to add to our menu. 

Daughter Verena and Daniel Ray (her special friend) were here for supper as well. We played Phase 10 with Dustin, Loretta, and them. 

Wishing everyone God’s many blessings!

Gingersnap Cookies

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda 

1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt. Blend well. Beat oil, egg, brown sugar, and molasses. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture, blending as you add. Repeat until all the flour is added. Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll in the cinnamon sugar and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her three cookbooks, The Cherished Table, The Essential Amish Cookbook, and Amish Family Recipes, are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, PO Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email [email protected] and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.

 

Carrot Cake

By
Debbie Dance Uhrig
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0

The column is going to be short this week as I am overwhelmed with things on the home-front. My dad, Jerry, passed on to glory this past Thursday and we are preparing for his celebration of life. At the family breakfast we are actually serving his favorite cake, carrot cake. I’ve become acquainted with a very special bakery in Quincy, Illinois this past week. ‘Underbrinks’ made us some beautiful baked goods to serve during the visitation. While we were there I even picked up ‘bobber’ cookies to go with the fishing pole theme.

Like myself, dad was a coffee ‘hound’. Always seeking out a great cup of coffee. We start the day with coffee, break in the afternoon for a sweet with coffee and round up the evening with a cup of decaf. So, the ‘bobber’ cookies go with the cup of coffee I’m placing near him at the services.

Like many of you I’ve tried to create a celebration of life that would use many members of our family, not just the minister. It feels like all of us are giving him a powerful send off. We’re even having grits for breakfast, another of his favorites.

OK gang the clock is ticking for me, and I’ve got much to do before morning. Try the recipe, I guess the apple doesn’t far from the tree because carrot cake is my favorite cake too! Simply yours, The Covered Dish.

Carrot Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup light vegetable oil, canola

1 cup white sugar

1 cup buttermilk

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups grated carrots

1 (8.5 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained.

(This is actually about 5-6 ounces of pineapple.)

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

1/2 cup coconut (optional)

1/2 cup – 1 cup raisins, could soak ahead of time

1 medium-large orange, zested into batter, or about 2 tablespoons

Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl blending with a whisk. In a separate bowl bring the oil into the white and brown sugar, gradually add din the buttermilk and eggs. Stir the mixture into the dry ingredients. The carrots, pineapple, pecans, coconut, raisins and zest can be added into the batter at the very end.

To give your cake a little kick considers soaking the raisins overnight in a nice rum before bringing them into the recipe.

When baking a tiered cake, I usually start with 2 cups in each tier and then div ide the remaining dough evenly.

Makes (1) 9 x 13 pan or 3 nine-inch rounds, greased. Bake in 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes with the 9 x 13. With the rounds bake for about 25 minutes.

Cream Cheese Icing

(One batch is fine for 9 x 13, but a tiered cake will need a double batch.)

2 cups powdered sugar (one pound)

1/2 stick softened butter (1/4 cup)

8 ounces softened cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

Orange zest to taste, approx. 2 teaspoons

Additional pecan pieces to sprinkle over icing, if desired.

9 x 13 or (3) inch rounds, greased.

Charlie and the Salesman

By
Steve Gilliland
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0

My niece raises and sells project pigs to kids for their 4H fair projects, and after seeing pictures of some of the kids at various county fairs with pigs purchased from her, and after reminiscing about some of the fond memories that brought back of my own county fair experiences when I was a kid, this story came to mind.

We grew up on an Ohio farm about ten miles from the nearest large town, and our farm set at the end of a gravel lane nearly one-tenth of a mile long. Though we weren’t quite in the middle of nowhere, we could see it from our front porch. There was always livestock of some variety around because we five kids were all active in 4-H and FFA. One of the resident animals was a big, red Duroc boar hog named Charlie. Even though Charlie, at over four hundred pounds, was just a big pussycat, that’s still a lot of pussycat, so Charlie came and went pretty much as he pleased. This was before the days of one-piece fence panels, and woven wire fence was barely a challenge to him. We soon learned that the rule of thumb was, if Charlie could get his nose through something, the rest of him would soon follow! We tried electric fence with equal results. If he got as much as a snout hair under the electric wire before he felt the jolt, it just incited him to continue forward taking several feet of the electric fence with him. The bottom line here is that Charlie pretty much had the run of the place and ruled the roost. As I remember, the reason we put up with him was because he didn’t root or tear things up like you’d expect a four-hundred-pound hog to do, and since our place sat so far from the road, and Charlie being a hog and all, he evidently didn’t have the ambition or drive to navigate his big carcass clear to the road and get into any trouble there either. He’d get out in the morning, graze around the barnyard and loll in the shade all day, then find his way back in again at night; quite unusual to say the least. All he seemed to require of us was his feed at night and a good belly scratch each time we passed him.

Mom had an upholstery shop built onto our house, and did a goodly amount of business, so there was a lot of traffic in-and-out of our long lane. Evidently, enough of her customers were from surrounding farming communities that if Charlie happened to be wandering about, they paid him no mind. Even the UPS drivers had learned to ignore Charlie when he greeted them from the middle of the drive. Occasionally, however, she’d get a visiting salesman from one of her fabric companies out of state, and these guys usually came straight from the “big city.” One particular day, while working away in her shop, she suddenly heard a vehicle horn blaring from the driveway. Looking out the window, she saw one of the big city salesmen sitting in his van in front of her shop, one hand smashing the horn button as he peered frightfully out the driver’s side window. “Odd,” she thought. But even stranger was the fact that the whole van was rocking and wobbling as if being shaken by an earthquake.

This is probably as good a place as any to stop the story and tell you a little bit about our mom. Mom was about as big around as a minute and weighted about as much. She was a small spitfire of a lady who always had a cup of coal-black coffee in her hand (probably explaining her feistiness.) She loved nothing more than creating elegant pieces of furniture for people in her upholstery shop, but all the while remained as common as a

dandelion. She loved to laugh and joke and would rather listen to the rock and roll songs my buddies and I played than anything.

So there sat the big-city salesman with an expression on his face like his whole life was passing before him, his eyes as big as hubcaps, in his van that was rocking and reeling like one of those old coin operated kiddy rides in front of the grocery store. Mom walked into the yard to unravel the mystery, and as she rounded the front of the van, there were all four hundred pounds of Charlie gleefully scratching himself on the front bumper! I’d love to have heard the conversation around the water cooler the next day that salesman was back at his company. “Come on guys, I’m serious! I really was trapped in my van in the middle of nowhere by Hogzilla! It was a huge, beastly red thing that weighed fifteen hundred pounds and could look through the windshield right into my eyes! If you don’t believe me, go look at the red hair on the bumper.”

Now, knowing my mother, that salesman sat there for a while longer; not on purpose mind you, but because it would’ve been tough for her to chase away a four-hundred-pound hog and roll with laughter at the same time. So goes the story of Charlie and the salesman. I don’t remember what ever happened to Charlie, but he probably died of old age as he may have even been too tough for sausage. I used to scoff when people would get all misty-eyed over memories, but danged if that doesn’t happen easier to me the older I get…Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.

Steve can be contacted by email at [email protected]

“Food Anaphylaxis”

By
Guest Columnist
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0

True food allergic reactions cause anaphylaxis. Eating even a tiny bit of the allergenic food causes the patient to quickly develop symptoms that can include shortness of breath, hives, vomiting, diarrhea, throat swelling, passing out, and at times it can be fatal. The patient makes IgE allergy antibody to the food. The cause of the reactions can be determined by the history and confirmed by allergy skin or blood testing.

Once we know the allergenic food, a treatment plan can be put into place. The three parts are avoidance, epinephrine, and becoming less allergic.

Avoiding the allergenic food prevents reactions. Reading labels, thinking about ways of cross contamination, and ways people interact are all essential. An excellent resource on avoidance is the Food Allergy Research and Education national support group (foodallergy.org). Remember-the food has to be eaten to cause full anaphylaxis. Contact is only going to cause some hives.

Unfortunately, three percent of patients experience an accidental ingestion and have a reaction every year. Epinephrine injections can be life-saving. All patients need access to epinephrine. The epinephrine needs to be given right away and the patient taken promptly to the emergency room for ongoing care. No other medication changes the outcome of an anaphylactic reaction. We used to think antihistamines could help—they do not.

A new method of becoming less allergic was approved in March 2024. This product is Xolair (omalizumab). Xolair decreases the allergy antibody IgE so that when the patient has a small exposure to their allergen they are far less likely to have a bad anaphylaxis. It is not a cure. The treatment is a program of ongoing injections. They can help any kind of food allergy and works even if the patient has multiple food allergies.

Becoming less allergic has been done longer for peanut allergy using the product called Palforzia. It is a peanut powder that one takes daily to become less allergic. This means that you are far less likely to react to a small amount of peanut. It is not a cure. The Palforzia has a higher allergic reaction side effect profile than the Xolair does. Both therapies can make a huge impact for the right patients. Other treatments such as allergy drops don’t help enough to be approved by the FDA and are not recommended.

Don’t miss out–by working with your allergist, primary care physician, dietician, school, daycare center, and family, the food allergic patient can make the most of their life!

Mark E. Bubak, M.D. practicing in Sioux Falls, South Dakota is a contributing Prairie Doc® columnist and owner of Dakota Allergy and Asthma. He is certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology to care for adults and children with asthma and allergies. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org and on Facebook and Instagram featuring On Call with the Prairie Doc® a medical Q&A show celebrating its 22nd season of health information based on science, built on trust, streaming live on Facebook most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central.

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