Ten years ago, this blog began on a whim that blossomed into an extraordinary compilation of our Mennonite recipes. Ten women volunteered to make, photograph and post on this blog so that our families and future generations will have this integral part of our heritage preserved. The first idea for MGCC began during a sleepless night on June 5th, 2008. By 9 AM the next morning I had sent out a casual invitation on my personal blog. It was Vee who commented on that post saying "Sounds like great fun! I know you Mennonite gals know how to cook!!" That is how the name Mennonite Girls Can Cook came to be. There was no business plan or goal as to how many recipes we would post. It is because of how it all fell into place that we have known in our hearts that God provided an opportunity for us to use the gifts He gave us, to bless others, and to give Him glory. I love telling the story of how we were so thrilled to realize that our blog was being read. Within the first week, we were tracking several hundred visitors per day. Later we admitted it was only the ten of us coming back over and over to see if we had any comments on our recipes. It wasn't long though and you really did come to visit our blog and you kept coming back and your encouragement took us from the beginning idea of posting our Mennonite heritage recipes to also include our family favorite recipes and experiments from our own kitchens. It is now not unusual for us to welcome over ten thousand page views on any given day. We are so delighted that this has become a place where recipes are searched, and where we have been able to freely share our faith. We also recognize that God led us to make some decisions back when it all began. We decided that if there was ever a way for us to raise money from anything connected to the blog, we would feed hungry children. We decided we would keep our blog beautiful without automated advertisements. Our sponsors on our sidebar quietly have donated to our charities and we have appreciated them for their generosity. We also decided that we wouldn't pursue a publisher but if one approached us we would welcome an invitation to do a cookbook. In the spring of 2010, we were approached by Amy Gingerich the Editor of Herald Press, to see if we wanted to do a cookbook with them. Our original Mennonite Girls Can Cookbook featuring Mennonite Recipes and our family favorites became a Canadian bestseller within a few months thanks to all of you who bought up books everywhere they were available. Early in 2012, we started to work on our Celebrations book which was a delight to create as we reflected all the seasons that we have experienced in life. During that summer, we met together once more to take photos and have a very special tea time that we shared with you in the pages of the book. Our Bread for the Journey book was published to coincide with the opening of the play Mennonite Girls Can Cook. This book has been a place where we have shared our Mennonite family history stories and have shared what our faith means to us in daily living. We used that opportunity to put into print some of the recipes that have been most searched on the blog. We have been reflecting in our daily chats with one another how we had never ever imagined the opportunities to share. Television interviews across Canada, newspaper and magazine interviews, traveling for book signings, cooking demonstrations, speaking opportunities, and the play called Mennonite Girls Can Cook have all had an impact on increasing our visibility. We are so thankful for all those that donated to projects on our behalf. We realize that God gave us this journey of ten women for a purpose. God gave each of us a gift and we have sought to be faithful in sharing that gift with you through our recipes, our books and through our devotionals. So I ask you to make full use of the gift God gave you when I placed my hands on you. Use it well. 2 Timothy 1:6 There is still a lot for us to accomplish on our blog. While we will not be posting new recipes, we will continue to tweak our past recipes, redo some old photos and rework our recipe index to make it easier to find your favorites. Our best recipes will be highlighted during the different seasons of the year. You can be sure that the new year will begin with Portzelky, Paska will be front and center at Easter, Rollkuchen in summer, harvest recipes in fall and Oma's cookies at Christmas. We feel certain that there are many recipes that you haven't tried and we hope that by making the recipe index easier to navigate, you will feel inspired to search and try something new to you. There are many things that we will miss, most of all, our connections with you through your faithful comments. Thank you for your encouragement that kept us motivated to do our work to the best of our ability. Thank you also, for all the cookbooks and devotional books that you have purchased in the past and will continue to purchase. Every dollar that we earn through those cookbooks will continue to provide clean water for the thirsty, and food for the hungry. Because of your support, we have been richly blessed to give where God has led us. Before I press the publish button for the last time, I want to tell you about the beautiful women that have worked alongside me. They have all had such a vital impact on my life. They have encouraged me in my walk with God. They have encouraged me to strive for excellence. They have opened their hearts to friendship and unity. They have allowed me to glean the wisdom they have and they are faithful to pray for needs within our group and are quick to bring praise to God. None of them signed up to take turns posting recipes every day for ten years and yet as this project grew, their hearts were open to using their gifts knowing that it could help others. I pray that wherever God leads them in the years to follow that they will continue to inspire others with the beautiful gifts they have. When I tell you how each is unique, you will understand how we have needed each other and how our group was brought together by God. We have become faithful friends because we have been thankful for each other. Anneliese opens her home with joy to host and to serve. Anneliese has the gift of creative writing. She has used her gift to edit our books and to write poetry and stories that warm our hearts with truths. She has often helped me in thinking through how to communicate something in writing. When you have reached out to us on our contact page, it has been Anneliese who answered your questions. In Anneliese, I value her sincere heart, her example of hospitality, and her attention to detail. Betty delights in serving. She is well known for treats she brings to appointments, workplaces, and is a source of take-out meals for those she loves. Every Saturday morning, Betty has sent out an email to all of us, reminding us of our scheduled recipes. She never missed a Saturday and she never forgot to post her own recipe. In Betty, I value her cheerfulness, her patience, and her humility. Charlotte has the gift of caring deeply about people with compassion and empathy. She is gentle and kind and looks for ways to bless others. Her large friendship circle is a testimony to the way she treats those she knows. Charlotte has forwarded the comments and questions that you have made on our posts to us. In Charlotte, I value her capacity to love unconditionally, her listening ear and her empathy. Bev somehow manages to juggle many things in a day and still host neighbors, family, friends and those that stop by, without exhibiting any bother or fuss. She truly loves to host and does it with flare. Bev also is generous and willing to help wherever help is needed. Bev has diligently indexed all the recipes making it easy when you are wondering what to make. In Bev, I value her willingness, her honesty and her heart of reconciliation. Ellen has the gift of hospitality that she shares with family and friends and their church group. Ellen has been our voice on Facebook, always introducing each mornings recipe in a way that will pique your interest. In Ellen, I value the twinkle in her eye, the way she listens before speaking and her discernment. Judy is our calm and steady peacemaker who encourages and sees the best in everyone. She has a keen eye for detail and has often quietly tweaked our spelling and grammar in the morning when necessary. Judy has been faithful in posting our daily recipes to Pinterest. In Judy, I value her sense of diplomacy, her logical thinking, and her kindness. Julie is a prayer warrior. If you have ever requested prayer on our blog, it has most often been Julie that has led us in prayer with her tender compassion and empathy. Julie is always cheerful and gives the best hugs. Julie is faithful to teach the gospel wherever God gives her opportunities. In Julie, I value her joyfulness, her love to understand scripture and her imaginative mind. Kathy is encouraging and has a joyful spontaneity that is enjoyed by all who know her. Her gift of hospitality spills out of her home and into wherever life takes her. She is a skillful communicator and efficient in managing her time. In Kathy, I value her inclusivity, her words that encourage and her sense of responsibility. Kathy and Marg have been our sponsor liaisons. Marg has a delightful adventurous spirit. She has shown us what courage and faith look like when tragedy strikes. Behind the scenes, Marg has organized our schedule for our Bread for the Journey Sunday devotionals. In Marg, I value her joy in nurturing, her generosity and her authenticity. We are so very thankful for you our readers that have given us a platform to share our joy of hospitality! We want to leave you with a blessing from the Bible. "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face towards you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26 NIV

Why do Anabaptists make rules about what the head covering should look like? Have they always done this or when did they start? Why did we start refusing certain types of head coverings as not bei…

Ten years ago, this blog began on a whim that blossomed into an extraordinary compilation of our Mennonite recipes. Ten women volunteered to make, photograph and post on this blog so that our families and future generations will have this integral part of our heritage preserved. The first idea for MGCC began during a sleepless night on June 5th, 2008. By 9 AM the next morning I had sent out a casual invitation on my personal blog. It was Vee who commented on that post saying "Sounds like great fun! I know you Mennonite gals know how to cook!!" That is how the name Mennonite Girls Can Cook came to be. There was no business plan or goal as to how many recipes we would post. It is because of how it all fell into place that we have known in our hearts that God provided an opportunity for us to use the gifts He gave us, to bless others, and to give Him glory. I love telling the story of how we were so thrilled to realize that our blog was being read. Within the first week, we were tracking several hundred visitors per day. Later we admitted it was only the ten of us coming back over and over to see if we had any comments on our recipes. It wasn't long though and you really did come to visit our blog and you kept coming back and your encouragement took us from the beginning idea of posting our Mennonite heritage recipes to also include our family favorite recipes and experiments from our own kitchens. It is now not unusual for us to welcome over ten thousand page views on any given day. We are so delighted that this has become a place where recipes are searched, and where we have been able to freely share our faith. We also recognize that God led us to make some decisions back when it all began. We decided that if there was ever a way for us to raise money from anything connected to the blog, we would feed hungry children. We decided we would keep our blog beautiful without automated advertisements. Our sponsors on our sidebar quietly have donated to our charities and we have appreciated them for their generosity. We also decided that we wouldn't pursue a publisher but if one approached us we would welcome an invitation to do a cookbook. In the spring of 2010, we were approached by Amy Gingerich the Editor of Herald Press, to see if we wanted to do a cookbook with them. Our original Mennonite Girls Can Cookbook featuring Mennonite Recipes and our family favorites became a Canadian bestseller within a few months thanks to all of you who bought up books everywhere they were available. Early in 2012, we started to work on our Celebrations book which was a delight to create as we reflected all the seasons that we have experienced in life. During that summer, we met together once more to take photos and have a very special tea time that we shared with you in the pages of the book. Our Bread for the Journey book was published to coincide with the opening of the play Mennonite Girls Can Cook. This book has been a place where we have shared our Mennonite family history stories and have shared what our faith means to us in daily living. We used that opportunity to put into print some of the recipes that have been most searched on the blog. We have been reflecting in our daily chats with one another how we had never ever imagined the opportunities to share. Television interviews across Canada, newspaper and magazine interviews, traveling for book signings, cooking demonstrations, speaking opportunities, and the play called Mennonite Girls Can Cook have all had an impact on increasing our visibility. We are so thankful for all those that donated to projects on our behalf. We realize that God gave us this journey of ten women for a purpose. God gave each of us a gift and we have sought to be faithful in sharing that gift with you through our recipes, our books and through our devotionals. So I ask you to make full use of the gift God gave you when I placed my hands on you. Use it well. 2 Timothy 1:6 There is still a lot for us to accomplish on our blog. While we will not be posting new recipes, we will continue to tweak our past recipes, redo some old photos and rework our recipe index to make it easier to find your favorites. Our best recipes will be highlighted during the different seasons of the year. You can be sure that the new year will begin with Portzelky, Paska will be front and center at Easter, Rollkuchen in summer, harvest recipes in fall and Oma's cookies at Christmas. We feel certain that there are many recipes that you haven't tried and we hope that by making the recipe index easier to navigate, you will feel inspired to search and try something new to you. There are many things that we will miss, most of all, our connections with you through your faithful comments. Thank you for your encouragement that kept us motivated to do our work to the best of our ability. Thank you also, for all the cookbooks and devotional books that you have purchased in the past and will continue to purchase. Every dollar that we earn through those cookbooks will continue to provide clean water for the thirsty, and food for the hungry. Because of your support, we have been richly blessed to give where God has led us. Before I press the publish button for the last time, I want to tell you about the beautiful women that have worked alongside me. They have all had such a vital impact on my life. They have encouraged me in my walk with God. They have encouraged me to strive for excellence. They have opened their hearts to friendship and unity. They have allowed me to glean the wisdom they have and they are faithful to pray for needs within our group and are quick to bring praise to God. None of them signed up to take turns posting recipes every day for ten years and yet as this project grew, their hearts were open to using their gifts knowing that it could help others. I pray that wherever God leads them in the years to follow that they will continue to inspire others with the beautiful gifts they have. When I tell you how each is unique, you will understand how we have needed each other and how our group was brought together by God. We have become faithful friends because we have been thankful for each other. Anneliese opens her home with joy to host and to serve. Anneliese has the gift of creative writing. She has used her gift to edit our books and to write poetry and stories that warm our hearts with truths. She has often helped me in thinking through how to communicate something in writing. When you have reached out to us on our contact page, it has been Anneliese who answered your questions. In Anneliese, I value her sincere heart, her example of hospitality, and her attention to detail. Betty delights in serving. She is well known for treats she brings to appointments, workplaces, and is a source of take-out meals for those she loves. Every Saturday morning, Betty has sent out an email to all of us, reminding us of our scheduled recipes. She never missed a Saturday and she never forgot to post her own recipe. In Betty, I value her cheerfulness, her patience, and her humility. Charlotte has the gift of caring deeply about people with compassion and empathy. She is gentle and kind and looks for ways to bless others. Her large friendship circle is a testimony to the way she treats those she knows. Charlotte has forwarded the comments and questions that you have made on our posts to us. In Charlotte, I value her capacity to love unconditionally, her listening ear and her empathy. Bev somehow manages to juggle many things in a day and still host neighbors, family, friends and those that stop by, without exhibiting any bother or fuss. She truly loves to host and does it with flare. Bev also is generous and willing to help wherever help is needed. Bev has diligently indexed all the recipes making it easy when you are wondering what to make. In Bev, I value her willingness, her honesty and her heart of reconciliation. Ellen has the gift of hospitality that she shares with family and friends and their church group. Ellen has been our voice on Facebook, always introducing each mornings recipe in a way that will pique your interest. In Ellen, I value the twinkle in her eye, the way she listens before speaking and her discernment. Judy is our calm and steady peacemaker who encourages and sees the best in everyone. She has a keen eye for detail and has often quietly tweaked our spelling and grammar in the morning when necessary. Judy has been faithful in posting our daily recipes to Pinterest. In Judy, I value her sense of diplomacy, her logical thinking, and her kindness. Julie is a prayer warrior. If you have ever requested prayer on our blog, it has most often been Julie that has led us in prayer with her tender compassion and empathy. Julie is always cheerful and gives the best hugs. Julie is faithful to teach the gospel wherever God gives her opportunities. In Julie, I value her joyfulness, her love to understand scripture and her imaginative mind. Kathy is encouraging and has a joyful spontaneity that is enjoyed by all who know her. Her gift of hospitality spills out of her home and into wherever life takes her. She is a skillful communicator and efficient in managing her time. In Kathy, I value her inclusivity, her words that encourage and her sense of responsibility. Kathy and Marg have been our sponsor liaisons. Marg has a delightful adventurous spirit. She has shown us what courage and faith look like when tragedy strikes. Behind the scenes, Marg has organized our schedule for our Bread for the Journey Sunday devotionals. In Marg, I value her joy in nurturing, her generosity and her authenticity. We are so very thankful for you our readers that have given us a platform to share our joy of hospitality! We want to leave you with a blessing from the Bible. "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face towards you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26 NIV

Mennonite beliefs closely reflect those of other Christian denominations, with some exceptions. Get the true story of what it means to be a Mennonite.

Amish and Mennonites are diverse groups with some similarities Amish and Mennonites share numerous similarities. However, this question is more complicated than it may first appear. That's because the Amish are a diverse group - and so are the churches that fall under the Mennonite umbrella. Below, a look at some similarities and differences between

Two Old Order Mennonite sisters at the Amish School fund raising auction sale, held in Wellesley Township, Ontario this year.

Simple, hearty, comforting, and practical — this is what Amish and Mennonite cooking is all about.

Helping you understand the difference between Amish and Mennonites (from a Mennonite perspective).

The weather is perfect, and as trees prepare their annual display of fall colors, there’s no better time to plan a day trip through the Lake area. A trip through Mennonite country can give a unique perspective on a thriving community in central Missouri.

Simple, hearty, comforting, and practical — this is what Amish and Mennonite cooking is all about.

Includes index

This is an old recipe that got circled around the Mennonites a generation ago and I’m not sure who still makes it. My mom made about 6 recipes to add to other goodies at our (large) wedding reception and so they still have a special memory attached to them for me. The only sugar in this light, flaky little twist is the sugar that you roll them in. You can make them in a vanilla or cinnamon flavor. The aroma that wafts out of the oven when you bake them is reason enough to try them! Ingredients: 1 cup butter 4 eggs 1 cup whipping cream 1/2 cup warm water ½ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons instant yeast 4 ½ - 5 cups flour, divided Sugar Coating: 1 ½ cups sugar ¼ teaspoon vanilla powder OR 1 teaspoon cinnamon Method: Melt and cool (so it’s not still hot) 1 cup butter. Beat eggs well in large mixing bowl. Add whipping cream, salt, water, 2 cups flour mixed with yeast, and butter, stirring each in well. Add the rest of the flour until it is well kneaded. (forms a ball around hook of kneading machine attachment, if using machine) It makes a nice smooth dough that is not sticky at all. Cover and refrigerate 6 hours, or overnight. Line 3 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Divide dough into 3 parts. Take one part at a time and shape into a log roll. Then, using sugar/vanilla mix or sugar/cinnamon mix for rolling out, roll into a 6 x 18 inch strip. Keep sprinkling sugar under and on top of dough as you roll. Cut into 1/2 inch strips. To form “ringlets” (icicles) twirl each strip around the upper part of your right index finger, slip off and push into a tight ringlet as you place them on cookie sheets. Bake at 350° F about 20 minutes. If you don’t use parchment paper, sprinkle flour on your sheets - but it is important that you loosen or remove icicles with lifter as soon as you’ve taken them out of the oven, or the sugar hardens, making it difficult to remove them later. This is a large recipe. It sounds like a lot of work, but mixing is quick and then you refrigerate it for night. In the morning it only takes about one hour to twirl and bake them and you don’t need to ice or glaze anything – they are ready to go. You can freeze them in an ice cream pail, but when you thaw them you want to open the lid so they don’t get soft. I have made half the recipe and rolled out 2 - 12 inch strips. Great for when you’re hosting a large group or adding to cookie trays at Christmas. They disappear quickly.

FASPA is a heritage cookbook full of many Mennonite recipes and traditions. Included in this book is some information on the Mennonite Canadian architecture, history, religion, culinary traditions, way of life, language, and literature. | Author: Maria Klippenstein, Hailey Kreksconaitis | Publisher: Maria Klippenstein | Publication Date: Nov 27, 2019 | Number of Pages: 260 pages | Language: English | Binding: Hardcover | ISBN-10: 1777017106 | ISBN-13: 9781777017101

Helping you understand the difference between Amish and Mennonites (from a Mennonite perspective).

Find recipes for Amish and Mennonite favorites, such as casseroles, Pennsylvania Dutch recipes, Amish friendship starter recipes, and other simple, hearty classics.

In my testimony, my story part 3, I share about how God brought me out of the Amish religion and into a relationship with Jesus.

I got this recipe from my friend Elsie who has been making perogies for generations. She too got the recipe from her mother and her mother before that. As usual, the recipe said "add enough flour to make a soft dough". Her daughter Lorrie, who is also one of my dearest friends, took the time to measure each ingredient out to make it perfect so she can pass the recipe and tradition on to her children. Elsie says, the best recipes are the simplest recipes, and she was right! In our grandmother and great grand mother's era they didn't have the luxury of rich ingredients available to them at all times. These ingredients make a soft and elastic dough and I did not have one perogy open while boiling. Follow the recipe exactly and you won't have any trouble. Thanks Lorrie for perfecting the ingredients amounts saving us all the trouble of figuring out what a soft dough means. NOTE: This dough has no dairy in it, there for it has a bit more of a "chew" or "bite" to the texture when you eat the finished product. Using dairy like milk, cream or sour cream makes the dough more tender and has a softer bite to it. 8 cups flour 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 3/4 cups hot water 3/4 cups oil In a large mixer with a dough hook attachment add 8 cups of flour to the mixing bowl. Can easily be done by hand if you don't have a mixer large enough to make dough. Heat the water til it is almost too hot to touch or hot water from the tap. Add the oil and the hot water to the flour, knead the dough for about 5 minutes in the mixer or ten minutes if you are doing it by hand. Let the dough rest for at least an hour or more on the counter. Divide into 4 balls to make the rolling of the dough easier to manage. Cover the remaining dough with plastic wrap to keep from getting a dry outer crust. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough thin, cut in circles or 3 inch squares. Place the prepared perogies on parchment lined cookie sheets. Can be frozen at this stage if you desire. Once completely frozen place them into ziplocked bags. To cook, have ready a large pot of boiling water. Place perogies into the water without crowding too much and boil for a few minutes. Once they float to the top boil another 3-5 minutes. If you are cooking them frozen, cook about 8-10 minutes. This amount makes about 15 dozen 3 1/4 in circles. For 1 recipe of dough, I used 2- 650 gm containers of dry cottage cheese (3 cups), mixed with 2 eggs, salt and pepper (optional) as desired. Tip - I use a round cutter to make cottage cheese, cut 3" squares for the potato and cheddar cheese filling and shape them into a triangle, and shape the squares into rectangles or squares for the fruit filling, so there is no guessing as to what they are filled with. Plus cutting them in squares means no rolling and re rolling. For filling ideas check out Kathy's suggestions here. Try to pinch them a little fancy for that special someone, or if you have four options of a variety of perogies.

Includes index

For a while, the residents of Manitoba Colony thought demons were raping the town's women. There was no other way of explaining how a woman could wake up with blood and semen stains smeared across her sheets and no memory of the previous night.

Photographer Jordi Ruiz Cirera took revealing snapshots of the Mennonite colonies in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, for his 2014 book Los Menonos after slowly gaining the trust of the families.

Do you believe you might be descended of “Prussian” Mennonites? Are you unsure? Is it worth a look? To get a good idea of who the Low German Mennonites were (and whether you mi…

When Mennonites came to Kansas, they brought their German language, Turkey Red wheat and the recipe for this addictively sweet, soft dinner roll. Don't confuse it with the tooth-breaking cracker of the same name.

What makes our cinnamon rolls ‘Amish’? I was raised in a Mennonite home with parents who came from the Amish and Mennonite culture of Holmes County,...

This recipe is a family favourite and a part of our heritage – Definitely one to keep around! It’s fairly simply to make, yet somehow never ceases to provide the “Wow”…

Mennonite funny cake is funny... It's a Pennsylvania Dutch dessert made like a pie but tastes like a cake, and the layers reverse while baking. The heavier batter on the bottom rises to the top, and the chocolate layer sinks to the bottom and leaves a swirl effect. The vanilla top of the cake has a blondie flavor and texture, while the bottom is a brownie. Baking everything in a flaky crust adds another element to this delicious, easy-to-make dessert. To decorate, top the cake with a bit of cream and chocolate chips or a dusting of cocoa. Yum!

A hearty baked bean to compliment any meal.

I pulled this recipe out of my mom's recipe book not that long ago knowing it would be a hit. My husband is not a big dessert lover, but mom knew that this was one he would enjoy. After the first bite

Mennonite and Amish families in the Midwest are among the sole stewards of a precious yet fast-fading American food tradition.

When I wrote that we were going to have waffles and white sauce for supper, so many people had no idea what white sauce for waffles was. Here is our recipe

Mennonite Classic White Bread: If you are like me, and you have a heritage where all the best foods come from, and you simply can't ever get enough of them, them you and I are very similar. I'm posting this recipe to share one of the greatest loaves of bread you will ever taste! …

Simple, hearty, comforting, and practical — this is what Amish and Mennonite cooking is all about.

Mennonite Classic White Bread: If you are like me, and you have a heritage where all the best foods come from, and you simply can't ever get enough of them, them you and I are very similar. I'm posting this recipe to share one of the greatest loaves of bread you will ever taste! …

I set out to make Kudrishkey for this post but instead the recipe produced something more like a Russian fry bread we call Pishkey. I will try once again in the future to get the Kudrishkey or Kudrey

In the midst of uncertainty, confusion and loss this picture depicts a simple beauty that still remains. The only explanation I can find is that she has made deposits into her spiritual well being. She has filled her mind with hymns and spiritual songs from the time she was a youth, from before I was born, and they remain as a final blessing to her now. As I sat beside her last Sunday, singing the following hymn, I asked her if she was enjoying this. Her responses to other things may not always make sense, but her response now was, "Who wouldn't like that song?" So ... for that reason I have to share it. I come to the garden alone, While the dew is still on the roses, And the voice I hear falling on my ear The Son of God discloses. Refrain: And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own; And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known. He speaks, and the sound of His voice Is so sweet the birds hush their singing, And the melody that He gave to me Within my heart is ringing. I’d stay in the garden with Him, Though the night around me be falling, But He bids me go; through the voice of woe His voice to me is calling. Charles A. Miles, 1913 This leaves me with one question: What kind of deposit am I making in the memory bank of my mind? "How blessed is the person who does not take the advice of the wicked ... but he delights in the Lord's instruction." Psalm 1:1-2

Author Jo Snyder's accessible instructions for savoury and sweet dishes make replicating these reinvented classic meals a breeze.

Oh, the memories of this recipe! This is a favourite Mennonite Tradition for a summer meal. This is my mom's favourite recipe for Roll Kuchen. I remember fondly the time my parent's spent making this and how they doubled and tripled the recipe for family gatherings. To non-Mennonites the idea of having these with watermelon strikes them as very strange--Watermelon and doughnuts??!!?? But for me and my family it is a food that we enjoy and look forward to having! Cook time is per batch of 4-6 roll kuchen.