Son Joseph and Grace had a nice day on their wedding day. The temperature was cooler, making it nice for the cooks.

The food was delicious! The menu consisted of bread, butter, jam, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, green beans, lettuce salad and barbecue chicken. Dessert was ice cream, pecan, blueberry and lemon pies, a fruit mixture, candy bars, and of course wedding cake at the 7 o’clock meal.

Daughter Elizabeth, Tim and four children, daughter Susan, Ervin and six children, and daughter Lovina and Daniel were our overnight guests Thursday and Friday evening.

It helped that they were close so the men could go help grill the chicken early in the morning.

I made biscuits and gravy for breakfast on the wedding morning. Then on Saturday morning after the wedding, I made biscuits, gravy and scrambled eggs.

Thursday evening they were all here for supper.

One of the cooks brought a casserole along with niece Susan, making the meal easier.

Ervin’s mother Esther sent a bowl of sugar cookies home with me. Another cook sent her pies and pumpkin roll home with me too. Daughter Loretta, Dustin and sons also joined us to eat the night before the wedding.

On Saturday we all went back over to Dustin’s to watch Joseph and Grace open up their many nice gifts.

Joseph and Grace are enjoying a week at a cabin by the lake for their honeymoon. May God grant them many happy, healthy years together.

The house seems so empty without Joseph (and Lovina) at home anymore. With only five people to cook for, I really need to downsize my meals.

Joseph called home yesterday and said they are having a great and fun honeymoon. He deserves a break after working so hard to get ready for Lovina and Daniel’s wedding and his own.

Joseph hasn’t even started packing his belongings yet. Probably after they are back from their honeymoon.

Today (Sept. 10) is granddaughter Abigail’s birthday. She is eight years old. I remember the excitement of being grandparents for the first time. Abigail is a sweet, lovable little girl and has brought a lot of joy to our life these past eight years.

On a sadder note, a family we know in another community will be having a funeral for their eight-year-old son who died unexpectedly. We wish our most deepest sympathy to the family. May God help them through this grief as they mourn for their loved one.

This morning, neighbor Susan dropped off quite a few buckets of tomatoes for daughter Loretta and Dustin. Her daughters had extra to spare and found out that Loretta is going to have to buy some. That was very kind of them.

I have some tomatoes that I need to can yet, but I will wait until tomorrow and do it all at once with Loretta’s.

I will share a lemon pie recipe that is similar to the one served at the wedding.

God bless you all!

Lemon supreme pie

1 (9-inch) pie crust, baked

Filling

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups water

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

4 to 5 drops yellow food color (optional)

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

Bottom and Topping

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups whipped topping

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Stir in water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat.

Add butter, lemon zest and food color (if desired). Gently stir in lemon juice. Allow to cool to room temperature.

In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar. Fold in whipped topping and lemon juice. Reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture for a garnish. Spread remaining mixture into crust.

Top with lemon filling, and garnish with the remaining cream cheese mixture. Chill overnight.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight who lives in southeastern Michigan. Write to Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, P.O. Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org.