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The Best of Amish Friends Cookbook Collection
From Barbour’s bestselling author of fiction, Wanda E. Brunstetter, comes The Best of Amish Friends Cookbook Collection. This brand-new title is a treasure trove of recipes and interesting facts from the heart of Amish country and includes recipes divided into sections such as breads and rolls, desserts, main dishes, sides, jams and jellies—and more! You’ll find only the best of home cooking between the pages of this delightful book, and as an added bonus, you’ll find featured facts about Amish life. Topped off by one beautifully designed package, cooks of all ages will have a hard time passing this one up!
- GenresCookbooksAmishNonfiction
221 pages, Spiral-bound
First published July 1, 2013
143 people want to read
About the author
Wanda E. Brunstetter
216 books2,336 followersNew York Times bestselling and award-winning author, Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. She has written close to 90 books translated in four languages. With over 10 million copies sold, Wanda's stories consistently earn spots on the nations most prestigious bestseller lists and have received numerous awards.
Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.
When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com.
Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.
When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 9, 2013
People are fascinated with the Amish, and one of the reasons is their cooking. Because of their "plain" lifestyle, they tend to cook with fresh or at least home-grown ingredients. Peruse a few Amish cookbooks and you'll find a great variety of dishes.
Perhaps no one (in the "Englisch" world, anyway) knows the Amish better than Wanda Brunstetter. The author was one of the first to popularize the Amish fiction genre, and has spent considerable time with Plain people in her research. Also, her Mennonite family ties serve her well in this capacity.
This is one of the best Amish cookbooks I have seen lately. The spiral binding makes it convenient to use, and the sections are clearly divided and labeled. Sections include:
*Breakfast foods
*Snacks
*Breads and rolls
*Jams and jellies
*Pickles and relish
*Sides and salads
*Main dishes
*Desserts
*Beverages
*Miscellaneous
One of my favorite recipes was the Bean Salad on p. 82:
Bean Salad
1 (15 ounce) can green beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can yellow beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (10 ounce) box frozen lima beans
1 cup carrots, cooked
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 green mango, cut in strips
3 stalks celery, cut in chunks
Mix above ingredients.
Dressing:
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups vinegar
1/2 cup salad oil
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon salt
Mix dressing ingredients and wait until sugar is dissolved. Pour over drained bean mix. Let stand 24 hours before serving.
This was sooo simple, and yet fantastically delicious! I made it for guests, and everyone raved about it.
If you only buy one Amish cookbook this year, buy this one; you'll be glad you did.
5 stars
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the NetGalley.com® <[...]> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <[...]> : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Perhaps no one (in the "Englisch" world, anyway) knows the Amish better than Wanda Brunstetter. The author was one of the first to popularize the Amish fiction genre, and has spent considerable time with Plain people in her research. Also, her Mennonite family ties serve her well in this capacity.
This is one of the best Amish cookbooks I have seen lately. The spiral binding makes it convenient to use, and the sections are clearly divided and labeled. Sections include:
*Breakfast foods
*Snacks
*Breads and rolls
*Jams and jellies
*Pickles and relish
*Sides and salads
*Main dishes
*Desserts
*Beverages
*Miscellaneous
One of my favorite recipes was the Bean Salad on p. 82:
Bean Salad
1 (15 ounce) can green beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can yellow beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (10 ounce) box frozen lima beans
1 cup carrots, cooked
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 green mango, cut in strips
3 stalks celery, cut in chunks
Mix above ingredients.
Dressing:
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups vinegar
1/2 cup salad oil
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon salt
Mix dressing ingredients and wait until sugar is dissolved. Pour over drained bean mix. Let stand 24 hours before serving.
This was sooo simple, and yet fantastically delicious! I made it for guests, and everyone raved about it.
If you only buy one Amish cookbook this year, buy this one; you'll be glad you did.
5 stars
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the NetGalley.com® <[...]> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <[...]> : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
July 2, 2013
My rating: 4.5 stars!
**I received this ARC a while back from the publisher Barbour Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
I started baking and cooking recipes from this book a while ago. I LOVE IT! The directions are so easy to follow and the recipes are so delicious and tasty. I wasn’t surprised. These are Amish recipes we are talking about. They are very similar to Southern cooking. I loved the pictures throughout this book as well. I love when a cookbook has pictures to go along with the recipe.
I believe that Ms. Brunstetter does a wonderful job of rounding up all the recipes. I would definitely recommend this to anyone. You cannot go wrong with an outstanding cookbook such as this!
**I received this ARC a while back from the publisher Barbour Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
I started baking and cooking recipes from this book a while ago. I LOVE IT! The directions are so easy to follow and the recipes are so delicious and tasty. I wasn’t surprised. These are Amish recipes we are talking about. They are very similar to Southern cooking. I loved the pictures throughout this book as well. I love when a cookbook has pictures to go along with the recipe.
I believe that Ms. Brunstetter does a wonderful job of rounding up all the recipes. I would definitely recommend this to anyone. You cannot go wrong with an outstanding cookbook such as this!
July 5, 2013
Another day and it feels like yet another book explaining about the Amish and giving a lot of Amish recipes. It must be a bit of a trendy, timely topic at the moment which would probably cause embarrassment to the quite shy Amish population-at-large.
Here the author has bundled a bit of information about the Amish for the few who have not heard about them and then it is straight into the recipes, split into predictable chapters such as breakfast foods, snacks, breads & rolls, main dishes and salads. The book is reasonably well packaged and illustrated - no specific high points but on the contrary there are no particular low points and when you consider the price and amount of recipes it seems a fairly good trade-off between design and packaging, recipe selection and the value-for-money test.
It is the content that is the problem! There is nothing specific to suggest why a given recipe is particularly Amish in nature or its historical pedigree and one can only guess by a brief source attribution that the recipe has hailed from a member of the Amish community. Many of the recipes don't appear to be that special, unique or different that one might have wondered where exactly they had originated from. Granola Cereal, Honey French Toast or Apple Pancakes might be good, honest and down-to-earth dishes that could well grace a good general cookbook, but what is so specifically Amish about them? This book doesn't say.
The recipes themselves are written in a fairly concise manner, with ingredients in sole U.S. imperial units. Not every recipe features its own photograph and many photographs appear to be from stock image libraries rather than being of the actual recipe. Throughout the book are random bits and pieces of information about the Amish, such as Amish quilts, weddings and specific communities. This selection would have been better in its own chapter instead of being sprinkled throughout almost as an afterthought or as filler material. There are many design elements that don't really add that much, at least to this reviewer's mind, and just appear to fill space or attempt to be quirky, such as clip art of a trotting horse and carriage. Various quotations, again without any rhyme, reason or context, such as "It isn't hard to make a mountain out of a molehill; just add a little dirt" seem, well, pointless. If they are particularly Amish in nature or origin, say so. Explain the thinking behind it. As it is, why bother!
The index at the back of the book is a waste of space. An index usually is arranged in alphabetical order, perhaps by recipe name as well as perhaps by key ingredient. Here you just get an "in order" list of recipes, so "Granola Cereal" comes before "Baked Oatmeal", as befits the former being on page 10 and the latter on page 11.
When this reviewer first picked up this title, after the initial "oh, not another Amish book!" thought one still held out hope that it could be a good little gem. It is reasonably priced, a good size and a quick glance gave the impression that it was packed full of recipes and information. Sadly the book's execution is deficient and as it stands if one had picked this up at the bookstore, it would have been put back pretty sharpish. If it was an online purchase, one would be checking the vendor's return policy. All in all, this is a shame. Good "Amish books" can be produced and YUM has reviewed some of them. This is even struggling to get two YUMs (stars) and that is probably overly generous due to effort.
The Best of Amish Friends Cookbook Collection, written by Wanda E. Brunstetter and published by Barbour Publishing, Inc./Barbour Books. ISBN 9781624162145, 224 pages. Typical price: USD14.99. YY.
// This review appeared in YUM.fi and is reproduced here in full with permission of YUM.fi. YUM.fi celebrates the worldwide diversity of food and drink, as presented through the humble book. Whether you call it a cookery book, cook book, recipe book or something else (in the language of your choice) YUM will provide you with news and reviews of the latest books on the marketplace. //
Here the author has bundled a bit of information about the Amish for the few who have not heard about them and then it is straight into the recipes, split into predictable chapters such as breakfast foods, snacks, breads & rolls, main dishes and salads. The book is reasonably well packaged and illustrated - no specific high points but on the contrary there are no particular low points and when you consider the price and amount of recipes it seems a fairly good trade-off between design and packaging, recipe selection and the value-for-money test.
It is the content that is the problem! There is nothing specific to suggest why a given recipe is particularly Amish in nature or its historical pedigree and one can only guess by a brief source attribution that the recipe has hailed from a member of the Amish community. Many of the recipes don't appear to be that special, unique or different that one might have wondered where exactly they had originated from. Granola Cereal, Honey French Toast or Apple Pancakes might be good, honest and down-to-earth dishes that could well grace a good general cookbook, but what is so specifically Amish about them? This book doesn't say.
The recipes themselves are written in a fairly concise manner, with ingredients in sole U.S. imperial units. Not every recipe features its own photograph and many photographs appear to be from stock image libraries rather than being of the actual recipe. Throughout the book are random bits and pieces of information about the Amish, such as Amish quilts, weddings and specific communities. This selection would have been better in its own chapter instead of being sprinkled throughout almost as an afterthought or as filler material. There are many design elements that don't really add that much, at least to this reviewer's mind, and just appear to fill space or attempt to be quirky, such as clip art of a trotting horse and carriage. Various quotations, again without any rhyme, reason or context, such as "It isn't hard to make a mountain out of a molehill; just add a little dirt" seem, well, pointless. If they are particularly Amish in nature or origin, say so. Explain the thinking behind it. As it is, why bother!
The index at the back of the book is a waste of space. An index usually is arranged in alphabetical order, perhaps by recipe name as well as perhaps by key ingredient. Here you just get an "in order" list of recipes, so "Granola Cereal" comes before "Baked Oatmeal", as befits the former being on page 10 and the latter on page 11.
When this reviewer first picked up this title, after the initial "oh, not another Amish book!" thought one still held out hope that it could be a good little gem. It is reasonably priced, a good size and a quick glance gave the impression that it was packed full of recipes and information. Sadly the book's execution is deficient and as it stands if one had picked this up at the bookstore, it would have been put back pretty sharpish. If it was an online purchase, one would be checking the vendor's return policy. All in all, this is a shame. Good "Amish books" can be produced and YUM has reviewed some of them. This is even struggling to get two YUMs (stars) and that is probably overly generous due to effort.
The Best of Amish Friends Cookbook Collection, written by Wanda E. Brunstetter and published by Barbour Publishing, Inc./Barbour Books. ISBN 9781624162145, 224 pages. Typical price: USD14.99. YY.
// This review appeared in YUM.fi and is reproduced here in full with permission of YUM.fi. YUM.fi celebrates the worldwide diversity of food and drink, as presented through the humble book. Whether you call it a cookery book, cook book, recipe book or something else (in the language of your choice) YUM will provide you with news and reviews of the latest books on the marketplace. //
December 10, 2013
This is the most amazing cookbook I’ve ever seen! It is not only a cookbook, it is a book to display on your coffee table, or other places in your home for friends and family to be able to look at. Most of the recipes are pretty easy to make and those I tried are fabulous!! The book is spiral bound and the paper used looks like photo paper and is a very good quality. The pictures are awesome and top quality. There are photos of some of the recipes, and they look scrumptious and good enough to eat! There are also pictures taken around different places on Amish farms. And I really love the little tidbits all throughout the book about the Amish and their lifestyle.
As I looked through this book, I thoroughly enjoyed all of the photos, the food as well as the Amish pictures. And the little Amish tidbits truly warmed my heart as I got a glimpse of the Amish lifestyle. And one little cutesy thing I like is the Amish horse and buggy at the bottom of each recipe.
This entire book is so very well thought out and put together. This Amish Cookbook is a really beautiful book inside and out. Wanda E. Brunstetter and Barbour Publishing needs all the praise for creating an amazing Cookbook such as this.
Oh and a few of my favorites are…..
Crispy Baked Potatoes – these are so, so good!
Baked Pork Chops – so very good and so easy!
Golden Baked Chicken – Yummy!
and
Peanut Brittle!
You may have heard of or used a lot of these recipes, but many were new to me. And to have so many recipes I will use in one book is even more amazing! As you can tell, I love, love this book. And I hope you will love it as much as I do!
I received this book from the publisher Barbour Books to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55.
As I looked through this book, I thoroughly enjoyed all of the photos, the food as well as the Amish pictures. And the little Amish tidbits truly warmed my heart as I got a glimpse of the Amish lifestyle. And one little cutesy thing I like is the Amish horse and buggy at the bottom of each recipe.
This entire book is so very well thought out and put together. This Amish Cookbook is a really beautiful book inside and out. Wanda E. Brunstetter and Barbour Publishing needs all the praise for creating an amazing Cookbook such as this.
Oh and a few of my favorites are…..
Crispy Baked Potatoes – these are so, so good!
Baked Pork Chops – so very good and so easy!
Golden Baked Chicken – Yummy!
and
Peanut Brittle!
You may have heard of or used a lot of these recipes, but many were new to me. And to have so many recipes I will use in one book is even more amazing! As you can tell, I love, love this book. And I hope you will love it as much as I do!
I received this book from the publisher Barbour Books to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55.
August 14, 2013
Wanda Brunstetter is well known for her Amish novels and now she's added a cookbook to the collection. In addition to the recipes, there are tidbits sprinkled throughout about the history and practices of various Amish sects.
The book was like looking through my mother's and grandmother's recipe box. So many of them were familiar to me. Having lived in Pennsylvania Dutch country all my life, I know most of them, though I haven't used many in a long time. It was like visiting with old friends once again.
Laid out like many Grange cookbooks, it is divided into the general sections you see in any one of these: breakfasts, breads, desserts, soups, and more. Also like Grange or "fund raising" cookbooks, each one also has a name linked to it so the recipes are a collection of hers and not Wanda's herself. One thing about cookbooks like these, though - do not look for "healthy" in these recipes. They are recipes that stick to your ribs and use ingredients like lard for flavor. But they are definitely good for the soul.
What I liked:
Reading familiar recipes that I've known all my life.
Tidbits of Amish history and life.
What I didn't like:
The index at the back. It's worse than useless.
The lack of labeling of pictures and lack of pictures themselves.
All in all, if you've liked the other Brunstetter cookbooks, add this one to your library. If you like good, wholesome food that tastes amazing and aren't worried about calories, fat, cholesterol, also add this one.
Disclaimer - I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for a fair an honest review.
The book was like looking through my mother's and grandmother's recipe box. So many of them were familiar to me. Having lived in Pennsylvania Dutch country all my life, I know most of them, though I haven't used many in a long time. It was like visiting with old friends once again.
Laid out like many Grange cookbooks, it is divided into the general sections you see in any one of these: breakfasts, breads, desserts, soups, and more. Also like Grange or "fund raising" cookbooks, each one also has a name linked to it so the recipes are a collection of hers and not Wanda's herself. One thing about cookbooks like these, though - do not look for "healthy" in these recipes. They are recipes that stick to your ribs and use ingredients like lard for flavor. But they are definitely good for the soul.
What I liked:
Reading familiar recipes that I've known all my life.
Tidbits of Amish history and life.
What I didn't like:
The index at the back. It's worse than useless.
The lack of labeling of pictures and lack of pictures themselves.
All in all, if you've liked the other Brunstetter cookbooks, add this one to your library. If you like good, wholesome food that tastes amazing and aren't worried about calories, fat, cholesterol, also add this one.
Disclaimer - I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for a fair an honest review.
June 18, 2013
"From Barbour’s bestselling author of fiction, Wanda E. Brunstetter, comes The Best of Amish Friends Cookbook Collection. This brand-new title is a treasure trove of recipes and interesting facts from the heart of Amish country and includes recipes divided into sections such as breads and rolls, desserts, main dishes, sides, jams and jellies—and more! You’ll find only the best of home cooking between the pages of this delightful book, and as an added bonus, you’ll find featured facts about Amish life. Topped off by one beautifully designed package, cooks of all ages will have a hard time passing this one up!" (netgalley.com)
Easy to follow directions. Many of the recipes needed items I already had on hand. The kids and I made a few of the recipes.
1) Spinach salad- was easy and everyone ate it.
2) Banana chocolate bread - while husband complained it wasn't Mrs.M's he ate pretty much the whole loaf himself.
3) Chicken Patties- This one was a fail. it just wasn't right.
We have a whole other list to try later on as well from the breakfast section. Overall easy to follow and most came out great.
Easy to follow directions. Many of the recipes needed items I already had on hand. The kids and I made a few of the recipes.
1) Spinach salad- was easy and everyone ate it.
2) Banana chocolate bread - while husband complained it wasn't Mrs.M's he ate pretty much the whole loaf himself.
3) Chicken Patties- This one was a fail. it just wasn't right.
We have a whole other list to try later on as well from the breakfast section. Overall easy to follow and most came out great.
January 3, 2014
mmmmmm mmmmmm good, this book has some delicious Amish recipes for cooks to try. I have made several of these recipes and they were a big hit in our home: baked oatmeal, granola, poor man's steak, and more. I love the pictures of the dishes along with scenery from the many Amish settlements in the United States. Wanda also included Amish proverbs or sayings through out the book which is divided into sections. Details about the various Amish settlements, transportation, schools, weddings, church services, and more are interspersed through out the enticing recipes. Recipes for laundry soap, spot remover, playdough and other non-food items are nice additions to the cookbook to help save money and the environment. I have been making the homemade dry laundry detergent learned from Amish for a year now and love it! I want to try some of the recipes here for other cleaning products. This book is sure to become a favorite cookbook of mine. I think I am going to copy some of my favorites onto recipe cards for my youngest daughter who just married in September of 2013. This cookbook would make a wonderful gift for friends or family.
August 3, 2016
www.2thepointbooks.blogspot.com
I enjoyed this cookbook quite a lot. The recipes inside were down-home and doable. Easy to find ingredients and simple methods make me want to try them all out!
I also quite liked the histories of the Amish and Mennonite communities that was presented before each section. I read each of them with fascination. I wish they were longer, more in depth and not so redundant, though. Much of the same information was repeated numerous times in different histories.
The pictures were nice and well done. But ... MORE please! And I would have liked to have had captions included - especially for the food photos. I want to know what dish I am looking at.
Also, the names under each recipe ... who are they? What Plain People community do they belong to? A little bit of background on the recipes would be a fun addition.
Easy to read, nice layout, good color scheme.
A very nice 4-star rating.
Thank you NetGalley and Barbour Publishing, Inc., for allowing me to review this delightful cookbook.
I enjoyed this cookbook quite a lot. The recipes inside were down-home and doable. Easy to find ingredients and simple methods make me want to try them all out!
I also quite liked the histories of the Amish and Mennonite communities that was presented before each section. I read each of them with fascination. I wish they were longer, more in depth and not so redundant, though. Much of the same information was repeated numerous times in different histories.
The pictures were nice and well done. But ... MORE please! And I would have liked to have had captions included - especially for the food photos. I want to know what dish I am looking at.
Also, the names under each recipe ... who are they? What Plain People community do they belong to? A little bit of background on the recipes would be a fun addition.
Easy to read, nice layout, good color scheme.
A very nice 4-star rating.
Thank you NetGalley and Barbour Publishing, Inc., for allowing me to review this delightful cookbook.
July 18, 2013
The Best of Amish Friends Cookbook Collection
Yammm!!! I always thought their simple life extended to simple meals.. But to have so many yammy recipes..wow.. I tried most of them and they are truly tasty. You should definitely try and be amazed how creative you can be with a simple eggs and sausage for breakfast.. Or just a pie for desert..
Even thou I didn't try to make all the gems and preserves yet, it reminded me of my childhood and out life on a little farm in Moldova.. Summers were a fun frenzy of gathering fruits and veggies and putting them in jars for winter..
Awesome book of all kinds of recipes made from scratch and with an interesting pick into Amish history and living..
Get it, read it, taste it and Enjoy dear readers!!
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from a publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest opinion.
Yammm!!! I always thought their simple life extended to simple meals.. But to have so many yammy recipes..wow.. I tried most of them and they are truly tasty. You should definitely try and be amazed how creative you can be with a simple eggs and sausage for breakfast.. Or just a pie for desert..
Even thou I didn't try to make all the gems and preserves yet, it reminded me of my childhood and out life on a little farm in Moldova.. Summers were a fun frenzy of gathering fruits and veggies and putting them in jars for winter..
Awesome book of all kinds of recipes made from scratch and with an interesting pick into Amish history and living..
Get it, read it, taste it and Enjoy dear readers!!
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from a publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest opinion.
February 6, 2014
This is a 3.5 star read for me. I specifically liked the homemade equivalents, ie. hot chocolate recipes, the cappuccino etc. This book includes the essence of Amish or Mennonite cooking from all over the country but also includes my favorite, Lancaster County PA.
May 9, 2013
The recipes look really good.
April 12, 2017
Good things to share
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews