MMMmonday - Carrot Cookies and Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook Review

I love finding new cookbooks, especially ones with history and great food!  When I got the opportunity to review the Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook, as part of MMMmonday I knew I'd find some great recipes to share with you. One of my other favorite cookbooks, Food That Really Schmecks: Mennonite Country Cooking, comes from a similar Mennonite tradition in Ontario and if this cookbook was similar, I'd be trying almost every recipe!



The Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook offers a glimpse into Beverly Lewis' personal family history by introducing recipes from her own maternal grandmother and many others collected over years.  The book also contains Amish sayings, household tips, bible quotes and personal glimpses into this prolific author's world.



One of the things that I appreciated most about the book is that Mrs. Lewis and her family took the time to modernize and standardize recipes that were originally a pinch of this and a pour of that.  She has also given a nod to modern ovens and other appliances so that we don't have to hand beat things unless we choose to.


Out of the hundreds of recipes for mains, sides, cakes, pies, drinks and more that you'll find within the covers, I found this fabulous Carrot Cookies recipe that I'd like to share with you:


Cookies:
1 c. shortening
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c cooked, mashed carrots
1 tsp vanilla


Blend shortening, sugar and egg.  Sift together dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture along with carrots and vanilla.  Mix thoroughly; drop on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.  Makes 5 dozen.


Frosting:
3 c. confectioners' sugar
1/4 c. orange juice
1-2 tbsp. grated orange rind


Mix confectioner's sugar into orange juice until very smooth and right consistency for frosting.  Mix in grated orange rind.  Spread on cooled cookies.


Notes from Bev: Watch guests light up when they bite into these lovely cookies


If you collect cookbooks like I do, I thoroughly recommend checking out the Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook for your collection.