Native American Foods - Navajo Fry Bread

The first time I ever had Navajo Fry Bread was in October 2008 at the Moab Farmers' Market.  Deep fried with cinnamon and sugar over it; it was awesomely delicious.  It reminded me very much of the zeppoli I used to get when I lived in New York, just a flatter version. 

My apologies to the Navajo Nation and my Navajo friends if I get the information too sketchy or not totally correct regarding Fry Bread.  The Navajo dinetah (homeland) is bordered by the four sacred mountains, from northeastern Arizona, western New Mexico and north into Utah and Colorado.  In 1863, Kit Carson was sent to meet with the Navajo to arrange surrender to the United States Army, but that was not to be.  So, their lands were burned and those that were captured were forced to march (what became to be known as "Long Walks") to Fort Sumner.  A 300 mile walk where many of the Navajo died from exhaustion and starvation.  At the Fort, as many as 9000 Natives were forced to live in deplorable conditions; the government supplies of lard, flour, salt, sugar, baking powder or yeast, and powdered milk were often rancid.  Fry bread came from these few foods provided during the 4 years of captivity. 

The above photo is of Fry Bread made by a friend here in Monticello, Anita Hathale. Anita is Navajo and a marvelous weaver which she learned from her mother; she also makes a wonderful Fry Bread. As you can see though, it is not totally flat, like a tortilla or pita would be and it can be eaten many ways. Fresh and hot just out of the fryer; coated with cinnamon and sugar, drizzled with honey; or as a Navajo Taco - seasoned meat, salsa, guacamole, grated cheese and sour cream. The Twin Rocks Cafe in Bluff also uses it to make pizza, and I know I'm trying that next time I get down there.

Now living in Southeastern Utah, it is part of the area known as "The Four Corners", and there is a monument area commemorating this.  The monument is located 6 miles from Teec Nos Pos, AZ on the Colorado Plateau.  While visiting the monument, one of the vendors there was making Fry Bread, and I was able to obtain a copy of his recipe. I am going to reprint the recipe as he had it written.



Navajo Fry Bread

Ingredients:

4 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 to 2 cups very warm water
2 cups oil

Preparation:

1 - Mix dry ingredients together very well.
2 - Add water to dry ingredients and kneed well until dough is soft.
3 - Let it sit for 10-15 minutes (or longer).
4 - Break off golf ball size pieces of dough and pat or roll out to 1/4 inch thick.
5 - Heat 2 cups of oil and carefully place dough into the hot oil.
6 - Fry it to a golden brown and carefully turn and fry the other side.
7 - Drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle with powder sugar, cinnamon or other toppings to your liking.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Another Adventure in the Realm of Baking.

The first time I ever saw and tried Red Velvet cake was in Pennsylvania. It was being sold at one of the many farmers' markets: slices, whole cakes, half a cake and whoopie pies. I tried a slice and while it was good, I still preferred my old fashioned yellow cake with milk chocolate frosting. Call me a creature of habit, but I like what I like.

Red Velvet cake gets a good dose of its flavor from cocoa powder. A myth is that the red coloring in the cake comes from a chemical reaction between the cocoa powder and the baking soda, but that only creates a brownish-gray color. The red comes from either red food coloring or beetroot juice; frosting for this cake is usually a white frosting or cream cheese. Origins are pretty iffy; the Waldorf Astoria in New York claims to be the inventor of this cake. However, in the Southern United States, a Red Velvet cake was commonly the groom's cake at weddings. Then there are the Amish and Mennonite in Pennsylvania who are known for their outstanding baked treats.

A few weeks ago I purchased some Red Velvet cupcakes at a supermarket and they were absolutely delicious. Being adventurous, I decided it was time for me to tackle this cake. I found many a recipe in books and online, narrowed it down to three, saw what ingredients were listed exactly alike and averaged out the rest. Not bad really and while the cream cheese frosting was pretty good, I found it a bit too sweet for my tastes. Next time I'm going with a plain white frosting.

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting(makes 8 servings)

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups cake flour (or finely sifted all purpose flour)
1 tsp baking soda
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup softened butter
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
3 oz. red food coloring
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350F; spray 2-9 inch round baking pan with nonstick baking spray; or a light coating of oil with a dusting of flour.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and cocoa powder; set aside.

In a small bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth; set aside. In another small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, vinegar, food coloring and vanilla. Add liquid mixture to creamed mixture, beat until smooth.

Add the creamed mixture to the large bowl; mix until smooth scraping down the sides as batter is mixing. Divide batter between the 2 baking pans; bake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes cleanly out of center of the cakes. Let cool before frosting.

While cake is baking, prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients:
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:
In a large bowl, begin mixing the cream cheese and butter together. Add one cup of confectioners’ sugar at a time, until each cup is well incorporated. Once the entire mixture is smooth; mix in the vanilla. Place in the refrigerator to firm up before frosting the cooled cakes.

Makes enough to cover sides, top and in-between 2-9 inch cakes.

Mary Cokenour

French Cuisine is a fail at home.

I have only eaten French food a few times and I have to admit I am not a big fan. Can I explain why? Not really, perhaps it was the atmosphere of the restaurants and the pretentious attitudes of the staff that turned me off to it. Perhaps it was the dishes I tried, drenched in sauce and too sweet; not being an expert in French cooking, maybe they weren't cooked correctly in the first place? I don't know.

I am a comfort cook, so more than likely the dishes I had were just too on the frou-frou end of the French cooking spectrum. Now I had heard of French peasant cuisine, so did a little reading about that. That seemed geared more towards my liking for comfort style food, so I came up with a recipe called Rustic Chicken. Earthy flavors with a mild sweetness coming from tomatoes and a just as mild tang from Dijon mustard.

I happen to like the result, but Roy, my hubby, doesn't agree with me. His assessment was, "it tastes too foreign". Now this was confusing to me considering I cook Italian, Slavic, Mexican and Asian cuisines for him. So I pushed for a more specific critique and got, "I don't know, it tastes odd and I just don't like it". Not much to work with there, so I will just say that Roy and I do not like French cuisine, plain and simple.

But here is my recipe, you might like it, you may not, let your palate decide for you.

Rustic Chicken

Ingredients:

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup shredded smoked ham or thin sliced beef kielbasa
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) artichoke hearts, quartered
1 can (8 oz) whole mushrooms
1 ½ cups chicken broth
¼ cup dry red wine
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup long grain rice.

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients, except rice, in a 4 qt slow cooker, set on low. Cover and cook for 6 hours; add the rice, mix, cover and let cook for an additional 30-40 minutes; until rice is tender.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour

This is Dedicated to the One I Love.

When Roy and I lived in Pennsylvania, one restaurant we enjoyed eating at was the LoneStar Cafe.  It was a chain restaurant, but that had great steaks, baked sweet potatoes that needed their own dinner plate to be served on, and amazing appetizers.  The Cheese Fries was the best thing ever; seasoned steak fries smothered in melted cheese and crispy bacon bits; served with a Southwestern Ranch sauce.  Heart attack on a plate and we didn't care.  Then one day we discovered that the restaurant had closed; we knew a couple of the waiters who said they had reported to work, only to find a sign on the door saying it was closed for business.  Talk about a shocker!

Poor Roy, I think he was the most disappointed of both of us, so I decided to come up with a copycat recipe.  Took me a while to get it right, but I did it; and making the sauce was super easy.  While shopping for groceries, I discovered that Hidden Valley Ranch had a Southwestern Ranch dressing.  I purchased a  bottle and discovered it was exactly what was served with the cheese fries.  However, it wasn't always available at the supermarkets, so I learned to make my own by mixing regular Ranch dressing, not the buttermilk type, with Cholula sauce.

Copycat Recipe for LoneStar Cheese Fries

Ingredients:

peanut or canola oil
1 (16 oz) bag seasoned steak fries, frozen
1 (8 oz) bag shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese mix
1 cup real bacon pieces
Hidden Valley Ranch Southwestern Ranch Dressing, or mix Regular Ranch Dressing (not Buttermilk) with Cholula sauce till desired flavor and heat is achieved.

Preparation:

Fill a large skillet halfway with peanut oil, heat on high till a drop of cold water sizzles in pan. Fry the frozen fries one third of a bag at a time; use a slotted spoon to put the fries into the hot oil. Caution: the oil will sizzle and pop from the cold fries. Let cook for 4 minutes, drain on paper towels and repeat till all the fries are done.

Preheat oven to 350F; spray a 2 qt baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Layer one third of the fries into the dish, spread one third of the cheese and bacon pieces over them; repeat two more times. Bake for 15 minutes; serve with sauce while hot.

Makes 4 servings.

But I'm not finished yet, another one of Roy's joys is the Patty Melt; a diner classic that is rarely found in diners anymore. This is a grill top special - grilled onions, hamburger, rye bread with melted Swiss cheese. I make mine in a cast iron skillet which ensures even cooking, good flavor and a crisp texture to the rye bread.

The Classic Patty Melt

Ingredients:

1 large onion, cut into slivers
2 Tbsp butter
dash of salt and pepper
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 (1/4 lb each)hamburger patties (80% lean)
8 slices marbled Rye bread
4 Tbsp butter, softened
8 slices Swiss cheese

Preparation:

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in skillet on medium-high heat; add onions, salt, pepper and vinegar; mix and let cook for 15 minutes, occasionally stirring. Once the onions are browned, remove to small bowl and add the patties into the same skillet; cook each side for 6 minutes. Remove to plate to rest.

Liberally smear softened butter onto one side of each slice of Rye bread; place butter side down in skillet. Depending on size of skillet, you may have to do each sandwich individually. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each slice of bread; let cook for 2 minutes. On one slice of bread, place a hamburger patty and a layer of onions. Flip over the other slice of bread on top of the other, press down with a spatula for one minute. Flip sandwich over in skillet, press down with spatula again for an additional minute. Remove to plate, slice sandwich in half and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

So there you go Roy; a meal just for you cause I love you so very much.

Mary Cokenour

Soup battles the Cold Weather.

After I came home yesterday, I noticed that the wind was beginning to pick up and the temperature was starting to drop a bit.  It had been a sunny day, but suddenly it darkened and I noticed the large dark clouds moving into the area.  The weather reports out of Salt Lake City were reporting a cold snap moving in, but the news media never seem to cover our area, so would it reach us?

I like to run on the side of caution, so the crock pot came out and soup was in the making.  I knew it had to be something hardy and filling, just in case snow shoveling became a factor later on.  Beef Barley Vegetable soup does the trick; shredded lean beef with loads of vegetables, plump barley and a rich, thick broth...oh so good and full of comfort, especially on a cold day or night.

Beef Barley Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup each chopped carrots, onions and celery
1 cup shredded white cabbage
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 tsp each dried, crushed basil, parsley and thyme
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup barley (NOT quick cook)
6 cups beef broth
2 lb sirloin roast beef, trimmed of fat

Preparation:

Set a 6 qt crock pot on low heat; spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place all ingredients inside in order of listing. Cook for 7 hrs; take out beef and shred; place back into crock pot, mix and let cook for an additional half hour.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour

First Time for Everything.

Yesterday I decided to try something for the first time - baking an upside down cake.  Roy had purchased several cans of pineapple to snack on, the pineapple that is, not the cans.  Since that seemed to be the typical fruit to use for this type of cake, I figured why not?  I printed out a few recipes and they all seemed exactly the same, some adding cherries to the center of the pineapple rings, some not.  Some using cake flour, others using all purpose flour; so I went with what was in the pantry.  Oh, and I had run out of milk, so used half n' half instead which made the cake itself very light and moist.  I like this trial and error stuff, it works out well most of the time, and I've noticed my attempts at baking are getting much better, or so the critics tell me.

So here's my attempt at Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp butter, melted plus 4 Tbsp butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
10 slices pineapple canned in syrup; retain 2 Tbsp syrup
1 cup flour
½ cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup half n’ half
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375F; using a nonstick 9” cake pan, pour melted butter inside and sprinkle brown sugar over evenly. Drain pineapple, but retain 2 Tbsp of syrup. Arrange 7 slices over the butter and brown sugar; cut the 3 remaining slices in half and arrange around the side of the pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, mix together half n’ half, egg, vanilla and retained pineapple syrup. Add liquid and softened butter to dry ingredients and beat until smooth; pour into cake pan and try not to shift pineapple slices.

Bake for 40-45 minutes; until cake is golden brown and pulls away from edge of pan. Let stand for 5 minutes; turn upside down onto serving dish, tap bottom and sides to release cake. Serve warm.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Fig Newtons go Crispy.

Generations have grown up on Fig Newtons, the soft cakelike cookie surrounding a filling of mashed figs.  Well now Newtons have jumped into the realm of the crispy cookie with Fruit Thins.  A thinly delicate cookie loaded with small diced pieces of blueberry, fig or cranberry; and other flavors of  brown sugar, honey and citrus oat to compliment the fruit.

Each cookie is made of whole grain, five grams of fat, seven grams of sugar; real dried fruit is a minor ingredient though, since it's near the bottom of the ingredient listing.  Nutritional value is zero, except for the 4% of iron in each serving (three cookies); but you have to give Kraft Foods kudos for using natural ingredients instead of chemicals.

The cookies themselves are satisfying; good flavor and crunch.  The packaging keeps them from being crushed and keeps them fresh, so great for traveling.  While real fruit and veggies are the best snack, Newtons Fruit Thins are a good substitute, especially if you have finicky family members to make happy.

Good job Kraft!

Mary Cokenour