Traditional Indigenous Recipes

Jicama Salad

On right, sprinkled with crushed red pepper

Jicama is a crunchy, starchy tuber originally from Mexico. It is gaining popularity as a salad ingredient and as an appetizer that can be used with dip.

Ingredients:

1 jicama

2-4 large chiles, roasted and peeled

2 limes

Salt and pepper to taste

Peel the jicama with potato peeler.

Cut into small cubes

Add chopped chiles and squeeze juice from limes onto jicama.

Mix well.

Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

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Poke Salat

One of my father’s favorite dishes was poke salat, although he’d also be happy with any kind of deep green, leafy vegetable such as collard or turnip greens.

Ingredients:

Young poke salat leaves (with tender shoots)

Black pepper

Vinegar

*Ham (optional)

I prepare the leaves by placing them in the top part of a spaghetti pot and steaming them. You can also tear leaves and shoots into small pieces and place in water pot, then boil for five minutes. Some cooks recommend that you rinse and then cover with cool water and boil again for another five minutes in order to thoroughly clean the vegetable.

Drain and place the poke salat in the pot with desired seasonings. Dad was happy with just black pepper, vinegar and a small amount of butter.

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Main Dishes

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Breakfast Potatoes

I call these “Breakfast Potatoes” because we have these in morning several times a week. If you are diabetic, you have to go slow with the amount of potatoes you eat, but all you have to do with this recipe is cut back on the spuds and add more of the other ingredients in addition to meat.

Ingredients:

4 cups cleaned and sliced small or new potatoes (I used Yukons in the above picture)

½ cup mushrooms

½ cup onions

½ tomatoes

½ cup red bell peppers

½ cup hot peppers of your choice

½ cup green chilies


2 T olive or (vegetable or turkey broth)
Seasoning to taste (we like lots of garlic and extra powdered onion, plus some Cajon Seasoning)

Optional Ingredients:

Shredded meat (turkey, ham, chicken, venison, etc.)
Place your potatoes in a hot skillet along with the olive oil or broth. Gently turn and flip with a spatula for about 8 minutes, then add the other ingredients and cook until tender.

This goes great with any meal and is a good side dish to meats and fish.

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Ceviche

Ceviche is a popular Mexican dish, comprised of raw fish that is “cooked” by citrus juice. There are various ways to prepare ceviche and this is only one example.

Ingredients:

8 ounces raw, peeled small shrimp

8 ounces scallops (shelled)

4 sweet tomatoes

8 limes

1 white onion

1 ripe avocado

Salt and [coarsely ground] pepper to taste

*garlic to taste

Optional:

*dried oregano

8 ounces squid, cleaned and sliced

½ cup diced sweet peppers

Place shrimp and scallops in ceramic or glass bowl.

Squeeze juice from 7 of the limes onto the seafood; make sure all the seafood is covered with juice. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Drain the seafood mixture through a colander to remove the lime juice.

Chop the tomato, but remove the white core and seeds.

Finely chop the onions.

Cut the avocado, remove the pit and scoop out the flesh. Cut into cubes.

Mix all the ingredients together, squeeze juice of the remaining lime onto the mixture and sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic and oregano to taste.

*Old World ingredient

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Corn-Crust Pizza (cheese-less) cooked on pizza stone with homemade tomato sauce, green chilies, onions, mushrooms. jalapenos, and black olives.

Corn-Crusted Pizza

While it would be ideal to have a crust made exclusively from corn meal, the problem is that corn meal does not possess gluten and will not “behave” (that is, rise) like regular flour crust. This is why most recipes for “corn meal crust” have flour as the prominent ingredient.

This recipe also uses flour and gluten in the crust mixture. The less flour you use, the crispier and more delicate the crust. You may need to eat the pizza with a fork instead of holding it.

Crust:

1 cup corn flour or meal

*1.5 cup all-purpose flour

1t garlic salt

1 T yeast

3/4c warm water

1t honey


Put ingredients in a bowl and knead well. Set aside and allow to rise for about 40 minutes. I put mine on top of a warm oven and it rose in about 25 minutes.

Form the dough into a ball and then roll out onto a pizza pan or pizza stone.

Put on your toppings, adding the tomato base first.

Sample toppings for a 12 inch pizza (I manage to cram on a lot):

½ cup roasted or pan-seared sweet corn

½ cup roasted or pan-seared jalapenos

½ cup roasted or pan-seared red bell pepper


½ cup roasted or pan-seared onion
½ cup roasted or pan-seared tomatoes

½ cup cooked black beans

½ cup ground and cooked venison

*mozzarella cheese

Bake in 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the crust is browned.

Remove from oven and add other ingredients such as more peppers, parmesian cheese sprinkles, dried pepper sprinkles, etc

*Old World ingredient

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Crock Pot Roast

Ingredients:

3 pounds roast of elk, deer, bison, moose or antelope

2 white onions, chopped

*4 carrots, chopped

2 cups green chilies, roasted, peeled and chopped

2-3 potatoes peeled and cut into inch-sized squares

*3-5 cloves crushed garlic

2 T black pepper (or less if you’re not crazy about it; we like lots)

Place vegetables in bottom of medium sized pot (or the size that will accommodate your roast) with roast on top.

Add spices.

Cook on medium for 8 hours

Use a meat thermometer to make certain the core temperature of the roast is 175 degrees When done, remove and slice.

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Crock Pot Spicy Turkey

This is a good summer meal. The heat and spice of the turkey dish goes well with the coolness of the salad and guacamole.

Ingredients:

1 large turkey breast (or 2 chicken breasts), skinned



2 onion, chopped
*2 cloves garlic, crushed
1.5 cups salsa (spicy version)

1 T black pepper

Optional:

You can use an entire chicken in place of the turkey breast.

Add all ingredients in Crock pot and cook 8 hours.

When done, shred turkey (you can do this while turkey is in the pot: hold one side of turkey breast with tongs and use a fork to tear up the rest of the breast)

This is really good served with guacamole on top and alongside the everything salad.

Also good with warm corn tortillas.

*Old World ingredient

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Turkey breast rubbed with sage

Crock Pot Turkey Breast

Ingredients:
1 large turkey breast (or 2 chicken breasts), skinned
2 T onion power
*2 T garlic power
*1 T parsley flakes
1 T dried sage
1 T black pepper

Mix the dry ingredients together in small bowl.
Sprinkle onto the turkey breast and rub into the meat
Place breast in the pot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Serve with side dishes of your choice.

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Crock Pot Turkey Dinner

The crock pot is one of my best kitchen tools. I can put ingredients into the pot in the morning, and by dinner the meal is ready. I have three pots: a small one that is 15 years old and still working perfectly; a medium sized one, and a third that is fancier with a timer. Even the latter is inexpensive, less than $30. Invest in a good crock pot and you will not be sorry.

I often cook two meals in two separate pots and then freeze the portions in small containers for dinners during the week.

Ingredients:


2 cups turkey broth (or any other broth you prefer)

1 large skinned turkey breast, cut into four pieces (or 2 chicken breasts*, elk, deer, bison, etc.)

2 large bell peppers, chopped (1 each of red, green, orange, yellow)

4 large roasted and peeled green chilies, chopped

4 potatoes, peeled and chopped

1-2 cups sweet corn

1 cup green beans

3 T vegetable oil

2 white onions, chopped

*4 crushed cloves of garlic (or use powder)

Salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients into the pot and turn on high.

Cook for at least six hours.

If you can cook it longer, turn to low and cook for a few more hours.

After six hours the turkey meat will be tender and it is easy to tear it apart—which makes ladling easier.

Serve with corn bread.

*Old World ingredient

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Elk Steaks

My husband Josh usually brings home an elk every year, enough to keep our freezer stocked for what we really like: steaks, stews and jerky. Game meat is lower in fat than cow meat and does not contain the additives that cattle receive. If you are not a hunter, then ask someone who is if you could contribute something to their next hunting trip (food, or perhaps loan camping gear or an ATV) so they can repay you with meat.

Ingredients:

Elk steaks (or deer or antelope)

1 onion, sliced (optional)

5-6 large roasted and peeled green chiles of your choice of “hotness” (optional)

2 cups of sliced mushrooms (optional)

Pepper to taste

Marinade:

* 1 clove crushed garlic

½ minced white onion

*½ cup low salt soy sauce

Josh grills elk steaks in Eureka Springs from the elk he shot with bow and arrow in Flagstaff, Arizona. Also on the grill is corn and peppers.

Put the meat into a container and cover with marinade for at least four hours.

You can either cook the meat in a frying pan on medium-high with one tablespoon of oil and the other ingredients piled on top, or on the grill with the vegetables grilled separately.

Turn after 5-10 minutes. Check to make certain it is done before removing from pan.

*Old World ingredient

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Clockwise from top: turkey, chili, mushroom enchilada topped with green chili and mixed cheeses;

rice with tomatoes, red and green peppers; black beans w/onions and green chili;

chicken, onion and squash enchilada topped with black pepper and chipotle salsa

Enchiladas

There are many ways to prepare enchiladas and my family loves them.

Most lovers of Mexican food are familiar with rolled-up enchiladas or other versions that might include dropping them into the fat fryer. The recipes here, however, use a minimum of fat and are usually stacked because it is faster to make them this way.

Traditional enchiladas are often made with the corn or flour tortillas soaked briefly in lard or oil to soften them, then laid flat with various ingredients added on top, then the tortilla is rolled around them. You can use almost anything for filling—meats, vegetables, eggs, fruit.

Enchiladas

Stacked red chili and shredded turkey enchilada

The foundation of these recipes is all the same: there is no oil or lard used. The tortillas are instead soaked in turkey, chicken or vegetable broth. You can then use your imagination for the rest of the ingredients. Here are a few suggestions:

New World Enchiladas

I call these “New World” because all the ingredients are from this hemisphere. No cheese, lard, chicken, beef, mutton, cilantro, sour cream, garlic or bacon is used.

Ingredients:

(Amounts vary depending on what you like the best/least)

18 corn tortillas (homemade or store-bought)

8 ounces of broth (your choice: turkey, chicken, vegetable, bison, etc. or a combination)*

1 lb. lean ground (or, if you prefer, roasted and then shredded) turkey or bison or elk or venison

1/2 cup sweet corn

1/2 cup chopped green chilies

1/2 cup chopped jalapenos

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup black beans (drained)

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

1/2 cup peeled and chopped baked potato

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

2 T vegetable or corn oil

Sea salt, dried red and/or black pepper to taste

1 cup green chili mix (or, use store-bought green or red chili enchilada sauce that contain no wheat products)

Place the corn tortillas into a bowl and pour the stock over the top. Allow them to soak for about 3 minutes. Drain stock, otherwise the tortillas will get mushy.

Place all the other ingredients into a sauté or frying pan along with oil at medium heat. Stir until the meat is cooked and the other ingredients are thoroughly hot and lightly browned or seared.

In a large, rectangular glass baking dish, place six tortillas at the bottom. They will overlap some.

Pour one cup of the sautéed pan mixture over the tortillas.

Layer another six tortillas over those ingredients.

Pour another cup of mixture then layer with tortillas.

Repeat—one cup of mixture covered by tortillas

Pour one cup of the green chili mixture over the top layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot.

This goes well with a salsa and/or guacamole

*Try cooking the meats in the crock pot all day with spices, onions and chilies. It will be ready in the evening for dinner.

Rolled shrimp, crab and spinach enchiladas in spinach wrap, topped with chipotle and tomato salsa

*Old World Ingredient Options:

Ground chicken

Ground or shredded lean beef

Ground or shredded pork

Chopped cilantro

Dollop of low-fat sour cream on top

Chopped spinach

Garlic to taste

Spinach or tomato wheat tortilla (be sure to only soak them for 2-3 minutes in stock; they will disintegrate if left too long)

1 can low sodium, lot fat cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup to add to sauté mix for more texture and richness

Chopped firm tofu (tofu absorbs the flavors around it)

If you must use cheese, use a low-fat type. Shred and layer on the top on the top tortilla layer (before pouring the chili topping).

One cup of no fat cottage cheese is a good component to the sauté mixture, but don’t add the cottage cheese until right before layering onto the tortillas.

If you let the pan set for a few minutes after removing from the oven, the enchiladas will be easier to cut into

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Chicken, red and green pepper, onion and mushroom fajitas
with corn tortillas, guacamole, low-fat vegetarian refried
beans and tomato rice. Corn salsa on the side. No cheese.
I cooked the chicken, then put all the other ingredients in
the pan with it and cooked them together. Simple.

Fajitas go great with jalepenos
Fajitas go great with jalapenos

Fajitas

We like chili at our house and the spicier the better. I often will make two crock pots of this dish and freeze individual portions. All I have to do is cook corn bread. Prior freezing comes in handy when it’s a cold, snowy, lazy day and you just want to quickly heat up something tasty.

Ingredients:

4 cups kidney beans (soak them in a pot of water overnight)

1 can tomato paste

1 can tomato puree

6 cups turkey broth (check your pot after four hours and add more liquid if needed)

1 white onion



1 cup roasted, peeled and chopped green chilies ½ cup chili power (this is indeed intense)

*1/3 cup cumin

2 T black pepper

Add all ingredients in Crock pot and cook 8 hours, but longer is better.

Put slice of corn bread in bottom of bowl and ladle chili on top.

This is also good with salsa on top of that.

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Intense Chili

We like chili at our house and the spicier the better. I often will make two crock pots of this dish and freeze individual portions. All I have to do is cook corn bread. Prior freezing comes in handy when it’s a cold, snowy, lazy day and you just want to quickly heat up something tasty.

Ingredients:

4 cups kidney beans (soak them in a pot of water overnight)

1 can tomato paste

1 can tomato puree

6 cups turkey broth (check your pot after four hours and add more liquid if needed)

1 white onion

1 cup roasted, peeled and chopped green chilies

½ cup chili power (this is indeed intense)

*1/3 cup cumin

2 T black pepper

Add all ingredients in Crock pot and cook 8 hours, but longer is better.

Put slice of corn bread in bottom of bowl and ladle chili on top.

This is also good with salsa on top of that.

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Meat and Vegetable Kabobs

This is a dish your kids can help make, although teach them that skewers can be sharp!

Ingredients:

Long metal skewers

Meat of your choice (elk, deer, buffalo, turkey, etc. Salmon works nicely, too) cut into cubes

2 red, yellow and/or green bell peppers seeded and cut into squares

2 cups large whole mushrooms

2 zucchinis cut into chunks

2 yellow crooked-neck squash cut into chunks

Marinate meat in either a baggie or covered bowl with marinade of your choice for at least four hours.

Pre-heat the grill by allowing coals to burn for 15-20 minutes.

Oil the skewers with vegetable oil then thread meat and vegetables onto skewers and “paint” on a thin layer of olive oil and sprinkle with pepper and other spices.

Place the kabobs onto the rack and turn every eight minutes until meat is done.

Be sure to wear oven mitts when handling hot skewers.

*If you use fish, the cooking time is less, around 2-3 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat.

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Open-Faced Pan-Seared Vegetable Sandwich

Grilled vegetable sandwiches have become popular in airports and in grocery stores’ deli departments. This recipe offers flavor and nutrition. Using only one piece of whole grain bread and no cheese lowers the calorie content.

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini

1 white onion

2 cups mushroom caps

1 cup bell peppers (red, onion, orange, no green for this recipe)

1 small eggplant (peeled)

1.5 T olive oil

1 T pepper

6 slices whole grain bread or buns

Optional:

*1 t oregano

*2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 large roasted green chilies

*Hummus spread

6 servings

Cut vegetables into strips no longer than two inches long and ½ inches wide

Put oil in frying pan and heat on medium high

Add ingredients to pan and cook until tender

Toast bread and add vegetable mixture to top.

If you like hummus, spread on the bread and then add vegetables.

This becomes a heartier sandwich if you add salmon on the toast and top with vegetables.

*Old World ingredient

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Photo by D. Mihesuah

Osage Pounded Meat

Ingredients:

Roasted buffalo meat
Chopped pecans
Honey

Pound the dried buffalo meat strips until as fine as meat that has been run through a grinder. Add pecan nuts and honey, forming mixture into small balls.

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Pepper-Crusted Catfish, Vegetable Saute and Potato with Pepper

Pan-Cooked Fish

This recipe works well with a variety of fish: catfish (the favorite at my house), trout, bass, swordfish, tuna, etc.

Ingredients:

4 fish fillets
3 T vegetable oil
1 white onion
4 green chilies, roasted and peeled
4 tomatoes
1 cup sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste
*garlic to taste
catfish
Pepper-Crusted Catfish, Vegetable Saute and Potato with Pepper

To prepare the tomatoes: Cross-hatch cut the tomatoes at the bottom (make a cross).
Place tomatoes in bowl and pour boiling water over them.
After setting for three minutes, take out tomatoes with spatula or slotted spoon, place them in bowl of cold water and then drain.
Remove the tomato skins. Cut them in half and gently squeeze out the seeds.
Chop the remaining fruit into cubes.

To prepare the topping:

In small pan, heat 1 T of vegetable oil.
Add chopped chile, onion, mushrooms and lime juice; cook for about 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes.
Cook for ten more minutes, stirring frequently.
To prepare the fish:
Add vegetable oil to frying pan (olive oil optional) and turn to medium high heat
Place fillets in skillet and cook 4-5 minutes on each side, or until flaky
Option is to add the other ingredients to the skillet after you turn the fish the first time.

*Old World ingredient

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Poblano Peppers Stuffed w/ Wild Rice, Cranberries and Vegetables

Poblano Chilies Stuffed with Rice and Vegetables Salmon

Few things smell better to me than roasting chilies—and among my favorites are poblanos. You can fill the peppers with a variety of vegetables, plus rice, beans, avocado and topped with cheese like the picture on the right. My kids tend to like the wild rice-filled peppers that are covered with salsa the best. This recipe takes a bit of preparation, but smells so good I particularly like to work on this one.

To Prepare Your Peppers

There are several ways to roast and peel your 6 large poblano peppers:

1. For those with no access to a flame: place the peppers on a cookie sheet in one layer and put into your pre-heated 450-degree oven for about 10-15 minutes (sometimes less), or until you see the skin has blistered. Watch closely to make sure they don’t burn. When blistered, remove from oven. Then go to the orange instruction section below.

2. Use a small blow torch to blister the skin—just be sure you don’t blister your own. Wear gloves.

3. Lay chilies over the grate on your backyard grill and let the flames roast them—turn often to make sure they don’t burn too much. (some people like their roasted until they turn black)

4. Lay chilies over a small grill that stands over your inside oventop burner. This works with a gas oven.

5. Buy chilies already roasted from a farmer’s market (they usually have large “twirling” roasters to handle pounds of chilies at once).

Most recipes recommend that you put the peppers into a plastic bag to steam and further loosen the skin. But because of growing concerns over using plastics in food preparation, you can instead put the chilies into an empty crock pot and close the lid for about 15 minutes. Then remove the chilies and gently peel the skin off. If the skin won’t come off easily, run it under cool water. Place the chilies on a cookie sheet and cover.

The Stuffing for the Peppers

I use these recipes:

Vegetable Saute (run through a food processor or blender to chop finely)

Wild Rice and Cranberries (the sweetness of the berries goes especially well with the earthiness of the peppers)

Black Beans

Carefully slit the peppers down the middle and remove the seeds. The stem may come out with the seeds, so if you want a pretty presentation, save the stem and replace it after you stuff the peppers.

Using a spoon, place the stuffing ingredients inside the peppers. I like to mix all the above stuffing options together.

After stuffing the peppers, cover the pan with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

If you desire grated cheese on top, add some before baking.

When the peppers are done, carefully remove them with a large spatula from the pan to a plate.

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Turkey Sloppy Joes

The basic idea for Sloppy Joes is to make it savory and of a consistency to either “slop” over whole grain hamburger buns (or corn bread), or more firm so you can pick up the entire sandwich without it sliding out onto your lap.

For the meatless version, simply omit the turkey.

Ingredients:

4 T vegetable oil (or 6 T turkey broth)

*8 whole grain (not whole wheat) hamburger buns

4 cups ground turkey (no skin)

5 green bell peppers, chopped

4 white onions, chopped

1 cup tomato sauce (salt-less if possible)

2 cups kidney beans (if you use canned, be sure to rinse and drain)

1 T yellow mustard

1 T chili powder

*4 gloves crushed garlic

Heat oil or broth in frying pan. (or, put all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for at least 6 hours—longer is better)

When hot, add turkey meat and cook until browned.

Add all the other ingredients and cook until vegetables are tender.

Spoon over half of hamburger bun and cover with bun “lid.”

This is also good eaten with baked tortilla chips or ladled over corn bread.

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Venison Burgers

There are many ways to make burgers, but one thing should always be the main ingredients: very lean meat. I don’t eat burgers with bread; but, I can add enough other items to make this filling.

Ingredients:

1 lb. of lean, ground venison (deer or elk)

½ cup chopped onions

*garlic to taste

pepper to taste

whole peeled and roasted green chilies

1 cup summer salsa (optional)

Mix the meat and other ingredients then form into balls slightly smaller than tennis balls (we prefer larger burgers and they do “shrink” down a bit while cooking). Flatten for cooking.

I cook burgers in a pan and put low fat cheese on right before serving, although you can also cook them on a grill. With tomatoes, pickles, onions, catsup and lettuce, I don’t need a bun, but others can use whole wheat.

I often stretch the recipe by adding ½ cup of seasoned (Italian) bread crumbs. Not only does this make more burgers, it also “plumps” them up. If you have kids or picky adults in the house, you can add very finely chopped spinach to the mixture as a way of sneaking in the vegetable to their diet.

*Old World ingredient

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Vegetables and Side Dishes

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Acorn Squash

Kids love this squash and it’s easy to prepare—except for the first step.
Ingredients:
2 acorn squashes
4 T pure maple syrup
2 T brown sugar
Most recipes call for 1 pat of butter per squash half, but I don’t use it
Cut the squashes length-wise. It may not be easy since they are very tough. You may have to use a mallet to get your knife through them. Watch your fingers! My husband helps by cutting into the squash, then hitting it very hard on the counter, then cutting around the edges. Hitting it hard on the counter may cause the squash to split unevenly, however.

If you do not have an intrepid helper, put squashes in the microwave for about three minutes to soften. Try again.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

After cutting, remove the seeds and strings. Set seeds aside in a bowl to roast later.

In a cooking pan (with at least 1 inch sides) add ½ inch of water. Put the squashes in the pans; if they are lopsided, you can try and slice the underside horizontally so the bottom is “flatter” and the squashes will be less “wobbly.”

Add 1 T of maple syrup and ½ sprinkle of brown sugar to each half.

Cook for at least 1 hour—perhaps 1 hour, 15 minutes, or until “meat” of the squash is tender.

This is very sweet, so it goes well with a meat main dish.

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Baked New Potatoes

Instead of French fries, try these along with your burgers. My kids would eat them every night.

Ingredients:

10-30 red new potatoes

*3 tablespoons olive oil

Optional spices (all to taste):

Salt

Pepper

*Garlic

*Oregano

*Rosemary

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Scrub new potatoes and cut them into fourths with the skins on.

Place in large baggie and add a few tablespoons of olive oil (just enough so the spices will stick), and sprinkle in pepper, oregano, rosemary and whatever spice you like, but go easy on salt.

Place on cookie sheet until done; check after 20 minutes.

baked sweet potatoes

You can bake sweet potatoes in the same way

*Old World ingredient

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Bell Peppers

Tamfula is another Choctaw dish that can be prepared the “long way” (that is, grind and soak the corn and filter it with wood ash then boil all day) or it can be simplified for our fast-paced lifestyles. I make enough in a crock pot to last for 3-4 days and eat it alongside vegetables, in soup, and by itself with salsa on top.

Ingredients:

3 cups ground corn or corn meal

*6 cups water or chicken broth depending on taste preference

(If you use a smaller pot, then use one cup of corn and three cups of water.)

Place ingredients in cooking pot and boil for three hours or until the mixture is soft.

Traditionally, the dish was boiled for hours, sometimes all day. But if you cannot stand in front of a stove that long, then use a crock pot instead. Set on high and cook for four hours. You will need to stir it often during the first hour and check periodically to make sure it does not dry out.

Add water or chicken broth when needed.

This recipe is similar to other corn dishes used by other tribes. Some like sugar or cinnamon sprinkled on top.

Optional--I prefer a variety of ingredients mixed into it:

1 cup cooked pinto beans

½ cup green chiles

½ cup diced hickory nuts

½ cup diced turkey breast

½ cup diced onions

½ cup sweet corn (redundant, but it intensifies the corn taste of the entire dish)

*½ cup sweet peas

pepper to taste

*garlic to taste

*diced or shredded ham

*Old World ingredient

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Tamfula with red peppers and beans (left); with peas (right)

Chahta (Choctaw) Tamfula

Tamfula is another Choctaw dish that can be prepared the “long way” (that is, grind and soak the corn and filter it with wood ash then boil all day) or it can be simplified for our fast-paced lifestyles. I make enough in a crock pot to last for 3-4 days and eat it alongside vegetables, in soup, and by itself with salsa on top.

Ingredients:

3 cups ground corn or corn meal

*6 cups water or chicken broth depending on taste preference

(If you use a smaller pot, then use one cup of corn and three cups of water.)

Place ingredients in cooking pot and boil for three hours or until the mixture is soft.

Traditionally, the dish was boiled for hours, sometimes all day. But if you cannot stand in front of a stove that long, then use a crock pot instead. Set on high and cook for four hours. You will need to stir it often during the first hour and check periodically to make sure it does not dry out.

Add water or chicken broth when needed.

This recipe is similar to other corn dishes used by other tribes. Some like sugar or cinnamon sprinkled on top.

Optional--I prefer a variety of ingredients mixed into it:

1 cup cooked pinto beans

½ cup green chiles

½ cup diced hickory nuts

½ cup diced turkey breast

½ cup diced onions

½ cup sweet corn (redundant, but it intensifies the corn taste of the entire dish)

*½ cup sweet peas

pepper to taste

*garlic to taste

*diced or shredded ham

*Old World ingredient

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Green Beans

Green beans are great alongside mashed potatoes, squash and turkey breast

Ingredients:

1 pound green beans, ends trimmed
1.5 cups tomatoes, halved
1 small white onion
2 T olive oil
2 cloves crushed
1/2 cup vegetable stock

Heat skillet to medium-high
Add 1 tablespoon of oil
After a minute add the green beans, stir for 2-3 minutes
Add vegetable broth and cook for around 3 minutes, or until beans are slightly tender; the longer you cook them the more tender they become
Add one more T of oil and the garlic and cook for about half a minute
Add tomatoes and cook until they become soft (3 minutes)

Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

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Green Chile

Green chile is a staple in many southwest and Mexican homes and there are numerous ways to prepare it. I prefer it as simple as possible, right from the roaster at the farmer’s market then peeled and sprinkled with salt. When we lived in Flagstaff, the farmer’s market brought in Hatch green chilies every summer and I would become almost hypnotized standing by the roaster. Few things smell better to me than roasting chilies and I will eat them until I’m sorry that I ate so much.

Green chilies go into a myriad of dishes at out house: salsa, on baked potatoes, in soups and stews, along with meats and vegetable dishes and alone sprinkled with garlic powder.

A bowl of green chile is a popular way to eat it:

Ingredients:

6-12 roasted, peeled and deseeded green chilies

1 onion, chopped *3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 lb lean pork, elk or venison, cubed (although pork—an Old World animal--is the most popular)

1/2 lime juice

1-1/2 cups vegetable or turkey stock

Salt to taste

black pepper to taste

*1 T olive oil

Optional:

Chopped potatoes

Hominy

Add green chile, onion, garlic, and spices to frying pan and stir. Add meat and stir then add lime juice.

Add chicken stock until the meat is covered. Stir well then reduce to simmer. Cover for 30 minutes.

Stir occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to the pan. After 30 minutes, add more broth if the mixture has become too thick.

We like it thick and eat it with rolled up corn tortillas.

*Old World ingredient

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Grilled Corn on the Cob

Grilled corn on the cob is also a staple in many homes and it tastes great when grilled outdoors along with other vegetables like zucchini and mushrooms and an elk steak. We prefer sweet corn, but sometimes a less sweet version hits the spot.

Corn

Ingredients:

6-12 ears of corn, husks on

Optional:

*Garlic

salt to taste

pepper to taste

*bar-b-que flavor sprinkle

Preheat your outdoor grill and using a grill brush, “paint” the grill with vegetable oil.

Peel back the corn husks and remove the silk.

It is optional to sprinkle spices on the corn before closing the husks.

Wrap each piece of corn in aluminum foil and put on the grill for about 30 minutes.

Turn occasionally.

Also try soaking the corn with husks before cooking to make the corn tender. Some like to add a few tablespoons of sugar to the water to make the corn sweeter.

Others do not wrap the corn in foil, but they turn the corn often so it won’t burn.



Be careful with butter and flavor sprinkles (like the ones you see at carnivals, movie theaters and at farmer’s markets) because you can add hundreds of unwanted calories and many mg. of sodium in just a few seconds.



Try this without butter!

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Grits

Grits are ground from hominy, which is made from the varieties of corn with hard kernels. The kernels are dried on the cob, then removed and soaked in a solution of wood ash (although baking soda and lime can be used) which causes the kernels to swell and soften. Then the kernels are hulled and dried; afterwards the hominy is ground and the result is grits. This process causes the protein value to be decreased, but lysine and tryptophan are increased. Without this process of using wood ash, however, pellagra (a deficiency of tryptophan and niacin) can occur because the food becomes deficient. Obviously, tribes learned that to use wood ash would increase the nutritional value of the corn.

Grits are popular in southern states; there are hundreds of recipes featuring grits and just as many southern towns that host grits festivals. It is interesting to me that many people I know have never heard of grits.

The basic way to eat grits is not to buy the store-bought packages (like the oatmeal packs). The best are the freshly milled grits usually obtained from a health food store.

For breakfast:

1 cup stone-ground or other good quality grits

3 1/2 cups boiling water

Optional:

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Stevia for sweetness

raisins or dried cranberries, amount depends on how much you like them

*½ banana

Add grits, water and seasonings to pot. Stir well, cover tightly and cook over low heat from 45 minutes to an hour and a half, or more, depending on the coarseness of the grits. You will need to check them often to make sure they don’t scorch. Add more water if they become dry. When the grits are soft, add the fruit and serve.

Grits side dishes

The options for preparing grits are endless; you can add all kinds of sautéed chopped vegetables and meats to the cooked grits.

One option is Crock Pot Grits:

Ingredients:

1 cup of coarse grits

4 cups of turkey broth

1 cup sweet corn, grilled is best

½ cup roasted, peeled and chopped green chile

½ T pepper

½ T garlic

Add all ingredients to the Crock Pot and cook on medium for 4 hours.

Grits as Appetizers

While other families were eating cookies and sweet rolls on Christmas mornings, my Aunt Billie Mills made cheese jalapeno grits.

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked grits

½ cup pickled jalapenos and/or

½ cup roasted, peeled and chopped green chilies

*1/2 cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese

Optional:

Instead of peppers, use raisins

Put cooked grits into a bowl and add chopped jalapenos and cheese.

Stir, then put grits into a square cookie pan and refrigerate until set.

Slice and serve like you would brownies.

You also can eat the hot grits in a bowl instead of chilling.

*Old World ingredient

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Mashed Potatoes

Most people love mashed potatoes, but they love them with heavy cream and butter. Those dairy products unfortunately render the dish very high in calories and fat. This recipe is simple. By adding more herbs and spices the potatoes are still tasty, but with far fewer calories.

Ingredients:

6 large potatoes (3 Russett and 3 red; this provides interesting texture)

Note: you also can use sweet potatoes, but you need to peel them

1 cup turkey broth

Black pepper to taste

Optional:

½ cup sautéed and chopped onion

*Garlic to taste

*Parsley to taste

*Oregano to taste

Sage to taste

For smooth mashed potatoes, use the starchy Yukon Golds. You don’t have to remove their skins.

Peel the potatoes and remove the eyes. If you want the skins on for nutritional value, then only peel half the potatoes.

Cut the potatoes into small chunks.

Add potatoes to large pot and fill with water until it covers the top of the potatoes.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Completely drain the water.

Add turkey broth to potatoes and use a masher to create the desired consistency. If you want thinner mashed potatoes, add more broth.

*Old World ingredients

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Osage Yonkopin

By Andrea Hunter, Osage Tribal Historic Preservation Officer

Ingredients:

Chinkapin

The roots look like long sweet potatoes and the seeds like small round chestnuts. Large quantities of yonkopin roots are pulled up in the fall and eaten raw or boiled if they have been dried. The yonkopin seeds are collected and eaten raw or dried and stored for later use.

To process the roots for storage, scrape the outer skin off the long root. The bare root is then cut into 1 or 2 inch pieces and strung together by thongs in 30 piece strands. The strands of yonkopin roots are then hung up outside to dry on wooden frames like those used for jerking meat. To prepare the dried root, boil until tender and add salt.

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Pinto Beans

A crock pot of pinto beans is a winter staple. If you make too much, you can always freeze the leftovers in small containers for individual servings. Beans are a wonderful all around food that has no cholesterol, and is high in fiber, folate, protein and other vitamins and minerals, but low in fat and sodium.

Ingredients:

4 cups dried pinto beans

8 cups of unsalted chicken broth or water

Optional:

*Three large sliced carrots

*One large chopped white onion

*Garlic

Black pepper

Salt

Soak dried pinto beans in large pot over night (placing beans in a spaghetti colander then putting them in the pot of water makes it easier to drain).

In the morning, rinse and drain then place ingredients in crock pot along with chicken broth and spices. The longer you can cook this, the better the beans taste.

Serve over corn bread and top with salsa and shredded cheddar cheese.

*Old World ingredient

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Pumpkin as a Bowl

Pumpkins can serve as interesting containers for other ingredients and, you can eat it. Roasted pumpkin has a rich and delicious flavor. Options are numerous and you can experiment to see which dishes are most appealing to your family.

Prepare the Pumpkins

For all of these recipes, pick pumpkins that weigh approximately 1 pound. Sugar pumpkins are of good size.

Cut the tops off so that you have a “covers” or “lids” that can be replaced

Scoop out the seeds and the stringy portions

Use a paper towel and lightly coat the insides with vegetable oil

Preheat oven at 325 degrees and cook on cookie sheet until outer skin lightly tender. This takes about 30 minutes

Remove pumpkins from oven and set aside

Fill with mixtures such as Vegetable Saute or Wild Rice

You can also eat the meat of the pumpkin along with the inside ingredients. It is especially tasty with additional sprinkles of garlic, onion and/or chili power. Try chopped sweet tomatoes or a small amount of brown sugar.

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Spaghetti Squash

This is a perfect dish for anyone who cannot digest gluten or wheat, or for anyone counting calories. Although this does not taste exactly like pasta, the texture and appearance is close. Add spices and you’ll have a meal more nutritious than a plate of real spaghetti.

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs.)

3 T vegetable or turkey stock (options are butter or olive oil)

2-3 c marinara sauce (tomato based, not cream based, like Alfredo sauce)

1 T olive oil

Place squash in 13 x 9 baking dish. Add one inch of water.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender. Using fork in scraping motion, slice squash in half, remove seeds and remove squash from shell (it will come out in spaghetti-like strands).

Fluff squash with a bit of olive oil or vegetable stock (some recipes call for butter).

Top with sauce.

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Stuffed bell peppers

This is another good recipe to ensure your family gets their Vitamin A and C and when you have too many peppers in your garden. A week after the monsoons arrived when I lived in Flagstaff, I almost drowned in squash and bell peppers.

Ingredients:

4-6 bell peppers

½ pound ground meat (elk, deer, turkey, etc.)

1 cup mushrooms

1 cup cooked wild rice

1 cup onions

1 cup summer salsa

Optional:

*Garlic

pepper to taste

chopped jalapenos

*cheddar cheese

Place peppers in a pan deep enough to cover the peppers.

Fill the container with water until the peppers are covered.

Put on the stove to bring the water to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the peppers are softened (but not soft enough to split).

While the peppers are softening, sauté the meat, mushrooms, rice, onions and salsa in a pan until meat is brown.

Place peppers in a baking dish and add stuffing mixture to the empty peppers.

Add some of the mix around the base of the peppers to make sure they stay soft.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Depending on your caloric intake for the day, you can add some grated cheddar cheese over the top.

*Old World ingredient

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Succotash

Succotash is primarily comprised of lima beans (Native to Peru) and corn. EuroAmericans altered the recipe by cooking the vegetables with lard, meat drippings, and/or butter. There are many variations on how to prepare succotash; I prefer the optional method below.

Very Basic Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups lima beans

2 cups seared sweet corn

½ cup turkey stock (or vegetable stock)

Cook the lima beans and the corn in separate pots of boiling water until tender, then drain.

Put the beans and corn together in one pot along with turkey stock and cook on medium for about five minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Optional Method:

Add to the lima beans and corn in the one pot:

1/2 cup chopped and sautéed tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped and sautéed onions

1/2 cup chopped and sautéed red bell pepper

*3 crushed cloves garlic

*Old World ingredient

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Sweet Potatoes

My daughter loves sweet potatoes and this is the way she eats them. Although she insists on using a sprinkle of brown sugar, I refuse to argue with a kid who loves a food so full of vitamins A, C plus niacin and potassium.

Ingredients:

One sweet potato

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Scrub the skin of the potato (no need to peel it) and poke a few holes in it with a fork.

Wrap in foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Or, microwave (without foil) for 7-10 minutes or until soft.

Cut open and sprinkle with brown sugar. I think the potato is sweet enough by itself.

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Vegetable Saute

This is a quick and easy way to eat your vegetables. Take any combination of vegetables (or just one vegetable) you like:

Ingredients:

2-3 yellow squash sliced lengthways

2-3 zucchini sliced lengthways

2 cups yellow, orange and red bell peppers

1-2 cups sliced mushrooms

3 large sliced tomatoes

*1 cup broccoli florets

*1 cup cauliflower

Spray a non-stick pan with Pam vegetable spray or drop in a few tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Cover the pan with one layer of vegetables, sprinkle with a favored condiment such as pepper, garlic, oregano, etc., then cook over medium heat and turn after two minutes.

Turn to low, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender.

These vegetables also work well in a George Foreman grill. Spray the thin-sliced vegetables with PAM spray and sprinkle with spices before cooking.

*Old World ingredient

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Wild Onions

Each spring Choctaws head out to look for the 6 to 12 inch stems of wild onions that feature one-inch wide clusters of small white blossoms. Wild onions go into a variety of dishes and you can decide what you like best. I prefer them on top of baked potatoes, with scrambled eggs and mixed with squash.

Many people loathe wild onions and consider them—along with wild garlic, leeks and dandelions--to be weeds. Some claim that they are poisonous to cattle, horses and to humans. One site that discusses the latter is “Notes on Poisoning: Wild Onion: http://www.scib.gc.ca/pls/pp/ppack.info?p_psn=161&p_type=all&p_sci=comm&p_x=px

A useful site that shows through photographs how to cook wild onions is from Wild Food Foragers of America: http://www.wildfoodforagers.org/wgonion1.htm

Ingredients:

1 cup of chopped wild onions (cultivated well away from cattle and pollution); be sure to peel the tough outer portion of the bulb and cut away the roots (although some say the roots can be used in your stock pot)

PAM cooking spray (or one tablespoon of butter if you must or liquid from meat)

1 cup of vegetable stock

In heated frying pan or skillet, cook the onions in the stock until the water is almost gone, then spray with PAM or butter and add desired seasonings (pepper and garlic is what we use).

Add stirred eggs and cook until done, or add just the onions to your other dishes.

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Wild Rice and Cranberries

Almost anything can be added to wild rice, but basic rice with only a bit of spices sprinkled on top makes a perfect side dish and this works well as stuffing for bell peppers, poblano chiles or pumpkins. Try to avoid using butter if possible.

Learn more about wild rice at the Native Harvest site: http://nativeharvest.com/native_harvest

Basic Ingredients for Wild Rice:

1 cup uncooked wild rice
3 cups water (or turkey stock for more flavor)

Optional:

Raisins to taste
Cranberries
Pepper to taste
Crushed garlic to taste
½ cup chopped white onions
½ cup mushrooms
½ cup cooked and shredded turkey breast or other lean meat
Olive oil (to lightly drizzle over top of finished rice)
If use you the Native Harvest rice, just follow the instructions on the box.

For other rice:

Boil the water in large saucepan or a pot.
While it is boiling, clean the rice (rinse and pick out impurities)
Add rice to boiling water, bring back to boil.
Cover and simmer for about an hour (or until the rice kernals split/puff)
Fluff the rice, add cranberries then cook at simmer level for another five minutes (but don’t overcook)

In separate skillet, sauté the onions, mushrooms and other optional ingredients

Mix all the ingredients together in large bowl and serve.

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Zucchini Canoes

Almost anything can be added to wild rice, but basic rice with only a bit of spices sprinkled on top makes a perfect side dish and this works well as stuffing for bell peppers, poblano chiles or pumpkins. Try to avoid using butter if possible.

Learn more about wild rice at the Native Harvest site: http://nativeharvest.com/native_harvest

Basic Ingredients for Wild Rice:

1 cup uncooked wild rice

3 cups water (or turkey stock for more flavor)

Optional:

Raisins to taste

Cranberries

Pepper to taste

Crushed garlic to taste

½ cup chopped white onions

½ cup mushrooms

½ cup cooked and shredded turkey breast or other lean meat

Olive oil (to lightly drizzle over top of finished rice)

If use you the Native Harvest rice, just follow the instructions on the box.

For other rice:

Boil the water in large saucepan or a pot.

While it is boiling, clean the rice (rinse and pick out impurities)

Add rice to boiling water, bring back to boil.

Cover and simmer for about an hour (or until the rice kernals split/puff)

Fluff the rice, add cranberries then cook at simmer level for another five minutes (but don’t overcook)

In separate skillet, sauté the onions, mushrooms and other optional ingredients

Mix all the ingredients together in large bowl and serve.

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Breads

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Chahta (Choctaw) Banaha

Corn and most of the dishes we can create with corn are at the top of my list of food favorites. What I like the best about tamales is the corn, not the filling. Banaha is similar to a tamale, but with no filling.

For purists:

Two cups of cornmeal

1 ½ cup boiling water

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

corn shucks

Boil corn shucks for ten minutes.

In a large bowl mix together the cornmeal, soda and salt until it is doughy.

Roll into longish shape that will fit into the corn shucks.

Wrap the shucks around the dough and tie with a shuck string, then boil in pot of water for 30-40 minutes.

We eat it with salsa on top.

To make banaha more interesting, I add a variety of things to the cornmeal mixture: chopped onions, *green sweet peas, *spinach, *garlic, pepper. I prefer to boil the banaha in unsalted *turkey, chicken or vegetable broth instead of water for added flavor.

*Old World ingredient

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Corn Bread

Corn bread goes a long way in our house. We put it in a bowl and pour pinto beans or chili on top; we match it with yogurt and fruit for a dessert, use as a “side bread” with almost every entrée. Traditional con bread is different from bread made with milk and eggs and that is how we prefer it. This is, therefore, a “semi-traditional” dish.

Ingredients:

1.5 cup cornmeal

*2 chicken eggs (or duck eggs for thicker consistency)

*1 c skim milk (or goat milk for thicker consistency)

1 c cooked sweet corn (drained if you use canned corn)

¾ t salt substitute

4 t baking power

For variety, add chopped green chilies, ham, apples, cheese or bacon (minus the fat)

Mix ingredients in large bowl.

Pour into 12 x 8 pan greased with non-stick vegetable spray.

Bake 25 minutes at 400 degrees or until knife comes out clean.

Instead of covering with butter, drizzle honey on top.

*Old World ingredient

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Corn, Bean and Turkey Bread

This is a bread, but like the Everything Salad, it actually can suffice as a meal.

Ingredients:

4 c corn meal

1 lb. lean ground turkey

2 cup hot water

2 cup cooked and drained pinto beans

½ t baking soda

½ cup chopped sweet onions

salt to taste

pepper to taste

*garlic to taste

In a skillet or frying pan, sauté the turkey until brown along with spices.

Mix together the turkey with the other ingredients and form into desired shape (balls work best) and drop into boiling water.

Cook approximately 30-40 minutes.

Using a spaghetti pot with a colander that fits into the pot makes it easy to drain—just lift the colander out after cooking and hold over the sink to drain.

Serve with a salsa or marinara spaghetti sauce. This dish is nice paired with the vegetable sauté.

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Corn Tortillas

There are two ways to make these: the first is easy because you simply take corn tortillas from the store, cut each into strips or into pie-piece-shaped wedges and spray each lightly with cooking spray (PAM is what I use) and sprinkle with spices such as garlic, salt, cumin, etc., then place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees or until tortilla chips are brown.

Another option is to grow and grind your own corn.

An easy way to make the tortillas yourself:

Ingredients:

1.5 cups Masa harina (flour made from dried corn and is found in many grocery stores)

1 ¼ cup water

2 t salt

2 t vegetable shortening

Waxed or parchment paper

Stir together the masa harina and salt in a bowl. Heat the shortening and water in a saucepan and bring to a bowl; stir until melted.

Add the melted mixture to the dry mix and blend either with a fork, or use a pastry blender.

Put mix onto floured cutting board and knead for 5 minutes.

Cut the dough into 12 portions then roll each portion into a ball (these should be about 1 inch in diameter)

Put one portion at a time between the waxed or parchment paper and use rolling pin to roll out dough until it reaches 6 inches across.

Heat a large skillet on high until pan is hot.

Take one rolled-out dough-piece at a time and put in skillet.

Cook on each side for about half a minute or until brown.

Place the cooked tortillas in a tortilla warmer or inside warm towel until ready to serve.

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Drinks

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My cheap blender has lasted almost daily use for over a decade.

Fruit Smoothie

This is a great drink on mornings when you’re not really hungry but need something, or when you’re not feeling well. I make one at least four days a week.

Ingredients:

*½ cup sliced peaches
½ cup blueberries
1 cup strawberries
*½ banana
*½ cup orange juice
*½ cup carrot juice
*1 scoop protein power (optional; I use a whey-based protein powder)
*½ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt that has sat in the freezer and is frosty, but not frozen

Combine all ingredients in blender.

I use frozen fruit, then allow the fruit to thaw slightly so my blender blades won’t get stuck on the hard fruit; slightly frozen ingredients makes a colder, creamier smoothie.

Blend until smooth.

*Old World ingredient

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Desserts

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Fruit Salad

These desserts are perfect for any time of the year. They are sweet, filling and full of vitamins and minerals. You can prepare a larger amount of fruit on Sunday and have it for the next three days.

New World Ingredients

½-1 cup each of:

Black raspberry

Blueberry

Concord grapes

Papaya

Passion fruit

Pineapple

Strawberries

Options:

1 tablespoon peanut butter dolloped on top

3 T sunflower seeds

3 T chopped pecans

Old World Ingredients

1 apple chopped

1 orange, peeled, seeded and sectioned; a can of drained Mandarin oranges works well when you are in a hurry

1 cup of sweet, unseeded grapes

1 ripe (but not squishy) mango, peeled, deseeded and cubed

1 banana-sliced into thin sections (like quarters)

Options:

1 cup low-fat vanilla yoghurt

3 tablespoons raisins

3 T chopped walnuts

Chop fruits into desirable pieces (cubed, sliced, etc.) and put in large serving bowl.

Cover leftovers tightly and refrigerate. You’ll need to eat it within two days.

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Fruit Cookie

There are many variations of the dessert on the web, but this recipe tries to keep the focus away from fat and sugar and to focus on the fruit.

My 11-year-old daughter, Ari, created this cookie, topped with blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and kiwis.

Ingredients:

1 roll of low-sugar cookie dough
*1 8 ounce pack no-fat cream cheese
Juice of ½ lemon
½ to 1 cup of sliced fruit such as:
strawberries
blueberries
raspberries
*kiwis
Mandarin orange segments (pat dry)
[Note that bananas will turn brown and pineapple is too acidic to work well on this cookie]
Allow cream cheese and cookie dough to warm to room temperature.
Roll out dough onto small pizza pan
Cook in 350 degree oven until dough turns light brown—only about 5-9 minutes. Remove and let completely cool.
Mix cream cheese with lemon juice until the cream is smooth. When cool, spread the cream cheese over the top of the cooked dough.
Use your imagination to decorate the top with the sliced fruit. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Grilled Pineapple

Grilled pineapple is an easy, sweet treat and you can quickly prepare it to cook after the steaks are done. This can be served as a separate dessert, or along with your meat dish.

Ingredients:

One pineapple
1 cup pure maple syrup (much of the sugar ultimately burns away, but the flavor remains)
½ T cinnamon

Cut off the pineapple top and bottom (see picture below left)
Cut the fruit down the center lengthways, then quarter it.
Slice off the tough middle section from each quarter
Cut off the tough skin. You may need to use the end of a potato peeler to dig out the embedded eyes (although fingernails work, too).
Cut into long slices (right)
Marinate the slices in a large bag or bowl with one cup of maple syrup.
Soak the fruit for at least four hours, but no longer than 24 hours.
Place on hot grill; cook each side for about 1-2 minutes.

Don’t overcook!

Many like this with ice cream, but it is perfect by itself.

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Osage Persimmon Cakes

By Andrea Hunter, Osage Tribal Historic Preservation Officer

Ingredients:

Persimmons
Buffalo grease

Go to the woods and collect as many persimmons as you can. Build a fire. Using a small woven screen made from saplings, separate the seeds from the pulp. Do this by grating the persimmons against the screen, this causes the seeds to fall through the screen leaving the pulp behind. Mold the persimmon pulp into small cakes. Take a wooden drying board, about 9 inches wide and 18 inches long with a handle, and apply buffalo grease. Layer three or four persimmon cakes on the drying board and hold over an open fire until the first persimmon cake layer is about cooked. Then remove the cake and cool. When the cake is completely cooled they can be stored. These cakes will last until the next season.

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