Weekend Round-Up

Spotlight on Native American Heritage Month

Dr. Anton Treuer is an American academic and author specializing in the Ojibwe language and American Indian Studies and is a cultural preservationist. He is a professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University Minnesota and a 2008 Guggenheim Fellowship for Humanities award winner.  His mother Margaret Treuer is an enrolled member of the White Earth Ojibwe Nation and a lifelong resident of the Leech Lake Ojibwe Reservation. She is a retired tribal judge and was the first female Indian attorney in the State of Minnesota. 

Dr. Treuer grew up in and around the Leech Lake Reservation and has authored or edited 14 books. He is also widely known for his volunteer work at Ojibwe ceremonies, where he helps officiate at medicine dance and ceremonial drums in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Dr. Treuer is a dynamite speaker who relates well to his audience. I had the pleasure of hearing him speak at a recent event called "Let's Talk" in Walker MN. He was part of an informative presentation that was held to facilitate discussion between the community and members of the Leech Lake Reservation.  I would highly recommend Dr. Treuer's book "Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask " published by St. Paul Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2012.

In his book Dr. Treuer answers the most commonly asked questions about American Indians, both historical and modern in a question and answer format.  The book is factual,  frank and written with a sense of humor. 

I thought this succinct review I found summed up the book quite well... 
 It touches on Native American history, culture and language, tribal organization and relations with the US government, land theft and its continuing legacy of poverty, the history of oppression and the destruction of Indian culture, cultural practices such as powwows and ceremonies, ongoing challenges such as alcoholism, crime, and unemployment, and a grab-bag of stuff oblivious outsiders don't get, like casinos, the significance of eagle feathers and Indian names, whether Natives have a "mystical relationship with the land," and the appropriateness of the word "Indian".

A book review previously posted in Star Tribune paper 
http://m.startribune.com/nonfiction-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-indians-but-were-afraid-to-ask-by-anton-treuer/149114965/?section=entertainment%2Fbooks

and a NPR interview
https://www.npr.org/2012/10/08/162392326/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-indians

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Have you ever heard of Pie Crust Crackers? 

Well neither had I until I came across a recipe for Chicken Pot Pie Soup from twopeasandtheirpod.com 
These crackers are so simple to put together with lots of creative variations.

You will need one prepared refrigerated pie crust.   

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Unroll crust to a sheet of parchment paper and gently roll out a few times. Transfer crust on parchment to a baking sheet.
• Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt. Use a pizza cutter and cut lengthwise  into 2 inch strips.
• Bake for 12 minutes or until pie crusts crackers are  golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven and cool to room temperatures. 
• Break into pieces and serve with soup.
• Other variations include a sprinkle of  sesame seeds or try a sprinkle of cinnamon and you have a mid morning snack with your cup of coffee or tea. 

Pie Crust Crackers can be served as a side 

or topped on the soup. 

Chicken pot pie is ultimate comfort food and this creamy, chunky soup is loaded with chicken, potatoes, mushrooms, corn, peas, carrots, corn, celery and onions in every bite. You can modify this soup with vegetables you like to suit your taste. Milk and a little cream add to a lightened version of the soup. Use more chicken broth on the second day if needed reheating.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Cook's Notes: Advance planning will help make the soup assembly go faster. All veggies can be prepared ahead and placed in a zip loc bag until needed. Use a rotisserie chicken which adds to flavor and ease of the recipe. The soup will be thicker on the second day as potatoes absorb the liquid. I actually liked even better the second day for soup consistency and enhanced flavors. While the soup is on simmer make the Pie Crust Crackers. Another option for soup is adding 1 cup cooked wild rice in towards the end of cooking time. Recipe makes 4-6 bowls depending on the size.

Ingredients:

• 2 TB. butter 
• 1 cup each diced yellow onions, celery, carrots, cubed without skin Yukon gold potatoes and mushrooms 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 bay leaves 
• 1/4 cup flour 
• 1 TB. Dijon mustard 
• 1 32 oz. box chicken broth low sodium 
• 1-1/4 cups 2 % milk 
• 1/4 cup heavy cream 
• 1 tsp herbes de Provence 
• 2 tsp. parsley flakes 
• 1/2 cup each frozen corn and peas 
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey 

Directions:

• In a large soup pot melt butter over medium heat. Add in onion, celery, carrots, and mushrooms. Saute 2 minutes and add in garlic, potatoes and bay leaves. Saute 2 more minutes, reduce heat to medium low, cover and sweat mixture 10 minutes stirring occasionally. 
• Uncover and sprinkle with flour and stir until veggies are coated and flour starts to dissolve. 
• Whisk in chicken broth, milk, cream, mustard and spices. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes or until all veggies are tender. 
• Stir in chicken, peas and corn and simmer uncovered another 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Monday Night Dinner Celebrating

with a few resources, tips and Beef Tamale Pie.