Sorted by date Results 51 - 61 of 61
Dear Nidobak (friends), I’m sure we all were thinking spring would never come this year after such a cold, mean and tumultuous winter, one of the worst ever. A couple of nice days full of sun and warmth set the mind to thinking joyous thoughts. I thought about my childhood and the stunning hill of violets that my mother grew. Then we picked and sold them in sweet little bunches with the leaves on the outside and an elastic band to hold them together. Violets are edible and a...
Gezandami Nidobak (Dear Friends), It is the time of the cracking trees, I can hear them right now. There will be major cleanup this year. As you all know, the big push is on food sustainability and nutrition for ourselves and our children. Many nations have started active programs which we will see even more of this year. My most recent interest has been in the “food not lawns” idea. It is so sensible, organic and doable, you can save money as well as eat healthier for a few...
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! Now we can tell our stories and hunker down inside, warm and cozy. I hope you are hungry, too. I think a lot about comfort food now because it is slow food, lovingly prepared and filled with memories or memories to be. Good time to make things that require some stirring and attention now and then like chili, pot pies, stews, soups. While these things are cooking, there will be time to bake breads, make popovers, and other things that will comfort you all...
Dear Friends, Well, here comes Old Man Winter yet again, but, what if it is really Old Woman Winter? That changes things. I think a woman might be pleased to have time inside to organize all that was put aside during the beautiful days now passed. What I am saying is to use this time for positive projects and not lament the fact that its too cold out to do anything outside! Just keeping warm is doing something. Working on inside endeavors gives a person time to reflect on...
Taking Advantage of Popular Farm Stands Dear Friends (Nidobak), This summer has been very lush and beautiful as a growing season, all the trees even seem taller and fuller. Farm stands are growing in popularity which means people are a bit wiser about eating local grown nutrition instead of a lot of processed additive-added store-bought food. With garden produce at its height about now, I hope you have tons of beans, tomatoes and squash to prepare for yourselves, family and...
Dear Nidobak, I hope summer is finding you happy, healthy, and ready to say “yes” to any and all social invitations. Bring an “easy to make” summer salad. You probably have all the makings already in your pantry. Lately, I’ve become a fan of bean-based salads that I can make the night before, or even an hour before any event. By adding just a few ingredients you will have a beautiful offering for the buffet board that is pretty much fool-proof. There’s nothing like a fres...
Dear Nidobak (Friends), Although it is slow this year, Spring is here. Maybe not every day, but most days. We can at least get busy cleaning up and planting precious seeds. We can plan happy social events and enjoy the simple pleasures of this renewal of nature with the warmth of the sun on our face. With so much to do outside I like to simplify my life inside with easy simple dinners. I promised myself to visit our local farmers market and support them as much as possible,...
Parsnips are little ivory white root vegetables that I believe are under appreciated. They are good in soups and stews, of course, but very good in the recipe below. We have learned that vegetables home grown or locally grown are better. Those shipped and transported from far away have lost some of their inherent nutrients. Parsnips reached Canada from Europe before the 1600s and prospered there as well as northwestern Minnesota in the U.S. I find oven roasting all root...
When there is more than a chill in the air and its downright freezing, there’s nothing like comfort food to take that edge off. Each season brings its own. Seems like hunting has been pretty good this year so most hunters have butchered and frozen away the rewards of their hard work. I hope you have some ground venison, ground bison/buffalo, or other meat (beef or lamb) on hand because a Shepherd’s Pie is one of the best comfort foods. Ranks right up there with roasts, ste...
In the good ol' summertime I can't help but get excited about almost every vegetable I see, but corn is a special favorite because of its versatility. Corn and byproducts thereof, are in just about everything to do with food, even down to the paper fish is wrapped in. Yes, it's true! But that's a whole other story. In this lush growing time, growing our own food is so important for freshness, nutrition and economy. If this isn't possible for you, I'd like to urge everyone to...
Cegejokwijoad is September and Benibagos is October in our Abenaki language. Known as ‘croptime’, and the ‘time of falling leaves’, these two months bring the most bounty to our table. Tomatoes are still coming in and you may be awash in squash. Not a bad thing. Now the winter varieties like my favorites, butternut and acorn, are being harvested. Turbans, hubbards pattypan, spaghetti, pumpkin, buttercup, are but a few of the winter squash varieties. However, there are still s...
