Native American Christmas Recipes

American Indian Cold Christmas Cake Recipe
1 lb pecans or walnuts, chopped
1 lb shredded moist coconut
1 lb raisins
1 lb vanilla wafers
1 regular can sweetened condensed milk


Combine dry ingredients well. Pour in sweetened condensed milk and
work through with hands so that dry ingredients are thoroughly
saturated. Press into spring foam pan. Refrigerate for 2 days. My
Cherokee ancestors used hazelnuts, dates and thick goats milk, then
wrapped the cake in watertight leaves bound with vine and placed in
cold running stream for several days. This is delicious and easy.
Yield: 4 servings

Mom's Christmas Sausage Coffee Cake
1 lb bulk sausage
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cup bisquick
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup grated swiss cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg beaten
1 egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon tabasco
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Brown sausage and onions; drain. Add next 6 ingredients. Make batter
of Bisquick, milk and mayonnaise. Spread half of batter in 9 x 9 x 2-
inch greased pan. Pour in sausage mixture, then spread remaining
batter on top. Mix egg yolk and water and brush top. Bake at 400
degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until cake leaves edges of pan. Cool
5 minutes before cutting into 3-inch squares. This recipe doubles
easily in a 9 x 13-inch pan. Enjoy!!
From: "Manyfeathers1"
Yield: 4 servings

Kolab Christmas Salad
1/2 cup cider vinegar
7 tablespoons olive oil
1 jalapeno chili, seeded, minced
1 teaspoon white sage dried, crumbled
6 prickly pears ripe, sliced
1 head red leaf lettuce or boston lettuce
3 avocados, peeled, pitted, sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 small red onion, thinly sliced, rings separated

Combine vinegar, jalapeno and white sage in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be
made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
Peel and cut lengthwise the pears then slice crosswise into half rounds.Line platter with lettuce. Arrange pear slices in center of
platter, overlapping slices. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and
chill.) Arrange avocado slices around pear slices, overlapping slices.
Top with nuts. Arrange onions over all. Drizzle dressing over.

Holiday Rump Roast
4 lb venison rump roast
1/2 teaspoon sage or several sprigs fresh sage
1 teaspoon juniper berries crushed fine
1 clove garlic, slivered
1/2 cup cooking oil
salt
pepper

Cut slits in top of roast and insert sliver of garlic and sage in the pockets. Rub the roast with cooking oil that has in it the juniper berries, salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Place the roast in a baking dish. Roast in a preheated 450 degree (F) oven for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees and roast for 1 hour 15 minutes. If using a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should be 155 degrees for medium rare. For a larger roast, cook for about 18 minutes per pound at the 350 degree temperature. Allow roast to rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve with fresh cranberry sauce.
Yield: 5 servings

Native Holiday Cake
1 cup flour
1 cup corn flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger
pinch of salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tbs unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup maple sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
1 apple, peeled, finely chopped
1 cup cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
maple syrup icing
1/4 cup plus 2 tbs confectioners sugar
2 1/2 tbs maple syrup

Heat oven to 350 degrees.* Butter a bundt pan. Whisk first 7 ingredients in a bowl to blend. Beat butter and sugars in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beat well. Beat in vanilla, pumpkin and apple. Add flour mixture, beat until blended. Stir in cranberries and pecans. Scrape into pan. Bake 70 min. or until done. Cool in pan 10 min. before inverting. ICING---Stir
confectioners sugar and maple syrup in a bowl until icing runs off tip of the spoon, adding more syrup if needed. Put cake on wax paper, drizzle with icing. SPRINKLE WITH COARSELY CHOPPED PECANS, LET ICING SET.
Yield: makes 12 servin

(Chickasaw) Pumpkin Cookies
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup cooked pumpkin
2 1/2 cup flour, less 2 tsp
4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup raisin or dates
1 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, pumpkin and spices. Blend well. Sift dry ingredients together and add to pumpkin mixture. Blend until smooth. Stir in raisins, nuts and flavoring. Drop by teaspoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
Yield: approximately 3

Pueblo Feast Pinion Cookies
2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup lard or vegetable shortening
1 egg
2 cups unbleached flour, sifted
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp anise seed
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup pinon nuts (pignoli),; chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon

The Pueblo Indians give much attention to food, especially on Feast Days, when they must feed their families, a circle of friends and even casual visitors. Field parties for planting or harvesting, kiva parties, a Kachina or Corn Dance, an initiation or wedding, the pueblo's Saint's Day - all require elaborate food preparation. In the Pueblo world, the households of men engaged in any ceremonial activity are the busiest, and at the conclusion of the feast, leftovers are distributed and carried home. Pueblo hospitality is identified, as everywhere, with food; under no circumstances may one refuse food or, asking for it, be refused. To a caller from the vicinity, watermelon, pinon, or peaches will be offered, and it is proper to eat before announcing the reason for the visit. For visitors from far away, whenever they arrive, a regular meal will be served. To be stingy with food is unacceptable. Visitors on Feast Days might be offered these special cookies, but we doubt there are ever any leftovers to be carried home. Preheat oven to 350. In a mixing bowl, cream 2/3 cup sugar and lard. Add egg and blend thoroughly. Stir in flour, baking powder, vanilla, and anise seed, blending thoroughly. Gradually add milk until a stiff dough is formed. Mix in the pinon nuts. Roll dough out on a lightly floured board to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch cookies with cookie cutter. Sprinkle tops with mixture of the remaining sugar and cinnamon. Bake cookies on a well-greased baking sheet for about 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a rack.

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Cactus and Pinenut Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

1/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped red onion
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup vegetable oil
10 cups mixed baby greens
1 cup nopales, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Puree cranberries in processor until smooth. Add vinegar, onion, sugar and mustard and process until well blended. With processor running, gradually add oil and process until well blended. Transfer to medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature and whisk before using.) Combine greens and nopales in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve, passing remaining dressing separately.

Contributor: Burning Tree Native Grill

Yield: serves 6.

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Cheesy Fry Bread

1 pound loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
3 tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
2 tbsp. finely chopped ramp or leek
2 to 3 tsp. chili powder
1/2 t. dried white sage
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

With its pretty color and cheesy topping, this buttery bread is delicious with soups.

Pat dough onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 14-inch pizza pan or 15x10-inch baking pan, forming a crust. Spread with butter. Sprinkle with onion, paprika, oregano and garlic powder. Prick the crust several times with a fork; sprinkle with cheese.

Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Bake at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Contributor: Burning Tree Native Grill

Yield: 8 servings

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Chicken and Ramps with Sweet Potatoes

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp chopped fresh sage
2 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tsp chili powder
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 sweet potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes
4 ramps or 2 leeks, white and light green part only, sliced
1 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400F

Combine 1 tbsp olive oil, sasge, mustard, lemon rind, and chili.
Reserve 1 tbsp of mixture, and brush the rest over the chicken
breasts. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large oven proof skillet over medium
heat. Add chicken breasts, and cook 2 minutes per side or until browned.
Remove from skillet and toss in sweet potatoes. Saute for 1 minute, add
ramps or leeks and saute for 2 minutes. Add stock, reserved mustard mixture
and balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, return chicken
breasts to skillet and place over vegetables. Cover skillet.

Place in oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken juices run
clear. Slice chicken breasts and serve over vegetables. Drizzle over the
pan liquid.

Contributor: Burning Tree Native Grill

Yield: serves 4.

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Deviled Buffalo Burgers

1 pound ground buffalo
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ketchup
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
5 soft sandwich rolls

1. In a bowl, mix all ingredients, except sandwich rolls, together. Form
into 5 patties and place on the unheated rack of a broiler pan (or in a
preheated skillet on the range-top).
2. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat for 12 to 15 minutes until internal
temperature reaches 160�F.
3. Serve patties in soft sandwich rolls.

Contributor: Nancy Snee, North Canton, Ohio

Yield: makes 5 patties

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Acorn Hominy Bread

2 cups hominy; drained
2 tbl sorghum syrup
2 tbl oil
milk; to make loose paste
1/2 cup masa
1/2 cup hominy paste
1/2 cup acorn flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 pc egg
1 tbl sorghum syrup
1 tbl oil
1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
1 tbl gluten flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. Blend first four (4) ingredients in a blender set at puree until a
smmoth loose paste is accomlished.

2. Mix the remaing ingredients with 1/2 cup of the homony paste and beat
with about 50 to 70 strokes adding more milk if to tight.

Devide into 3x5 oiled (spray) pans bake at preheated oven 375 F for 30
minutes or a tooth pick comes out clean.

Serve with vanilla ice cream drizzle with a huckleberry or blueberry sauce.

Contributor: Burning Tree Native Grill

Yield: 1 small loaf

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Sage and Sherry Creamed Mushrooms on Griddled Blue Corn

1 pound wild mushrooms
1 pound morrels
4 cups heavy cream
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp. dry sherry
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups blue corn meal
water

Cook the corn meal to a thick mush adding salt to taste.
Oil a 9-by-2-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Pour the corn meal mush into the dish to cover the bottom evenly, about 1 inch thick. Cool completely in dish before cutting. It's best if chilled overnight.

Put the mushrooms in a stainless steel pan large enough to hold all the mushrooms and the cream. Pour the cream over the mushrooms and bring to a boil. Add the morrel mushrooms. Bring to a boil again. Reduce the heat so the mixture is simmering. Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the cream is slightly thickened. Stir often during the boiling and simmering to keep from scorching.

Add the sage and sherry and cook for 10 minutes more, stirring often. Salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Cut the corn meal mush into 8 squares, then into 16 triangles. Carefully remove from dish to waxed paper. Heat a griddle or skillet (non-stick works well) on medium heat. Rub both sides of the triangles with olive oil. Carefully place the triangles on griddle or skillet. Brown well on each side.

Serve on eight small plates, two triangles on each. Spoon some of the creamed mushrooms on each and garnish with whole sage leaf. You can also serve this on a platter for a buffet.

The leftover creamed mushrooms will keep up to one week in the refrigerator. It is also good on chicken, fish, toasted crusty French bread - or be creative.

Makes 8 starter servings

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Buffalo Stew With Fry Bread Crust

1 lb of buffalo stew meat
1 teaspoon of baking powder
4 potatoes
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 medium onion
2 tablespoons of oil
seasoning salt
tomato sauce or jar of spaghetti sauce
fry bread dough

Heat the oil in a stew pot, chop the onions add to heated oil. Cook for a couple of minutes. Rinse your stew meat add to the onions add the seasoning salt to taste and add tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce stir well covering all the meat add 1/2 cup of water get it boiling let cook for about 30 minutes add the potatoes, cover and let cook through.

Then make your bread crust.
A pinch of sugar gives the bread a yummy taste and makes it softer. Mix all the dry ingredients together then add your liquids make a soft dough roll out on a floured surface when 30 minutes has past take stew off the stove let it cool and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes then put your stew in a deep pie dish or casserole and top with the rolled out dough. Bake for about 20 - 30 minutes.

Contributor: John Koda Miller

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