Lolita Tsosie’s Navajo Fry Bread

Posted by Author Jodi Lea Stewart on December 12, 2011

Amounts depend on how much bread you want to make – usually 5 cups of flour for a batch.
To each cup of Blue Bird flour, add:

1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
Warm water to make a stiff dough, or
¼ cup powdered milk and warm water to make a stiff dough
Hot grease: shortening or lard

Apron Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Always put a little more baking powder than salt so it can rise better in the hot grease. Add warm water a little at a time so the dough will come out all nice and round. If you add too much water, it gets sticky. When you’re finished making the dough, let it set for 30 min. or 1 hour. Heat your skillet with lard or shortening. It has to be plenty melted and fill the skillet halfway. Make little round balls about the size of a pool (billiards) ball. Flatten out a dough ball to about ¼” – not too thin, or the heated grease will make it too crisp. You’ll know when the grease is hot enough because the dough browns on one side. Turn it and brown the other side. Repeat until you have made the amount you wanted.

Comment: Lolita said she learned her recipes from her grandparents.

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Navajo Fry Bread

Posted by Author Jodi Lea Stewart on December 12, 2011

To each cup of Blue Bird flour, add:

1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
Enough milk or water to make a stiff dough, or
¼ cup powdered milk and warm water to make stiff dough.

Knead dough until smooth, not sticky, or just make balls about 3” diameter and pull the ball into a 6” circle with fingers. Slash one side from the center out with a sharp knife in five places. Drop into hot grease. Brown on both sides and drain on newspaper or paper towels.

Comment: Someone gave this old recipe to us on the ranch a trillion years ago.

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Pa Dubie’s Tater Soup

Posted by Author Jodi Lea Stewart on December 12, 2011

(l-r) Jodi Lea Stewart, Granddad Thomas Elmer Woods, Grandma Ollie Pearl Williams Woods

1 quart potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 med. onion, chopped
bacon pieces and drippings for seasoning as desired
salt and pepper
water
cornmeal
chopped green onions, optional

Peel and chop about 1-quart potatoes. Cook with a medium onion, chopped. Salt and pepper to taste. Use some bacon pieces and/or bacon grease for seasoning. Use your own judgment about water. Cover them well. When done, mash well and thicken with cornmeal. Sprinkle chopped green onions on top (optional).

Comment: My grandma called my granddad Pa Dubie.
Comments from two of the eleven Woods’ kids:
Dad liked cornbread with this soup—Dean
Always give this soup to people with mumps—Dimple

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Ma Dubie’s Hot Bean Dumplings

Posted by Author Jodi Lea Stewart on December 12, 2011

left-over pinto beans made real juicy with extra water
lots of red or green peppers {Grandma Woods grew her own}
biscuit dough rolled out very thin and cut in 1”x 4” strips (homemade dough only…oh, all right, use Pillsbury©, you silly thing!)

Bring beans and juice to a rolling boil. Cook as many as you want or need. Drop dumplings in bean juice. Heat through (doesn’t take long) and serve immediately.

Comment: My granddad called my grandma Ma Dubie.
Comments from one of the eleven Woods’ kids:
This recipe came from Mother Woods, 1921, living in Frog Spring Hollow in Jay Hills. Sure tasty. Don’t get it too hot (spicy), or you’ll drink lots of water—Dean

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