The DIY Diet

This year I not only made spaghetti sauce from extra tomatoes, I also made chili to freeze for the winter.

In September, my mother and I were out in the country west of the Twin Cities taking care of lovable labrador mutts, Pumba and Beauty, while my brother and sister-in-law went out of state.  Their garden had produced a bumper crop of tomatoes again this year and though the dogs were running me ragged, I couldn’t stand to see those gorgeous tomatoes sit unused in the garden.  My sister-in-law had already filled up her freezer and had given away as many as she could.

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Pasty has a long history in our family, and in the iron mining history of upper-midwestern states like Minnesota and Michigan.

Iron ore was discovered in Upper Peninsula, Michigan in 1844. It was literally sticking up through the ground. Later, it was discovered in northern Minnesota and the first shipment of iron ore left the Minnesota’s Soudan Mine in 1884.

Experienced underground miners from Cornwall, England came to these areas to work the mines. They brought with them a convenient meal in a pastry shell called Pasty.

The diverse ethnic population living in northern Michigan and northern Minnesota quickly adopted the Pasty and made it their own. My family was among them.

The original Cornish Pasty is made as an individual serving. They were made in the early morning, wrapped in towels warm, and eaten for lunch in the cool underground environment. It was nourishing, delicious, and convenient.

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I had dinner recently with my cousin, Frank, and his wife, Jan.

Frank told me he was eating a can of salmon each week to help keep his arthritis pain at bay.

The very next morning on television I saw a report discussing the anti-inflammatory properties of canned salmon.

Then the AARP Magazine arrived and it, too, talked about eating salmon to help control arthritis.

I remember when I was young we used to have creamed salmon and peas on toast. I liked it except I never liked the bones you’d find in canned salmon.

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I had never made chicken pot pie before I ran across the Kraft Foods recipe for Gram’s Chicken Pot Pie Updated.

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I don’t buy commercially prepared meals that contain chicken in any kind of sauce, so when I eat chicken in a sauce, I make it myself. I also didn’t think Chicken Pot Pie would be low enough in calories for me to include in my diet. I was wrong.

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It’s name alone sounds elegant and royal - Beef Stroganoff. It’s a satisfying, comforting meal that takes away the chill when the winter wind turns cold and snow flurries fill the air.

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Making Chicken Diablo is a delicious holiday treat, though my family and I love it so much we will make it for special meals throughout the year.

Vera, the housekeeper and cook at the former Caland Ore Company Guest House (one of the Inland Steel Company family of companies for which I worked for many happy years) in Aitkokan, Ontario, served this dish the first night I stayed at the Guest House and generously shared her recipe with me.

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Is there any better winter food to warm and comfort the body and the soul than a good beef stew?

And this is a good one. The recipe was given to me by my friend, Gaye, whom I believe got it from one of the Red Wing area church cookbooks. The recipe originally called for hamburger; I use beef stew meat. And it is designed for simmering in a slow cooker. It can also be simmered on top the stove but will require stirring occasionally.

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This is another comfort food, perfect for cold, snowy, winter days.

I used to make it often for my friends in the makeshift kitchen I assembled in my two-room Bachelor Officers’ Quarters suite in Anchorage, Alaska.

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My meatballs and meatloaf recipes are essentially the same.

The meatball recipe I include here is the one I make when I use my homemade spaghetti sauce, or you may wish to use your favorite store-bought brand.

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Several years ago I watched TV personality-gourmet cook Ina Garten make this recipe on her Barefoot Contessa Food Network show and have enjoyed watching repeats of the show several times since then.

I love shrimp and I love this recipe. I’ve modified it slightly to meet my needs. When I invite friends for lunch I often make this entrée. It is easy and quick to make, and is an elegant dish to serve.

I admit, when I have friends for lunch, I will likely go over even the 700 calorie dinner goal, but I will cut back on the other food I eat during that day.

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