Her name was Lavinia Daisy Henry, but everyone called her Daisy. I sat in my Gram’s kitchen day after day watching her cook; her long hair braided and wrapped in a bun, her chunky behind singing and dancing Ganeho in between stirring. I would follow behind her dancing. I watched her make chicken and dumplings, beans and dumplings, donuts, cookies, scones, pan bread and meals for our big family dinners. She made it all look flawless. She was everything I wanted to be – the most beautiful person I knew. I dreamed of cooking like her and as I got older she would tell me “…learn to cook.” It was important to her that I knew how. I tried and tried to make scones but nothing in this world could help me make a scone. I would almost cry, she would laugh at me because I was so mad.
Then she told me, “Dont give up.. one day when your ready you will make them”
Six months after gram passed I made a “good scone”. I cried like a baby! I was never so happy. It was like she knew I needed her and it came to me. I’ve made it my life’s mission to make her proud. I learned to cook! And Im a damn good one too! Ganokwa Sodaha.
I had this soup at the Olive Garden before. It was fantastic but too sparse with the ingredients for my liking. So I came up with my own recipe, which is more hearty and I’m telling you – my soup is better.
Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients”
1 lb sliced Russet Potatoes
1 lb Crumbled Sausage
1 Large Diced Onion
4 Strips Bacon (chopped)
2 tsp Chopped Garlic
2 containers of Chicken Broth
1 Bunch Kale (shredded)
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 tsp Crushed Pepper (optional)
Saute the crumbled sausage, chopped bacon, diced onion, chopped garlic and crushed pepper in a stock pot. Cook until the meat is done.
Add shredded kale to sausage mixture, cook it until wilted.
Add the stock and sliced potatoes and cook at a gentle boil until potatoes are soft.
Just before you are ready to serve, add heavy cream, and cook until heated through and enjoy!
Heavenly Sweets is a catering and baking business run by Six Nations chef Joleen General. Her cake decorating talents, especially her native designs, have become renowned all across the United States and Canada.
