We interrupt this fabulous Monday to bring you a special edition of The Secret Recipe Club. Normally I post on the 3rd Monday of the month but this week I saw that a blogger was orphaned so I wanted to help out. So here I am, in group A, lead by the wonderful Jane from The Heritage Cook.
My assignment: find a recipe on Cookbook of Trail and Error and blog about it. Easy, right? It was a piece of cake. I clicked on Elana’s blog and fell in love with it. What delicious recipes she has!
It was a no brainer for me when I saw her post on Bannock, Skillet Fried Native American Bread. My love for Indian Fry Bread goes way back and it brings back so many wonderful memories for me. A dear, dear friend of mine was Native American (Oglala Sioux, to be exact). He took his own life in 1985 and a small piece of me died along with him, I think. All these years later I can still see his smile and hear his laughter and it breaks my heart that he is not here with me to have seen me graduate from graduate school, or have seen my kids born and watch them grown up and to laugh and joke with like we did for so many years.
Bannock or Indian Fry Bread has a long history. According to Navajo tradition, fry bread was created using flour, sugar, salt and lard when the Navajo Native Americans were being relocated to Bosque Redondo, New Mexico from Arizona in 1864. There are a number of recipes out there. Some say traditional fry bread is made with powdered milk and never yeast, others argue the opposite. Today I stuck with Elana’s recipe because isn’t that the whole idea of the Secret Recipe Club?
Bannock or Indian Fry Bread
Source: Cook Book of Trail and Error
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 Tbsp. baking powder
* 2 Tbsp. sugar
* 1/8 tsp. salt
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/2 egg
* oil (lard, bacon grease or vegetable oil)
Mix all of the ingredients together and let rise for about 5 minutes. (I typically let it sit for about 30 minutes so that’s how long I let it sit.)
In a large skillet, heat the oil to medium-high heat.
Pinch off a golf ball size of the dough and roll it into a ball. Flatten with your hands so it looks more like a pancake. You’ll want to make it as flat as possible because it “puffs” up quite a bit. (Seriously, super thin!)
Fry the dough in the oil until golden brown on both sides.
Lay the bread on paper towels to dry and serve warm.
Fry bread can be served with a number of toppings from powdered sugar and cinnamon and sugar to jam. When I used to go over to Kah-Nee-Tah they served it warm with marionberry jelly. It was heavenly!
My kids wanted cinnamon and sugar on theirs. It’s a lot like an elephant ear really, just not as sweet. (Or maybe I didn’t add 2 pounds of topping like an elephant ear…) They thoughts they were fantastic!
Look at delicious and airy they look on the inside!
I made an Indian Taco for me. Oh man! Pure heaven! You can add whatever you want on top. I cooked up some ground turkey and added taco seasoning to it. Then I layered the meat, lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes and cheese on top.
What do you think? I could eat these all day long!
I’ve had so much fun being a part of this amazing club! If you missed previous months posts, here they are:
Beautiful Beet Bundt Cake
French Butter Cookies
Puff Pastry Mini Apple Bites
Egg Shaped Brownies
Pecan Pie Bars
Cinnamon Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
Double Chocolate Caramel Mousse Cookies
Chai Tea Bread
Cinnabun Cheesecake
Marble Cake with White Chocolate Glaze
Mt. Bachelor Bars
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
Ummm… apparently I like desserts! Ha! I’m pathetic!
Now look at all the other wonderful posts in todays reveal!
I’m linking to the parties on my sidebar.
You have no idea how hungry you just made me!! My mom would make this when I was a kid, I like it with marinara sauce and parmesan cheese. In CT we called it Fried Dough. I definitely need to make a taco one now.
I can’t tell you how much I miss Navajo Tacos! When I lived in Arizona I used to get them at every street fair and craft show that had them. Now I never find them and I really, really miss them! I do know how to make my own, but it’s not the same as the street fair ones – that were made by the Indians.
Noreen
http://craftyjournal.com
Mmm, that Indian taco may just be what’s for dinner tonight! We love fry bread/scones/sopapillas, whatever you call them. I was thinking about making tacos or nachos, the fam will be happy if I make up some fried bread! 😉 Great pick!
Thank you Erin, these look truly amazing! I fell in love with Fry Bread when we went to Santa Fe and have been craving it ever since. Now I’m going to have to make it – thanks for the inspiration!
Your kids’ choice of cinnamon and sugar was spot on! I have fond childhood memories of the Buckskinners Encampment coming to my town every September. The highlight of our class field trip was the Indian Fry Bread with cinnamon and sugar. So good! I haven’t had it since I was a kid, so I have got to try this recipe for myself and my kids! Thanks for sharing!
I have for years wanted to try fry bread as it looks so delicious. I love that you made it into a taco…yum.
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my SRC entry Double Chocolate Mousse Cake
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
We had one of the track mom’s that use to make these for my entire college track team. Oh man… the fry bread tacos are good (and yours look great)!
Bless you for adopting an orphan. I’d say you did her proud-this looks phenomenal, esp how you made them into tacos! I’ve never had Indian Fry Bread but always wanted to try it. I’m pinning this for later!
looks delicious – tried to link up but it is telling me there is on back link to your site- there is! ???
I LOVE Indian fry bread too! I’ve also eaten it at Kah-Nee-Tah and at a diner nearby. I’ve never made it but it looks fairly simple and sounds just as good as the ones I remember!
On a more personal note–I’m very sorry for the loss of your Native American friend. Death always leaves an empty space in your heart–I know.
Peace,
Aimee
What’s not to love?! And the bonus…it’s dinner AND dessert:)
P.S. I’m so sorry about your friend, Erin.
I love indian fry bread! Thanks so much for the recipe!
I love Indian bread, I live in Arizona and on my way home I sometimes stop at the Indian Reservation and pick some up. They are so yummy
Stopping by from Anything goes at Eye heart
nice post.
looks awesome! great job. yay SRC!
How great of you to step up! I have never had these before, but have always wanted to try them. You make them easy to do at home!
I missed SRC this month–just forgot to sign up. Hopefully I’m on track for August.
What a fun recipe.
Man I Loves me some Fried Dough! The fry bread looks tasty. Thanks for visiting my blog – have a great weekend 🙂
Making Fry Bread is always fun. This looks like a great recipe for it. And the taco – delisciuos!!
I love fry bread, but usually end up buying the packaged mix. Thank you for sharing this recipe for homemade fry bread!
ooooo My mom loves making Taco salads, I bet she’d love one with this!
Hi Erin,
We just love Fry Bread and your recipe looks awesome! Hope you have a fantastic week and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Your Indian Fry Bread looks oh so good! Does it taste anything like the bread that Taco Bell uses for their Chalupas? I’m saving your recipe for this bread to try soon.
Ummm wow, I totally just drooled all over my keyboard!!
Thanks for stopping by The Sunday Showcase – hope to see you there again this week!
Charlotte
makedoandfriend.com
Oh, how delicious!! It looks wonderful. We will have to give this a try. Thanks for sharing at Sharing Saturday!!
Just want to let you know I will be featuring this at Sharing Saturday this week! Thanks again for sharing it!
Delicious and easy!