Doin' donuts and native fry bread.

So, my dad has gone to his reunion, I think it was his 55th. He stayed at his childhood home on Lake Osakis and I think that made him whack nostalgic, because he sent me a coffee canister full of homemade donuts. No kidding, a bit greasy and they do have more texture than anything store bought so freaking delish and loaded with calories. Now looking at this recipe it seems to have its roots planted firmly in humble frybread beginnings. Legend has it that frybread was what the natives came up with using the government commodities that were given to them after the relocations to the rez, for their vegetables, wild rice, and beans did not like to grow in the deserts and wastelands where they were relocated to.  The US government gave them relief in the form of wheat flour, lard, salt and sugar.

frybread recipes can be found here...  http://www.snowwowl.com/recipes/recfrybread2.html

My mom has collected a couple others and my sis has created her own but that is about the jist of it, dough that is fried. Some crisp, some bread like, some cake like. Never really cared for it so it is not something I collected a recipe for. This donut recipe is the nearest that I have tasted to original frybread... and it is not for everyday consumption. My chairs will never forgive me if it was.

Now to modern times (circa 1960's) donuts. This is my family recipe.

Cake Doughnuts

Makes 30 servings

3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup crisco
1 cup milk
4 cups sifted flour
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
oil for deep frying

Cream sugar and crisco, add eggs.
In one bowl mix flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg - In second bowl mix milk and vanilla.
Add liquid and dry ingredient mixtures alternately to creamed mixture - stir after each addition only until dough is smooth.
(start and end with dry)
Roll dough to 1/2 thickness on a floured board - dough should be soft- cut with floured doughnut cutter.
Fry doughnuts in oil heated to 375 degrees-turn when brown and fly on both sides until golden brown (1-2 minutes on each side)
drain on paper towel while still warm sprinkle with powdered or granulated sugar. (but I like mine plain)

I know I have mentioned gluten before, less mixing means less gluten will form and result in a softer finished product, so go easy on the stirring. The finished result is firm and slightly chewy enough. Enjoy.