When my husband, infant daughter and I moved onto our northern Minnesota farm in 1972, we didn't know much about organic farming or gardening, but we were determined to live off the land. I planted a garden, which was immediately ravaged by a woodchuck. We bought a cow, and after she gave birth to twins, we milked her by hand. We survived a winter. Each year we made progress. My garden got larger and more productive. I taught myself to preserve its bounty. Once I learned the basics of dehydrating, I experimented with recipes for soups that I could toss into a slow cooker before I drove my morning school bus route. I took the veggies and herbs that I'd dried and and scooped them proportionally into canning jars. Then I added wild rice, whole grains, and/or dry beans to balance the vegetarian proteins. I jotted down each "recipe" and taped it onto its jar. Over the winter, I cooked them for family meals. Some mixes were so tasty, I made more as holiday gifts for relatives the following year. When far-off family approved, I decided to try marketing them. In 1990, my husband built a small commercial kitchen that we still call 'the soup building.'
Next, I tackled pancakes and quick breads. Too many store mixes have dough conditioners and chemical additives. I wanted quick convenience without sacrificing homemade wholesomeness for Sunday breakfasts. Breads need spreads, so I planted raspberries and strawberries in my garden and sold jam. Excited, I found a recipe for pumpkin butter in an old church cookbook My husband gathered native chokecherries and wild plums. After reading about hors d'oeuvre jams in a New York Times clipping sent by my mom, I tried adding chopped jalapeño peppers to breakfast fruit jams. Wonderful! Everything I make has to be wholesome. No artificial ingredients or preservatives, no MSG or aspartame. I don't want my kids and grandkids eating that stuff--and I don't want yours to, either. My mission is to make delicious, nutritious, value-conscious mixes that you'll enjoy preparing, and your family (and friends) will enjoy eating.
