December 2020
: e d i s In
Healthy Living: Tips for a healthy holiday season
Money Matters:
Holiday refl ections Columnists Kay Johnson and Mark Leitheiser share their thoughts about gratitude, music, weather and more
Consider these year-end financial moves
Food & Fun: Beatrice Ojakangas serves up soup & bread in her new cookbook
SEASON’S GREETINGS
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus BY FRANCIS PHARCELLUS CHURCH New York Sun
Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun it’s so.” Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus? Virginia O’Hanlon Editor’s note: It is history’s 115 West Ni net y-F i f t h most reprinted newspaper editorial, according to News- Street eum in Washington, D.C. And V I RGI N I A, you r lit t le with good reason. Even after all these years, it’s message friends are wrong. They have of belief in the unseen and in been affected by the skeptithe goodness of man still reso- cism of a skeptical age. They nates. It was Sept. 21, 1897, that do not believe except they see. 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon They think that nothing can wrote a letter to the editor of be which is not comprehenthe New York Sun. Veteran sible by their little minds. newsman Francis Pharcellus All minds, Virginia, whether Church responded with a time- they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great uniless message. verse of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as Dear Editor: I am 8 years old. Some of compared with the boundless my little friends say there is world about him, as measured grasping the whole of truth by the intelligence capable of and knowledge. no Santa Claus. Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if Promoting independence, dignity and health there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance 24-Hr. Staff to make tolerable this existence. We should have no en24-Hr. Staff joyment, except in sense and Personal Care, Medication sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the Administration, 24-Hour RN on call, world would be extinguished. Transportation to doctors, meals Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe prepared, homemaking. in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Willmar Starbuck Lake Lillian Lake Benton Eve to catch Santa Claus, but Benson Prinsburg Atwater Brainerd even if they did not see Santa Sunburg Marshall Little Falls Brownton Claus coming down, what Litchfield* Watkins* *apartments would that prove? Nobody sees For Referrals or Information call Santa Claus, but that is no sign Public and Private Payment Pay 320-441-7001 • Dawn Frericks that there is no Santa Claus. Based on Needs or your county Family Services office The most real things in the
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STAFF PHOTO BY JACK HAMMETT
world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Zest • December 2020
CONTENTS
4 Reflections:
This holiday season express your gratitude for all that is good in your life
December 2020 Vol. 12 No. 10
8 Reflections:
Columnist Mark Leitheiser shares his thoughts on how music lifts our spirits in times of trouble
PUBLISHED BY Hutchinson Leader 170 Shady Ridge Road N.W., Suite 100 Hutchinson, MN 55350 320-753-3635 Litchfield Independent Review P.O. Box 307, Litchfield, MN 55355 320-693-3266 GENERAL MANAGER Brent Schacherer: 320-753-3637 schacherer@hutchinsonleader.com NEWS Kay Johnson, features editor 320-753-3641 johnson@hutchinsonleader.com ADVERTISING Kevin True, advertising director 320-753-3648 true@hutchinsonleader.com Sales representatives Ronda Kurtzweg: 320-753-3652,
kurtzweg@hutchinsonleader.com
11 Money Matters: 12 Medicare:
Consider these year-end financial moves
How can I make a quality of care complaint?
13 Food & Fun:
Minnesota cooking guru Beatrice Ojakangas serves up soup and bread in her new cookbook
Zest • December 2020
Colleen Piechowski: 320-753-3652, piechowski@hutchinsonleader.com Sarah Evenson: 320-593-4804, evenson@independentreview.net
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REFLECTIONS
Count your blessings This holiday season express your gratitude for all that is good in your life
O
Kay
JOHNSON
ne of my favorite holiday movies is “White Christmas.” Every time I watch it, it pulls at my heartstrings — the story, the songs, the acting. It just all comes together for me. The movie of the same name was inspired by the Christmas song by Irving Berlin. This is the third
ARTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR
of three films where Bing Crosby sang the hit song. The first was in “Holiday Inn” (1942) followed by “Blue Skies” (1946) and the third was in the 1954 film. One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when
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Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney sing “Count Your Blessings.” The song was written by Irving Berlin and came about when his doctor recommended he try “counting his blessings” as a way to deal with insomnia. It’s a good reminder that things can always be worse: “When my bankroll is PARAMOUNT getting small, I think of when I It wouldn’t be the holidays without had none at all a showing of “White Christmas.” ... So if you’re The 1954 American musical film worried and you was directed by Michael Curtiz and can’t sleep, count starred Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, your blessings Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. instead of sheep.” my favorite holiday. It has With the COVID-19 all the benefits of fellowship pandemic engulfing the and good food, without world, it’s a good time the stress of having to buy for all of us to reflect on presents. Plus, the weather the goodness in our lives. is usually accommodating. I know I have much to One of our Thanksgiving be grateful for. I have a traditions is to ask everyone wonderful family, strong to write down on slips of friendships and a job I paper what they are grateful enjoy. I also live in a great for. During the festivities, community with safe we read them out loud. streets, beautiful parks You never know what you and caring people. In my might hear. Family, friends estimation, I’m wealthy and good food always get a indeed. mention or two. There are We have a small family, also a few rogue comments so our Christmas begins such as an appreciation for early before everyone Fox 9’s Alix Kendall, which scatters to attend to other extended family obligations. always generates a laugh or two. While there’s much to love about the season, if I Holiday to 5 am honest Thanksgiving is
Zest • December 2020
REFLECTIONS
HOLIDAY
“When my bankroll is getting small, I think of when I had none at all ... So if you’re worried and you can’t sleep, count your blessings instead of sheep.”
continued from 4
HIGHS AND LOWS It’s been a year for the record books. This time last year, the idea of a pandemic and being ordered to stay home would have sounded crazy. Plus, the weather has been acting up, too. Who would have predicted snow in October and 70-degree weather in early November? Based on that, it’s hard to know what the weather will be like for Christmas. Talking about the weather is a unique Minnesota obsession. I remember when friends of mine spent a year in Australia. The weather was the same every day, so it wasn’t a topic of discussion. As soon as they were on the plane from Chicago to Minneapolis, the passengers were talking about the weather. My friend said, “It was good to be home.” According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, in 120 years of snow depth
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measurements in the Twin Cities, a white Christmas happens about 71 percent of the time. From 1899 to 2018 there have been 35 years with either a “zero” or a “trace.” The last time the Twin Cities has seen a brown Christmas was 2018. The deepest snow cover was on Dec. 25, 1983, with a hefty 20 inches. It was also a very cold Christmas in 1983, with the high temperature of 1 degree above zero. It was not the coldest Christmas Day in the Twin Cities. That dubious award goes to 1996 with a “high”
temperature of 9 degrees below zero. The warmest Christmas Day in the Twin Cities was 51 degrees in 1922. There was not a white Christmas that year. In fact, the Minneapolis Weather Bureau log book for that day states that the day felt “spring-like.” Here’s to hoping for a “spring-like” 2020 Christmas! Whether it’s warm outdoors or warm in our hearts, let’s be grateful for the blessings we have, and as the old year ends and the new year begins, let’s look forward to better days ahead.
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HEALTHY LIVING
Twelve tips for a healthy holiday season
T
he holiday season is supposed to be joyous, fun and happy. But it can also be stressful. The nation’s emergency physicians remind all Americans to keep their stress in check. “ For m a ny, i nclud i n g emergency physicians, the holidays come with a daunting pile of obligations,” said Dr. Jay Kaplan, past president of the American College of Emergency Physicians. “Don’t overdo it, because you can damage your health and possibly wind up spending the holidays in the emergency department.” One particular concern is known as “holiday heart” syndrome. It is an irregular hear tbeat that occu rs in
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The holiday season is about spending time with family and friends. Prioritize the important things.
people who are otherwise sive alcohol or caffeine inhealthy. It can be the result gestion, and/or dehydration. of stress, lack of sleep, exces- Emergency physicians say this is more common during the holiday season because of holiday parties and other events. If an irregular heartbeat lasts for longer than a few hours, you should seek medical attention or go to the nearest emergency room immediately. A long to-do list of decorating, buying presents and hosting parties can be overwhelming. It is important to pace yourself, whether it’s eating and drinking or shopping. Much like the “Twelve Days of Christmas” here are the “Twelve Tips For A Healthy Holiday:” 12 — Exercise: This is extremely important. Go Specializing in world famous to the g ym, take reg ular Starkey Lab Hearing Aids. walks or run. Make sure you stay active to help reduce the Free Hearing Screening stress level. Dr. Frank Pacovsky, Au.D 11 — Watch Your Diet: Hearing Aid Service and Sales People tend to eat more quanLocated in Hutchinson Health tities of rich foods during the
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holidays. It’s OK to indulge occasionally, but do it responsibly and in moderation. 10 — Wash Your Hands, Cover Your Mouth: Just because it’s the holiday season doesn’t mean you can forget about COVID or that it’s also cold and flue season. 9 — Get a Med ical Checkup : I f you haven’t had one recently, the holidays might be a good time to visit the doctor and have a routine physical. 8 — L i m it A lcohol Drinking: Excessive alcohol drinking can put stress on you r hea r t a nd ot her organs, act as a depressant and cause several serious problems. 7 — Don’t Drink and Dr ive : Just because you think you’re OK to drive away from that Christmas party doesn’t mean you are in good shape. Get a designated driver or choose not to drink … period. 6 — Be Organized: Have a plan, make a schedule and do it one step at a time. Do not wait until the last minute to do everything. 5 — Be Cost Effective: Given the current economic times, no one can blame you for spending less. Keep it simple. Excessive spending can add to stress. 4 — Ask for Help: You can’t be expected to do everything yourself. Ask for help when it comes to shopping and decorating, as well as other tasks. And if you start to feel anxious or depressed, ask for help for yourself! 3 — Sleep: You shouldn’t underestimate the power of Season to 7
Zest • December 2020
HEALTHY LIVING
SEASON continued from 6
a good night’s sleep, as well as daily down time. Take a nap, take time for yourself, reenergize and relax. Your body will thank you for it. 2 — Don’t Smoke: Whether it’s the holidays or not, it’s just terrible for your health and you should stop now. 1 — Let It Go: Like the famous song from the film “Frozen” says, just “Let it go,” meaning the world won’t end if you don’t live up to every expectation you set. The holiday season is about spending time with family and friends. Prioritize the important things. “If you feel chest pain or think you are having a heart attack, call 911 or seek emergency care right away,” Kaplan said. “Don’t postpone treatment because you don’t want to spoil the holidays. In the meantime, take care of
“For many, including emergency physicians, the holidays come with a daunting pile of obligations. Don’t overdo it, because you can damage your health and possibly wind up spending the holidays in the emergency department.”
ucation, research and public education. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, ACEP has 53 chapters representing each state, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. A Government Services Chapter represents emergency physicians employed by military branches and other government agencies. This article was provided by ACEP, the national medical specialty society representing emergency medicine.
Dr. Jay Kaplan past president of the American College of Emergency Physicians. yourself now, and reduce that stress.” — ACEP is the national medical specialty society representing emergency medicine. ACEP is committed to advancing emergency care through continuing ed-
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Zest • December 2020
7
REFLECTIONS
Music lifts our spirits in times of trouble T
hroughout history, times of crisis have left countless generations lost and afraid and by any reasonable measure, we are living in a time of crisis now. And, like past generations, each of us shares this fear and despair as we trudge onward toward an uncertain future. Yet crisis isn’t entirely bad; it brings opportunity, too, and one thing that has united us during this rotten pandemic, is music. Music, it seems, has
Mark
LEITHEISER COLUMNIST
been the universal salve to help heal our world, and like most medicines, it takes many different
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forms. We’ve heard children singing and enjoyed free concerts from balconies and street corners. We’ve been treated to free concerts by opera stars as well as country music singers, “Hey y’all, wuz up?” Music, it seems, truly is a universal language that touches each of us, especially in times of need. Inspired by these musicians, I considered my own musical background to see what I might offer the world. Sadly, I was found wanting. My troubles started in the elementary school choir where I sang soprano while most of the other boys sang tenor and baritone. The girls, for their part, were unimpressed. After humiliating myself at the school concert, I decided to call it a career. Years later I broke my vow of musical celibacy by singing in the church choir. I only agreed to this when I was promised I wouldn’t have to o sing soprano. This went ent reasonably well until, inspired by my work as a tenor, nor, I suggested ted I wass ready for a solo. In response, esponse, I was quietly told I, “didn’t have a prayer.” Last rites for my musical career? Not quite. One of the requirements equirements of a liberal
arts college is a bit of musical training. After bluffing my way through Musical Appreciation (cheating is such an ugly word), I thought I was done with singing, but once again, fate had other plans. Really bad ones. A final review of my college credits revealed a hole in my transcript. I would have to take a semester of voice lessons in order to graduate. Worse, to complete the credit I would have to give a vocal recital to a gaggle of coldhearted music professors. Nothing could have prepared me for this and, as it turned out, for them either. After twisting an agreement out of a friend to be my pianist, I nervously padded across campus looking like a criminal about to face a firing squad. I had chosen Mendelssohn’s “O Rest in the Lord” in hopes of impressing my judges with my musical sophistication. It didn’t work. Problems began immediately when my pianist failed to show. After an uncomfortable few minutes, my judges suggested I sing without the aid of a pianist. At this point I would have actually preferred a firing squad, Music to 9
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Zest • December 2020
REFLECTIONS
MUSIC continued from 8
but it was too late, so I began to sing. “Oh rest in the . . .” which sounded more like the metallic squawk of a window speaker at a drive-in movie than a college recital. Determined to graduate, I kept singing, but things went downhill from there. Next, a telephone rang in the office and if this weren’t bad enough, a professor actually started having a conversation while I was singing. Worse, my pianist suddenly threw open the door, bloodshot eyes and all, and began to play while I wailed away, “wait patiently for Him ... .’ This was welcome relief until he simply quit playing. Apparently, his hangover was causing memory loss. By the time I closed, the
professors had smirks on their faces, and I’m sure I heard several sniggers disguised as coughs. Thus ended what was, and still is, widely regarded as the worst recital in school history. I received a sympathy C and got my diploma and with it, the curtain dropped on my sorry musical career. Thankfully, the same cannot be said of Italian singing sensation, Andrea Bocelli. On April 12, Easter Sunday, time, place and need converged to create the perfect storm of opportunity, and Bocelli answered the call. Dressed in a simple, plain dark suit, Bocelli stood in stark relief against the chalky white walls of the Italian cathedral, the Duomo di Milano, and sang a song of hope for a hopeless world. Standing atop the cathedral’s lonely stone steps, Bocelli delivered a chilling rendition of “Amazing Grace” that, coupled with the
promise of Easter, gave each of us hope in a time of despair. The lyrics, “was blind but now I see ...” were darkly ironic as Bocelli himself is blind, due to childhood glaucoma and a football accident. Written in 1772 and published in 1779, by English poet and clergyman John Newton, this timeless hymn was the result of Newton’s terrifying experience aboard a slave ship as he called out to God for mercy. A spiritual conversion and “Amazing Grace” soon followed. Few, if any, renditions will challenge Bocelli’s performance, which was delivered, paradoxically, alone while standing before the world. Beginning a capella, Bocelli added the spiritual power of a pipe organ and background vocals. As scenes of deserted cities played in the background, Bocellli rose to a Music to 10
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Zest • December 2020
9
REFLECTIONS
MUSIC continued from 9
crescendo with uncommon power and grace. His gift filled the sky with perfect sound and reached the gods of melody, who must have bowed their heads in deference to this gifted troubadour. Yes, crisis brings opportunity and on Easter Sunday, the right man at the right time in the right place filled a gloomy sky with song and hope. As the horizon warms with the sounds of Christmas, you may want to listen, once again, to Bolcelli’s “Amazing Grace.” If you do, wear a sweater; you’ll probably get chills. — Mark Leitheiser is an area resident and teacher who contributes columns to the Hutchinson Leader.
INFOGIBRALTAR/WIKIPEDIA
Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli sang “Amazing Grace” on Easter Sunday. In this photo, he performs in September 2019 with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.
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Zest • December 2020
MONEY MATTERS
Consider these year-end financial moves FINANCIAL FOCUS By Edward Jones
We’re nearing the end of 2020 — and for many of us, it will be a relief to turn the calendar page on this challenging year. However, we’ve still got a few weeks left, which means you have time to make some year-end financial moves that may work in your favor. Here are a few suggestions: Add to your IRA. For the 2020 tax year, you can put in up to $7,000 if you’re 50 or older. If you haven’t reached this limit, consider adding some money. You actually have until April 15, 2021, to contribute to your IRA for 2020, but the sooner you put
the money in, the quicker it can go to work for you. Make an extra 401(k) payment. If it’s allowed by your employer, put in a little extra to your 401(k) or similar retirement plan. See your tax advisor. It’s possible that you could improve your tax situation by making some investmentrelated moves. Your tax advisor can determine those that may be appropriate for your situation. Review your investment mix. As you consider your portfolio, think about the events of these past 12 months and how you responded to them. When COVID-19 hit early in the year, and the financial markets plunged, did you find your-
self worrying constantly about the losses you were taking? Did you even sell investments to “cut your losses” without waiting for a market recovery? If so, you might want to consult with a financial professional to determine if your investment mix is still appropriate for your goals and risk tolerance. Evaluate your need for retirement plan withdrawals. If you are 72 or older, you must start taking withdrawals from your retirement plan. Typically, you must take these required minimum distributions by Dec. 31 every year. However, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stimulus Act suspended, or waived, all
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Zest • December 2020
RMDs due in 2020. If you’re in this age group, but you don’t need the money, you can let your retirement accounts continue growing on a tax-deferred basis. Think about the future. Are you still on track toward the retirement lifestyle you’ve envisioned? Or have your retirement plans changed as a result of the pandemic? T hese issues can affect your investment strategies, so you’ll want to think carefully about what decisions you may need to make. L ooki ng back — and ahead — can help you make the moves to end 2020 on a positive note and start 2021 on the right foot.
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MEDICARE
How can I make a quality of care complaint? Dear Marci, I have arthritis, and I recently went to my doctor to talk about some new symptoms I’ve been experiencing. In my opinion, my doctor does not take my concerns seriously, and I’m worried about the quality of care I am receiving. What can I do? — Enid Dear Enid, I f you have a conc er n about the quality of care you receive from a Medicare provider, your concern can be handled by the Beneficiary and Family Centered Care-Quality Improvement Organization (BFCC-QIO) for your area. The BFCCQIOs are made up of practicing doctors and other health care experts. Their role is to monitor and improve the
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care given to Medicare enrollees. BFCC-QIOs review complaints about the quality of care provided by: Physicians Inpatient hospitals Hospital outpatient departments H o s p i t a l e m e r g e n cy rooms Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) Home health agencies (HHAs) Ambulatory surgery centers Examples of situations that you might wish to file a quality of care complaint about include: A medication mistake Picking up an infection during a stay in a facility Receiving the wrong care or treatment Running into barriers
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to receiving care Two ways that the BFCCQIO might review this complaint are: Immediate advocacy: Immediate advocacy is an informal process used by the BFCC-QIO to quickly resolve a c onc er n or c ompl ai nt . This process starts when you, a family member, or an advocate gives the BFCCQIO permission to address the concern or complaint. T he BFCC - QIO wi l l t hen contact your provider. I f you r prov ider a g r e e s to participate in the resolution of the issue, the BFCC-QIO wi l l work wit h bot h you and your provider to resolve the issue. If your provider declines to participate, you will be able to file a written complaint. Immediate advocacy can take place when the complaint is unrelated to the clinical quality of health care, or when it is related to the clinical quality of health care, but does not rise to the level of being a significant qua lit y of c a re concer n. For exa mple, i m medi ate advocacy could be used to address complaints about a hospital staff’s poor communication. In cases when immediate advocacy is used, the issue should be resolved within no more than two business days. This process is not available if you wish to remain anonymous. Quality of care complaints: If you have concerns related to the quality of clinical care that you have received, you can file a complaint with the BFCC-QIO so they can review the case. You can do this by calling your QIO or submitting a written complaint. When the BFCC-QIO gets your com-
plaint, they should call you to ask clarifying questions about your complaint and to get the contact information for your provider. A physician of matching specialty will review the medical record to determine whether the care provided met the medical standard of care, or whether the standard of care was not met. The review process can take up to a few months, and when the review is over, you and your doctor will be notified by phone and in writing. Livanta and KEPRO are currently the two BFCC QIOs that serve the entire country. To find out which BFCC-QIO serves your state or territory and how to contact them, visit www.qioprogram.org/contact or call 1-800-MEDICARE. If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can choose to make complaints about the quality of care you receive through your plan’s grievance process, through the BFCCQIO, or both. If you file a grievance with your plan about the quality of care you receive, the plan should inform you of your right to file a complaint with the BFCC-QIO. — Marci — Confused about Medicare? Free and confidential assistance is available from the Senior Linkage Line at 800-333-2433. Sponsored by the Minnesota Board on Aging and the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, its trained specialists can help. ”Dear Marci” is a service of the Medicare Rights Center. For more information, call 800-3334114.
Zest • December 2020
FOOD & FUN
PERFECT PAIRINGS Minnesota cooking guru Beatrice Ojakangas serves up soup and bread in her new cookbook
O
ne of my favorite reasons for living in Minnesota is the changing of the seasons. After the lush heat of summer and autumn’s blaze of glory, I welcome the quiet of winter. There’s something calming about the blackand-white landscape and the downy quilt of snow that gently settles over the earth. Wintertide with its sharp cold and bitter wind calls for hearty food. Who better to provide it than Minnesota cooking guru Beatrice Ojakangas. In her new release, “The Soup & Bread Cookbook,” Ojakangas shares more than 100 satisfying soup and bread pairings. The James Beard Cookbook Hall of Famer’s love of soup dates back to her childhood when her mother gave her some words of advice: You can never go wrong ordering soup. And then, of course, there should be bread to go with it. Ojakangas has been sampling soup ever since. In her new cookbook, she takes the reader along on her “soup travels,” providing delicious tastes
Zest • December 2020
Kay
JOHNSON ARTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR
from throughout the world and teaching how to make them at home. Her recipes are rooted in the rhythm of Minnesota seasons — from hearty winter fare to the cool, refreshing soups of summer. Inspiration for her soups, stews and chowders come from farmers markets and local organic grocery stores. I love the idea of pairing soup and bread. Seriously, is there anything better? I so enjoy curling up with a good cookbook. I read them like novels. I devour the photos, savor the list of ingredients and imagine the play of tastes across my tongue. I seldom actually make anything, but I hold dear the idea that I could. When it comes to perfect pairings, Ojakangas has hit a home run. How about New Potato Spring Pea Soup with chive-dill batter bread, Spicy Mango Melon Soup with Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, Chicken and Dumpling Soup with Dutch Raisin Bread, or Asian Lemon-Ginger Soup with Sesame Sunflower Breadsticks? Hmmm, so good.
Whatever your taste buds crave, Ojakangas has a winning combo for you. The Splendid Table, public radio’s culinary culture and lifestyle program, has offered the best recommendation for the cookbook: “banish the Campbell’s from your cupboard forever.” Interested in tasting a recipe before splurging on the book? One of Ojakangas’ pairings that I think will appeal to Leader readers is German Potato Soup with Pumpernickel Soup Bowls.
GERMAN POTATO SOUP Soup served in a bread bowl has been a novelty on restaurant menus for as long as I can remember. It can really be done with any bread with a firm crust and with any soup. This combination is inspired by the classic Bavarian pairing. Makes 6 servings.
About the book Title: “The Soup and Bread Cookbook” Author: Beatrice Ojakangas Publisher: University of Minnesota Press; Nov. 3, 2020 Price: 280 pages; $19.95 paperback The cookbook is available where books are sold and it can be borrowed by calling local libraries.
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter 1 large onion, chopped 6 cups basic chicken stock or two for one beef stock or low-sodium store bought 4 large boiling potatoes, peeled and diced 2 tablespoons allpurpose flour 1/2 cup light sour cream Ojakangas to 14
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1/2 cup whole or 2-percent milk 1 cup shredded cooked corned beef 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese Pumpernickel soup bowls (see next recipe) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley Directions: 1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the stock and potatoes. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. 2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sour cream and milk. Add a little hot soup to the mixture; then stir the mixture into
the pot of soup. Add the corned beef to the soup and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in cheese. 3. Ladle the soup into the bread bowls and top with the toasted lid of the bread bowl. Garnish with parsley and serve.
PUMPERNICKEL SOUP BOWLS You’ll need to make these bread bowls before you cook the soup. Allow about 4 hours to prepare them or make them a day ahead. Makes 6 soup bowls. Ingredients: 1/2 cup plus 1 1/4 cups warm water (105-115 degrees) 1 package (1/4 ounce) or 1 scant tablespoon of active dry yeast 1 tablespoon dark molasses 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rye flour 1 cup unbleached bread flour 1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder 1 tablespoon caraway seeds 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon butter, plus melted butter for brushing on the loaves Directions: 1. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the warm water, the yeast and molasses. Set aside until the mixture begins to foam, about 5 minutes. 2. In a food processor or bowl, combine the whole wheat, rye and bread flours, dry milk, caraway seeds, salt and butter. Stir in the 1 1/4 cups warm water along with the yeast mixture to make a stiff dough. Add more water if necessary to make a dough that is soft and pliable. Or, process the
dough in the food processor until it comes together in a ball and spins around the bowl about 25 times. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes. 3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turn to coat, cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. 4. Divide the dough into 6 equal parts. Shape each part into a round ball Place on 2 greased baking sheets and let rice until puff, 45 minutes to 1 hour. 5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 6. Brush the loaves with water and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean and dry, 25 to 35 minutes. Brush with melted butter and cool completely on a rack. 7. To serve, slice a shallow cap off the top of each loaf. Remove the soft
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About the author Ojakangas began her culinary career as a food editor for Sunset Magazine and went on to write for Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Woman’s Day, Family Circle, Redbook, Cooking Light, Country Living, Southern Living and Ladies’ Home Journal. A columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the Duluth News Tribune, she stars in the Food Network series “The Baker’s Dozen” and has appeared on “Baking with Julia Child” and Martha Stewart’s Living. She is author of 30 cookbooks, including “Scandinavian Cooking,” “Great Old-Fashioned American Recipes,” “Scandinavian Feasts,” and the award-winning “Great Scandinavian Baking Book.” In 2005 she was selected for the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame. Her memoir, “Homemade: Finnish Rye, Feed Sack Fashion, and Other Simple Ingredients from My Life in Food” (Minnesota, 2016) received a Northeastern Minnesota Book Award.
interior of the loaves and reserve for another use. Brush the cut side of the cap with butter and toast under the broiler until heated through. —The printed recipes are from “The Soup and Bread
Cookbook” by Beatrice Ojakangas (University of Minnesota Press, 2020). Copyright 2013 by Beatrice Ojakangas. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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