The Woman Today - August/September 2023

WOMAN today the

Karen Stromme

Former UMD women’s basketball coach discusses legendary career

• Talented chalk artist brightens up Duluth’s sidewalks

• Homeland trip inspires family with Palestinian roots

• 5 Skies Consulting empowers Indigenous women

• C2C Duluth is a ‘free store for teachers’

PROFILES

6 Annmarie Geniusz

Artist brings a little fun to Duluth’s sidewalks

12 Ann and Lyla

Abukhodair

Homeland trip inspired Duluth family with Palestinian roots

16 Karen Stromme

Legendary coach finds success in ‘always doing more than expected’

FEATURES

30 Companies to Classrooms: the ‘free store for teachers’

34 Overcoming historical traumas, gaining job skills

ENTERTAINMENT/ARTS

26 Arts and Events Calendar

HEALTH/MEDICINE

24 Essentia

Oh, baby — what a space!

28 St. Luke’s Building tomorrow's nurses

FOOD/NUTRITION

44 Whipped Cottage Cheese

Savory Spread or Sweet & Tart Dip

KIDS KORNER

42 Sloane's Suggestions/Kids Korner

WOMAN the today

GROUP PUBLISHER

Neal Ronquist

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Rick Lubbers

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Ali Carlson

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Kim Quinones

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Renae Ronquist

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Julie Schulz

CONTRIBUTORS

TO OUR READERS

Hello, Woman Today readers!

I hope you are enjoying the long, lazy days of summer. I personally savor the summer months as much as possible, and can’t get enough of them. The Northland seems to be covered in snow and ice from October to May and true spring and fall often last only a few weeks as bookends to the winter. So, I look forward to June, July and August (and the warmer days of September, too) rolling around each year.

And even when the temps reach the 80s and slip a bit into the 90s with a bit of mugginess, I won’t ever complain about the heat. It’s too fleeting!

Amy Carlson

Andrea Busche

Annmarie Geniusz

Comstock Creative

Janna Goerdt

Karen Stromme

Lyla Abukhodair

Melissa Greensky

Nyree Kedrowski

Rachel Loeffler-Kemp

Wanda Northrup

By the time you read this, we will be inching closer to fall. The days are getting shorter and the seasonal torch will be handed off again. So, I will be getting outside as often as possible before I pack my T-shirts, shorts and sandals away for the next several months.

I hope you can take this issue of The Woman Today with you to the beach, or the comfort of your deck or patio — anywhere you can do some reading while enjoying the beautiful summer weather.

Here are some of the stories you will want to check out while you do:

We’re excited to feature legendary UMD women’s basketball coach Karen Stromme as our cover story for this issue. You’ll learn how Stromme found incredible success as a coach and role model, and how she has advocated for women’s and girls’ sports during her career.

Hopefully you have bumped into the stunning chalk art from artist Annmarie Geniusz while hitting the sidewalks in Duluth this summer. If not, you’ll want to check out her story and the pictures that show off her incredible talent.

Tag along on a trip to Palestine with Lyla and Ann Abukhodair, and learn how their adventures there have helped inspire the food they will serve at their future Duluth deli, Falastin.

Meet Nyree Kedrowski and her husband, Nick. Together they have changed the lives of many Native American women through 5 Skies Consulting — which empowers them to seek vocation, independence and fulfillment in the construction trades.

Thanks for spending some of your valuable summertime reading The Woman Today. Your readership is always greatly appreciated.

Rick Lubbers Executive Editor, Duluth Media Group

University of Minnesota Duluth

Artist brings a little fun to Duluth’s sidewalks

Annmarie Geniusz ~

Colorful, whimsical, and very, very temporary

By Janna Goerdt

It’s a typical summer scene for Annmarie Geniusz: Her fingers are taped. Her hands are gloved. She is kneeling on an old patio seat cushion on a hot chunk of asphalt. Her nostrils are filled with chalk dust.

And she is happy.

The Duluth artist spends hour upon hour during the warmer months bringing brilliant color and fanciful designs to streets, sidewalks and parking lots in town and around the country. As a chalk mural artist, Geniusz has found her niche.

“I really stumbled upon it,” Geniusz said. In 2018 she visited the Two Harbors Chalk.a.Lot festival with a friend. Geniusz, who grew up surrounded by art supplies and later went to art school, thought that drawing with chalk looked like fun, so she found a patch of bare sidewalk and started drawing.

“People came by and started complimenting me,” Geniusz remembers. That’s a contrast to most of the art world, she said, where critique and criticism are the norm.

“This is an art form where people are nice to you,” Geniusz said.

Cases in point: One little boy was so thrilled to discover the velociraptor riding a bicycle that Geniusz created for the

Denver Chalk Art Festival that he couldn’t stop exclaiming, “It’s a dinosaur, riding a bicycle!” Geniusz recalls. And this summer in Duluth, an older fellow sat on his porch and watched her at work for hours at time, frequently walking across the street to see her progress and to talk about the mural. That kind of connection — especially when working in an art form that doesn’t last long — is satisfying, Geniusz said.

You may have spotted Geniusz’ murals this summer around Duluth. She received a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council to brighten up four Duluth parks with a wellresearched mural. Every Wednesday in June, Geniusz took her chalk collection to a specific park — Keene Creek Park, for example — and started creating. She chalked a dog riding a skateboard up a wave while fish swam below; a nod to the combined dog park and skate park. The murals are meant to bring a flash of joy and beauty to a new — if temporary — location.

“You’re not expecting it,” Geniusz said. “It’s surprising and exciting to find these murals.”

More permanent art from Geniusz can be seen in the children’s section of Duluth’s Zenith Bookstore, where

Continued on page 8

Creating at the Denver Chalk Art Festival in September of 2022. The mural is called "Biking Dinosaur Ridge."

Geniusz recently painted a whimsical mural featuring animals and tidbits from beloved children’s books. She has also painted murals in private homes.

But for the past four years, chalk art murals have been her focus.

Inspiration can come from just about anywhere, Geniusz said. She was releasing a monarch butterfly in her backyard, and the butterfly decided to take a brief rest on top of her head. Geniusz multiplied that experience to create a self-portrait in chalk with a halo of seven butterflies and a bouquet of flowers for the Maple Grove Chalk Art Festival.

“I’m usually trying to do something cheerful, something

easy to recognize,” Geniusz said. “Earlier, I would make up elaborate stories, but now I am trying to simplify.”

Creating a piece for a chalk art festival usually means kneeling, crouching, or side-planking over a patch of pavement for 12 hours a day for two days. Geniusz tapes her index finger and thumb and wears gloves to give her skin a break from the dry chalk. After outlining the piece and filling in the colors, Geniusz will shade and blend colors together using felt erasers, pool noodles or wet paint brushes.

In many parts of the country, the art form is practiced yearround, Geniusz said. But the chalking season is a bit more defined in northern Minnesota.

“Ice-free and over 35 degrees,” Geniusz said. “Under 35 degrees, my fingers don’t work very well.”

Similar to those who create snow sculptures or sand castles, chalk artists know that their masterpieces are only here for a short while.

Consider the chalk art Geniusz created at the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend. To honor her art-loving father,

Continued on page 10

Chalk artist Annmarie Geniusz is pictured working on portraits of Chester and Clara Congdon at Glensheen Mansion, and with the finished portraits.

Annmarie Geniusz snuggles with her cat, Teague, near a chalk portrait of Teague in Annmarie's practice studio. The floor is covered in blackboard paint. Annmarie liked this portrait so much she kept it in place for a while.

Below: Annmarie Geniusz' selfportrait in chalk, "Me with monarchs on my head," created for the Maple Grove Chalk Art Festival in June.

Annmarie Geniusz created a series of murals in Duluth parks this summer, including this scene at Keene Creek Park.

who also loves trains, Geniusz chalked a huge portrait of her dad with trains coming out of his ears. It was raining off and on, and Geniusz really wanted to complete this portrait so her dad could see it. She had a tarp to roll over the portrait as the rain showers passed through.

“I pulled that tarp over and back seven times,” Geniusz said. “I managed to get the portrait done, and 20 minutes later, it really rained.”

But her dad got to see the finished portrait, and museum visitors even recognized him from the chalk portrait. Even if it hadn’t rained, Geniusz’ work would have soon

vanished. As soon as chalk art festivals are over, workers typically power-wash the artworks off the roadway, Geniusz said — no one wants to cause a traffic accident because a driver or a pedestrian slowed down to look at the chalk art.

“It’s a very transient medium, and you get used to that,” Geniusz said. “You have to stay positive, working in this medium. If you’re too emotionally attached to it, why are you working in chalk?” D

Janna Goerdt is an Iron Range farmer and freelance writer.

Ann and AbukhodairLyla ~

Homeland trip inspired Duluth family with Roots

By Janna Goerdt

Ann and Lyla Abukhodair usually have to drive more than two hours to buy fresh ingredients to make their favorite Palestinian foods.

But on a recent trip to the Middle East to explore their family’s homeland and meet relatives for the first time, Lyla Abukhodair found herself delightfully overwhelmed at the piles of fresh za’atar and molokhia, gallons of local olive oil, and spice after spice after spice.

The Duluth mother and daughter — along with more family members — are planning to bring that experience to Duluth in the near future with a Palestinian food-focused deli. The Abukhodairs have also been serving up delectable Palestinian foods at pop-up dinners, which sell out quickly.

“To be in the market, to see all the fresh, beautiful ingredients … to see Jerusalem’s rolling hills of olive trees, it brought tears to my eyes,” Lyla Abukhodair said. “Olive oil is so symbolic. It’s the start of every single dish we make.”

Ann Abukhodair’s husband, Bassam Abukhodair, is part of the Palestinian diaspora. His family lived in Jordan and the

United Arab Emirates. While Bassam Abukhodair has been home to visit relatives, the April trip to Amman, Jordan, and Palestine was a first for Ann, Lyla, and the family’s three brothers.

The family returned home with even more ideas for their forthcoming deli, to be called “Falastin,” the Arabic word for “Palestine.”

The family was greeted at the airport “by about 20 Abukhodairs,” Lyla said, most of whom she and her mother had never met. Then it was off to her grandfather’s house to feast on a traditional meal of mansaf, which includes piles of succulent lamb meat served with rice and jameed, which is a

Continued on page 14

Ann and Lyla Abukhodair prepare a feast of Palestinian dishes for one of their popular pop-up dinners.

Ann (left) and Lyla Abukhodair with a selection of Palestinian delicacies they hope to offer at their future Duluth deli, Falastin.

Lyla Abukhodair stands on the street in Jerusalem, Palestine during a recent visit to connect with her family and learn more about the food and culture of the region.

ball of yogurt that has been further fermented, then dried, crushed and covered with pine nuts, onions and spices. The dish has historical roots in the Bedouin culture and is considered the national dish of Jordan.

The entire trip was filled with family and food, with appreciating their family’s culture and enjoying the warm hospitality.

“These are people we’ve never met, but we felt an instant connection,” Lyla Abukhodair said.

They also wanted to learn more about the culture’s food, and how it was prepared.

“I wanted to go in the kitchens and help the ladies,” Ann Abukhodair said. “But they didn’t want me to get my hands dirty.”

Ann and Lyla, however, were intensely interested in how their relatives were preparing traditional food. How were they making the maqluba, a traditional Palestinian dish with meat, rice and vegetables that is prepared in a pot and then flipped upside down onto a platter? “Maqluba” translates to “upside

“… an endless array of deliciousness”

~ Ann Abukhodair

Lyla Abukhodair, far left, and two of her brothers are pictured eating loquat fruits at their great-aunt's home in Palestine.

Fresh falafel is offered in the market in Amman, Jordan. The Abukhodairs loved walking through the markets; they brought home seven bags of ingredients to make traditional dishes.

down” in Arabic.

Everywhere they went, the Abukhodairs found warm welcomes. Relatives who had very little were proud to share what they did have — one of their relatives lives in a tiny stone house in the Palestinian quarter of Jerusalem. Near her house grows a loquat tree, which bears small, orange, succulent fruit.

“She was picking them off the trees for us,” Ann Abukhodair said. “She was so proud to give us that fruit.”

Other relatives were able to put out lavish spreads, offered with the same spirit of love and hospitality, Ann said.

“People really just want to take care of you, to make you feel blessed and loved,” she said. “And there was such an endless array of deliciousness.”

The Abukhodairs want to weave that feeling into their deli.

“With our deli, we want to make this kind of food approachable,” Lyla Abukhodair said. They plan to sell Palestinian cuisine ingredients (such as the commonly used herb za’atar) at the deli as well, so Duluthians can bring a bit of the Middle East to their own tables. They also plan to sell fairtrade and handmade cultural goods from Palestine.

Lyla Abukhodair said she was also inspired by the noticeable displays of food in Middle Eastern markets and shops.

“It’s all visible to the customer when they walk in,” she said, and they would like to replicate that openness at the deli.

The trip also had an influence on Lyla Abukhodair’s music. She is a singer-songwriter who performs with her rock band, and seeing first-hand the difficulties her Palestinian relatives face and learn to overcome in the politically troubled Middle East was deeply touching, she said.

“I was really inspired to integrate advocacy” in the performances, Lyla Abukhodair said. “After the trip I was more inspired to honor my story.” D

Janna Goerdt is an Iron Range farmer and freelance writer.

The Abukhodair family walks among some Roman-era ruins in Jarrash, Jordan.

LEGENDARY COACH FINDS SUCCESS IN ‘always doing more than expected’

By Andrea Busche

Tothis day, even after retirement, legendary University of Minnesota Duluth women’s basketball coach Karen Stromme retains many records.

Among them, she remains the winningest coach in UMD basketball history. In her 21 years as head coach, she never experienced a losing season and had a 440-184 overall record. She also remains the leading scorer for the St. Olaf College basketball team.

As if these accolades weren’t impressive enough, Stromme also belongs to the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame, the St. Olaf Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Minnesota State High School Hall of Fame.

After a 40-year career, Stromme retired from UMD in January. To recognize her many accomplishments, she was inducted into the DECC’s Athletic Hall of Fame on May 4.

Despite her athletic prowess and award-winning leadership as a coach, Stromme remains humble about it all.

“Education, competition, and volunteering were all instilled

Karen Stromme became the UMD women's basketball head coach at the age of 23.

Karen Stromme has truly enjoyed a hall of fame career. She has been enshrined at: the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame, the St. Olaf Athletic Hall of Fame, the Minnesota State High School Hall of Fame and the DECC’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

in my siblings and me by our parents,” Stromme said. “Doing more than is expected is a motto that has defined my life.”

Youth

Stromme has a sister, Lorrie, and a brother, David. Their parents, Graydon “Soup” Stromme and Maxine “Mickey” Stromme, met while attending St. Olaf.

Her father worked as general manager for the Duluth Dukes baseball team, and later was a teacher, counselor and coach for Morgan Park High School. Her mother was a chemistry and math major in college, which was a shocking path for a woman to pursue in 1942. Mickey worked as a lab assistant in the chemistry department at UMD, and later was a junior high school science teacher.

Stromme herself has been blessed with both athletic and academic abilities. At 6 feet tall, her height is also a bonus. The right for women to play sports became law just in time for her to excel.

“In 1972 when Title IX was enacted, I was in seventh grade,” she said. “I had played before that, but getting to have refs and a coach was transformative. I’m extremely grateful to stand on the shoulders of those who came before me. All of those women were pioneers.”

Stromme continued playing basketball throughout high school and college. She also played golf and badminton, ran track, and participated on a YMCA swim team. She has volunteered for a variety of charitable organizations, too, beginning in childhood.

Education

When she graduated from Duluth Central High School, Stromme was the class valedictorian. She was recruited to attend her parents’ alma mater, St. Olaf, by the college’s basketball coach. And, due to her academic strengths and community engagement, she earned the prestigious Whiteside Scholarship, which was a tremendous help.

Although she initially thought she’d be a teacher, Stromme took a sociology class and was instantly hooked. She graduated from St. Olaf with a double major in sociology and American

Continued on page 20-22

Karen Stromme and her husband, Dr. Gary Holquist, are emotional at Karen’s retirement press conference at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Karen Stromme remains the winningest coach in UMD basketball history. In her 21 years as head coach, she never experienced a losing season and had a 440-184 overall record.

Karen Stromme offers this advice to women in their career pursuits: “I would say surround yourself with people who care about you. It’s also important to me to be a mentor, and to reach back and help others.”

ST . MARY ’S ME DI CAL CENTER

Your path to parenthood is unique and your experience should be too. our brand new birthplace at St. Mary’s Medical Center gives you the space you need and the care you deserve.

private birthing and midwifery suites • whirlpool tubs • aromatherapy • mini-refrigerator

floor-to-ceiling views of Lake Superior • couch and recliner for support person • infotainment center

With the only NICU in the Northland, you can rest easy knowing you’re both in good hands.

Maternity care like nowhere else.

For more informat ion visi t EssentiaHealth.org/SMMC

Karen Stromme and her husband, Dr. Gary Holquist, celebrate the doctoral graduation of their daughter, Samantha Holquist.

Clockwise from top left: Karen Stromme hoists a trophy northern pike caught at Lake of the Woods. Karen and Gary “play” outdoors all year long, including snowshoeing. The couple enjuoys a sailing trip in the British Virgin Islands in February 2023.

Even in retirement, Karen Stromme's influence and support of UMD athletics continues, as she followed the women's basketball team on its thrilling March Madness run, which included a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament championship and eventual run to the Division II national championship game.

studies. She later returned to college when she was working at UMD, and earned a master’s degree in education from the university.

Career

In 1982, when she began her job hunt, the U.S. was experiencing record levels of unemployment. Despite having many interviews, Stromme couldn’t find a job, and ultimately moved back to Duluth. She accepted a job selling shoes at J.C. Penney, which ended up providing a chance coincidence that would change her life.

“I sold shoes to Linda Larson, who was then the head coach of the women’s basketball team at UMD,” she explained. “She asked me to be her assistant coach. In 1982, I began coaching the junior varsity team, and later became the head basketball coach at age 23.”

Stromme ultimately spent 21 years as head coach. Later, she dedicated another 19 years to working as UMD’s senior associate athletic director. As noted, she recently retired, after a whopping 40 years of service to UMD.

Her career has been a perfect fit for Stromme’s strengths and interests.

“When the opportunity was presented, I took it and never looked back,” she said. “I loved every moment. It didn’t seem like a job.”

Other initiatives

In addition to her robust career, Stromme has served on many boards over the years, including for the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce, including a term as board chair; and for PAVSA (Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault), the Girl Scouts, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. She has volunteered for Meals on Wheels, adult care facilities, and a variety of UMD tournaments. Stromme was also honored to be asked to serve as the chair of the Management Council for NCAA Basketball.

She also has ties to U.S. Olympics.

“Another unique source of pride was that I was selected as the women’s chair for the USA Basketball Committee,” she shared. “In both 1996 and 2000, I helped select coaches and players for the Olympic team of women’s basketball. I also got to become friends with someone I had long looked up to: Pat Summitt, a legendary coach.”

Stromme shared that having great mentors to guide her along, including coaches Jim Malosky, Mike Sertich and Linda Larson — in addition to Summitt — was instrumental in her success.

Personal life

Stromme has been married to her husband, Dr. Gary Holquist, for 16 years.

“He’s the best teammate I’ve ever had,” Stromme noted about her husband.

Holquist also recently retired from UMD, after 38 years. The couple have an adult daughter, Samantha “Sammy” Holquist.

Stromme has a variety of hobbies and interests that she’s thrilled to dedicate more time to, now that she’s retired. She and her family own a cabin on Wisconsin’s South Shore, and they enjoy all forms of “lake activities,” including kayaking, swimming, fishing and walking on the beach.

They also enjoy traveling. Bali, New Zealand and Costa Rica have been a few destinations over the years. Stromme also enjoys reading and gardening. Her favorite sporting events to watch include both men’s and women’s March Madness basketball.

A few years ago, Stromme experienced a serious health scare when she had a heart attack, which required open-heart surgery.

“Today, I really enjoy being healthy and appreciating my health,” she said. “I feel like I’m meant to be here.”

Parting thoughts

Karen Stromme has rightfully earned the title of “legend” in college athletics, and can now look back with pride at her illustrious career. But it isn’t her many accolades that she finds most rewarding; rather, it is the interactions with the athletes.

“The most rewarding thing was definitely working with the student athletes,” she said. “I enjoyed watching them grow, and achieve things they never thought possible.”

She also has a few tips to offer to other women who wish to pursue careers in a nontraditional field.

“I would say surround yourself with people who care about you,” she said. “It’s also important to me to be a mentor, and to reach back and help others.” D

Andrea

Oh, baby — what a space!

Birthplace, midwife suite in Essentia Health’s Vision Northland project to enhance baby-delivery experience

By Anthony Matt

Aspart of the Vision Northland project, Essentia Health’s replacement hospital features several enhancements aimed at making the baby-delivery experience unique, private and comfortable.

“Giving birth is one of the most special days in a mother’s life, and we kept that top of mind throughout the entire design process,” said Dr. Michael Kassing, Essentia’s section chair for obstetrics. “We created a private, intimate and personalized space so this experience can be truly special for everyone involved.”

The replacement St. Mary’s Medical Center will offer 13 birth suites; six antepartum rooms, which offer high-quality care to high-risk patients who have to spend extended time in the hospital due to complicated births, such as a C-section; three triage rooms; and a midwifery suite with three patient rooms. There will also be two operating rooms to assist with complex births.

The birth suites are equipped with whirlpool tubs for pain management and comfort before and after delivery. They also feature floor-to-ceiling windows, all with a view of Lake Superior to create a relaxing atmosphere. Each room has its own infotainment center; these serve multiple purposes — patients can see who their care team is, access the food menu, watch TV and more.

There is a recliner in each room, as well as a sofa that has a pullout bed for partners. Patients will have access to a minirefrigerator, a private storage locker and a calming environment that features decorations and artwork inspired by Lake Superior and the beauty of the Northland. This homelike vibe is welcoming and soothing.

“Creating this accommodating space was of the utmost importance to us,” Dr. Kassing said. “Birthing partners play an important support role in the delivery process. Keeping everyone comfortable throughout is paramount and something we think patients will really enjoy.”

Each room incorporates feedback from nurses, doctors and certified nurse-midwives to foster efficiency and optimize patient care. Medical equipment is strategically placed so that it’s easily accessible for the delivery team. These set-ups are designed with mobility in mind to enhance monitoring, provide more detailed information throughout the birthing process and offer more room for documentation and care information.

Essentia knows labor can occur at any time, which is why three triage-focused rooms will have in-house doctors staffed 24/7. Every patient will receive triage care when they come in for delivery. This is to assess patient needs to determine the level of care that will be needed before their delivery. In these rooms, patients can be monitored to assess fetal heart rate, frequency and duration of contractions, vital signs, have ultrasounds performed

One of the new birthing suites in the replacement St. Mary's Medical Center is designed to make the baby-delivery experience unique, private and comfortable.

and several other options to determine the best possible delivery path for the patient.

These private rooms help streamline the delivery process by providing dedicated space, equipment and services to our patients. This will reduce wait times and provide access to more efficient care.

The birthplace will have three rooms for patients looking for a more unique delivery experience. The midwifery suite will have 24/7 certified nurse-midwife coverage. The midwifery suite provides a different approach to obstetrical care. Our certified nurse-midwives are experts in low-risk pregnancies, labor and delivery and low-intervention labors.

“This is becoming more popular across the country and it’s a need of our patient population in the community who desire this type of care,” said Meghan Sislo, nurse manager of the birthplace. “We know the delivery process is an intimate and personal experience for mothers and we wanted to ensure we could meet their needs.”

The medical gasses and outlets in the headwalls are covered by movable artwork, giving nurses access to these medical items when needed, but hiding them when not in use to give rooms a more homelike feel.

The rooms have a queen-size, dropdown Murphy bed designed for maximum comfort. The ability to put it into the wall allows the patient, family, midwives and nurses to adapt the room and create more space.

Having our own dedicated midwifery space in the replacement hospital is something that is not found in many facilities, and there are numerous benefits to providing this model of care and space. Creating a warm, comfortable environment for laboring and birthing your baby in a hospital setting can give patients the added element of safety. D

Anthony Matt is the media relations specialist at Essentia Health.

Arts & Events Calendar

Superior Porchfest

6 p.m. Thursdays

This free, family-friendly music and art festival in Superior continues every other Thursday (Aug. 10, 24, and Sept. 7). Bring a blanket or lawn chair, pack a picnic and enjoy the show. Visit www. superiorporchfest.org.

The West Theatre Events

Thursdays in August & September

Aug. 10Showbiz

Kids: Tribute to Steely Dan; Sept. 21 - Xpedition;Sept. 28 - Reverend Raven & The Chain Smokin' Altar Boys (w/Westside Andy) Visit thewesttheatre/events.com.

Silver Bay Music in the Park

7:30 p.m. Fridays

Enjoy free outdoor concerts at City Center Park in Silver Bay. Aug. 4 - Pert Near Sandstone; Aug. 11 - Pat Donohue & the Prairie All Stars; Aug. 18 - Rich Mattson & the North Stars; Aug. 25 - The Scarlet Goodbye; and Sept. 1 - Erik Koskinen. Visit www.facebook.com/ RockyWallProductionsNorthShore.

Concerts on the Pier

Sundays in August

We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of this information. However, you should always call ahead to confirm dates, times, location, and other information.

Come to Glensheen Aug. 2 for Pink Marlena; Aug. 9 - Jeremy Messersmith; Aug. 16Danny Frank and the Smoky Gold; Aug. 23 - New Salty Dog; and Aug. 30 - Emily Haavik & the 35s. Bring your own blanket and lawn chairs, and find more attendee information at Glensheen.org.

Bon Iver

6:30 p.m. August 2

This grammywinning band will perform at Bayfront Festival park with their North American Tour Launch. Visit decc.org/event/bon-ivernorth-american-tour-launch-2023.

Spirit Valley Days

August 3-5

This annual West Duluth celebration features over 100 booths of local vendors, crafters, food trucks and more on Grand Avenue. There will also be a parade, Miss West Duluth pageant, and a car and bike show. Visit spiritvalleydays.com

Movies in the Park

Fridays in August

Enjoy free outdoor movies on a giant screen in Leif Erikson Park, Duluth, at sunset every Friday. Aug. 4 - School of Rock; Aug. 11 - Despicable Me; Aug. 18 - Minions: The Rise of Gru; and Aug 25 - DC League of Super-Pets. Visit www. downtownduluth.com/movies-in-the-park.

Chester Park Concert Series

Tuesdays in August

Musicians perform Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Chester Bowl. Aug. 1 - Ross Thorn; Aug. 8 - The Most Wanted; and Aug. 15 - Fish Heads. Aug. 22 is a rain date. Visit www.duluthmn.gov/parks/programs-events/ special-events.

City on the Hill Music Festival

August 3-5

Enjoy three days of faithbased music and fun at Bayfront Festival Park. Visit cityonthehillmusicfest.com.

Brew Love North

5:30 p.m. August 10

Featuring beverage sampling and good food from dozens of breweries, cideries, wineries and distilleries, this fundraiser also includes music and will be held at Clyde Iron Works. Proceeds will support Ronald McDonald House Charities/Upper Midwest. Visit rmhtwincities.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/ BrewLoveNorth2023/tabid/1343373/Default. aspx.

The Addams Family

6 p.m. August 11

The Duluth Playhouse’s 2023

Teen Intensive presents this comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family, featuring an original story and everyone’s favorite notorious characters. Visit duluthplayhouse.org/family-theatre.

Bayfront Blues Festival

August 11-13

Showcasing the “who’s who” in blues for over 30 years, Bayfront Blues Festival will feature 17 great performances. Visit bayfrontblues.com.

Bored Teachers Comedy

7 p.m. August 13

The “Bored Teachers: We Can’t Make This Stuff Up! Comedy Tour” be be performed at the DECC’s Symphony Hall. Visit decc.org/ event/boredteachers-we-cantmake-this-stuff-up-comedy-tour.

Kids, Cops & Cars

1-4 p.m. August 18

This event will showcase multiple law enforcement and first responder vehicles that are ready to be explored and played in, K-9 demonstrations, tug-of-war, ice cream treats, and other activities at Bayfront Festival Park. Visit duluthmn.gov/police/communitypolicing/kids-cops-cars

Jurassic Park in Concert

7 p.m. August 19

Experience this classic film projected in HD with the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra performing the live score at the DECC’s Symphony Hall. Visit decc.org/event/jurassicpark-in-concert.

Art in Bayfront Park

August 19-20

This free art festival will include juried works of art including jewelry, painting, photography, ceramics, metalwork, glass and much more, all at Bayfront Festival Park. Visit artinbayfrontpark.com.

The Tribute Fest

August 25-26

This fundraiser for homeless and jobless veterans features a variety of tribute bands at Bayfront Festival park. Free admission for all veterans and active duty military members and their families. Visit thetributefest.com.

Duluth Superior Pride Festival

Aug. 31 to Sept. 4

The Duluth-Superior GLBTAQI+ Pride Festival will offer events all around the Twin Ports Thursday through Monday. The main event is the festival at Bayfront Park all day Saturday, and parade on Sunday. Visit duluthsuperiorpride.com.

MW1ONE: Across the Northern Sea

7 p.m. September 16

The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra opens the 2023-24 season focusing on works by female composers. Masterworks 1 features Anne Clyne and Amy Beach, and welcomes back pianist Orion Weiss. Visit dsso.com/ concert/across-the-northern-sea.

ONCE

Sept. 16-Oct. 2

The Duluth Playhouse launches their new season with this Tony Awardwinning Best Musical at the Norshore Theatre. Visit duluthplayhouse.org/norshor-theatre.

Love Letters

Sept. 22-Oct. 1

The Boat Club Productions will present “Love Letters” in the Spirit of the North Theater (third floor Fitger’s). Visit boatclubrestaurant.com/productionstheater/#love-letters.

An Evening with Jeff Dunham

7 p.m. September 22

Comedian Jeff Dunham’s “Still Not Canceled Tour” will be held at Amsoil Arena. Visit decc. org/event/jeffdunham-still-notcanceled-tour

Continued on page 29

Naturebased

Lake Superior Harvest Festival

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

September 9

This familyoriented event features a huge farmers market, live music all day, renewable Energy Fair, nonprofit exhibitors tent, educational demonstrations and much more at Bayfront Festival Park. Visit sfa-mn.org/ harvest-festival.

Duluth Oktoberfestival

September 15-17

This fourth annual event features German bier, Bavarian food, authentic live music, games and activities, arts and crafts, Kids Zone, and a Dachshund Derby, all at Bayfront Festival Park. Visit duluthoktoberfestival.com

Nestled on 40 acres with a 20-acre school forest, a greenhouse, an orchard and outdoor classrooms.

Nature

Pre-K-6th:

• Environmental Education integrated throughout the curriculum

• Art, Music, PE, and Environmental Ed Specialists

• Small Class Sizes

• Busing from Duluth and Two Harbors

Nor th S hore Community

Building tomorrow's nurses

How paid internships at St. Luke’s are setting nursing students up for success

By Felicia Schneiderhan

WhenCloquet-native MacKenzie Brummer donned her cap and gown this spring, she carried with her a lot more than just her wide, generous smile.

She carried a top-ranked nursing education from The College of St. Scholastica. She carried her work in the Honors Program, earning her the title of Webster Scholar. She carried the support of her family and friends, mentors and teachers. And she carried a full year of experience as a critical care nurse intern at St. Luke’s.

“It’s been a joy to work with patients on such a deep level,” Brummer said. “With critical care, you have days that are emotionally and physically taxing. But that’s balanced by some really incredible moments, too. I’ve always enjoyed working with people, and I want to be that support person for people when they need it most. My internship at St. Luke’s made me especially sure that nursing is exactly where I want to be.”

Invaluable hands-on experience

St. Luke’s Nurse Intern Program had been in place for many years as a summer internship. This past year, it was expanded.

To provide additional support and training, full-year internships are now available for senior year nursing students.

The internship complements the students’ education and helps build their confidence.

“We’re working side by side with a nurse,” Brummer said, “gaining experience so we can feel comfortable doing things on our own. We’re not just shadowing, watching someone do their job. We’re hands-on, applying the skills we’ve been learning in the classroom. I could give

medications, communicate with patients, analyze results. It was very valuable to practice those skills.”

Brummer was one of 12 interns from St. Scholastica and Lake Superior College to complete the inaugural year of the program. This summer, 13 interns began.

Flexible opportunities tailored to students' success

A full range of areas are available where students can gain experience. They include:

MacKenzie Brummer graduated from The College of St. Scholastica this spring with a top-ranked nursing education and full year of experience as a critical care nurse intern at St. Luke’s.

• Critical Care (Cardiac, Critical Care Float Pool and ICU)

• Emergency Department

• Med-Surg (Float Pool, Gen Medical, Gen Surg-Ortho, Inpatient Rehab, Neuro and Oncology)

• Mental Health

• Maternal Child Health

• Surgical Services

During the summer, interns work 24 hours per week. When school starts, they are only scheduled for 8 hours every two weeks.

“First priority is their coursework,” said Angela Hraban, RN, St. Luke’s Education Manager. “So, we’re flexible with their schedule. This way, they can be on site and have the chance to apply what they’re learning, while still having the time to succeed in their classes.”

Internships are structured by assigning each student to an RN preceptor. The preceptor offers valuable insight and guidance as the student gains hands-on experience. The preceptor is also a mentor, along with every other nurse in the unit.

“We typically worked with one preceptor, but the whole unit helped us learn,” Brummer said. “If another nurse saw a unique opportunity for me to experience or learn from, they would come and get me to be a part of it, even if it wasn’t my patient. All the nurses were so willing to teach me, answer questions and welcome me into their world. That meant a lot!”

Seamless transition to working nurse

Interning at St. Luke’s does not require a commitment to work there after graduation. However, if student nurses do commit, they receive an early hire stipend. This means receiving a monthly payment while still in school.

Brummer’s internship was such a good experience that she accepted a position in the ICU. Six others who interned with her also signed contracts. After passing their nursing boards and receiving their licenses, they will begin working as RNs at St. Luke’s.

The RNs who worked alongside these students, training and teaching them, look forward to their addition.

“MacKenzie and her fellow interns have been a true representation to the success of our internship program,” Hraban said. “We’re excited to have them join our St. Luke’s team and support them in their new roles as RNs.”

For more information about St. Luke’s Student Nurse Intern Program, visit slhduluth.com/NursingStudent. D

Felicia Schneiderhan is a Duluth based writer.

Arts & Events Calendar

Petlandia Pet Expo

September 23-24

Fun for the whole family, Petlandia features dog competition with DockDogs Northern Stars, agility performances, police K9 demonstrations, shopping, and adoption options at the DECC. Visit decc.org/ petlandia-home.

Bienvenue: Where Coffee and Culture Meet

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. September 24

This is a festival blending coffee, art, community and more at The Depot. The event will highlight industry experts with seminars and demos, latte art competition, live music, children’s activities and lots of vendors (food, artisans/makers, coffee). Visit www. experiencethedepot.org/coffee-fest

Felicia Schneiderhan is a Duluth based writer. To read more of her work, visit FeliciaSchneiderhan.com

Mackenzie works with Nicole, another intern, in St. Luke’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

OMPANIES LASSROOMS: to the ‘free store for teachers’

By Andrea Busche

Today’s teachers have so many things to think about. Paying for classroom school supplies shouldn’t even rank as a concern.

But most educators must resort to using their own money to purchase the supplies they need. On average, Pre-K to 12th-grade teachers spend $500 of their own money annually to furnish their classrooms.

Companies to Classrooms (C2C) Duluth is trying to change that. Calling themselves the “free store for teachers,” this nonprofit organization, started in 2012 by Mary Jo Jauert and Mary Beth Kjolhaug, offers the community a place to donate, as well as a place for teachers to shop — free of charge.

“We give businesses and individuals a location to donate, as well as a place for teachers to get the supplies they need,” said Rachel Loeffler-Kemp, C2C’s board chair. “We accept gently used items and monetary donations. Teachers can sign up online, and make an appointment to shop.”

Companies to Classrooms Duluth has a two-fold mission: To enrich education by providing free repurposed and new materials to teachers, while simultaneously providing companies, organizations and individuals an alternative to discarding their gently used office supplies into landfills.

Rachel LoefflerKemp, board chair for the group.

History and staff

Starting with its inception in 2012, C2C Duluth was originally located in a warehouse in Duluth’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. In 2018, it moved to the basement of the former Central High School. And in October 2021, it moved again, to its current location: 901 E. 11th St. — the former Grant Park

Recreation Center.

The organization is operated by a team of 20 dedicated volunteers, and governed by a seven-member board of directors. These folks help in a variety of ways: greeting teachers, helping them find the supplies they need, restocking shelves and more.

C2C is always on the lookout for extra support.

“We always keep our doors open for people who want to volunteer or join our board,” Loeffler-Kemp said. “The best advertising we can get is word-of-mouth from people who are part of the organization. And people can volunteer on a regular basis or sporadically — whatever works for them.”

How it works

Companies to Classrooms regularly posts an updated list of their high-needs items — which often includes things like Sharpies, Post-It notes, staplers and office chairs — on its Facebook page and website. They also produce a recurring newsletter, which is sent to interested parties.

Your Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons and their team are ready to assist you in making the best decisions for a healthy mouth and lasting smile. We have a wide scope practice to offer, including:

•Dental Implants

•Wisdom Teeth Extraction

•Corrective Jaw Surgery

•Financing Available/CareCredit

Continued on page 32 Dr.

Serving the area since 1969

Companies To Classroom Duluth volunteers.

The organization then offers several weekly time slots where the community can donate, and teachers can shop. During the school year, this is typically the second Saturday of the month, as well as Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons.

This business model is certainly beneficial to teachers and classrooms, but is an option for organizations that want to donate, too.

“If a business or company is remodeling, they will often reach out to us to make a donation of their gently used office furniture,” Loeffler-Kemp explained.

Businesses and other organizations

can also sign up to be a C2C sponsor, which works in a variety of ways. For instance, Super One Foods has been a financial sponsor. A group of attorneys recently gathered donations for C2C. And the retail store Flagship Duluth, located at 345 S. Lake Ave., sells a specific T-shirt that raises funds for C2C.

C2C also has partnerships with local “green organizations,” including Ecolibrium3 and Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, to help get gently used office supplies into the hands of teachers and students, and keep them out of landfills.

Who can participate?

Companies to Classrooms is open to licensed teachers only. This extends to teachers in public, charter, and parochial schools. Educators in the areas of Head Start, Early Childhood Family Education, Early Childhood Special Education, Learning Readiness, Boys & Girls Clubs, Lincoln Park Families and Children’s Collaborative, and Duluth Community School Collaborative are also welcome.

The group welcomes teachers from the following school districts: Barnum, Carlton, Cloquet, Culver, Duluth, Esko, Floodwood, Hermantown, Proctor, Solon Springs, Superior, Two Harbors, Northwestern Wisconsin, Willow River and Wrenshall.

Teachers who fit the above criteria can sign up, make an appointment, and shop once per month. They can select up to 15 items per visit. To align with its mission of recycling, C2C encourages teachers to bring their own reusable bag for shopping at the store.

Here are some interesting statistics about C2C. Since its inception:

• 6,319 -- educator shopping trips

• 21,100 -- students served

• 757,850 -- supplies distributed

• Approximately $741,700 -- worth of supplies distributed

C2C board of directors:

• Rachel Loeffler-Kemp (board chair)

• Paula Leland (vice chair)

• Beth Morncrief (secretary)

• Dustin Puchalla (treasurer)

• Carolyn Schroeder

• Kris Rudolph

• Dick Florey

Teacher testimonials

Local teachers appreciate this option to source free supplies for their classrooms. A Duluth K-8 teacher noted, “The staff has been incredibly helpful and make the whole experience enjoyable. They are so nice and knowledgeable.”

A Proctor kindergarten teacher shared, “I appreciate C2C’s willingness to take on the task of accepting, sorting

Founders, Mary Jo Jauert and Mary Beth Kjolhaug.

The new Companies To Classrooms Duluth location

and distributing unneeded materials that are still usable to others in the teaching field”

And, a Duluth Kindergarten teacher said, “I really appreciate the C2C store. I spend a lot every year on supplies, and this helps to cut down some on that. I love that people are recycling and not just dumping usable things in a landfill”

Rewarding initiative

Loeffler-Kemp and the other C2C volunteers and board members are deeply dedicated to their work. Together, they enjoy doing their part to help students and teachers, while also employing the earth-friendly motto “reduce, reuse, recycle.”

“Companies to Classrooms is a great way to give back to our schools, teachers and students,” Loeffler-Kemp said. “Teachers have enough on their plates. This helps make it easier for them to just focus on teaching, so they don’t have to think about how to pay for their supplies”

For more information, visit c2cduluth.org, or find them on Facebook. D

Andrea Busche is a Duluth freelance writer

OVERCOMING HISTORICAL TRAUMAS, GAINING JOB SKILLS

Empowerment training encourages American Indian women to work in the trades

By Janna Goerdt

Melissa Greensky was changing her entire life. She had just started a new job at the Community Center on the Fond du Lac Reservation when someone came in with a poster advertising a weekslong job training session. Greensky, who was 47 years old at the time, checked it out with a friend.

A month later she was headed to work as a general laborer on Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 pipeline. Today, Greensky is a member of Local 1091, a laborers union based in Duluth. She enjoys the physical and mental challenges of the work, as well as the camaraderie of working with a crew.

“That first job was far away from home, and I was the only female on the crew,” Greensky said. “But I was starting to grow; that confidence in myself started to grow. During the class, Nick and Nyree were so supportive.”

The training Greensky says helped change her life is held by Five Skies Consulting, owned by Nyree and Nick Kedrowski. The Native-owned business specializes in training for American Indians in Minnesota and Wisconsin that focuses on

recognizing and beginning to repair emotional trauma, and building a strong foundation to enter and stay in the workforce.

Melissa Greensky of Duluth credits the training and career counseling sessions by Five Skies Consulting with helping her get a job as a laborer with a local union. She is now working on a large project site in Superior.

Nyree Kedrowski is a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation,

and her husband, Nick, is a member of the Oneida Nation in Wisconsin. Their three-week training sessions delve into the intergenerational traumas, grief and loss felt by many American Indians — even if it’s not a conscious thought, Nyree Kedrowski said.

“It is a challenge,” Kedrowski said. “That historic trauma is kind of sugar-coated, or people don’t think intergenerational trauma affects them.”

But once people understand the effects of that historic cultural trauma, “they understand why they are angry for no reason, why they have trouble holding a job,” Kedrowski said. “We want that healing to start.”

Going through that kind of therapy was a revelation to Wanda Northrup.

“I learned to go through my traumas, and why I was not able to hold a job in my 20s, 30s, even my 40s,” she said. After the Five Skies training, she began working in the trades.

“We find that individuals have a lot in their (metaphorical) backpack that they haven’t uncovered, Nyree Kedrowski said. “Once people deal with that, they become a better employee, they become more focused.”

Five Skies has developed a partnership with local trades unions, Kedrowski said. After the three-week empowerment, job skills and career counseling workshop, union members

Nyree Kedrowski of Five Skies Consulting holds job and career training sessions that dig into the roots of historical trauma among American Indian tribes. The training sessions are sponsored in part by local trades unions and construction companies; Kedrowski describes the sessions as a "month-long job interview." Many graduates go on to have a career in the trades.

Wanda Northrup is an ironworker and member of Iron Workers Local 512. She was encouraged to learn a job in the trades after graduating from a Five Skies career training session. Northrup said she loves the challenge of learning new skills.

Wanda Northrup connects with her Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa history by attending many pow wows in the area, and sewing colorful ribbon skirts and jingle dresses for her family. Here, her granddaughter Amariana wears one of Northrup's creations.

715.394.7390

provide a weeklong introduction to the various trades and what kind of work you could expect to do. That partnership grew out of Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline project, Kedrowski said.

“The company wanted to help the communities that were affected by the pipeline,” which extends from Alberta, Canada to Superior, Kedrowski said. “They wanted to know how they could make that change positive, and not just be lip-service.”

One answer was to sponsor job and career trainings for American Indian communities. Five Skies conducted that first training at Black Bear Casino Resort in 2018, and the Kedrowskis have connected hundreds of training participants with new jobs since then — like Northrup and Greensky.

“I went by myself to West Virginia (for a pipeline job), and I stayed there for four months,” Northrup said. Northrup left behind her partner, her grown children and her grandchildren to take the job. When she returned home to the Fond du Lac Reservation, Northrup got a call to join an ironworking crew. Today, she is an apprentice with Iron Workers Local 512, working in Keewatin, Minnesota on a new build. Her oldest daughter also went through one of the Five Skies training

sessions, and she is an oiler on a pipeline build.

“I love working hard, I have always loved working hard,” Northrup said. But she also grew up in a family that relied on government assistance, and in a generation of American Indians that had strong cultural and family ties, but often didn’t have a history of holding jobs, Northrup said.

Today, she is walking on high iron, setting bolts and learning to weld. The work is hard, the hours are long, the pay is good, and Northrup can work on as many jobs as she would like to. Her partner also went through the Five Skies training and has worked in the trades.

“I have granddaughters, and I want to show them they can do this,” Northrup said. “You can do what Grandma’s doing, don’t be afraid of it. We’re breaking cycles here.”

Kedrowksi said about 65% of men and women who completed the Five Skies training sessions are still working in the trades today, again, like Northrup and Greensky.

“They are all really great women,” Kedrowski said. “They are out there breaking down those barriers, and leading for other Native women.”

When she isn't working, Melissa Greensky loves to cook. She is a frybread food vendor at local events, specializing in treats like frybread tacos.

Greensky couldn’t agree more. One of the main satisfactions she finds in her new job is encouraging other women, and women of color, to enter the trades.

“There needs to be more women, more representation,” Greensky said. “A lot of Native women are tough enough to work in the trades. We want to take our place at this table.” D

Janna Goerdt is an Iron Range farmer and freelance writer.

k i d skorner

By Ali Carlson

Sponsored by:

Summer is in full swing!

Sloane has used probably a gallon of sunscreen and visited the local park a dozen times. We are so lucky to live in a community that has so many activities for kids to do. We visited the Duluth Children’s Museum on a chilly rainy day! Sloane says “Go play and have fun!”

SLOanE’s Suggestions

Let’s Skate

FRIDAY

At the Depot

Museum exhibits

Educational programming. Family events. The St. Louis County Depot is a welcoming space for all. Follow us on social media or visit our website to find all there is to experience inside this wonderous building. ExperienceTheDepot.org or “St. Louis Count Depot” on Facebook & Instagram.

At the Zoo

Feed the Animals, Ride the Train

You can feed the animals

Wednesday through Sunday! Brown bears are $15 per person; otters are $10 per person; and red pandas are $25 per person. Call for times. Take a narrated tour of the zoo with the whole family on our ADA accessible train for $4 per person (weather and staff dependent). Visit www.lszooduluth.org.

5:00-8:00 pm*

Super Glow Skate Party!

*Free light stick with each paid admission!!

Fun For All Ages!

8:30-11:00 pm

Adult Night Ages 18+ Only!

College Rate With ID

$8.99 + Rental $9.95 + Rental $8.95 + Rental

At the Aquarium

Great Lakes

Aquarium

Whirligigs

Preschool

This preschool encourages exploration and learning while promoting a deep connection to nature. These one-and-a-half-hour drop-off classes are designed for the 3- to 5-year-old learner. There are multiple days and times to suit your family’s schedule. Classes start in September. Registration opens Aug. 14. www.glaquarium.org/education

Whipped Cottage Cheese

Savory Spread or Sweet & Tart Dip

By Kim Quinones The Woman

Savory Whipped

Cottage Cheese Spread

12 oz Cottage cheese, 4% milkfat used in this recipe

⅓ cup Cucumber, chopped

1 Tbsp Fresh oregano, chopped

1 Tbsp Lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2 tsp Lemon zest, freshly grated

Place cottage cheese into a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

Fold in the remaining ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 30 minutes. Use a sandwich spread or add 1 Tbsp of water at a time to thin for a veggie/chip dip or salad dressing for lettuce or pasta. In a hurry, whip cottage cheese and add 1 packet dry ranch dressing, blend and chill.

Mediterranean Chicken Veggie Stack

4 Bell Peppers, cut into thirds, seeds discarded

3 cups Baked chicken, chopped

1 Tbsp Kalamata olives, chopped

½ cup Spinach leaves

5 Cherry tomatoes, sliced

¼ cup Savory whipped cottage cheese spread (recipe on page 45)

Baked Chicken: place 3 chicken breasts in an ovenproof dish and drizzle with olive oil and favorite unsalted seasoning blend. Bake at 375 degrees fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F. Once cooled, chop and set aside.

Continued on page 48

Charcuterie Board Stack

4 Bell Peppers, cut into thirds, seeds discarded

12 Soppressata & Mozzarella rolls, deli

1 Tbsp Sun dried tomatoes, in oil, chopped

1 Tbsp Kalamata olives, chopped

1 cup Spinach leaves

¼ cup Savory whipped cottage cheese spread (recipe on page 45)

4 slices Provolone cheese

Assembly: Fill two bell pepper boats with whipped cottage cheese spread. Top one with ¾ cup chopped chicken breast, (12) pepperoni slices or (3) Soppressata & Mozzarella rolls. Press down with the back of a spoon. Layer additional ingredients on top of the protein and top with the second bell pepper boat. Press together and slice in half.

Great to-go: Prior to slicing, roll up the assembled stack in parchment, tuck in the ends of the paper then slice in half. Convenient for to-go lunches or serving at a gathering.

Pizza Please!

Bell Pepper Stack

4 Bell Peppers, cut into thirds, seeds discarded

6 oz pkg Pepperoni

1 Tbsp Sun dried tomatoes, in oil, chopped

½ cup Spinach leaves

¼ cup Savory whipped cottage cheese spread (recipe on page 45)

4 slices Mozzarella cheese

Sweet and Tart Fruit Dip

A lighter version of the traditional cream cheese and marshmallow whip fruit dip.

12 oz Cottage Cheese, 4% milkfat used in this recipe

1 heaping Tbsp

Powdered sugar

1 Tbsp Lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1 Tbsp Lemon zest, freshly grated

3 cups Fresh strawberries and blueberries

1 Tbsp Honey

Place cottage cheese into a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

Fold in the remaining ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Assemble by layering fruit on top of dip in an individual serving bowl. Drizzle with honey.

For a gathering, place dip in a serving bowl, top with honey and include a serving spoon. Set the dip bowl on a larger plate and surround it with various fruits suitable for dipping such as cut apples, pineapple, strawberries, melon. Enjoy! D

What's your favorite holiday cookie recipe?

The Woman Today will share readers' favorite holiday cookie recipes in the December 2023 issue!

Send your recipe, a photo or two, and a brief explanation or story about why it's a favorite to.... Deadline submission 10/9/23.

magazines@duluthnews.com