Historymaker Ed Mell designs AZ Centennial Stamp

Historymakers honored by the Historical League continue to do great things. Ed Mell has created some wonderful landscapes. He is shown speaking at our Historymakers Gala.

The stamp unveiling was at BestFest in Prescott September 16. A large image of the Commemorative stamp was displayed over the courthouse for the three day festival.

“I actually tried a few different directions before I settled on Cathedral Rock, which I really felt was an icon of Arizona,” Mell said in an interview at his Phoenix studio.

A native Arizonan and a stamp collector in his youth, Mell said this assignment was a dream come true. “It's one of those things I always thought would be a wonderful thing to do.”

Karen Churchard, executive director of the Arizona Centennial 2012 Foundation, said U.S. Postal Service representatives asked centennial organizers going in what they didn't want on the stamp. Their answer: the Grand Canyon and saguaro cactuses, which they considered overused.

“We want to showcase our history,” Churchard said.

Mell said the oil painting took him about three weeks to complete. He worked in a style that combines abstract and realism.

He started by taking a photo of Cathedral Rock and developed pencil sketches before producing the final work on a 20-by-30-inch canvas.

The piece now belongs to the Postal Service, and the stamp will officially become available on Arizona's Statehood Day, Feb. 14, 2012. A forever stamp, it can be used indefinitely to mail a one-ounce letter.

“If you're not enthusiastic about painting, it shows on the canvas.”

Read more: http://www.yumasun.com/articles/stamp-73126-arizona-mell.html#ixzz1YizUHxnn

Summer Garden Vegetable Salad

This salad has a unique twist and that's why it is fun to have recipe exchanges. From the island of Newfoundland off the eastern coast of Canada comes a wonderful salad.

GARDEN VEGETABLE SALAD from Rosalind Pinsent
Corner Brook, NL

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
1 bunch broccoli, cut in bite size pieces
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 lb chopped crisp bacon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
Chopped tomatoes

Directions:
In a bowl, in layers, place cauliflower, broccoli, onion and crisply cooked bacon.
DO NOT STIR. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise and sugar by hand till combined.
Pour mayonnaise mixture over top of the vegetables. Cover and let marinate in
the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, or just before serving, add chopped tomatoes.
Toss lightly and serve.


**** This is by far my favourite salad. Hope you enjoy it..................

Recipe from: Rosalind Pinsent
Corner Brook, NL

BestFest Photos

The Historical League booth was right outside the History Pavilion at BestFest in Prescott. How great to see lines of people waiting to enter the Pavilion and learn about Arizona's history and her Centennial.

In front of the League booth is Ruth McLeod, Carolyn Mendoza, Zona Lorig and Norma Jean Coulter.

Bill Ponder, CFO of AHS, and Zona are pictured outside the History Pavilion, just as two living history characters are walking by. Great costumes were seen all weekend. Lots of cowboys, sheriffs and "Western Dudes". The Mexican Folk Dancing was beautifully done and everyone looked skyward for the bi-plane fly-over.

BestFest Breakfast at Hassayampa Inn

Staying so close to the BestFest event was great. Thanks to Carolyn Mendoza for getting us wonderful rooms at the Hassayampa with a view, cozy but charming, and including breakfast.

The scrambled eggs served with grape salsa were a hit. Try this recipe from page 33 in Tastes & Treasures and add chopped red grapes for an interesting addition.

Corn Salsa page 33 Tastes & Treasures

1 or 2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced
1 ½ cups roasted corn (about 2 large ears)
¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup vegetable juice cocktail
1 tablespoon lime juice
salt to taste

Combine the jalapeno chiles, corn, bell peppers, cilantro, onion, tomato, sugar, vegetable juice cocktail, lime juice and salt in a large bowl and toss to mix.

Makes 3 ½ cups

AZ Centennial Celebration in Prescott

BestFest is the event to celebrate the Centennial with the kick off in Prescott September 16-18. Four members of the Historical League set up the booth on Friday to showcase our own Arizona Recollections and Reflections Centennial book as well as Tastes & Treasures cookbook, Old Ned aprons, Centennial aprons, hats and visors. 

Carolyn Mendoza is ready to accommodate our first group of shoppers. League members Zona Lorig, Norma Jean Coulter and Ruth McLeod join her. 

 

Prescott is the perfect small town to feature this agenda.

Fun times with the unveiling of the Arizona Centennial postage stamp, patriotic songs, bands, speeches and more. The stamp is beautiful and it is a FOREVER stamp. The Elks Theatre was open for tours with Historymaker Elisabeth Ruffner meeting and greeting guests. Elisabeth also signed several Arizona Recollections and Reflections Centennial books for the League. They were the first ones sold at the event.

Historical League Tour - 10/27 "100 Years 100 Ranchers" Photo Exhibit at Sky Harbor Airport

The 2011-2012 Tour season begins Thursday, October 27, with a guided visit to Terminal 4 at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport to view the “100 Years 100 Ranchers” photo exhibit, part of the Arizona Centennial celebration. Lunch will follow at the Golden Buddha Restaurant at the Chinese Cultural Center.

Scott Baxter, a Phoenix photographer, traveled tens of thousands of miles in his Ford pickup for nearly a decade, rounding up Arizona ranchers and shooting more than 15,000 frames of film for these 100 black and white portraits. Each photograph features a rancher whose family has been working the land since statehood or longer. At Terminal 4 from October to May, the photographic legacy then moves to the Desert Caballeros Western Museum in Wickenburg and to the Tucson Museum of Art.

James Burns, Desert Caballeros museum director, praised Baxter’s work, saying “…I can’t imagine having a state centennial celebration and not having a project like Scott’s.”

Email Judy Blackwell for details on time and cost.

Strawberry Shortcake Muffins

Recipe exchanges bring new ideas. This muffin recipe (page 41 in Tastes & Treasures) takes the one from Garland's Oak Creek Lodge to a different level with the addition of heavy whipping cream instead of sour cream. Great to make with either Strawberries, Cranberries or Blueberries .
Tobe Daum made the Blueberry Muffins for a League meeting. Yummm.
Strawberry Shortcake Muffins from recipe exchange

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup heavy whipping cream or 1/2 cup whipping cream and 1/2 cup orange juice (I prefer the cream and juice)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh strawberries diced

Directions:
Mix flour, baking powder, and sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter.
In another bowl, mix egg, vanilla, whipping cream, and orange juice.
Add egg mixture to flour mixture and mix with a spoon. Gently fold in strawberries.

Spoon batter into greased muffin tin or use paper liners. Bake at 350 for 20 t0 25 minutes. Check at 18 to 20 minutes. Tops of muffins remain light. Cool before removing from pan.
Makes 12 muffins.

Cookbook in Croatia

Didn't know I could buy Tastes & Treasures with Croatian money but found this on a website. And the cookbook only costs 158,68 kn (21,44 € or 29,94 USD). www.superbookshop.net/index.php?page=book&ean=9780976836308

Amazing how this book has traveled the world. I especially love it when we ship to one of our armed forces serving in a remote post overseas. It brings a little of "home" to them when they are so far away. They may not be able to prepare the recipes but they can read the history of our wonderful state.

Caprese Corn Salad

A pretty side dish with cheese and corn - my favorite foods all in one recipe. Oh My.

Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 ear corn, husked and cleaned
8 ounces tomatoes or 1/2 pint grape tomatoes or 1 chopped tomato (drain the excess water after chopping)
3 ounces fresh mozarella (we used shredded)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions: You can boil the corn cob but we love the extra flavors when it is grilled. Scrape corn kernels into a medium bowl.
Cut tomatoes, drain and add to bowl.
Cut cheese into dice a little larger than corn kernels (or use shredded cheese). Add to bowl.
Toss with oil and basil. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 2 servings.

Note: Grilling corn brings out such nice flavors. The recipe for grilling vegetables is on page 100 Tastes & Treasures cookbook. Lon's at Hermosa Inn share easy instructions for Grilled Fennel. It works for most vegetables.

White Pizza

White Pizza makes a very impressive presentation when topped with fresh sliced tomatoes and basil. And basil is so healthy, full of Vitamin K.

Ingredients:

1 large low-fat, high-fiber, burrito-size tortilla (about 100 calories)
1/3 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1 tbsp shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
Dash black pepper
4 thin slices plum tomato
4 fresh basil leaves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put tortilla on a baking sheet sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Bake in the oven until slightly crispy, 3 - 5 minutes per side. Leave oven on.

In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese with mozzarella cheese. Set aside.

Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat on the stove. Add onion and, stirring occasionally, cook until softened and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Immediately stir onion into cheese mixture. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and mix well.

Spread cheese-onion mixture evenly on top of the tortilla. Top with tomato slices and basil leaves. If you like, sprinkle with a dash of salt.

Return pizza to oven and bake until hot, about 5 minutes.

Makes 1 serving.

PER SERVING (entire recipe): 200 calories, 3.25g fat, 930mg sodium, 33g carbs, 7g fiber, 7g sugars, 17g protein

Silent Auction of Phil Mickelson Pin Flag from 2010 Masters

What a wonderful silent auction item. Phil Mickelson has been very generous to donate a signed Pin Flag from the 2010 Masters. It will be available to bid on at the Children's Holiday Party on Dec 17 at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel.

The Historical League always has wonderful silent auction items but this is one of the most popular in the 29 years it has held the Children's Holiday Party. For more information www.HistoricalLeague.org. Thanks to John and Leslie Christiansen for getting this one-of-a-kind auction item.

Shrimp and Corn Fandango Salad

Shrimp & Corn Fandango Salad

Love the spicy dressing, it adds a nice kick.

Tastes & Treasures cookbook has a Green Salad with Shrimp recipe on page 174 but it is a little heavy. My favorite is to combine ingredients from both of these and make it your own special dish.


Ingredients:
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup dry coleslaw mix
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. Mexican hot sauce
1/2 cup frozen yellow corn (or grill some of that wonderful fresh corn on the cob)
3 oz. cooked and chilled ready-to-eat shrimp (since you have the grill on, roast some shrimp for an even better flavor)

Directions:
Combine lettuce and slaw mix in a large bowl. Top with tomato, cucumber, onion, and cilantro. Set aside.

To make the dressing, combine vinegar, lime juice, and hot sauce in a small bowl, and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to high heat on the stove. Add corn and cook until thawed and slightly blackened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the large bowl.

Add shrimp to the large bowl and drizzle dressing over the salad.

MAKES 1 SERVING

PER SERVING (1 salad, entire recipe): 260 calories, 2g fat, 622mg sodium, 39g carbs, 8g fiber, 15g sugars, 24g protein

Yummy additional ingredient: Toss 1/4 cup chopped avocado onto this dish. (Adds 320 calories, 7.5g fat, and 10.5g fiber). Recipe from www.hungry-girl.com.