Museum in Little Traverse Bay, Michigan

Northern Michigan is filled with Historical Museums built in old churches, forts, railroad depots and more. Along the bike paths, we found this a wonderful way to explore the museums and beautiful homes. info@petoskeymuseum.org

Maple Sugar Cookies

Fall means leaves are turning colors and the smell of maple syrup is in the air. Try these tasty cookies and savor the season.

Another recommended recipe is Almond Crunch Cookies found on page 171 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Maple Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
2 sticks soft butter (not oleo!)
2 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. maple extract
Pecan halves

Directions:
Beat butter and sugar together in large bowl until creamy. Blend in salt and flour. Stir in maple extract.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Roll in balls (jaw breaker size). Place on greased cookie sheet and flatten to 1/2 thickness of dough ball. Top with a pecan half.

Bake at 375 for 12 to 15 min.

Wedge Salad

After bicycling around Petosky, Michigan, visiting historic properties and museums, we enjoyed this delicious easy salad.

Wedge Salad

Ingredients:
Iceberg lettuce one head cut into 8 wedges
Feta cheese crumbles
6 strips bacon, cooked crispy, drained and crumbled
Blue Cheese dressing

Cookbooks arrive at Museum

With orders coming in and low inventory we had 2,000 cookbooks delivered to the Museum.

Always there to lend a hand are Carolyn Mendoza and Zona Lorig. They are amazing friends and supporters of the Historical League. What would we do without our fabulous volunteers?!!

Staff members Ron and Juan and temporary assistant did the heavy lifting. Thank Goodness.

Autographed Cookbook

Keepsake items are priceless.

One gift to the hostess was a beautiful photo collage blanket.

Another gift for Sue Wheatlake was an autographed copy of Tastes & Treasures. We all signed the book with memories and messages. It was very well received and a gift that continues to give long after the reunion.

Donating AZ Recollections & Reflections to Libraries

Thanks to our generous sponsors we are able to donate Arizona Recollections and Reflections An Arizona Centennial Historymakers Commemoration to school and public libraries across the state. Most recent funding has come from The John F. Long Foundation, the Jerry Colangelo family trust and Lucy Walkup. Handing them out at Carnegie Library for a Librarian workshop was so rewarding. The librarians were very appreciative to receive a book with such insight into the Historymakers. They commented it was very valuable to 4th grade through high school.

This is part of our Centennial Legacy Project. Norma Jean Coulter and Patti Goss assisted Zona Lorig and Ruth McLeod for the event Sept 14-15.

Vote for AHS

Your vote by Sept. 19th for the Arizona Historical Society could help assure a grant of $10,000 or more for AHS from Chase Community Giving!

Update: Based on current voting trends, if the Arizona Historical Society gets at least 1,000 votes by September 19, AHS is likely to receive a grant of $10,000 or more from Chase Bank. Just one vote from every AHS member and friend would more than assure a grant for AHS. Please get the word out. Circulate this far and wide to family, friends, and colleagues. Let's make history!

The Arizona Historical Society has been nominated to be part of the 2012 Chase Community Giving program. Between September 6 and September 19, 2012, you and your friends and family can vote to help decide whether AHS will share in $5 million in grants from Chase Bank. All Facebook users and all Chase Bank customers may cast votes by visiting www.chasegiving.com or https://www.facebook.com/ChaseCommunityGiving/app_162065369655

Spinach Artichoke Ring

Celebrating the 41st Wedding Anniversary of Doug and Sue Hinton was a wonderful time. So glad she shared her delicious appetizer recipe. I can't wait to impress future guests at my home with it.





Spinach Artichoke Ring

Ingredients:
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 cup (4 ounches) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 packages Crescent rolls

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In large bowl, combine artichokes, spinach, cheeses, bell pepper, mayonnaise, garlic and black pepper. Mix well.

Separate rolls into triangles and lay in circle with points out on circular oven proof pan as shown in photograph. Overlap wide ends of triangle slightly and pinch together.
Scoop filling evenly over circular shape. Wrap tips over and around filling and pinch together. Brush with egg white. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 8 servings.

Note: Sue squeezed the artichokes by hand to get them as dry as possible.

Note: Add cooked, cubed chicken and this is a full meal.

Other wonderful appetizer recipes in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Nutrients per serving: Calories 400, Total Fat 26 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Cholesterol 25 mg, Carbohydrate 29 g, Protein 13 g, Sodium 810 mg, Fiber 3 g

Pasties are Comfort Food

After a day on the boat in upper Michigan, we needed comfort food. Mary Nomenilli brought authentic Finnish pasties from Houghton, Michigan.

Historymaker Rose Mofford told us her family tradition of serving Cornish Pasties in Globe, Arizona. Along with her food memories, we printed the recipe in Tastes & Treasures cookbook on page 133.

Cornish Pasties

Ingredients for Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon salt

½ cup shortening

1 cup beef suet, finely chopped

4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

Filling Ingredients:
2 pounds round steak or other lean beef, cut into ½ inch cubes

2 or 3 potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 or 3 small onions, coarsely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

butter

Directions for the pastry:
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the suet and toss with a fork until combined. Add just enough of the ice water to make the dough adhere and mix well. Knead lightly and shape the pastry into a ball. Chill, covered , for 1 hour.

Directions for the filling:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the steak, potatoes, onions, salt and pepper in a bowl. Pat the pastry on a lightly floured surface into ¼ inch thick rounds 8 or 9 inches in diameter. Press on the pastry to flatten pieces of the suet. Spoon ¼ to ½ cup of the filling onto half of each dough round and dot with butter. Moisten the edge with water and fold over to enclose the filling. Press the edge with your fingers or a fork to seal. Arrange the pasties on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.

Makes 8 pasties

Rosemary Raisin Bread from Patti Goss

New League Member shares some thoughts about Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

"I have enjoyed reading the book as well as using the recipes. It also makes a wonderful gift to those who appreciate our Arizona history. The recipes I have used most often are Chicken Salad Pie, Garland’s Apple Tart, Orange Vinaigrette, Breakfast Casserole, Easy Sticky Buns and Rosemary Raisin Bread. The buns and bread are always enjoyed by my guests. I have not tried the El Charro Lodge Famous Sticky Buns because the ones I make are so good and easy.

Often I look at the recipes for inspiration and then combine some of the ideas. I am not a cook or baker that sticks with the exact recipe so I cannot repeat exactly what I do, except I do have fun. I am so thankful to all of the ladies who have contributed hours of their time preparing the cookbook.

Rosemary Raisin Bread - page 47 Tastes & Treasures cookbook

Ingredients:
1 cup raisins
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups bread flour

Directions:
Soak the raisins in 2 cups warm water in a bowl for 5 minutes to plump; drain well.
Dissolve the yeast in 1 cup warm water. Combine the warm milk, sugar, salt and rosemary in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the beaten eggs and mix at low speed for 1 minute. Mix in the olive oil and then the yeast mixture. Add the whole wheat flour and 3 cups of the bread flour. Mix at low speed until the dough begins to come together. Add the remaining bread flour a small amount at a time, mixing at low speed until the dough forms a ball and leaves the side of the bowl. Add the well-drained raisins gradually, mixing constantly at low speed.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours or until doubled in bulk. Remove the plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours or until doubled in bulk. Remove the plastic wrap and turn the dough onto a clean work surface. Lightly sprinkle flour over and around the dough and knead until smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.
Press each portion into an 8X10-inch rectangle. Shape into loaves by rolling up the dough from the top of the rectangle towards you, pressing at the edge with your thumbs to seal. Place seam side down intwo lightly oiled 5X9-inch loaf pans. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 40 to 60 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make three diagonal cuts int he top of each loaf and place on the middle oven rack. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the tops are brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 2 loaves

Leslie makes Mini Lemon Merinque Pies

For her class at Desert Botanical Gardens, Leslie Christiansen showed us how to make this wonderful dessert. Aren't they beautiful?

Happy Birthday Arizona and Oreo cookies

Celebrate 100 years for Arizona and Oreo cookies.

February 14, 1912 marks the day Arizona became a state. The first batch of Oreo cookies were baked in New York City in 1912 also. The National Biscuit Co. (later condensed to Nabisco) registered the Oreo trademark in 1913.

Advertisements touting the Oreo “twist” technique debuted on trolley cars in 1923. Oreo ads ever since have been coaxing cookie monsters to twist, lick and dunk their sandwiches.

Oreos were first delivered to grocers in bulk tins and sold by the pound, but in 1920’s Nabisco introduced single-sleeve “self-service” cardboard containers.

The Historical League is celebrating Arizona's 100th birthday with a new book, Arizona Recollections and Reflections An Arizona Historymakers Centennial Commemoration. It is available on www.HistoricalLeague.org.

Walnut Bars

Dancing burns calories, especially when singing "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor." We enjoyed into these yummy Walnut Bars from Mary Nomenilli.

Tastes & Treasures has Macaroon Nut Tarts on page 115. It has some nice variations of Walnut Bars.

Walnut Bars

Ingredients for crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter

Mix together like pie crust. Pat into 9x13 pan. Note: Put a sheet of parchment on the bottom of the pan so they don't break up when taking them out.
Bake 375 for 15-20 min. Let cool.

Ingredients for topping:
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoon flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Directions:
Mix together and spread on crust.
Bake 2nd time 375 for 15-20 min. Let cool.

Ingredients for frosting:
3 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon creamer
1 1/2 cup powder sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar. Add creamer and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Cut into squares. Freezes well.

Cowboy Caviar Rules

A tasty appetizer for any occasion, this easy dish can go anywhere. I served it at a reunion and it was a big hit. We danced to oldies and worked up an appetite for the delicious food.
Recipe on page 180 of Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

COWBOY CAVIAR

Ingredients:
1 15oz can corn, drained, or 1 ½ cups frozen corn, defrosted
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14oz can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2/3 cup green onion, chopped
2 large avocados, chopped
1 14oz can diced tomatoes, drained
Tortilla chips

Dressing:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp chipotle chili powder, or to taste

In a colander, drain and rinse the corn and beans. In a separate colander, drain the tomatoes.

Chop the cilantro and the green onions. Peel and chop the avocado.

Make the dressing: mince the garlic. In a small bowl, pour the olive oil and red wine vinegar- whisk to combine.

Add to the dressing the minced garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander and chipotle chili powder. Whisk to combine.

Into a large bowl combine the corn, beans, cilantro, green onions, avocados and tomato. Gently toss with a large spatula.

Pour the dressing over the caviar mixture and gently toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover and chill until serving time. Can be made several hours in advance. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Note: Additions can be chopped red and yellow sweet peppers and sliced black olives.

Breakfast Casserole after a night around the campfire

Make your breakfast dish ahead of time and relax with your company.

Visiting friends in northern Michigan, we enjoyed the campfire at night. But breakfast was ready to pop in the oven in the morning. Thanks to helpful hints from hostess Sue Hinton and fellow guest Noel Watts.

Tastes & Treasures cookbook has three easy Breakfast Casseroles on page 195, 143 and 118.

Breakfast Casserole from page 195

3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes (do not thaw)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup cooked crumbled hot sausage
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk, or 1 1/4 cups half-and-half
4 eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Layer the frozen potatoes, cheese, sausage and green onions in a buttered 8 X 8 inch baking dish. Beat the evaporated milk, eggs, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl until blended and pour over the prepared layers. Chill, covered, for 8 to 10 hours.

Remove the cover and place the chilled casserole in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Helpful hint: blot excess grease from sausage on a paper towel before adding to egg mixture.

Note: Sauteed mushrooms make a nice addition to this casserole.

Note: We used cubed bread in place of frozen hash browns and Cheddar Cheese in place of Monterey Jack.

Note: We mixed cooked sausage, cheese, bread cubes and sauteed mushrooms together in a large bowl and poured the egg mixture over it. Then added it to the casserole dish.