Mini Pizzas

Mini pizzas are wonderful for quick snacks, small meals and parties.

Tastes & Treasures cookbook has many appetizer recipes including a yummy mushroom appetizer found on page 27.

Mini Pizzas
Ingredients:
1 refrigerated pizza dough
1 cup marinara sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 small bunch fresh basil
1 medium tomato

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400° F. And line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil so they won't stick.
Place pizza dough on a well-floured surface and stretch gently into about a 12″ x 8″ rectangle.
With a round cutter or a cup of some sort, cut dough into 18-20 rounds; place rounds 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Top each with pizza sauce, cheese, basil and tomatoes .
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
More topping suggestions: red sauce, broccoli, roasted red peppers, basil pesto.

Brownie Cookie Dough Delight

Fast and Fantastic - for that chocolate lover in you.

Tastes & Treasures cookbook has a recipe for  Espresso Brownies page 163. (Or try a box mix for a short cut). When you have more time, also try Chocolate Peanut Treats on page 162.

Brownie Cookie Dough Delight
Preheat oven to 350;
Smoosh refrigerated cookie dough into the bottom of each well.
Place Reese cup upside down on top of cookie dough (or an Oreo).
Top with prepared box brownie mix, filling 3/4 full.
Bake for 18 minutes and enjoy warm or cool.
YUMMMMM.

Wild Rice Salad

Warm, chilled or room temperature, this Wild Rice Salad is delicious.  It's a great dish to serve company. Thanks to Mariann for preparing dinner for us.

Tastes & Treasures cookbook features a recipe for Wild Rice Pilaf on page 57 from historic Hassayampa Inn in Prescott.

Wild Rice Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown rice

1/2 cup wild rice

2 1/3 cups water (see package instructions)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped pecans 

1/4 cup sliced green onions

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Use the amount of water for the rice according to instructions on the rice package, usually wild rice is a ratio of 1:3 of wild rice to water. Bring rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and water to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 50 minutes. Do not stir. Do not uncover. Remove from stove and let sit, covered for 10 minutes. Then uncover, fluff up with a fork, and let cool to almost room temperature.

In a medium sized serving bowl, mix the rice, cranberries, pecans, and green onions together.

In a separate jar, mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, mix dressing in with the rice mixture. Serve warm, chilled, or room temperature.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

New ASU Intern at AHS Museum

Zona Lorig, Stephen Peterson, Linda Cathey and Linda Whitaker

Getting a donation of the entire personal collection of Sam Applewhite Sr. and Jr. is a nice addition for the AHS Museum. Getting it organized with front matter and finding aides is a big job.

We are grateful for the skills of new intern, ASU graduate student Stephen Petersen, who is very busy setting up this project with its high research value.

Sales of the Historical League Tastes & Treasures cookbooks help fund this intern program. Historical League members chat with Stephen and Interim Museum Director Linda Whitaker in the photo.

Walk down memory lane . . .

The Historical League has always created wonderful events. Who can recognize these charming couples? And where are they going?

Garlic and Lemon Chicken with Red Potatoes

Tastes & Treasures cookbook has lots of chicken recipes with Braised Chicken over Fettucini on page 168 a family favorite. Here's a new one that is delicious.

GARLIC & LEMON CHICKEN with GREEN BEANS & RED POTATOES
(Gluten free, Low Carb, Diabetic Friendly and so simple to make)

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound trimmed green beans
8 small red potatoes, quartered
4 chicken breasts (bones left in, with skin, about 3 1/4 pounds)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.

Roast for 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish or skillet. Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender. Place a chicken breast on each of 4 serving plates; divide the green beans and potatoes equally. Serve warm.

Thanks to SkinnyTown USA

Shopping at AHS Museum Gift Shop

Finding fun children's books for the grandkids is easy at AHS Museum Gift Shop. Orlinda Anderson is very helpful and stocks the shelves with interesting gift ideas.  

Tastes & Treasures cookbook and Arizona Recollections and Reflections, both authored by the Historical League, can be found in the gift shop.

Open 10:00 am - 5:00 pm daily except Mondays.
AHS Museum at Papago Park, 1300 N College Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281.

Summer Broccoli Salad

Yummy summer salad with fresh ingredients that's easy to make and good for you. We also like Cashew Pea Salad from Tastes & Treasures cookbook, page 150.

Summer Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:
2 heads fresh broccoli, chopped
1 head fresh cauliflower, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup green olives
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup reduced-fat ranch dressing

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and toss with reduced fat ranch dressing.
Refrigerate until serving.

Thanks to Pampered Chef for the recipe.

Summer Smoothie

How wonderful when the children actually like that healthy drink! Try this one in your blender for a healthy start to each day. The Granola recipe on page 196 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook is also a very healthy snack.

Summer Smoothie
Ingredients:
3 cups fresh spinach
1 cup cucumber
6 leaves fresh basil
2 cups ice
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup Almond milk

Directions:
Place in blender and whirl away. The kids can even help make this one.
Pour into pretty glass and add straw. Yummm.

Free Centennial Legacy Project Book for Libraries

Ruth McLeod, Zona Lorig and Joan Clark, State Librarian and Director of the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records

 Last year the Historical League had a small table at the AzLA Annual Conference at South Mountain Community College and gave away complimentary copies of Arizona Recollections and Reflections: An Arizona Centennial Historymakers Commemoration to librarians. There was a wonderful response to this leather-bound Arizona Historymakers Commemorative book. 

With increased donation for this Program to Donate the Historymakers book to Libraries, the Historical League is offering the complimentary book again.

Contact RuthMcLeod@earthlink.net for information.

Maricopa Co. Library Director Mallory Smith with League members Ruth McLeod and Susan Dale

Rock Springs Cafe helps our Troops

Nice to know that Rock Springs Cafe is using the Boots for Our Troops cut-outs to help raise funds for veterans of any conflict. You can enjoy the great food, donate to a good cause and learn about Arizona when you purchase the historic cookbook, Tastes & Treasures A Storytelling Cookbook of Historic Arizona.

Refreshing Summer Salads

Butternut squash with Red Quinoa salad

Tomato and Mozzarella salad

Ruth and Zona enjoy a lunch break

Summertime salads are a delicious break from working on League projects. Tastes & Treasures cookbook has many wonderful salad recipes.

Zona Lorig served two salads at the meeting:

Roasted butternut squash, Red quinoa, Wheatberry, Red pepper, Green onion, Baby argula, Toasted almonds, Cranberries and Goat cheese tossed with a honey sesame vinaigrette.

Tomato, Mozarella cheese, Mixed lettuce, Green onion, Pine nuts, Black olives drizzled with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Zona and Ruth McLeod are working on the program for the Historical League's September meeting. It will feature the Historymakers Gala and Recognition Program. We look forward to past Historymaker chairs sharing stories about their specific events.

Wild Rice from Kay Holcombe

The cookbook contest begins with our first entry from Historical League member Kay Holcombe. She prepared this recipe ahead of time for her dinner party. It was a big hit with everyone wanting seconds!

Have you made an interesting dish to enter into the Historical League's contest? Send recipe and photo to the comment page on this blog.

Tastes & Treasures cookbook has another Wild Rice Pilaf on page 57 from historic Hassayampa Inn in Prescott.

Kay's Wild Rice

Ingredients:
1 cup wild rice
1/4 pound butter or margarine
2 cans Campbell's French Onion soup (10 3/4 ounces)
1 Soup can of water
2 Small cans button mushrooms

Directions:
1. Cook wild rice in boiling water for 30 minutes.
2. Drain.
3. Sauté in butter.
4. Add soup, water, and mushrooms.
5. The mixture should look watery and sloppy.
6. Put into a 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole.
7. Bake two hours at 350°.
(Mushrooms should rise to the surface)

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Rock Springs Cafe reorders Cookbook

Thanks to Mary and John Garbaciak for delivering 30 copies of Tastes & Treasures cookbook to Rock Springs Cafe. Great place for dinner and pies and now you can read about historic venues in Arizona as well as prepare the recipes!

Crockpot Quinoa Chili

Even on a hot day, Chili is good. Tastes & Treasures has a recipe for Chicken and White Bean Chili on page 181. Yummm.


We found this Chili recipe using quinoa. Unique flavors combine to create a delicious dish.

Crockpot Quinoa Chili

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
3 cups water or bean cooking liquid
1 1/2 cup cooked kidney beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)
1 1/2 cup cooked black beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)
1 cup unsalted tomato sauce OR: 1/4 cup unsalted tomato paste + 3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 celery stalk, diced
1 Tbsp (2 - 3 cloves) minced garlic
2 Tbsp minced jalapeño pepper
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp gr coriander
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried basil leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaf
1/2 tsp dried marjoram leaf
1/8 - 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper powder
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp light molasses
1 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos, or soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
More Heat: Add more chile powder

Stovetop Directions:

Soak the quinoa 5 minutes
Rinse, then drain into a colander
If using canned beans, drain into a colander and rinse well
Peel & mince the garlic and jalapeño pepper
Dice the onion
Wash and trim the celery, slice lengthwise, then crosswise to dice
Seed and dice the red and green pepper
Heat the oil on medium-high in a dutch oven or large sauce pan
Fry the garlic, jalapeno, onion and celery until soft (about 5 minutes)
Add the peppers and fry 5 minutes
Add the spices and herbs, stir 2 minutes
Add the beans, water or bean liquid, molasses, tomato sauce, and quinoa
Bring to boil, cover, and simmer 20 minutes or until quinoa is cooked
Stir in Braggs or soy sauce, and pepper. Adjust seasonings
Serve garnished with cilantro
Optional: Add a dollop of dairy or non-dairy sour cream to each bowl

Crockpot Directions:
Sauté jalapeno, garlic, celery, and peppers in oil for 5 minutes on med-high
Add spices and herbs, stir 2 minutes
Combine with water, tomato sauce, salt, quinoa and beans in a 6 qt crockpot
Cover and cook on low for 5 - 6 hours
Add Braggs or soy sauce, molasses, pepper
Serve garnished with chopped clilantro and sour cream (optional)
Cooking Tips:
You can use any combination of beans you like in quinoa chili, although we thought it was perfect with a mixture of kidney beans and black beans. One or the other would be good too.

We used canned tomato sauce, but tomato paste and-or fresh tomatoes would also work. We like the Amore brand that comes in a tube - we got tired of throwing out almost-full cans of tomato paste.
This chili recipe only takes about 1/2 hour to cook on the stove, or 5 - 6 hours in a crockpot or slow cooker. If you need to be away longer, a digital timer is handy & inexpensive. Then your chili can be ready to eat when you are.
Serve with fresh cilantro as garnish. Add a dollop of dairy or non-dairy sour cream if you like.

6 Servings
Nutrition Data, 194g Serving: 227 cal, 39g carb, 4g fat, 183mg sodium, 8g fiber, 11 g protein, low Cholesterol, good source Vit C, Folate. Estimated Glycemic Load 17

Sweet Apple BBQ Chicken

Crockpots are an easy one-step solution to dinner on a hot summer day.

Another wonderful summer dish is Chicken Salad Pie with the recipe on page 176 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Sweet Apple BBQ Chicken Crockpot

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. raw boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

3 cups chopped Fuji apples

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1/2 cup BBQ sauce with 45 calories or less per 2-tbsp. serving

2 tsp. chopped garlic

1 tbsp. cornstarch



Directions:

Season chicken with 1/4 tsp. each salt and black pepper and place in a crock pot. Top with apples and onion.

 In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix garlic into BBQ sauce. Pour sauce mixture over contents of the crock pot, and lightly stir. 

Cover and cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or on low for 7 - 8 hours, until chicken is fully cooked.

 Turn crock pot to low (if needed).
In a small bowl, stir to dissolve cornstarch in 1 tbsp. cold water. Stir mixture into the contents of the crock pot, along with remaining 1/2 tsp. salt.

 Let sit, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir and enjoy! 


MAKES 6 SERVINGS

1/6th of recipe (about 3/4 cup): 211 calories, 1.5g fat, 600mg sodium, 21g carbs, 2g fiber, 13.5g sugars, 26.5g protein



Thanks to Hungry Girl for stats and recipe

Fourth of July Tart

 Celebrate the holiday with a fabulous Fourth of July tart. The pastry is filled with vanilla custard then topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream. Decorate to your heart's content!

Thanks to historic Garland's Oak Creek Lodge for this delicious pastry crust. The recipe is also found on page 49 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook along with a history of Garland's Lodge. Great reading and great recipe.

Tart Pastry
Ingredients:
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Directions:
Whisk the flour, salt and sugar lightly in a medium bowl to blend. Add the butter and shortening and toss lightly to coat.

Cut with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles a very coarse cornmeal.
Mix the water and vinegar together. Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the vinegar mixture over the flour mixture and toss to blend. Continue adding the vinegar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing to form a cohesive ball that will hold together when pressed. Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape each portion into a disk.
Wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before using or store in the freezer. Makes 2 pastry disks.

4th of July Raspberry Pretzel Jello

Top this dish with fresh blueberries and you have a delicious dessert to celebrate our nation's birthday. Raspberry Pretzel Jello has a very similar crust to Margarita Pie from page 124 Tastes & Treasures cookbook, from Rancho de La Osa. You can read all about the wonderful history of Rancho de La Osa as well as their renowned recipes in Tastes & Treasures.

The following recipe has the same great idea with lots of Raspberries. Don't forget to add the Blueberries to make it look patriotic.
Thanks to Natashaskitchen.com for the recipe.


 Ingredients for Raspberry Pretzel Jello Recipe:
6 oz package Raspberry Jell-O
2 cups boiling water
2 cups pretzels
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1 (8oz) package cream cheese – softened
1 (8oz) package Cool Whip – thawed
1 cup sugar
1 bag frozen raspberries – thawed in refrigerator

How to Make Raspberry Pretzel Jello:
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
1. Combine 6 Oz packet of Jell-O with 2 cups of boiling water and set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Crush 2 cups of pretzels in a ziploc bag, using a rolling pin.

3. Melt 1 stick of  butter than add 1/4 cup sugar in saucepan. Add pretzels and mix together.

4. Lightly press pretzel mix into a 13×9 -inch pyrex dish and bake for 10 minutes at 350°F, then cool to room temperature.

5. While pretzel mix is cooling down, beat 8 oz of cream cheese and 1 cup sugar on medium/low speed until well-combined.

6. Next, stir in Cool Whip using a spatula and mix until well combined.

7. Spread mixture over cooled pretzels and go all the way to the edges of the dish to create a seal. You don’t want the jello to leak into the pretzels. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

8. Place  raspberries evenly on top of the cream filling..

9.  Pour Jell-O over raspberries and refrigerate until jello is set.