Southwestern Bacon and Cheese Strata

Company is coming and I love to look like I know what I am doing in the kitchen, when it really isn't true. This recipe makes it look simple to cook breakfast for overnight guests. Thanks to historic Rancho de La Osa for giving us the recipe for Tastes & Treasures cookbook, page 118.

Southwestern Bacon and Cheese Strata
Ingredients:
 10 cups cubed trimmed white bread
14 eggs, beaten
4 cups milk or half-and-half
16 slices hone or mesquite-flavored thick bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard, or 1 tablespoon Dijon mustaard
1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeno chile
2 cups (8ounces)shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:
Mix the bread, eggs and milk in a large bowl and let stand for 20 minutes. Add the crumbled bacon, white pepper, dry mustard, jalapeno chile, Cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese and mix well. Spoon into a 9X13-inch baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 8 to 10 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking and place the dish on a baking sheet for ease in handling and for catching any spills.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the strata for 45 to 60 minutes or until the center is firm and the top is golden brown. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a drizzle of salsa.

Serves 8 

Little hands make Indian Fry Bread

Indian Fry Bread

Many American Indian tribes in Arizona make fry bread. Today you can taste fry bread at many American Indian festivals and celebrations or you can make your own at home.
Be careful to supervise children around the hot oil while frying.

Ingredients:
Shortening for deep-frying
7 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
½ cup water

Directions:
Step 1: Heat the shortening in a deep fryer, skillet, or frying pan.

*Note: To fry in a skillet, add enough shortening to fill the skillet about 1 inch.

Step 2: Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Step 3: Add the milk and water and mix to form firm dough.

Step 4: Pinch off a baseball-size piece of the dough and roll or shape by hand to the
size of a dinner plate.

Step 5: Deep-fry until the bread is golden brown.

*Note: Fry the dough in the hot shortening until golden brown, turning after 15
to 20 seconds.

Step 6: Drain on paper towels.

Step 7: Repeat with the remaining dough.

Step 8: Serve hot with honey or powdered sugar.

* Recipe from Cameron Trading Post found on page 14, Tastes & Treasures: A Storytelling Cookbook of Historic Arizona by the Historical League.

Healthy Cookies

My daughter has made these with the help of the granddaughters. Lots of fun for the kids to make and even better to eat.

Pancakes for kids

Who thought a baster was only for turkeys? Love the creativity from my daughter-in-law and the kids love to have a personalized pancake. Great for dipping into the syrup. Serve with fruit.

Heart Healthy Chia Seed Pudding

Pudding doesn’t have to come out of a package (we’re talking to you, Jell-O) or contain loads of sugar and empty calories. Just ask Tiana Hill, a wellness coach and yoga instructor at Floo-id Yoga whose been whipping up chia seed pudding since before the tiny superfood was cool. “About four years back, a family member developed a serious heart condition and so I was on the hunt to find foods that were heart healthy and tasted good – and that’s how I stumbled on chia seed pudding,” says Tiana. The recipe fit the bill and more. Chia seeds aren’t only heart healthy, they’re packed with bone-building calcium, iron and fiber. Over the years, Tiana has tweaked and simplified the recipe, and turned it into a family favorite – and you can too!

Recipe: Tiana’s Chia Seed Pudding
Chia seed pudding not only tastes amazing, but it is good for us, so my family tends to have it on a weekly basis for breakfast or for a sweet treat!

Chia Seed Pudding (serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 cups unsweeted almond milk
2 tablespoons agave
1/2 cups chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pint strawberries, sliced (about 2 cups)
1-2 bananas, sliced
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Drizzle of agave (optional)
Dollop of coconut whipped cream or Greek yogurt (optional)

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, gently whisk almond milk, 2 tablespoons agave and vanilla until combined. Whisk in the chia seeds; let stand 30 minutes. Stir to distribute the seeds if they’ve settled, cover and refrigerate overnight, or until the pudding has set (at least 4 hours).
2. Before serving, stir the pudding to make sure there are no clumps. Spoon the pudding into 4 bowls or glasses. Top with strawberries, bananas, coconut, almonds, a drizzle of agave and whipped cream. ENJOY!
Thanks to http://tianahill.com/2014/05/18/512/

What's on your bucket list?

Marija Andric, editor of Reminisce.com writes in April/May issue that "eating a slice of Jack Daniel's pecan pie at the Rock Springs Cafe in Arizona" is on her bucket list. Historic restaurant, delicious pie, Tastes & Treasures cookbook and strong supporters of the Historical League. What's not to like?

Jack Daniel's Pecan Pie  

recipe from Internet search. (not the same as Rock Springs Cafe)

 

Ingredients:
3 extra large eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup jack daniel whiskey
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups pecan halves
1 10-inch deep dish pie crust

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.
Combine eggs, sugar, butter, syrup, vanilla and Jack Daniel's; mix well.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over the bottom of the pie shell.
Add the pie mixture and pecans.
Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Thank you letters to donors: Program to Donate Historymaker Books to Schools and Libraries

The Historical League is very grateful for the tremendous support of the Program to Donate our Arizona Recollections and Reflections An Arizona Centennial Historymakers Commemoration to Schools and Libraries across Arizona. Margaret Baker, Zona Lorig and Ruth McLeod mailed the official Thank You letters to Historical League members, Historymakers, and friends of Arizona history.

Margarita Pie Individual Servings

Presentation is everything for food. . . well almost!  Zona Lorig created individual servings of Margarita Pie from Tastes & Treasures cookbook for a Celebration of Life for Donna Roe. The luncheon was a success and the "mini" pies were delicious.

Members make delicious lunches

Karolee Hess with Mediterrean Salad

Thanks to Mary Parker and Karolee Hess who made wonderful salads this year for our Historical League meetings.

Mary Parker with Asian chopped Salad

Donna Jenson Roe 1931-2014 "Celebration of Life"

Leaving us with wonderful memories and stories to tell, Donna did so much for the Historical League over the years. Her biggest accomplishment was as Cookbook co-editor but she was also editor of the Newsletter, Tour co-chair, Wallace & Ladmo Dinner co-chair, Two Girls from Globe Dinner organizer, Gala negotiator with hotels and so much more. Our luncheon at Sierra Bonita was joyful and filled with laughter.

She was colorful, talented, out-spoken and tireless. We miss her!

Zona Lorig, Ruth McLeod, Donna's daughter Pam Ehler, son-in-law Howard Ehler and son Chris Hixson

Lemon Souffle Pancakes

Guess what is on the menu at First Watch in Phoenix? The same wonderful pancakes as the Lemon Souffle Pancakes from Hassayampa Inn in Prescott. This recipe can be found on page 52 in Tastes & Treasures Cookbook. Make them at home or try them at your favorite restaurant.

Lemon Souffle Pancakes
Ingredients:
10 egg whites
10 egg yolks
¾ cup all purpose flour
3 cups ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 ½ lemons
1 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil


Directions:
Beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Combine the egg yolks with the flour, ricotta cheese, butter, sugar, lemon zest and salt in a bowl and mix well. Fold in the egg whites gently, leaving small portions of egg white intact.
Preheat a griddle or skillet to medium-hot and brush with a small amount of vegetable oil. Spoon 3 tablespoons of the batter at a time onto the heated griddle and cook until bubbles appear. Turn the pancakes and cook until brown. Remove the pancakes to serving plates as they brown, allowing three pancakes for each serving. Serve with fresh raspberries and raspberry syrup.
Serves 6 (makes 18 pancakes)

Summer Picnic theme for meeting

Thanks to new Hospitality Committee Chair, Sandy Loeffler, for creating a beautiful table at the June Historical League meeting. Nothing like a Summer Picnic to wind up the calendar for League meetings. Panera Bread is the source of the bounty.

Peaches Peaches Peaches

We love to share this wonderful fruit from our backyard tree. When I brought some peaches to my yoga class with Tiana Hill, Sarah offered to make pie!  She put pie crust only on the bottom and it was delicious.

I would also like to try substituting peaches in Apple Streusel Pie from page 163 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Add caption

Peach Pie from Better Homes and Gardens
circa 1968.

Ingredients:
pastry for double-crust pie
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour or 3 tablespoons instant tapioca
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
5 cups peeled sliced fresh peaches
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Sandy, Tiana, Sarah, Ruth, Jeannie

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 9-inch pie plate with pastry. Combine sugar, flour, spice and salt. Add to peaches and mix lightly. Fill pie shell with peach mixture. Dot with butter. Place top crust and crimp edges. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until done.

Lunch at Historical League meeting

Cindy Tidwell-Shelton

Sandy Loeffler

What a delight to have such wonderful salads and desserts at our monthly Historical League meetings. Each month ladies sign up to bring food. Thanks to these ladies for bringing mouth-watering dishes to share this year.

Sue Sciacero

Claire Nullmeyer