Historical League Volunteers support Women's Hall of Fame event

Julie Moore, Pam Stevenson, Mariamne Moore

Mariamne Moore, Dee Steen, Renee Donnelly

Volunteers are the foundation of all organizations. We have the best with the Historical League, even helping other non-profits.  The sold-out event for Women's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at AZ Heritage Center was well supported.
Tastes & Treasures II was available thanks to Mariamne Moore and Norma Jean Coulter. With Pam Stevenson stopping by, the background stories in our new historic AZ cookbook were shared.

Mariamne Moore sharing stories from Tastes & Treasures II

Museum director Tawn Downs with Norma Jean Coulter

Reception after the Induction Ceremony

Tastes & Treasures II Cookbooks to Basha's

As one of the major donors for Tastes & Treasures II: A Storytelling Cookbook of Historic Arizona, Historical League member Pam Stevenson delivered complimentary books to Ashley Shick at the Basha's headquarters. This facility is located at the Basha's Art Museum which is a fabulous collection that Historymaker Eddie Basha built.

Tour of Pueblo Grande

Fascinating Historical League tour of Pueblo Grande. Such ancient dwellings in the middle of Phoenix. Thanks to Pam Stevenson for organizing this wonderful tour.

History Convention in Flagstaff

Always educational, the Arizona History Convention this weekend in Flagstaff. League members attending tell of the interesting seminars and stories of Arizona. Side trips are also a feature including one to Lowell Observatory.

Norma Jean Coulter, Zona Lorig, Pam Stevenson, Kathy Howard, Norma Hinton, Mary Parker

Hubbell Trading Post, Ganado, AZ

Walking through Hubbell Trading Post on the last day of our bus tour was like walking back in time. Native Americans still come to trade with their rugs, jewelry and intricately painted pots. They take home flour, sugar, canned goods and all the other treasures found in the Trading Post. Centered in the middle of the main room is the pot belly stove. Nancy Knight enjoys the warmth of it. Think of the stories it could tell . . .

Kay Holcombe at the counter

Navajo traders

Karen Overton talking with the artist before purchasing her pot

Rifles line the walls

Carolyn Mendoza, Pat Farr, Pam Stevenson, Nancy Knight admire farm and ranch equipment on the ceiling.

AZ Women's Hall of Fame 2013 Honorees

The Arizona Women's Hall of Fame is proud to honor women who have contributed to Arizona's history during their lifetimes.

March 14, 2013 Honorees:
Rose E. Collom (1870-1956) Botanist, authority in the native plants of Arizona

Jean Chaudhuri (1937-1997) Indian activist, author and storyteller

Helen Sekaquaptewa (1898-1990) Hopi author, matriarch of the Eagle Clan

Jacque Yelland Steiner (1929-2003) Legislator, Founder of the Children’s Action Alliance

Dorothy Elaine Powell (1921-2003) Community and social activist, advocate for elderly.

The museum is located at the Carnegie Library Center on Washington near to the Capital. 

Historical League members Pam Stevenson and Norma Jean Coulter are volunteers and supporters of this organization.

A series of custom made quilts featuring images of the inductees dating back many years is on display. More information at www.azlibrary.gov/azwhf

Lemon Coconut Squares from Pam Stevenson

Lots of sugar but lots of goodness in these yummy bars. Pam adds 3/4 cup coconut to the filling for an unique flavor.

Lemon Bars

Ingredients for Crust:     

2 cups flour

1 cup butter

½ cup powdered sugar

Combine and press into greased 9” X 13” pan. Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Ingredients for Filling:

4 eggs

4 tablespoons lemon juice

½ cup flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon rind

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder



Directions for Filling:
Mix well and pour over previous layer. Bake again 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Ingredients for Glaze:

4 tablespoon lemon juice

1 ½ cup powdered sugar


Directions for Glaze:
Mix and pour over previous layer soon after removing from oven. Cool and cut into squares.



Pam Stevenson baked these for the Historical League meeting. They were almost gone by the time I took her photo.

Pam Stevenson and Quilts - Pieces of Time

Quilts tell so many stories- just ask the families who have inherited them. During the war, this Red Cross quilt was used to raise funds for the war effort. The Baltimore quilt with it's detailed workmanship has been auctioned several times with over $30,000 at last trade.

Historical League member and author Pam Stevenson shared stories of several quilts that make up the Grand Endeavors Quilts Book. Photos of several of these quilts are framed in the large board room at the AHS Museum.

Jackie Berkowitz presented Pam with a Centennial ball cap after her fascinating presentation.

More about the Program and Pam Stevenson -

It traces the history of Arizona through women who recorded pieces of their lives in their needlework. Beginning with Mexican women of the 1860’s through Hopi women of the 1990’s, this program introduces women who pioneered Arizona through the quilts they stitched. The colorful patterns of women’s quilts added a spot of brightness to their homes and their lives. Arizona Quilts features quilts discovered by the Arizona Quilt Project, which documented the history of Arizona quilts made before 1940. The results of this five year quilt research were recorded in the women’s history book, Grand Endeavors: Vintage Arizona Quilts and Their Makers, co- authored by Pam Knight Stevenson. The television documentary, Arizona Quilts: Pieces of Time, written and produced by Pam Knight Stevenson is also based on the Arizona Quilt Project research. Pam said that the Arizona Quilt Project documentation is archived at the AHS Papago Park Museum and the quilt photos in the board room are from that collection.

Pam Knight Stevenson is a journalist, historian and fourth generation quilter. Pam served nine years on the board of the Arizona Quilt Project, a non-profit organization created to document the history of quilts in Arizona. Besides the book and television program noted above, Pam also produced Hopi Quilts, a national PBS television documentary that traces the history of quilting on the Hopi mesas. She also produced the video Quilt preservation: Protecting your Quilts for the Future for the Phoenix Museum of History.

Halloween Witch for Oct League meeting

Display makes such a difference in enhancing food presentation. Pam Stevenson brought these yummy cupcakes for the buffet with the Halloween witch watching over them. Thanks to the Historical League Hospitality committee for creating such lovely food tables each month.

Pam created the Historymakers video that premiered at the Historymakers Gala in February. This video compliments the Centennial book, Arizona Recollections and Reflections An Arizona Historymakers Centennial Commemoration available at www.HistoricalLeague.org.

Peanut & Banana Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1-1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (2-3 medium)

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups cake flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped lightly salted dry roasted peanuts

FROSTING:

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 to 4 tablespoons 2% milk

1 cup chopped lightly salted dry roasted peanuts

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with banana mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in peanuts.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

In a large bowl, beat the confectioners sugar, peanut butter and butter until fluffy. Beat in vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Spread frosting over cupcakes. Sprinkle with peanuts. Store in the refrigerator.

Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes

Great Pumpkin Cookies

It is October and time for pumpkin cookies. Great Pumpkin Cookies, page 162 Tastes & Treasures, is an old family recipe from League member Kay Holcombe. Pam Stevenson baked these delicious treats for the October Meeting at the AZ Historical Society Museum. Topping with a decorative icing gives them an added sweetness.

GREAT PUMPKIN COOKIES

Ingredients
8 oz (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, gently packed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup solid-pack pumpkin
2 cups semi-sweet or white chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. (The paper can be reused- just place the cookies in a different spot or turn the paper over)
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer place the butter & beat on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Turn off the mixer, scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and add the sugars. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Meanwhile place the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium sized bowl. Gently stir with a whisk to combine.
4. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl. Turn the mixer on low speed; add the eggs and vanilla, beating until incorporated.
5. Add the flour in thirds, alternating with the pumpkin. (flour-pumpkin-flour-pumpkin-flour) After you have added the last of the flour, mix until just combined; do not over mix. Turn off the mixer and scrape the bowl.
6. Place a small (walnut) sized scoop of dough 1-2 inches apart on the prepared pans. You can also scoop the cookie dough with a tablespoon and place it on the sheet pans.
7. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until light brown.
8. Remove cookies from the oven, allowing them to cool on the sheet pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note:
* ½ t nutmeg (fresh ground, if possible) gives an added taste.
* You can add semi-sweet chocolate chips, raisins or nuts for variety.
* Makes about 6 dozen bite sized cookies.
* Store cookies in an airtight container.

Historymakers Gala preparations

Pam Stevenson and Susan Dale put their heads together working on the Historymakers Gala. Pam has filmed and edited the videos for several events while Susan works at sponsorship opportunities. The Gala takes 2 years of preparation for the event held Friday, February 11, 2011. This time it is an official Centennial Gala kicking off Arizona's Centennial celebration.

The Historymakers Recognition Program continues each year with exhibits, videos, oral histories and artifacts at the AHS Museum at Papago Park.

Thank you ladies for all you do for the Historical League.

Presidents Advisory Board Brainstorms

What could be better than getting all the Past Presidents, Historymaker Gala Chairs, Executive Board and Museum Board Members together to learn about the latest Museum happenings and discuss it's future? Thanks to our current President, Jeannine Moyle, we met at Desert Ridge Marriott at 9 am, March 9. It was more like a reunion and so good to see familiar faces. Life changes and many League members are not as active as they once were but they are still very interested and have great ideas about the Museum and the League. Highlighted topics were Historymakers Gala, Children's Holiday Party, Membership, Finances, Centennial Celebrations, Cookbook and Old Ned Newsletter.

Pam Stevenson opened with a video she had produced promoting a century of Arizona. Wonderful photos and narrative. Dr Peter Welsh spoke about Museum happenings and the possibilities of a merger with Phoenix Museum of History. Great things could happen as a result of that.

We talked for hours, broke into smaller groups, paused for lunch and still kept discussing the future. There was a lot of energy in that room. I am looking forward to hearing about all the things that could be....even with the budget crunch, life with the Historical League looks good.