Spring Recognition Luncheon

Hugs, smiles, conversation and laughter. The Spring Recognition Luncheon reminded us how wonderful it is to be together again. Along with a lovely luncheon and award activities, we are grateful for all the good things that have happened this past year in spite of the pandemic!

Cookie Dessert at Spring Recognition Luncheon

Cookie molds come in so many shapes but this one closely resembles our Old Ned logo. Great job and delicious. These came from Barb's Bakery in Phoenix. You can try them on your own with unique cookie cutters.

Thanks to Janie Burke for her creativity with this cookie cutter.

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional to dip the cookie cutters
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

2. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and baking powder, set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla.

4. Gradually blend in dry ingredients.

5. Roll in balls or you can lay the dough out onto a clean area and mix with more flour to make the dough stiff enough to use Christmas cookie cutters with.

6. Bake 8-10 minutes Makes about 25 cookies.
   

Jim Turner - Guest Speaker

Historian and author Jim Turner gave us a fascinating look at Arizona as she became the 48th State. On Feb 14, 1912 every church bell in the state was ringing. All train whistles were blowing. And Bisbee thought they would celebrate with 48 sticks of dynamite. After about 10 ignited and blew out windows in town, they stopped the fireworks. Wonderful stories and photos can be found in his new Centennial book, Arizona A Celebration of the Grand Canyon State.

Jim was the guest speaker at our Spring Recognition Luncheon. Janie Burke and Lindy Isacksen did a wonderful job on the event.

Tastes & Treasures cookbook and Arizona Recollections and Reflections were also sold.

Thank you in Thyme

At the Spring Recognition Luncheon, Jackie Berkowitz announced the volunteer hours for 2011-2012. The Historical League has a cumulative total of 110,394 volunteer hours to the AZ Historical Society at Papago Park. President Sharron McKinney thanked her Board and we were all given a great gift of Thyme. Such a thoughtful, clever and useful idea.

Garlands Oak Creek uses Thyme for Roast Pork page 44, and for Red Lentil Chowder page 42 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Thyme, botanically-known as thymus vulgaris, gets its name from the Greek word thymon, an herb used as incense or as a fumigator during sacrifices.

Native to the Mediterranean region, thyme was brought to Britain by the Romans. Long-prized for its medicinal uses, ancient Egyptians used thyme oil in their embalming process.

Legend has it that thyme was an essential ingredient in a magic brew that allowed the drinker to see the fairies. It was also considered an aphrodisiac.