Cracked Wheat Quinoa

We are Costco fans. It is that simple. Where ever we travel, we like to visit one...from the Big Island of Hawaii to Calgary, Canada to Cancun, Mexico to the local neighborhood Phoenix store. Yesterday we found Whole Grain Quinoa and I boiled it for dinner in place of a rice dish. Nice and simple. Then I realized that is what Eddie Basha's mother may have used in her Tabouli Salad. Great stuff and so versatile. A classmate from my Master Gardener class brought it as a salad which tasted very much like Basha's Tabouli Salad also. Interesting how a Lebanese staple has now entered the US market.

Pronounced "keen-wa". Quinoa is a complete protein grain (50% more than wheat), high in lysine, more iron, phosphorus, vitamins A, E and B, and more calcium and fat than other grains. Quinoa kernels have a waxy protective coating called saponin which will leave quinoa bitter unless rinsed off under running water before cooking. Expands to four times its volume when cooked. Combine with millet, bugler or buckwheat for variety. Substitute for bugler in tabouli. Makes a very light breakfast cereal.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1/4 cup (43 g)

Nutrient Amount % DV

Calories 160 Calories from Fat 20 Total Fat 2.5 g 4% Sodium 10 mg 0%

Master Gardener Class Snacks

Becoming a Master Gardener has always been a goal of mine so when my girlfriend signed up, I did too. Seventeen weeks at U of Arizona's Extension Office in Phoenix is a big commitment but it is very interesting and I am learning a lot. Each week different groups bring in "snacks" so we have a lovely buffet. Carol brought in Granola pg 196 and I made Luscious Lemon Loaf pg 198. Carol was very creative by serving the Granola in a chip and dip bowl with the spoon resting in the dip bowl. She actually sold two cookbooks because the ladies wanted the Granola recipe and loved the historical aspect of the book.

Sculpture at AHS Museum

Wonder how a model feels when he poses for a sculpture? Read this article submitted by Historical League President Jeannine Moyle.

The Arizona Historical Society Museum at Papago Park is housing a sculpture that was designed and made in 1996 on Commission of Anne Woosley, then Acting Director of the Central Division of AHS.

Originally the sculpture took a prime spot on the main floor in a room of its own that one entered following the movie “Traces” shown in the small theater behind the Admissions desk. It now is at the top left of the staircase.

Staff at the museum at that time picked from the community those who would model for each figure. The six characters that were decided upon to be depicted were: Apache Youth, c. 1884; Akimel O’Odham (Pima) Basket Maker, c. 1863; Irish Soldier, c. 1867; Mexican Miner, c. 1865; Chinese Entrepreneur, c. 1883; Mormon Missionary & Daughter, c. 1877; Midwestern Land Developer, c. 1891; and California Cattleman, c. 1886. Each figure was made by the Sculpture Basis, Inc. New Mexico.

Mid March 2009, Norberto (can't find his last name) stopped by the museum to take a look at the sculpture as he had modeled for the image of the Mexican Miner.Talking with him, he described how they went about making the mold for this sculpture.

The model would wear very skimpy clothing like short shorts or swimming trunks with hair under a net. Their body would be covered with Vaseline. Next it would be covered with wet plaster strips. The plaster strips create a mold. When that hardened it was cut in sections and numbered, reassembled, reinforced and them smoothed out and strengthened. A sealer agent was applied so the cast would not then stick to the mold.

Various materials were used on the torso, head, hands and feet as the cast was joined in a layer of fiberglass and polyester. Fine carving of the head and hands was done to create a life-like reproduction of the model. This was most time-consuming.

A selected costume and authentic reproduction of accessories was chosen. After that the dressed unit is sprayed and clothing impregnated with a polyester material which hardens and strengthens the figure.

After the figure is initially painted it gets another finishing when final alterations are made. Then it is given the final paint. All color, texture and highlights were selected by the museum.

If you haven’t taken a long look at the sculpture recently, do revisit it and think of the people represented as these are the real founders of our territory.

Yogurt Smoothie

Refrigerator leftovers . . . what do you do with them? We were leaving our condo in Eleuthera and decided to use up what was left. The condo had a "state of the art" blender so we put in yogurt, milk, blueberries, flax seed, ice, banana and a little oatmeal from breakfast. It looked wonderful until we twisted the blender from it's base. Unfortunately, this was the kind you twist to remove the bottom . . . whoosh. Yogurt Smoothie all over the counter and floor. We saved some of it and I got a few pictures to remember the laughs. It tasted pretty good, except for the oatmeal. Note to self: Remember not to add oatmeal next time.

The Hassayampa Inn has an easy Yogurt Parfait recipe pg 52 from the cookbook. No blender involved so no spills.

Yogurt Parfaits
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 cups fresh raspberries
2 cups granola (use the granola recipe from pg 196)
Strawberry yogurt

Mix the blueberries and raspberries in a bowl. Alternate layers of the berries and granola in parfait glasses or wine glasses and top with the yogurt.
Note: you can use homemade or commercial granola and low-fat yogurt in this recipe.

Serves 6

Trip home from Eleuthera

Small planes (Regional Airlines in Abaco, Bahamas) are exciting but five hours in a jet is not my idea of fun. This time the flight from Charlotte, NC to Phoenix went so quickly because I sat next to a lovely lady. A.E. has only lived in Chandler for 2 years and asked about places to visit. Science Museum, Heard Museum, Children's Museum, Art Museum and Phoenix Museum of History are the usual things to see. Of course, I recommended the AHS Museum in Tempe with our new exhibit honoring Sandra Day O'Connor opening October 24 to the public. We are also planning the Arizona Centennial Historymakers Gala February 2011. Talking about the Historymakers Gala and Recognition Program, she told me her neighbor is Historymaker Eddie Basha. Her step son is good friends with their sons. Small world. Eddie has a great food memory in our cookbook with Tabouli Salad on page 130.

Tabouli Salad

1/2 cup cracked wheat
4 tomatoes, chopped
3 bunches parsley, stemmed and chopped
1 bunch green onions, sliced
Small handful of fresh mint, stemmed and chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Soak the cracked wheat in enough water to generously cover in a bowl for 30 minutes and drain. Press the excess moisture from the cracked wheat. Combine the cracked wheat, tomatoes, parsley, green onions and mint in a bowl and mix well. Stir in the olive oil and lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Delicious served cupped in a variety of lettuce or fresh grape leaves.

Nurse Shark Caught

Vacationing in Eleuthera, Bahamas is usually a peaceful time with a little fishing involved. Last time we went out, everyone caught something except me. But times change. I caught the first fish, a margate, and snagged a big one with the second cast. It began to bend the rod so much that Captain Leon thought I was caught on a rock so he took over. Fifteen minutes later he brought a 5 foot long nurse shark to the surface. OH MY. Leon was hoping for a huge grouper. He cut the line and let my shark swim away. Much too heavy (about 200 lb) for the 40 lb test line.

We caught 21 fish and looked to Tastes & Treasures cookbook for ways to prepare them. Camelback Inn has a good recipe for Dover Sole Menniere on page 72 but we could not find a recipe for strawberry grouper or yellow tail snapper so we substituted. There is nothing that tastes better than FRESH fish.

Fish dinner in Eleuthera, Bahamas

Preparing Four Peaks Brewing Company's Halibut with Penne and Basil Pesto, pg 89, was my idea. We would substitute the Strawberry Grouper we caught that day, but Lisa at Cape Eleuthera in the Bahamas had another idea. She put the individual filets in an aluminum sheet with onion, green pepper, spices, butter and parsley and wrapped them tight before grilling. They were delicious served with traditional brown rice and beans, corn on the cob and fresh hydroponic lettuce grown at "The Island School." We dined at the Marina at sunset. Wonderful evening.