Tour of Bead Museum

The March Historical League tour was at the “Bead Museum” at 5754 W. Glenn Drive in Glendale. We had a docent-led tour of the museum to see their “From Caves to Castles: If Beads Could Talk” exhibit. This collection of ancient beads from the private collection of museum founder Gabrielle Liese has never been on display before. After the tour, we had the opportunity to make our own “bling”. $15.00 included the tour and a bracelet.




Lunch followed at Kimberly Ann’s Victorian Tearoom at 7153 N. 59th Ave. Opened in 1994, Mae Collins named her tearoom after the granddaughter she raised. She was motivated by the happiness she brought customers in her boutique, which grew into an ice cream parlor and then into the lovely tearoom.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

A tasting menu at Basis Restaurant, 7th Street and Thunderbird, drew us to this neighborhood gathering place. The food was very good and for $5 we couldn't resist this dessert. Carol and I shared this rich chocolate delight. She looks pretty happy, doesn't she? It was so good I wanted to try it at home.

Flourless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 18 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 6 eggs
  
  
• Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease one 10 inch round cake pan and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat combine the water, salt and sugar. Stir until completely dissolved and set aside.
3. Either in the top half of a double boiler or in a microwave oven melt the bittersweet chocolate. Pour the chocolate into the bowl of an electric mixer.
4. Cut the butter into pieces and beat the butter into the chocolate, 1 piece at a time. Beat in the hot sugar-water. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan (greased and floured). Have a pan larger than the cake pan ready, put the cake pan in the larger pan and fill the pan with boiling water halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
6. Bake cake in the water bath at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 45 minutes. The center will still look wet. Chill cake overnight in the pan. To unmold, dip the bottom of the cake pan in hot water for 10 seconds and invert onto a serving plate.

Note: Use cocoa powder to flour the pan so it doesn't have white powder on it.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 341 | Total Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 111mg

Embellishing Spinach Mushroom Florentine

Substituting ingredients in recipes is something I enjoy doing. The original Spinach Mushroom Florentine is great, page 190 in Tastes & Treasures, but with added cooked and chopped bacon and low fat mozzarella cheese, it became a meal.

Spinach Mushroom Florentine pg 190 Tastes & Treasures

1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen choppen spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
Garlic powder to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Saute the mushrooms in a non stick skillet until tender. Cool slightly. Press the excess moisture from the spinach. Combine the spinach, onion, butter, 1/2 cup of the cheese and the salt in a bowl and mix well. Spoon half the spinach mixture into a buttered 9 X 13 inch baking dish and top with half the mushrooms. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Top with the remaining spinach mixture, remaining mushrooms and garlic powder. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serves 6 to 8.

Note: We used lots of fresh spinach and it was so-o-o yummy.
Did not need to butter the dish.
Sauteing mushrooms in Monterey Steak Seasoning makes them very tasty.

Celebrate St Patricks Day with Green Shake

Hungry Girl has a website with low calorie, reduced fat recipes and helpful hints for eating healthy. This is a great drink for St Patricks Day. Shamrock 'n' Roll Shake

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. Coffee-mate Sugar Free French Vanilla powdered creamer
3/4 cup light vanilla soymilk
1/2 cup Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Creamy Vanilla fat-free ice cream
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring
1 no-calorie sweetener packet (like Splenda)
1 1/2 cups crushed ice (8 - 12 ice cubes' worth)

Directions:
Combine Coffee-mate with 1 tbsp. hot water and stir to dissolve. Transfer mixture to a blender and add all other ingredients. Blend at high speed until mixed thoroughly. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

MAKES 1 SERVING

PER SERVING (1 shake, entire recipe): 176 calories, 4g fat, 142mg sodium, 29.5g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 16g sugars, 7.5g protein -- POINTS® value 3*

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Stuffed Mushrooms

Perfect for a party, these can be made a day ahead and refrigerated- ready to pop in the oven and serve warm and tasty.

Not owning a pastry bag, I used a plastic sandwich bag and cut out a corner. It worked well for these clumsy hands. The photos (thanks to my daughters artistic eye) show the mushrooms prior to a dusting of bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and final baking.

How to make really fine breadcrumbs? Use your coffee bean grinder. It worked very well.

STUFFED MUSHROOMS pg 27 Tastes & Treasures cookbook

Ingredients
2 lbs large mushrooms
2 T butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ t dried dill weed
3 T grated Parmesan cheese
2 T breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
2 T breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel.

3. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and dice.

4. In a medium skillet, over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Sauté the chopped mushroom stems and the minced garlic for 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool.

5. Add the cream cheese and mix thoroughly. Add the dill weed, Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe into the mushroom caps.

7. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 T Parmesan cheese and 2 T breadcrumbs.

8. Bake for 10 minutes or until nicely browned.

Cook’s Note: You may prepare the mushrooms a day ahead and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

Serves 8-10

Old Ned's News March 2010

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Frontdoors: AHS Historical Photographic Fair

FEBRUARY 23, 2010 ISSUE

Arizona Historical Society
Historical Photographic Fair

The Arizona Historical Society Museum (AHSM) at Papago Park is set to host its annual Historical Photographic Fair, featuring camera displays, historic photographs, book sales, children’s activities, speakers and refreshments. Arizonans are asked to enter the historical photograph contest, sharing their pictures of Arizona history in the categories of: People, Commercial establishments, Lifestyles, Arizona cities and towns and Events. Notable photograph advisors will judge entries on photographic merit as well as on the information that accompanies them. Reproductions of selected photographs will remain on exhibit at the museum from March 20 through
the summer of 2010.
To enter the photograph contest or inquire for more information, please contact Jeannine Moyle at 480-585-4872. Admission to this event is free and will take place on Saturday, March 20, 2010, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit www.azhs.gov for more information.