Helpful Hints from Leslie

Love these helpful hints on baking from Leslie Christiansen . . .

Egg whites beat up better if they are warmed a little before being whipped. After separating the eggs, place the egg whites in a heat-proof bowl.
I use my mixing bowl, since it's made of metal.
Place a small amount of water in a saucepan and heat it to a simmer- not boiling. (Your mixing bowl can not touch the simmering water, or it will cook the egg whites.)
Place your mixing bowl over the simmering water and use a wire whisk to whip the egg whites until they are the temperature of bath water. It only takes about 45 seconds.
You can use a clean finger to test the temperature of the egg whites.
Now make the meringues (or what ever else you are baking) with your warm egg whites- they will whip up beautifully.

And a tip on baking with whole eggs:
Along the same line, whole eggs are better in baking if not super cold from the refrigerator, too.
This is easier to achieve: Simply place the eggs, still in their shells, in a bowl and cover them with bathwater-warm water. After about 5 minutes, they are ready removed from the water and used in baking.

Minty Chocolate Chip Meringues

Minty CHOCOLATE CHIP MERINGUES from Leslie Christiansen

Ingredients:
3 egg whites
Pinch salt
1 cup sugar
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
½ t vanilla or 1/8 t pure mint extract or PURE MINT
3-6 oz mini chocolate chips

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 275 F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. Heat a small amount of water in a sauce pan to a simmer.
3. Place egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of your electric mixer. Whisking constantly, warm egg whites over the simmering water until luke-warm.
4. Place the warm eggs whites and the bowl back in the electric mixer stand, add the salt and whip on high speed until frothy, about 1 minute.
5. With the mixer on high, add half the sugar all at once, and beat for 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, beating until the egg whites are stiff and glossy, about 5 minutes total.
6. Lower the mixer speed and add the cocoa powder (if using) and vanilla.
7. Fold in the chocolate chips.
8. Use a teaspoon to drop a cookie kiss on the prepared sheet pans.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 275 F. The outside will be crisp and the inside will be a little soft.
10. Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing from the parchment paper.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

*For variety I do not use the cocoa powder and I use the mint extract instead of vanilla.

Sweet Potato Corn Chowder

Harvest time with an abundance of sweet potatoes and corn means corn chowder. Candice McLeod made the chowder with her friend Edie. Adding crisp crumbled bacon made it a meal accompanied with tossed salad. Candice "sweated out the red peppers" to enhance their flavor. Recipe and details in Tastes & Treasures on page 96.

Permanent wave machine at AHS Museum

Billie Jones Kanan's tale of her 1928 visit to a midwest beauty shop for a 'perm' was disastrous enough for her to later recount it in detail: (Courtesy of Wisconsin Historical Society) .

It took all day, and cost $1 each….First our hair was washed and cut, then we waited and waited. There were women everywhere in different stages of getting beautified. Everyone was waiting….My hair wound up on spiral rods so tight that I thought I would never blink again [and] after the machine that looked like a milking machine was attached to the rods, I couldn't move. [Then] it began to steam and tears rolled down my checks. …[finally] someone got a blower and cooled my head here and there, but my scalp was scalded.

The new Open Storage Exhibit at AHS Museum at Papago Park shows a "Hodge Podge" including a Permanent Wave Machine, a Goat Treadmill, Barry Goldwater's Ham Radio and a large stove for a school to teach the domestic chore of Ironing.

Members and guests viewed the new Open Storage Exhibit during the Membership Open House Thursday, October 21. Guest speaker Wanda Carlack was a wealth of information about early Historical League functions.

Portabella Mushroom Appetizer

Appetizers can be very filling. We shared this one with 4 people. The large portabella mushroom was scooped out and filled with roasted red bell pepper, chopped mushroom stem, parmesean cheese, chopped green onion, and spices to taste. Topped with a wine reduction sauce and baked for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with alfalfa sprouts as garnish.

Tastes & Treasures cookbook has a yummy mushroom appetizer using regular size mushrooms on page 27. I like to change it up using the large portabella mushrooms. Add the roasted red bell pepper (even cooked sausage) and it becomes a meal.

STUFFED MUSHROOMS page 27

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

Directions
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.

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

Serves 8-10

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.

Childrens Holiday Party at Desert Ridge Marriot

Raffle prizes, silent auction, entertainment, delicious lunch, boutique shopping, clowns, Mr and Mrs Santa . . . what could be more fun than a day filled with this? The Children’s Holiday Party is an opportunity to create wonderful memories for families at the winter holiday time, while providing the Arizona Historical Society Museum with funding for programs for the children of Arizona.

The party will be held on Saturday, Dec 4, 2010 at JW Marriot Desert Ridge Resort and Spa’s Grand Ballroom.
Please contact Jeannine Moyle for more information. junkmoyle@aol.com 480-585-4872.
www.HistoricalLeague.org