Phoenix Chamber of Commerce

The Historical League is a member of the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, finding it a great way to spread the word about Tastes & Treasures cookbook, Arizona Recollections and Reflections Centennial book and the AHS Museum. The venue Tuesday was the Westin downtown and what a beautiful facility. Al and I enjoyed the view from the 11th floor. Food was delicious and we met lots of new people and companies. Also renewed past business and received orders for more cookbooks and Centennial books.

Having a photo taken with the Copper Chopper was fun. It is an awesome vehicle - more like a work of art.

My favorite was the dessert table and what beautiful chocolates, truffles, puddings, white chocolate strawberries and more. It reminded me of the recipe for Chocolate Peanut Treats, page 162, Tastes & Treasures. You can make this decadent dessert at home.

Chocolate Peanut Treats

Ingredients
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups (12 ounces) butterscotch chips
1 (18-ounce) jar creamy peanut butter
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
¼ cup vanilla pudding and pie filling mix
2 (1-pound) packages confectioners’ sugar
1 pound salted peanuts

Directions
Combine the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a double boiler over simmering water. Cook until blended, stirring frequently. Add the peanut butter and stir until smooth. Spread half the chocolate chip mixture in a greased 10X15-inch baking pan. Chill until firm.
Bring the butter, evaporated milk and pudding mix to a boil in a saucepan. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and beat in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Spread over the chilled layer. Stir the peanuts into the remaining chocolate chip mixture and spread over the prepared layers. Chill until firm and cut into 2-inch squares.

Makes 30 (2-inch square) pieces

Four Peaks Brewery offers refreshing drinks

The recipe for Stout Shake on page 92 is impressive and a cool drink for a hot summer day. Andy Ingram, owner of of Four Peaks Brewery in Tempe has some wonderful offerings in Tastes & Treasures. Try the Halibut with Penne and Basil Pesto at the restaurant or make it yourself from page 89. Fresh basil from the garden makes this very flavorful.

The brewery itself resides in the old Borden's Creamery building built in 1892. No additions were added after 1927 so you can see the old brick, wooden ceilings and 35-foot-high glass clerestory.

You can learn other suggestions from Andy's specials in The Arizona Republic called "Beer Buzz".

Bob Boze Bell

Arizona has a great promoter of history with Bob Boze Bell. His magazine, True West, is packed with stories of the old frontier. According to True West magazine website, "He has published and illustrated groundbreaking books on the West. Among the subjects are Wyatt Earp, Billy the Kid and Doc Holliday. His series of Western gunfights is titled Classic Gunfights. In addition to his efforts for True West, Boze's work has appeared in Arizona Highways, Playboy and National Lampoon. He has illustrated numerous book covers and appears as a guest speaker on the History Channel, Discovery Channel and the Westerns Channel." I enjoy his short stories for The Arizona Republic.

Carolyn Mendoza posed with him at the Memorial Day Celebration at Pioneer Cemetery.

Carolyn and Bonnie Newhoff arranged the Historical League booth that day promoting the cookbook, Tastes & Treasures, as well as the new Centennial book, Arizona Recollections and Reflections, An Arizona Historymakers Centennial Commemoration. Aprons and hats were a popular item on that lovely day.

Cool Gazpacho for Hot Summer Days

Chilled Gazpacho for summer fun

A cool but spicy blend of red onion, garlic, Roma tomatoes, summer squash, avocado, jalapeño, cilantro, chili spice, and vegetable juice. This recipe is from Chef Jeremy Manley, who is known for his organic and local cuisine at Jeremy's on the Hill, in Julian, San Diego's historic mountain destination.

The garden is full of red, ripe tomatoes now so this recipe is timely.

Gazpacho is so attractive when served in mugs or clear containers topped with crouton and fresh parsley.

Directions:

Put 1/3 cup olive oil and juice of 1 lemon into a blender.
Add 6 - 8 tomatoes chopped
1/2 large white onion, chopped finely
1/2 large summer squash, chopped in 1/4 inch chunks
2 small cucumbers or 1 large cucumber, chopped.
Season with sea salt, fresh ground black pepper, chopped basil or cilantro, 2 cloves garlic. Mix until the gazpacho is soupy but still has some good-sized chunks; add salt, pepper, oil or basil to taste. Serve cold.

Memorial Day at Pioneer Cemetery

Marketing the cookbook takes us to many historic events. What fun to meet and greet at our booth with living history characters all around. Carolyn Mendoza and Bonnie Newhoff enjoyed the day as they spread the word about Tastes & Treasures cookbook and our new Centennial book, Arizona Recollections and Reflections.

Thanks to Frank Barrios for working with us at the Pioneer Cemetery celebration on Memorial Day.

Special K Bars

Diane Utley of Phoenix shared her yummy Special K Bars in our recipe exchange. It is easy and simple to make.

Another idea is to combine it with the granola recipe page 196 in Tastes & Treasures and create your own special health food bars.

Special K Bars
1 cup corn syrup
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup raisins
5 cups Kellogg’s Special K Cereal

Cook over med. Heat, corn syrup and brown sugar stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved, and bubbly. Removed from heat, stir in peanut butter and raisons, add special K and stir until well coated. With back of spoon or hand press mixture evenly and firmly in a 13 x 9 in. pan sprayed with veg. oil cooking spray. Cool cut in bars.

Sometimes I have to add a little more Cereal; I do like a little more peanut butter.

Giant Double Chocolate Cookies

Email buddy Diane Houser knows my weakness for chocolate chip cookies. That is probably why she shared this fabulous recipe when we did a recipe exchange.

Also try page 191 in Tastes & Treasures for a slight variation of this recipe using old-fashioned oats and a touch of cinnamon.

For less calories, place your cookies on parchment paper lined cookie sheet before you bake them. What a difference in clean up too.

Giant Double Chocolate Cookies

½ c shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ cup sour cream
1 ½ teasp vanilla
3 cups ghiradelli semi sweet chips
1 ¾ c unsifted flour
½ teasp salt
½ teasp baking powder
½ teasp baking soda

Cream shortening with sugar. Mix in egg, sour cream, vanilla. Melt 1 ½ c chips and blend with creamed mixture. Sift flour with salt, baking powder, baking soda, add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, stirring until smooth fold in remaining chips. Chill dough ½ hour. Use ¼ c dough for each cookie. Place on greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake 350 for 10-12 minutes or until slightly soft in center.