Chocolate Chip Cookie/Oreo Fudge Brownie

We love all things chocolate in Tastes & Treasures cookbook including Espresso Brownies, Brownie Puddle and Chocolate Peannutty Treats. Here is another luscious, melt in your mouth chocolate bar.

Chocolate Chip Cookie/Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 package double stuffed Oreos
2 boxes of your favorite brownie mix - I chose Ghirardelli Double Chocolate
1/4 cup hot fudge

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a 9x13 baking dish, then line with parchment paper and generously butter the paper.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for approximately four minutes. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Lower the speed, and gradually mix in the flour, until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread the cookie dough in the bottom of the prepared dish. Top the cookie dough with a layer of Oreos.

Next, prepare brownie mixes according to package directions. Mix in hot fudge sauce. Pour brownie batter over the cookie dough and Oreos, and spread evenly. Bake for 45 minutes. Let brownies cool completely before cutting. Serve with additional hot fudge topping if desired.

Thanks to BrownEyedBaker for recipe.

Movie History in Arizona

Do you know the movies that have been made in Arizona?  Think John Ford's 1939 'Stagecoach' with John Wayne, 1945 Gene Tierney in 'Leave Her to Heaven', 'Tin Cup' filmed at AZ Golf Resort south of Tucson, 'Forrest Gump', 'Return to Planet of the Apes',  Chevy Chase in 'Vacation' and more.

Thanks to Carolyn Hartman for bringing Michael Kucharo, ex-officio president of the Arizona Film and Media Coalition to be the guest speaker at the Historical League October meeting. His presentation was filled with the history of movie making and movies in Arizona. We learned about the beginning of making pictures including the Magic Lantern, Mutoscope, Zoetroope, Thomas Edison and George Eastman working on moving pictures, and Nickelodeon.

Just in time for Arizona's Centennial, the Lubin Co. Studios was Arizona's first movie studio, opening in Tucson in March 1912.

Arizona's tax incentives lapsed in 2010 for film makers so many are going to other states. more at www.azfilmandmedia.org

Historymaker Ed Mell exhibit opening

Honored as a Historymaker by the Historical League in 2003, Ed Mell continues to contribute to Arizona. His new exhibit opening and reception will be at P.V. Town Hall, 6401 E. Lincoln Dr. on Tuesday Oct 8 from 5:30-7:30 pm. The show runs through next September. His paintings and sculptures are filled with western scenes and vibrant Arizona skies. Mell also designed Arizona's official stamp commemorating the state's centennial.

Claire Nullmeyer Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

Claire Nullmeyer with her Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

Summer Trifle from Tastes & Treasures cookbook page 154 is a delicious recipe. Claire Nullmeyer brought a mouth-watering chocolate simplified version to our September Historical League meeting.

Claire sent in her recipe:
 An adaption from Magnolia Bakery Cookbook "Accidental Trifle".
1.Use your favorite cake recipe (chocolate, white, yellow). Bake according to directions, allow to cool, break into bite size pieces.
2.Mix 2 large packages of instant chocolate pudding according to directions.
3.Whip 2 cups of heavy cream with 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla (or almond extract).
4.Cut up fresh fruit (berries, peaches, bananas etc.)
5.In a large glass bowl, starting with cake bites, alternate layers of cake, pudding, whipped cream, fresh fruit until 3/4 full.
6.You can garnish with chocolate wafer crumbs or crushed nuts.

Governors become Historymakers

From The Arizona Governors 1912-1990 by Dr. John L Myerss

Governors Babbitt, Mofford, Williams and now Raul Castro have all been honored by the Historical League as Historymakers. Governor Castro will be celebrated at Historymakers Gala XI along with 8 other inductees on February 8, 2014 at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa. Arizona Recollections and Reflections Historymakers book tells about their life stories in photos and biographies. Tastes & Treasures cookbook features recipes and food memories from Historymakers. More at www.HistoricalLeague.org

Avocado, Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Rancho de La Osa has a fascinating history starting in the late 1600s. Their dinner menu is superb including Bibb Lettuce with Avocado and Pine Nuts. This recipe can be found on page 120 of Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Another salad recipe we really enjoy is this crunchy, low-calorie, delicious one below.

Avocado, Tomato and Cucumber Salad

2 cups grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
4 cups avocadoes, diced medium


2 cups cucumbers, peeled and diced medium1 cup red onion, diced small
4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
salt
fresh black pepper
Lettuce (if you want)

Toss all ingredients in a bowl and top on a bed of lettuce (if desired)
Makes 8 servings

Librarian/teacher workshop at Carnegie Library

Thanks to our generous benefactors, we have copies of Arizona Recollections and Reflections to donate to educators throughout Arizona. 4th graders study Arizona history and high school students have Az history included with Social Studies.

Historical League members Judy Blackwell, Zona Lorig and Karen Swanson volunteered to distribute donated copies on Friday, September 27 at this Carnegie Library event.

Pictured here is Judy Blackwell giving Tanya Flanders from the Willcox library in Cochise County a book. We are grateful to Tanya for delivering six books to Willcox High School, Willcox Elem. School and then three books for small elementary schools in the area – Pearce, Cochise and Bonita.