Cookies for Santa

Nothing more fun than a 4-year old getting ready for Santa on Christmas Eve. We wore our Historical League aprons as we baked and decorated these yummy cookies. Easy and fun with wonderful memories for everyone.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
(makes 20-23)
Ingredients:
1 cup spelt or whole wheat pastry flour (130g) (Gluten-free recipe here)
3/4 cup rolled oats (60g)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp chopped walnut pieces
3 tbsp shredded coconut (15g)
1/4 to 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (40g)
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp vegetable oil (50g) (See substitution note in the instructions below.)
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp pure maple syrup (74g)
pinch stevia, or 1 extra tbsp pure maple syrup
If using the stevia option, add 1 tbsp milk of choice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a mini muffin pan or cookie tray. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir very well. In a separate bowl, whisk together all liquid ingredients. Pour wet into dry and stir to form a dough. Chill dough in the refrigerator at least 1 hour. Roll out chocolate chip oatmeal cookie dough balls by smushing the dough together with your fingers. Place in the greased tins or on the pan, smush down if you want flat cookies, and bake 7 minutes. The oatmeal chocolate chip cookies should still look a little undercooked when you remove them from the oven, but they’ll firm up as they cool. Set the tray aside for 10 minutes before removing the cookies.
SUBSTITUTION: Coconut oil may be substituted for the vegetable oil. If using coconut oil, roll cookie dough balls before refrigerating the dough, as coconut oil hardens when chilled.
Thanks to Chocolate Covered Katie for the recipe.

Roasted Corn Guacamole for New Years Party

Nothing like lower calories and lower fat in a yummy guacamole.
Another great dip is Cowboy Caviar, page 180 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.
Roasted Corn Guacamole

Ingredients For Guacamole:

1 cup frozen sweet yellow corn

One 15-oz. can early/young peas, drained

1/2 cup mashed avocado (about 1 medium-small avocado's worth)

1/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt

4 tsp. lime juice

1/2 tsp. chopped garlic

1/4 tsp. salt, or more to taste

1/8 tsp. black pepper, or more to taste

1/8 tsp. ground cumin

1/8 tsp. chili powder

3/4 cup chopped cherry or grape tomatoes

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

Optional: chopped fresh cilantro, chopped jarred jalapeño slices

For Chips:

Twelve 6-inch corn tortillas

3/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to high heat on the stove. Add corn and cook until thawed and slightly blackened, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Place peas in a medium bowl and mash thoroughly with a potato masher or fork. (Or puree peas in a small blender or food processor and transfer to a medium bowl.) Add avocado, yogurt, lime juice, garlic, and dry seasonings. Continue to mash until blended.
Stir in corn, tomatoes, and onion. If you like, mix in cilantro and/or jalapeño. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
To make the chips, divide tortillas into two stacks and cut each in half. Cut each stack of halves into three triangles, for a total of 72 pieces.
Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray. Evenly lay about one-third of the tortilla triangles flat on the sheet.
Cover triangles with a generous mist of nonstick spray, spraying for about 2 seconds. Evenly sprinkle with 1/8 tsp. salt. Flip triangles over and sprinkle with another 1/8 tsp. salt.
Bake in the oven for 5 minutes. Carefully flip tortilla triangles over on the sheets. Continue to bake in the oven until crispy, about 5 minutes longer.
Repeat baking process until all the chips are baked. (If you have extra baking sheets and a large oven, feel free to do it all at once!)
Once cool enough to handle, transfer chips to a serving bowl. Serve with chilled guacamole.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Note: We made it with grilled corn on the cob. It is much more flavorful than the frozen kind.

Thanks to Hungry Girl for recipe and stats.
Serving Size: 1/3 cup guacamole with 9 chips
Calories: 160
Fat: 4g
Sodium: 456mg
Carbs: 27.5g
Fiber: 4.75g
Sugars: 4.5g
Protein: 5g

175 Cookbooks sold to Sierra Tucson facility

When a company wants to present a unique gift with the flavors of Arizona, Tastes & Treasures cookbook is a great choice. Sierra Tucson has conferences with Doctors, Therapists, Psychiatrists visiting their treatment facility. A welcome package includes our colorful cookbook. The cookbook is filled with history and recipes from historic hospitality venues of Arizona, recipes and food memories from Historymakers as well as from Historical League members. The photos are outstanding.

Thanks to Zona and Meghan Lorig for delivering 175 cookbooks to the Tucson facility on December 26. Their trunk was full!

Nice to know that the cookbook will spread the story and "Tastes" of Arizona when the visitors travel back to their homeland: all over the USA, Canada, Europe and South America.

Delicious desserts served at December meeting

The buffet table was groaning with wonderful food at the Historical League's December Holiday Meeting. The dessert table looked fabulous. Thanks to Margaret Baker who brought these decadent treats from page 162 Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

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

"Perfect" Hostess Gift

Santa may be enjoying Tastes & Treasures too!

Judy Blackwell recently visited her college roomate and attended the son's wedding. "Tastes & Treasures was a perfect gift to give the hostess," said Judy. "The cookbook was very much appreciated and they enjoyed the history as well as the recipes."

December meeting festive and fun

Mary Garbaciak enjoys the delicious luncheon buffet

We all look forward to the December Historical League meeting held in the home of a member. Joan Galloway has graciously offered her beautifully decorated home for the past 3 years.

Joan Galloway's home is beautifully decorated for Christmas

Mary Poppins organizers Mary Parker, Donna Esposito and Anne Lupica

President Jackie Berkowitz starts the meeting

Diane Cobb helps at Mary Poppins event

So many people made the Mary Poppins event on December 6th a success. Thanks to Diane Cobb helping Ruth McLeod at the Tastes & Treasures cookbook table. Children's aprons with the Old Ned logo were popular too!