Tasting Chocolate in a Heavenly Bar pg 162

Are you a Chocoholic? Craving something very indulgent with a hint of salt? Then this recipe is for you. Margaret Baker made these delicious bars for our February League meeting and they were devoured. Take a look at the ingredients and you will understand.


Chocolate Peanut Treats
2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups (12 oz) butterscotch chips
1 jar (18 oz) creamy peanut butter
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 can (5 oz) evaporated milk
1/4 cup vanilla pudding and pie filling mix
2 packages (1 lb) confectioners sugar
1 lb salted peanuts

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 10 X 15 inch baking pan. Chill until firm. (Isn't this easy)
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. (Now you can lick the spoon) Chill until firm and cut into 2 inch squares. Makes 20 pieces. Yummmmm.

Presidents Advisory Board Brainstorms

What could be better than getting all the Past Presidents, Historymaker Gala Chairs, Executive Board and Museum Board Members together to learn about the latest Museum happenings and discuss it's future? Thanks to our current President, Jeannine Moyle, we met at Desert Ridge Marriott at 9 am, March 9. It was more like a reunion and so good to see familiar faces. Life changes and many League members are not as active as they once were but they are still very interested and have great ideas about the Museum and the League. Highlighted topics were Historymakers Gala, Children's Holiday Party, Membership, Finances, Centennial Celebrations, Cookbook and Old Ned Newsletter.

Pam Stevenson opened with a video she had produced promoting a century of Arizona. Wonderful photos and narrative. Dr Peter Welsh spoke about Museum happenings and the possibilities of a merger with Phoenix Museum of History. Great things could happen as a result of that.

We talked for hours, broke into smaller groups, paused for lunch and still kept discussing the future. There was a lot of energy in that room. I am looking forward to hearing about all the things that could be....even with the budget crunch, life with the Historical League looks good.

Annual Spring Party

Joan Galloway was very generous in offering her lovely home for the Christmas League meeting and she has done it again with the Spring Party. What a perfect setting for a Fun and Fiesta evening. Contact Nancy Evans or Dianne Linthicum for details. Saturday, April 25 at 6 pm. $55 per person.

Annual Recognition Luncheon May 14, 2009

Guest speaker at the event held at Lon's at the Hermosa Inn will be Dr. Robert E. Kravetz, a retired gastroenterologist and a nationally recognized medical historian. He has edited and authored three books on Arizona medical history. He has been a guest curator and contributed to exhibits at museums throughout the state, including the Arizona Historical Society Museum, the Heard Museum, the State Capitol Museum, the Maricopa Medical Society, and the Phoenix Museum of History. He has written extensively on Arizona medical history, spoken statewide and appeared on television. The Maricopa Medical Society has twice honored Dr. Kravetz for his role in preserving and recording Arizona medical history.

Healers, Hucksters & Heroes Arizona Territorial Medicine:
Territorial medical history is traced from the pre-Civil War period to statehood in 1914, when "bleed, blister and purge" was the slogan of Arizona Territorial physicians. Medicine of that period was vastly different from what we know today. Military surgeons, charlatans and quacks, adventurous licensed physicians, and health seekers were all involved in the saga of Arizona medicine. Learn about arrow wounds, amputations for lead shot shattered bones, herbs and patent medicines, what the doctor on horseback carried in his saddlebags, and much more. Examine instruments used by Territorial physicians first-hand. Join Dr. Kravetz on a tour of the Arizona Territory, when the risks of the hospital often superseded the risk of the injury or the disease.

Tour to Mystery Castle February 18

Eighteen members and guests visited this odd yet imaginative dwelling in February. Ruth Ann Hogan, president elect, listens to the tour guide. Laurie Sue Retts, tour chair, stands beside some of the artwork. Mary Lou Gulley has a life size portrait on the wall.
The following are comments from Roadside America.com. Miss Gulley is now in her early eighties and still gives half of the tour. The other guide told us more interesting dope than Gulley did. For example, no one is allowed in her bedroom. One woman insisted and Gulley replied, "Even Clark Gable didn't get in there." Marilyn Monroe, however, according to the guide, was allowed up to the bedroom. Ron Reagan took a tour of the house when he was a movie star. President Eisenhower received a tour of the house when he was in the White House. President Clinton showed up at the gate with Secret Service in tow and Miss Gulley, who had the flu, turned them away. For $5 it's a big bang for the buck.

Sandra Day O'Connor Presented with Cookbook

Recently, Gail and Charles Lucky attended the 25th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada. They had been to it in the past and knew that since it was the 25th anniversary, extra special events would be featured.


When they learned that Sandra Day O’Connor, retired Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, would be the keynote speaker, Charles suggested to Gail that she give Justice O'Connor one of our cookbooks, Tastes & Treasures. Right before Justice O'Connor gave her speech, Gail had the opportunity. Justice O'Connor graciously accepted it with the comment, “I love to cook. I will treasure the book.”

Mediterranean Pasta Salad & Chocolate Peanut Treats

Two League members brought recipes from Tastes & Treasures for the luncheon at our February meeting. Bonnie Newhoff prepared the Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Basil (page 175) and Margaret Baker made the Chocolate Peanut Treats (page 162.)

Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Basil

Basil Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salad
2 cups fusilli or penne
6 ounces haricots verts, trimmed
Salt to taste
2 large tomatoes chopped, or small grape tomatoes
Sliced kalamata olvies
2 cups fresh basil leaves, stacked and thinly sliced
1 (7-ounce) can oil-pack tuna, drained and flaked
2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced or chopped
Capers, drained and rinsed
For the viniaigrette, whisk the vinegar, basil, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl until combined. Add the olive oil gradually, whisking constantly until the olive oil is incorporated.
For the salad, cook the pasta using the package directions and drain. Toss the hot pasta with a small amount of the vinaigrette in a bowl. Blanch the green beans in a small amount of boiling salted water in a saucepan until tender-crisp and drain. Immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and drain.

Layer the pasta, tomatoes, olives, basil, green beans and tuna in a large salad bowl, drizzling each layer with some of the vinaigrette. Toss lightly and top with the hard-cooked eggs and capers.

Serves 4.