Minted Walnuts

Want a lovely gift for someone for Christmas or anytime of the year? Try this recipe on page 186 from Tastes & Treasures and package it in a cellophane wrapped dish tied with a pretty bow. My daughter, Candice, helped make this for her holiday party (a White Elephant party - it was lots of fun). Make sure and tell the guests it is a sweet snack and not wasabi.

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk (we used fat free)
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon peppermint extract
Green food coloring
4 cups walnut halves

Directions: Mix the sugar, milk, butter and salt in the top of a double boiler and place over direct heat. Cook for 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and place over simmering water.
Cook for 7 minutes or to 234 to 240 degrees on a candy thermometer, soft-ball stage. Stir in the flavoring and food coloring. Add the walnuts and stir until coated. Spread the walnuts in a single layer on a sheet of foil and let stand until cool. Store in an airtight containter.

Note: Make a day ahead to let dry. Use two cookie sheets with foil. The best part is licking the bowl.

Spinach Fritatta

This makes a great company breakfast or quick meal. Our daughter in law is a creative cook preparing meals light in calories and fat so many of her recipes have been adapted for healthy eating.

Basically a fritatta is an unturned, not-folded omelette (and also called a tortilla in Spanish cooking, but that's just too confusing). It can be whipped up in a few minutes. You really only need eggs and a little fat to cook them in, but eggs go well with lots of different flavors, so use your imagination.

Basic Fritatta

Beat together 3 eggs and about 2 tablespoons of cold water until the yolks and whites are well-blended. In a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high, heat about 2 tablespoons of fat (I like a combination of butter and olive oil, but anything works...don't skimp, though, or the fritatta will stick). When the fat is hot (but not smoking), pour in the eggs.

Don't stir or anything, just let the bottom set and even brown a bit. When the top is just starting to set (that is, it doesn't look totally runny anymore), take the pan off the burner and stick it in a hot oven (or under the broiler, but watch it closely or you'll burn it). Cook another 5 minutes or so until the top begins to brown.

If you don't have an oven, you can flip it and cook the top in the skillet. The easiest way is to slide the fritatta onto a plate, put another plate upside down on top, flip it all over, then slide it back into the hot pan.

Tara's Fritatta

Ingredients:
1 pound spinach
6 eggs or 1 cup Egg Beaters
1/4 chopped onion
1/4 chopped red pepper
6 slices bacon (or turkey sausage and use non-stick spray)
1 cup shredded cheese (or low fat shredded cheese)
1/2 cup feta cheese

Directions:

Saute bacon in cast iron pan and drain grease. Using same pan, saute onion until transparent with red pepper. Add egg beaters, cooked spinach and shredded cheese. Cook as noted above on stove. Top with feta cheese and place in broiler until cheese melted.

Marshmallow Shooters

After a morning of cross country skiing, nothing warms you up like this drink. The family enjoyed themselves learning the tricks of skiing (mostly learning how to go forward and not backward on the uphill slopes).
Tumbleweeds page 192 in the cookbook also has Kahlua with vodka and brandy but it is an ice cream drink. Great for the summer time.
Our daughter, Candice created this unique concoction for the wintery weather.

Marshmallow Shooters

Ingredients:
Kahlua
Baileys
Peppermint Schnapps
Small marshmallows
Long lighter

Fill shot glass in thirds. Maintain layers by pouring liquid slowly over the back of a spoon.
1/3 Kahlua
1/3 Baileys
top with 1/3 Peppermint Schnapps

Turn off lights, ignite peppermint schnapps and place marshmallow into fire. Once toasted to desired amount, blow out fire. Let glass cool or pour into 2nd glass. Shoot!

*Note: use thick, clear shot glass.

Pam Ryan's Red and Green Salad

Here is another tasty recipe served at a Historical League meeting. Thanks to Pam Ryan for sharing it with us on the blog. Easy to make, healthy and great presentation.

Red & Green Salad

2 pkgs. Spinach &/or romaine lettuce
1 C. toasted almonds
1 pkg. craisins
Red onion
4 oz. feta cheese – crumbled
8-10 slices bacon – fried, drained, & crumbled

Dressing (enough for two salads)
½ C. each peanut & canola oil
¾ C. sugar dissolved in ½ C. wine vinegar, heated in microwave
¾ tsp. garlic
½ tsp salt
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp. white pepper
½ tsp. cayenne pepper (if you want more bite to your dressing)

Note: Pam suggested adding chicken to it for a heartier salad.

Almond Bars

These were a big hit at the Historical League December meeting/party. Thanks to Sharon Johnson for sharing this great recipe. Many League members requested it.

Almond Bars
Crust: Use 2 packages of crescent rolls
Spread one package on a 9x 13 cookie sheet or pan

Filling: mix together
1- 8 ounce package cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 egg yolk- save the white
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
Spread over the crescent rolls

Spread out 2nd package of rolls, lay over filling and blend edges together
Glaze with the egg white

Topping: Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of sugar and small package of sliced almonds

Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Note: Sharon just heard the crescent rolls now come in large sheets which would also work.
Enjoy.

Sunnyslope High School Band Fundraiser

Non profits always help out other non profits so when the Band supporters called to ask us if we wanted a booth, I said, "Yes". It was a cold day with threat of rain but Kay Holcombe and Sandy Goodheart were bundled up and smiling at 8:45 am on Saturday, Dec 12. Carolyn Mendoza and Mariamne Moore came for the second shift to make it a productive day for the cookbook.

The Queen of Clean gave a talk. Our neighbor had a classic T bird convertible and we all wanted a ride.

Volunteers make these fundraising efforts so rewarding.

Margarita Pie from Rancho de la Osa

Frozen dessert in the frozen north may not make much sense but it was very good and the perfect finish to a great company dinner. Calgary, Canada hit minus 30 while we were there with a snow storm crippling the city and stopping schools and businesses . . . but not us. We walked to the corner market to get the ingredients for Margarita Pie and covered every inch of exposed skin so our faces were barely visible. Brrrr. But it was worth it.

My sister in law, Kitty McLeod, added the two tablespoons of tequila and I stirred in the ingredients. Nephew, Alec McLeod, couldn't wait to add the whipped creme and limes.

Margarita Pie pg. 124 from Rancho de la Osa in Sasabe, AZ

Pretzel Crust
1 1/2 cups finely crushed pretzels
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted

Pie
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons gold tequila
2 tablespoons Triple Sec (We used Galliano since we couldn't buy Triple Sec at the corner market. Is that a NO NO in the liquer world??)
2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped
Green food coloring (optional)

For the crust, pulse the pretzels and sugar in a food processor several times to combine. (We used a blender and it worked great.) Add the butter in a steady stream and process until well mixed. Press over the bottom and side of a 9 inch pie plate sprayed with non stick cooking spray.

For the pie, combine the lime juice, condensed milk, tequila and Triple Sec in a bowl and mix well. Fold in the whipped cream. Tint with green food coloring if you desire a deeper color. Spoon into the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 4 hours or up to 1 week. Garnish with additional whipped cream and lime slices.

Note: Do not use fat-free or low-fat pretzels in the crust or the crust will not hold together when cutting. You may substitute graham crackers for the pretzels but the pretzel crust is the best. Serves 6 to 8.