Mesquite Pancakes

Looking for an activity to do with your children? Thanks to the education department at the www.arizonahistoricalsociety for telling us about the history of the Mesquite Tree while we make delicious pancakes:

Mesquite Trees are common in Arizona. They have ferny, bright green leaves, long pale yellow seedpods, and trunks that separate into branches just above the ground. They grow well in Arizona because they need a lot of sunshine and not much water.

When the seedpods ripen and fall of the trees, some people think they are litter. However, there are others who are excited at the sight of fallen seedpods because they turn these pods into flour in order to make delicious treats, like pancakes.

Prepare Beans:
-Rinse beans under running water to remove dirt and rocks
-Pick out anything that is not a mesquite bean
-Place beans in an oven-proof container or on a foil-lined oven rack
-Make sure water is not dripping off the beans and collecting in the bottom of the pan
-Cook at 150° F until crispy dry-may take-2 to 4 hours (The beans should not actually cook-they may caramelize if cooked at too high a temperature due to high sugar content)

Prepare Flour:
-Place about 15 beans into a blender
-Blend for approximately 20 to 30 seconds (if ground too long, the seeds will be ground up as well and they are VERY bitter)
-Sift through strainer to separate larger pieces of the seedpods from the fine powder, which is the mesquite flour
-Place the mesquite flour in a bag and store in the freezer until needed

Or purchase mesquite flour at Native Seeds Search, 526 N. 4th Ave. Tucson, AZ 85705, www.nativeseeds.org

You Need:

3/4 cup mesquite flour
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tb sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 to 2 cups milk

Step 1: Mix mesquite flour, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar first.

Step 2: Mix in vanilla and eggs.

Step 3: Mix in milk until desired thickness is acquired.
*The thinner the mix, the thinner the pancakes, the thicker the mix, the thicker
the pancakes.

Step 4: Spoon onto a hot griddle and flip when batter
begins to bubble.

Step 5: Serve with butter and honey or syrup.

Makes 12 - 18 pancakes





*Recipe courtesy of Martha Darancou Aguirre of Rancho la Inmaculada.

Tangy Tomato Aspic

Canadian Thanksgiving is on a different day than American Thanksgiving but historic recipes are welcome in any country. This one stands the test of time.
Calgarian Georgia DesMarais had a hard time finding a "jelly" pan in the USA but found a bundt pan was a good alternative.



TANGY TOMATO ASPIC from Georgia Desmarais


1 & 1/4 CUPS BOILING WATER
1/2 t ONION JUICE
1 PACKAGE LEMON JELLO (3 OZ)
1/8 t RED PEPPER SAUCE
1 CAN TOMATO SAUCE (8 OZ)
DASH CLOVES
1 & 1/2 T VINEGAR
2 CUPS DICED CELERY
1/2 t SALT
1 LB DICED SHRIMP

Pour boiling water over gelatin in bowl, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar & seasonings. Pour into a jelly mold and refrigerate until set.

Combine celery, shrimp and a little mayo in bowl and mix. Unmold aspic on plate and mound shrimp mixture in center. Serve with lemon wedges.

Mesquite cookies

Did you know you can use Arizona's Mesquite Tree seedpods and make your own flour just like the native peoples did? The following recipe is available at www.arizonahistoricalsociety.org thanks to the AHS education department. Their website has many activities for children and adults to do together while they learn about Arizona history and horticulture.

Mesquite Trees are common in Arizona. They have ferny, bright green leaves, long pale
yellow seedpods, and trunks that separate into branches just above the ground. They
grow well in Arizona because they need a lot of sunshine and not much water.

When the seedpods ripen and fall of the trees, some people think they are litter.
However, there are others who are excited at the sight of fallen seedpods because they
turn these pods into flour in order to make delicious treats, like cookies.

Prepare Beans:
-Rinse beans under running water to remove dirt and rocks
-Pick out anything that is not a mesquite bean
-Place beans in an oven-proof container or on a foil-lined oven rack
-Make sure water is not dripping off the beans and collecting in the bottom of the pan
-Cook at 150° F until crispy dry-may take-2 to 4 hours (The beans should not actually cook-they may caramelize if cooked at too high a temperature due to high sugar content)

Prepare Flour:
-Place about 15 beans into a blender
-Blend for approximately 20 to 30 seconds (if ground too long, the seeds will be ground up as well and they are VERY bitter)
-Sift through strainer to separate larger pieces of the seedpods from the fine powder, which is the mesquite flour
-Place the mesquite flour in a bag and store in the freezer until needed

Or purchase mesquite flour at Native Seeds Search, 526 N. 4th Ave. Tucson, AZ 85705, www.nativeseeds.org

You Need:
¾ cup margarine
¾ cup sugar
½ cup mesquite flour
1 ½ cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs

Step 1: Cream sugar and margarine together.

Step 2: Add eggs and mix well.

Step 3: Sift mesquite flour, flour, and cinnamon in and mix.

Step 4: Bake on greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Briar Patch Marketplace cookbook booth

Carolyn Mendoza did a wonderful job again over Thanksgiving weekend at Briar Patch Marketplace at Sequoya School in Scottsdale. Along with volunteers Betsy Davis, Sharron McKinney, Mary Garbaciak and Margaret Pogue, she sold $700 worth of books, aprons and hats.

Briar Patch has some wonderful gift ideas for the holidays and Tastes & Treasures cookbook is a good choice for gift giving. The Historical League thanks Briar Patch organizer Jeannie Cueto for allowing us to present the Historical League items and brochures to the public.

Museum website recipes for kids

4th graders can learn Arizona history with the help of the www.arizonahistoricalsociety.org. It contains interesting stories, projects and recipes for children and parents to work together. The education department has done a great job to make this informative and fun for the whole family.

The Indian Fry Bread recipe is easy and delicious. Be careful to supervise children around the hot oil while frying.

Indian Fry Bread
Many American Indian tribes in Arizona make fry bread. Today you can taste fry bread
at many American Indian festivals and celebrations.

You Need:

Shortening for deep-frying
7 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
½ cup water

Step 1: Heat the shortening in a deep fryer, skillet, or frying pan.

*Note: To fry in a skillet, add enough shortening to fill the skillet about 1 inch.

Step 2: Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Step 3: Add the milk and water and mix to form firm dough.

Step 4: Pinch off a baseball-size piece of the dough and roll or shape by hand to the
size of a dinner plate.

Step 5: Deep-fry until the bread is golden brown.

*Note: Fry the dough in the hot shortening until golden brown, turning after 15
to 20 seconds.

Step 6: Drain on paper towels.

Step 7: Repeat with the remaining dough.

Step 8: Serve hot with honey or powdered sugar.

* Recipe from Cameron Trading Post found on page 14, Tastes & Treasures: A Storytelling Cookbook of Historic Arizona by the Historical League. Available for purchase at the Arizona Historical Society Museum at Papago Park, (480) 929-0292.

ArtFest a Success

Scottsdale's ArtFest at the Civic Center library is a wonderful opportunity to showcase Tastes & Treasures cookbook. Carolyn Mendoza did a fabulous job of running the sales and co-ordinating volunteers to man the booth for two days with very good results. Despite the wind and weather forcing an early closure on Sunday, the Historical League brought in $960 worth of sales of cookbooks, Centennial aprons and baseball caps. We are also able to "spread the word" about the Historical League, AHS Museum at Papago Park, Historymakers Centennial Gala and Children's Holiday Party. With lots of help setting up the tent, it was a fun event. Thanks to volunteers: Margaret Pogue, Linda Isaksen, Pam Ryan, Judy Yauch, Steve Yauch, Al McLeod, Deb Hester, Ruth Ann Hogan, Nina Fillips, Mariamne Moore and Bonnie Newhoff. We couldn't do it without you.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Appetizers are always popular but with this recipe, they are also lower in fat and calories.





Try this wonderful cheesy treat from www.hungrygirl.com. It is a variation of the Stuffed Mushrooms from The Cottage Place Restaurant, page 27 Tastes & Treasures.

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:
12 small-to-medium-sized (1 - 2" wide) brown mushroom caps (stems removed)
2 oz. drained white crabmeat
2 tbsp. celery; minced
2 tbsp. red pepper; minced
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Cheese (any Light flavor)
1 tbsp. fat-free sour cream
1 tbsp. fat-free cream cheese
2 tsp. fat-free cheese flavor sprinkles (Molly McButter)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel and then dry them. Place with the rounded sides down on a baking dish sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Combine all other ingredients and stir until well mixed. Evenly distribute crab mixture among the mushroom caps. Place in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes, until hot.

Makes 12.
Hint: A pastry bag is great to pipe the filling into the mushrooms. If you don't have one, use a zip loc bag and cut a hole in one corner. Line the hole with duct tape to give it strength so it won't split open.

(Entire recipe: 135 calories, 3g fat, 975mg sodium, 12g carbs, 2g fiber, 4g sugars, 16g protein = 3 Points)