Walnut Bars

Dancing burns calories, especially when singing "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor." We enjoyed into these yummy Walnut Bars from Mary Nomenilli.

Tastes & Treasures has Macaroon Nut Tarts on page 115. It has some nice variations of Walnut Bars.

Walnut Bars

Ingredients for crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter

Mix together like pie crust. Pat into 9x13 pan. Note: Put a sheet of parchment on the bottom of the pan so they don't break up when taking them out.
Bake 375 for 15-20 min. Let cool.

Ingredients for topping:
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoon flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Directions:
Mix together and spread on crust.
Bake 2nd time 375 for 15-20 min. Let cool.

Ingredients for frosting:
3 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon creamer
1 1/2 cup powder sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar. Add creamer and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Cut into squares. Freezes well.

Cowboy Caviar Rules

A tasty appetizer for any occasion, this easy dish can go anywhere. I served it at a reunion and it was a big hit. We danced to oldies and worked up an appetite for the delicious food.
Recipe on page 180 of Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

COWBOY CAVIAR

Ingredients:
1 15oz can corn, drained, or 1 ½ cups frozen corn, defrosted
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14oz can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2/3 cup green onion, chopped
2 large avocados, chopped
1 14oz can diced tomatoes, drained
Tortilla chips

Dressing:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp chipotle chili powder, or to taste

In a colander, drain and rinse the corn and beans. In a separate colander, drain the tomatoes.

Chop the cilantro and the green onions. Peel and chop the avocado.

Make the dressing: mince the garlic. In a small bowl, pour the olive oil and red wine vinegar- whisk to combine.

Add to the dressing the minced garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander and chipotle chili powder. Whisk to combine.

Into a large bowl combine the corn, beans, cilantro, green onions, avocados and tomato. Gently toss with a large spatula.

Pour the dressing over the caviar mixture and gently toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover and chill until serving time. Can be made several hours in advance. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Note: Additions can be chopped red and yellow sweet peppers and sliced black olives.

Breakfast Casserole after a night around the campfire

Make your breakfast dish ahead of time and relax with your company.

Visiting friends in northern Michigan, we enjoyed the campfire at night. But breakfast was ready to pop in the oven in the morning. Thanks to helpful hints from hostess Sue Hinton and fellow guest Noel Watts.

Tastes & Treasures cookbook has three easy Breakfast Casseroles on page 195, 143 and 118.

Breakfast Casserole from page 195

3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes (do not thaw)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup cooked crumbled hot sausage
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk, or 1 1/4 cups half-and-half
4 eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Layer the frozen potatoes, cheese, sausage and green onions in a buttered 8 X 8 inch baking dish. Beat the evaporated milk, eggs, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl until blended and pour over the prepared layers. Chill, covered, for 8 to 10 hours.

Remove the cover and place the chilled casserole in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Helpful hint: blot excess grease from sausage on a paper towel before adding to egg mixture.

Note: Sauteed mushrooms make a nice addition to this casserole.

Note: We used cubed bread in place of frozen hash browns and Cheddar Cheese in place of Monterey Jack.

Note: We mixed cooked sausage, cheese, bread cubes and sauteed mushrooms together in a large bowl and poured the egg mixture over it. Then added it to the casserole dish.

Antipasto travels well

Want a make-a-head appetizer that freezes well? Thanks to Cathy Viant Priest for bringing this tasty spread to a reunion in Michigan.

Antipasto

Ingredients:

• 1 cup marinated cocktail onions, cut in half
• 20 ounces canned mushrooms, drained and minced
• 1 red bell pepper, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, minced
• 1 cup stuffed green olives, minced
• 1 cup black olives, minced
• 1 cup dill pickles, minced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can green beans, drained
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained and flaked
• 2 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan over medium high heat, mix the pearl onions, canned mushrooms, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, green olives, black olives, dill pickles, green beans, tuna, ketchup, vinegar and olive oil. While stirring, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Remove from heat. Allow to cool completely before transferring to sterile freezer containers, leaving 1 inch of space in the containers. Store in the freezer.
3. Makes 12 cups.
   

Amount Per Serving Calories: 23 | Total Fat: 1.1g | Cholesterol: 1mg

World's Best Brownies

After spending a day boating, these brownies are so appreciated. Mary Nomenilli is ready to disembark from the boat. She brought these melt-in-your-mouth brownies for the gathering.

For another brownie recipe try Espresso Brownies on page 163 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

World's Best Brownies

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup sugar
4-1/2 oz squares chocolate
1 cup mini marshmallows
pinch of salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup flour

Directions:
Mix butter, sugar, eggs together.
Add chocolate chips.
Melt butter and chocolate squares in a saucepan and add to the butter/sugar mixture.
Stir in salt.
Add marshmallows and walnuts.
Bake at 350 8x8 pan for 30-35 min.
Or use 9x9 pan and bake for 25 min.
If you want to double recipe use a 9x13 pan and bake for 40 min.

Zona and Carolyn at ACHE Convention with League books

Zona Lorig and Carolyn Mendoza continue to promote Arizona Recollections and Reflections An Arizona Historymakers Centennial Commemoration and Tastes & Treasures A Storytelling Cookbook of Historic Arizona.

They set up a table at the AZ Council for History Education Convention in Mesa on Saturday, August 18 with displays and information.

Thanks to generous sponsors, the Centennial book is now available to libraries across the state. Complimentary copies will be given to libraries. We are in the process of gathering addresses and contact information for those who request Arizona Recollections and Reflections.

Margarita Pie for Reunion

When you have lots of help in the kitchen, the cooking becomes much more fun. Our sorority reunion at Burt Lake, Michigan was outstanding and I had lots of extra hands making Margarita Pie. Thanks to Joann Neher Travillian, Debbie Dorman Ennis, Liz Ohtonen Bahti, Cheryl Richter Neville, Sue Hall Wheatlake.

MARGARITA PIE

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

Pie
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1(14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons gold tequila
2 tablespoons Triple Sec
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 com-
bine. Add the butter in a steady stream and
process until well mixed. Press over the
bottom and up the side of a 9 inch pie plate
sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

For the pie, combine the lime juice, con-
densed 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 addi-
tional whipped cream and lime slices.
Note: Do not use fat-free or low-fat pretzels
in the crust or the crust will not hold to-
gether when cutting. You may substitute
graham crackers for the pretzels.

Serves 6 to 8