Edible Christmas Tree

Great idea! Easy and Edible. The children will have fun making it and eating it.

Ingredients:
Apple
Carrot
Toothpicks
Grapes
Strawberries
Kiwi
melon
lettuce
any other fruit you like

Directions:
Slice off end of apple and set on plate.
Dig small hole in other end of apple and insert carrot.
Cover plate with lettuce. 
Place toothpicks all around carrot.
Arrange fruit on carrot.

Mexican Honey Salad

One of the many wonderful salads served at the League Christmas Meeting on Dec. 3 was this beautiful salad prepared by Linda Fritsch. She modified this recipe from The Arizona Republic originally posted from Jennifer Russo. Also try Tastes & Treasures cookbook Green Salad with Shrimp on page 174 but modify the dressing. I think it is too heavy.

Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime
Ingredients For Salad:
1 ½ pounds medium to large cooked and peeled shrimp, whole or cut in bite size chunks
2 ½ cups romaine lettuce, finely chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and well drained
¾ cup tomato, chopped and seeded
¾ cup jicama, peeled and chopped
¾ cup fresh corn kernels, uncooked, or frozen or canned
¾ cup radishes, thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
½ cup goat cheese, crumbled
Ingredients For Dressing:
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon jalapeno pepper, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Line up salad ingredients in individual rows on a large serving plate or toss together in a large bowl.  In a jar with a tight lid, mix dressing ingredients.  Pour dressing over mixture and toss again.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.  Makes 4 generous entrée size servings. 

Annual Christmas Meeting for Historical League

Fabulous home and delicious food were delivered at the December Historical League meeting. The Hospitality Committee did an amazing job and deserved the post-party celebration complete with champagne. Kay Holcombe, Karen Swanson, Susie Brinegar, Iclia Wilkinson, Mary Garbaciak, hostess Joan Galloway and Sally Schaefer toast a VERY successful event.

Librarians are Great

What a wonderful experience to meet librarians from around the state and donate Arizona Recollections and Reflections to their libraries. Zona Lorig and Ruth McLeod enjoyed their days at the AzLA conference at S. Mt. Community College explaining the program and thanking the many sponsors who have contributed to make this campaign possible.
Gina Macaluso from Tucson was excited to take 28 books to distribute to Tucson Public Libraries.

Lemon Bread takes the Cake

 Lemons are ready to pick in Arizona so Zona made this fabulous recipe from pg 198 of Tastes & Treasures cookbook. I think she added extra lemon zest because it really packed a punch.
It was a delicious bonus to the Annual Christmas League Meeting.


Luscious Lemon Loaf
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tsp lemon extract
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a 5 X 8 " loaf pan with baking parchment paper. Sift the flour (who does this anymore??), baking powder, and salt together. Combine the sugar, butter and eggs in a mixing bowl. Beat using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, walnuts and flavoring.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until the loaf tests done. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Note: you may drizzle with a mixture of 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 tsp half and half and 1 tsp lemon juice. Makes 1 loaf.

Zona and Mary Parker discuss the Children's Holiday Party Saturday, Dec 15. 

Mary Parker is an Elf promoting the 30th Annual Children's Holiday Party at Arizona Biltmore Hotel on December 15. Ticket information www.HistoricalLeague.org

Old Ned Centerpieces

Nina Fillipi described the beautiful centerpieces,

"Oh My Gosh..look at what we have here.......An impressive Christmas Centerpiece with a replica of Old Ned, The Historical League's endearing logo. During the summer, Chairs of the CHP searched the Internet and had him shipped here to Arizona. Old Ned will take his place of "honor" in tribute to our 30th Annual Children's Holiday Party on Saturday, December 15, 2012.
           I am delighted to say, I will be one of the fortunate members to bring that old guy home with me. (Really??...another old guy in the house, hmm.....!)"

Co-chair of The Children's Holiday Party, Nina told us the centerpieces will be available for purchase during the event.

More information and tickets at www.HistoricalLeague.org

Hershey Kiss Mice

Easy and fun for families to make together.

1.Open up Oreo cookie

2.Chocolate dipped cherry with stem for the body

3.Hershey's kiss for the head

4.Decorated frosting for  eyes and wreath.

5. Slivered almonds for ears.

Thanks to RecipesFilledWithLove