Zucchini Parmesan Crisp

Who doesn't love appetizers? Tastes & Treasures cookbook has several including a favorite - Stuffed Mushrooms on page 27 from The Cottage Place Restaurant in Flagstaff.

Love this one with Zucchini!

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps 

1 lb. zucchini or squash (about 2 medium-sized)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan (heaping)
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs (heaping)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil and spray lightly with vegetable spray.

Slice zucchini or squash into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. Toss rounds with oil, coating well.

In a wide bowl or plate, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, salt and pepper.

Place rounds in parmesan-breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides of each round, pressing to adhere. The mixture will not completely cover each round, but provides a light coating on each side.

Place rounds in a single layer on baking sheets. Sprinkle any remaining breadcrumb mixture over the rounds.

Bake for about 22 to 27 minutes, until golden brown. (There is no need to flip them during baking -- they crisp up on both sides as is.)

Updated website for Historical League

We are excited to introduce an updated Historical League website. There are still many things to correct but we are getting close. Zona Lorig and Ruth McLeod work to bring new colors, format, photos and links to www.HistoricalLeague.org. Many other League members have contributed to produce this new look as well as hiring a professional to guide us.

Thanks to Joan Robinson who started it and now Maika Winters as well as all the League members who have helped bring this website to a new level.

Asian Almond Ramen Salad

Salads for summer . . . Tastes & Treasures cookbook is filled with great salads. Here is another one to try with the ever-popular Ramen noodles.

Asian Almond Ramen Salad
Ingredients Dressing:
3 tablespoons rice vinegar or cider vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce
¼ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
Ingredients Salad:

1 package (3 ounces) ramen noodles, any flavor
½ cup snow peas (2 ounces), sliced lengthwise into thin strips
½ cup shredded carrots
1 scallion, chopped
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges in juice, drained
¼ cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:
To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients in a medium serving bowl until blended.


For the salad, discard the ramen seasoning packet. Crush the ramen in the bag into very small pieces with a heavy skillet or your hands. Add them to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat. Let the ramen stand at room temperature, stirring now and then, until the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 45 minutes.


Gently fold in the snow peas, carrots, scallion, and water chestnuts. Fold in the oranges and then scatter on the almonds and sesame seeds. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 2 days and serve cold.


TIP:You can replace the dressing with store-bought light sesame-ginger dressing.

Four Peaks Brewery now at Phoenix airport

We featured Four Peaks Brewing Company in Tastes & Treasures cookbook since they are housed in a historic building. And what history it has . . .

Congrats as they build another venue at Sky Harbor airport in Phoenix.

Now you can have your favorite meals before your flight! Including the Oatmeal Stout Shake on page 92 of Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Crockpot oatmeal breakfast

Crockpot Oatmeal Breakfast

Want breakfast tomorrow without lifting a finger?

Place 2 sliced apples, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, pinch salt in the bottom of the crock pot.
Pour in 2 cups of steel cut oatmeal, 2 cups of milk and 2 cups water.
Do NOT stir.
Cook overnight for 8 - 9 hours on low.

Comments: try cooking in the evening and watching it so it doesn’t burn. Then refrigerate and warm up for breakfast.

I like to offer additional ingredients when I serve it such as craisins, raisins, dried apricots, walnuts, bananas, more brown sugar and cinnamon. Yummmm.

Note:It is important to use Steel cut oats not regular oatmeal. Steel cut oats, sometimes labeled "Irish oatmeal," look like small pebbles. They are toasted oat groats—the oat kernel that has been removed from the husk that have been cut in 2 or 3 pieces.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

Can't beat this lovely sticky caramel pudding recipe turned into a rich and moist cake. Smother it with toffee or caramel sauce for a decadent treat. Everyone who tries it will definitely want seconds.

If you like caramel try the recipe in Tastes & Treasures for Caramel Custard Flan found on page 85. The flan recipe was given to the Historical League by historic El Chorro Lodge.

Sticky Caramel Pudding Recipe
Pudding Ingredients:
8 ounces pitted dates, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Pudding Directions:
Spray an 8-inch (20 cm) square metal baking pan with nonstick baking spray with flour.

In a large bowl, combine the chopped dates, the baking soda and boiling water. Let it stand for about 30 minutes or until it is cooled to room temperature.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Add the brown sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla to the date mixture. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat it for 2 minutes, until blended (the mixture will appear slightly curdled). Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula. Mix again for 15 to 30 seconds until blended.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

Set the pan on a wire rack. Poke holes all over the top of the cake with a toothpick. Pour 1/2 cup of the toffee or caramel sauce over the cake. Let it cool in the pan on rack for 10 minutes.

Caramel Sauce Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 3/4 cup whipping (35%) cream, at room temperature 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Caramel Sauce Directions:
In a small heavy saucepan, heat granulated sugar, stirring constantly, over medium heat until sugar is a dark caramel-colored liquid. Remove from heat and while whisking, carefully pour in cream.

Stir in the vanilla.

Makes 2 cups 

Tips: When heating, the granulated sugar will change from solid crystals to the consistency of wet sand to light amber liquid to dark liquid.
Make sure the cream is not chilled or it will splatter and seize the sauce.

To serve, cut the cake into squares and serve warm with the remaining sauce.

Store the cooled cake in the refrigerator in a cake keeper, or loosely wrapped in foil or plastic wrap, for up to 5 days. Warm cake, wrapped loosely in foil, in a 350°F oven before serving.
BY cookingnook.com

Historic buildings in Balboa Park

Mary Garbaciak tells us about the amazing architecture in San Diego on the Historical League tour.  "Due to wear and weather tear - Balboa Park buildings have been restored (to the tune of millions of dollars) to their original design.

After lunch on Tuesday, May 7th,  Jeff Guersey from the Gas Lamp Historical Foundation, gave us a wonderful walking tour of the restored Victorian & Historical Builldings in the GasLamp District.  I took a picture of the Yuma Building."

Tour guide Jeff Guersey

Yuma Building

Gaslamp District

This is the only original building that hasn't been duplicated in architect.