Purple Ribbon Recipe and Linger Longer in Kansas

LAST FREE EXIT IN KANSAS today then EAST toward the M - I - Crooked Letter - Crooked Letter - I - Crooked Letter - Crooked Letter - I - Humpback - Humpback - I. (I just want to drive to the other side of the Missouri just so I can shout that while going over Mark Twain's river.)

Speaking of spelling and letters of the day, here is -- direct from the Huffington Post -- Katy Perry singing with Elmo on Sesame Street. Katy was playing dress up and tag with Elmo, and she looks like a Tinker Belle princess. No more, no less. Katy's outfit did NOT bother me. With all the talk, I was expecting an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, yellow-polka-dotted bikini on top. The skit was fun, it was catchy and it was educational. All I have to do is step into my ELEMENTARY school or a Justice store or any other place where kids hang out and see far skimpier clothes. I bet the same fresh and fierce parents complaining today in the next decade will think THEIR kids look just "fine" wearing clothes way too grown up for them. Perhaps adults of today need to check, check themselves (and their kids' wardrobes) before complaining about a Sesame Street wardrobe choice. It's a clothing choice not a wardrobe malfunction.

As promised, my purple ribbon Kansas State Fair Recipe for Raisin Spice Bars. Thanks to my former 4-H cooking leader Grace Ann Fiala for this recipe.

RAISIN SPICE BARS
1 stick oleo (Called butter these days. This recipe has been around for awhile.)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon each of baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup flour
1 egg, beaten

Take 1/2 cup of water and simmer with raisins. Save 2 Tablespoons of extra water. Melt butter in microwave (modified from heating in pan.) Add sugar, raisin liquid and spices. Add beaten egg and raisins. Bake in 9" pan at 350º for 30 minutes.

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(We might revisit raisins for California Week, though I think of California produce as being fine, fresh, and fierce.) Here's from the first California Raisins coloring book.

Before we leave Kansas, here are a few more links to check:
The Kansas Wheat site has recipes for more than breads. But as a Kansas State alumnae, my favorite recipe is their Kansas State Crown Bread. It brings back many memories of group banquets in the K-State Union.

My favorite cookbook with Kansas ties is the Centennial 4-H Cookbook called "Essence of Kansas Taste Three." You can view it HERE.

And if you're so inclined, check out the link HERE for "Cooking in Oz: Kitchen Wizardry and a Century of Marvels from America's Favorite Tale." It's one of three titles on Oz cooking.
Here's how a West Virginia Symphony group planned an Oz meal.
If you need any more Oz info links, check this site HERE. Check out the radio ad where the state's old travel slogan was "Linger Longer in Kansas." I think perhaps that's because folks were lost that they were "lingering longer" in the state. (Though I have relatives and friends who work for Kansas Department of Transportation and Kansas roads are much better than many states. And not that they don't need more funding, but they're way better than Missouri maintenance.)

And I should mention that there is an Oz Museum in Wamego, Kansas, (about an hour and 40 minutes from Kansas City on a toll road that's not paved in yellow bricks.) Time for some more Katy tunes.

Tom Sawyer, Sunflower Power and Flying Monkeys

Coming soon, more recipes from Kansas natives, including my Kansas State Fair Purple Ribbon 4-H bar cookie recipe. And next week's focus is on Missouri recipes, authors and attractions. I'm perusing Tom Sawyer again (I've not read it since I was a kid and I've always heard it's good to reread as an adult. I can only imagine the themes I didn't pick up on as a child.)

So a family-friendly Tom Sawyer meal may be in the works. Some early recipe titles that may or may not make the cut: White iced refrigerator cookies? River Trail Mix? Paddle Boat Soup and crackers?

What I'm Googling today:

It was just announced last week that Trader Joe's is coming to KC. I'm over the moon, even though both locations are not close to my home kitchen. I shall turn into the greatest of chefs, soon, maybe, perhaps, perhaps not. Sorry, lost my focus.

Sunflowers are the state flower for Kansas, so chocolate-coated Sunflower Seeds are a nice snack. (They might appear in next week's trail mix.)

Here's a link to more Sunflower souvenirs. Why you'd really need this link, I'm not sure. If you really want to do a family friendly meal about Kansas, the movie to find is (ugh, am I really saying this after ALL MY YEARS of denying the connection to our state and Hollywood's creation: "The Wizard of Oz."
CAN I do a Wizard of Oz meal? Yes.  DO I want to do a Wizard of Oz meal? No.

So I'm leaving it to you. Leave me a comment if you think you'd like to see a Wizard of Oz meal. Provide menu names (other than Flying Monkeys because we dislike them. Though Britney Spears's red and black fluffed "ringleader" jacket for her Circus tour made me think of those ick creatures.) But a Wicked green punch is now sounding like it could be fun... Wicked on Broadway was great, BTW, and at least kept Kansas out the scenery. Darn, now I've got Wizard of Oz on the brain...