Desserts, Candies, Frosting & Jellies

Prized Pecan Pie

Annie Shill

My Aunt Annie won the Grand Prize at the Alaska State Fair with this pecan pie recipe. It is simply amazing and I haven't tasted better. She is the primary pie maker in our family.

1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup C&H sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 1/4 cup pecans
4 eggs, beaten
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. salt

Combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Cool slightly. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt; mix well. Pour into unbaked pie crust. Top with pecans. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes.

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Rachel Shill Beck

Aunt Rachel with her baby girl Lizzy Kate

   These are the original, old fashioned, slightly buttery and crispy rolled cookies. Even though it seems everyone likes a soft cookie nowadays, I always find myself going back to these. I remember my Mom always made these at Christmas and Valentine's Day to be decorated. Sometimes when in a time crunch she would just sprinkle plain old granulated sugar colored with a drop or two of food coloring, and we'd gobble them up just as fast!

2 eggs

2/3 cup butter, soft

3 1/2 cups flour

1 t. salt

2/3 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 t. baking powder

1 t. vanilla

Beat eggs slightly in large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients; blend on low speed for one minute. Mix on medium speed until mix is well blended and gather together about three minutes. Form into 2 balls. (If dough does not hold, add 1 or 2 T cream.) Roll out on floured board, cut. Sprinkle with sugar.   

Breads

Favorite Banana Bread

Mary Ann Heiner Swenson

This is my all time favorite banana bread. My "Auntie" (Mary Ann) makes it with fresh ground whole-wheat flour. It is a staple at our house.

1 cup mashed bananas

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup water

1/4 t. salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 cups white or wheat flour

1 t. baking soda

Cream together first three ingredients. Add remaining ingredients and place in a greased and floured bread pan. Let rise for 20 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for about one hour.

Reed's Wonder Waffles

Reed Swenson

Uncle Reed on elk hunt in Utah

 These are Uncle Reed's famous Saturday morning waffles. He makes them nearly every week and serves them with seasonal fresh fruit and whipped cream. It wouldn't be the weekend without this tasty treat! This is a good waffle mix to make and give out during the holidays as neighbor gifts-- many people have asked for the recipe! It is simple to make and is low in fat, high in fiber. Most of all, it works perfect every time.

3 cups whole wheat flour, freshly milled

1 cup quick oats

1 t. salt

1 T. baking powder

1/4 cup sugar

4 cups skim milk

3 egg whites, beaten until stiff

Mix together all ingredients except egg whites. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into wheat mixture. Bake in waffle iron that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake until brown and crisp. 

If you choose to make several mixes at once, put all dry ingredients together in a zip lock bag. Put a copy of the recipe inside each bag. Then when you want waffles just grab a bag from your pantry and add the milk and beaten egg whites. Dry ingredients can also be stored in the freezer after you have made the mixes if you live in a humid climate.

Ritty's Multi Grain Pancakes

 Elizabeth Shill Passey

My Aunt "Ritty" as everyone in the family calls her (because no one could pronounce her first name Christy while growing up) made up this recipe in hopes to compete with her husband Justin who is known to be the breakfast cook in the family. When they were first dating, Ritty invited Justin over for a pancake breakfast. After fixing him pancakes made out of Bisquick (Which by the way are still very good), he made it his goal to teach her to make pancakes from scratch. Well now my cousins claim that their Mom's pancakes are better than their Dad's. 

2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup cooking oil

1 cup white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 t. baking soda

2 eggs

2 T. sugar

1/2 cup cornmeal

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

Mix buttermilk, eggs, oi and sugar together in a bowl with a wire whisk. Mix together dry ingredients and gently add to liquid ingredients until just blended. Cook on hot griddle. 

Aunt Ritty, Uncle Justin and their family

       

         

Poultry

Chicken a la King

Elizabeth Wright Shill

My grandmother got this recipe from an old friend named June. She often serves it at special events such as Relief Society parties and showers. My grandmother said about this recipe: "We made the pie shells by cutting the pie crust with a scalloped cookie cutter, then baking them on the wrong side of muffin tins so they made a little cup. They look pretty that way."

1/2 cup butter or margarine

2 cups chicken broth

1 t. salt

6 oz. can boiled mushrooms, drained

Grandma and Grandpa

6 T. flour

2 cups milk

4 cups diced cooked chicken

Blend butter and flour (roux). Slowly add broth and milk. Cook stirring constantly on low heat until sauce thickens. Add salt, chicken, mushrooms (and pimento). Heat through. This is good in individual pie shells or even toast squares.

Casseroles

Christmas Morning Casserole

Mary Ann Heiner Swenson

 

 Every Christmas morning, the whole extended family gets together and has a great big breakfast and exchanges family scrapbook pages for the year. Growing up, I looked forward to these extended family events because I had the chance to play with my cousins and eat the most delicious food. Each member of the family is known to bring certain things. The thing that Aunt Mary Ann makes for every one of these family Christmas breakfasts is this casserole. Paired with a homemade sweet roll, yummy. Christmas morning wouldn't be the same without it!

8 slices bread

6 slices ham, in small pieces

2 cups grated mild cheddar cheese

4 eggs, slightly beaten

2 1/2 cups milk

1 t. salt

3/4 t. dry mustard

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

Butter bread. Remove crusts and cube. Put bread in bottom of a buttered 9 X13 pan. Cover with ham (or cooked bacon or sausage, if you like). Top with grated cheese. Beat eggs with 2 1/2 cups milk, slat and dry mustard. Pour over ham. Refrigerate overnight. In morning, dilute soup with 1/2 cup milk. Pour over casserole. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, until set. Bake covered until the last 10 minutes.

        

Soups, Chowders & Stews

Our Favorite Taco Soup

Rachel Shill Beck

Taco Soup is one of our very favorite things to have for dinners. It is kid-pleaser every time. I love it because it comes entirely from the pantry, and even the meat I usually have already browned and in the freezer, so there is no trip to the grocery store required. This is a popular recipe in our family when we have other family over. It is often served with homemade corn bread made with hand-ground corn and honey from our bees, and that is always a real treat.

1 large can chili with beans

1 can tomatoes

1 can cream of potato soup (sounds weird I know, but trust me and don't leave it out)

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained

1 packet taco seasoning

Mix ingredients in a large saucepan and heat through. Top with cheese, sour cream, and chips.

   

Beverages

Grandpa's Special Postum

Jimmie Shill

 

Grandpa's "Treats" is a long-standing tradition in our family; although it has become more of a daily ritual for many. My mother and her siblings all experienced it growing up. The way this tradition started is that he would make this for my grandma. He then started doing it for all seven of their children (including my mother) and now his grandchildren when he gets the chance. So what are "Treats?" Well it is simply my grandpa's special breakfast that he makes for us each morning, and he usually brings it to us in bed. He has a precise process for Treats that is almost humorous. We tell him a specific time to wake up the night before--it doesn't matter how early because he usually wakes up around 4:30 anyways. He will then place a note on his mirror reminding him of the time you need your Treats. In the morning after he has watched the evening news that he taped the day before, he composes the Treats, which consists of the following: A hot mug of his special Postum and one or two pieces of homemade bread toasted with butter, along with a little dish of homemade jam, which is usually either strawberry or raspberry. And on days that are any kind of special occasion, he goes to get donuts from the local donut shop. My grandma always teases about how many dishes "Jimmie" uses for his Treats, and it's always the same. The mug of Postum is placed in a bowl, which is placed on the plate with the toast, jam and spoon. I have always loved this family tradition ever since I was a little girl and hope to one day teach my husband so that he can continue this in our own family.

1 T. Coffee Mate creamer

1 heaping T. honey

1 level t. Postum

Combine ingredients into a coffee mug and add really hot water.

Appetizers

Artichoke Dip

Mary Ann Heiner Swenson

This is a show-stopping appetizer in our family. The flavors blend well and it is super easy to prepare. It is a must-have during the holiday season and for family parties.

1 16 oz can of artichokes

1 small can diced green chilis

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients together and place in 9 X 9 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until heated through. Serve with crackers.

Smoked Salmon Dip

Annie Shill

Uncle James fishing with his two sons Andrew and Ian at home in Alaska

We always look forward to receiving Uncle James' fresh salmon all the way from Alaska every Christmas. It makes this dip especially delicious!

Cousin Andrew Shill on bear hunt in Alaska

6-8 ounces smoked salmon

1/2 cup sour cream

1 small clove of garlic

1 T. lemon juice

1 8 oz package cream cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce

A few dashes of Tabasco sauce

Mix thoroughly cream cheese and sour cream or mayo. Flake salmon, mix with cream cheese and other ingredients. Serve with crackers, veggies or potato chips.