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.