Mountain Fuel Cookies

When Rob's mother, Ivie, worked at Mountain Fuel in Salt Lake City she acquired this recipe. The Phippens grew up enjoying these chocolate sensations and always called them the Mountain Fuel Cookies. They are truly delicious and easy to bake.

MOUNTAIN FUEL COOKIES
1 box of brownie or chocolate cake mix
1/3 C shortening
2 eggs

FROSTING
1 C powdered sugar
1/2 t vanillla
1 T milk

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat until well mixed. Scoop out spoonfuls of dough and roll into balls. Place, about 2 inches apart, on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie is lightly browned. Place cookies on a wax paper lined cooling rack. While cookies are cooling prepare frosting. Combine all the frosting ingredients in a mixing bowl. Whip until mixed. You may need to add a bit more milk to get the right consistency. Once the cookies are cool you can make the "sandwiches". Place frosting in between 2 of the cookies making a cookie sandwich. Repeat until finished then serve.

*Note: A simple cream cheese or butter cream frosting is really good with the cookies too.

Thai Inspired Stir Fry

We love stir fry around my house. My children affectionately call it "chickie rice". They request it for dinner at least once a week. This past week I decided to add some flair to our stir fry. I used Jasmine rice and coconut milk to give our dish a Thai flair. It was so fun to taste the sweet and spicy in one simple dish. Give it a try!

THAI INSPIRED STIR FRY
Rice:
Jasmine rice
1 can of coconut milk
water

Stir-fry:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped
1 zucchini, diced
2 red bell peppers, cored & chopped
2 broccoli crowns, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 green onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
Any other veggies you'd like to add for flavor.
1/2 C Yoshida's sauce
1/4 C light soy sauce
2 t red pepper
1/4 t garlic salt

First, prepare the Jasmine rice according to package or rice cooker instructions. Substitute half of the water required with coconut milk. If you like the rice even sweeter only use the coconut milk, no water. While rice is cooking, warm a large, deep skillet. Pour soy sauce in skillet and warm. Add chicken chunks to medium-high heat. Stir. Add half of Yoshida's sauce, fresh garlic and garlic salt. Saute chicken until cooked through. Stir in all other ingredients. Saute, on medium heat, until the vegetables are cooked but still a tad bitey. Do not overcook the vegetables, they'll turn to mush! When the rice is done place a scoop of it into a bowl. Top with the stir-fry mix. Serve.

Scrambled Eggs

I know I'm not the only mom in the whole world that knows how to make scrambled eggs. That being said, scrambled eggs are one of my kids' favorite foods. Here is how I make 'em up!

SCRAMBLED EGGS
6 eggs
1/2 C of grated cheese
1/4 C milk
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
pinch of garlic salt

Crack the eggs open and pour contents into a mixing bowl. Add other ingredients. Mix with a whisk or fork until well blended. Coat a skillet with non-stick spray and set on stove at medium-high heat. Pour egg mix into the warmed skillet. Let sit for a moment then scrape and turn the eggs in the skillet. Keep doing this until the eggs are fully cooked. Serve with toast.

Dad's Mashed Potatoes

Making mashed potatoes is a serious business to my dad. If you add or alter them in anyway he accuses you of destroying them! The funny thing is, my Grandpa takes mashed potato making serious too. Must be a Smith man thing. Here is Dad's simple yet yummy recipe for flawless potatoes.

DAD'S MASHED POTATOES
Potatoes, peeled and cut into equal pieces
water, to boil potatoes in
1/4 C of milk
1/4 C of butter
1/4 C of sour cream
1 t salt

Place the potatoes in a pot of boiling water. Bring back to a boil then turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook for 35-45 minutes or until the potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork. Drain the water off the potatoes. Mash the potatoes. Add milk, butter, sour cream and salt. Mash a bit more then blend with a mixer until smooth. If needed, add more milk, butter, and/or salt to taste.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

A few years ago my mom asked me to find a new side dish for Thanksgiving. That very day I decided to watch an episode of America's Test Kitchen. They demonstrated this recipe for mashed sweet potatoes and I decided it needed to be a dish at Thanksgiving. We've served these sweet, creamy taters ever since.

MASHED SWEET POTATOES
4 T butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 T heavy cream
1/2 t salt
1 t sugar
2 pounds of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into equal pieces
1/4 t black pepper

Combine butter, cream, salt, sugar and potatoes in a large pot. Stir together then cook, covered, on low heat. Stir occasionally. Cook until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork, 35-45 minutes. Remove from heat. Mash potatoes then beat until smooth. Stir in pepper and serve.

Fruit Salad

Gramma MAS loved compiling fancy fruit salads. My mom took her fruity fun a step further and added whipped cream and pecans to the top of the salad to make it truly irresistible.

FRUIT SALAD
1 cantaloupe, peeled and cut into pieces
2-4 oranges, peeled and cut into pieces
2-4 apples, cored and sliced into pieces
1 pint of strawberries, stems removed and sliced
1 jar of maraschino cherries, juice included
1-2 cans of pineapple chunks, juice included
1/2 bunch of green grapes, removed from stem

optional:
blueberries
blackberries
pomegranate seeds
mini-watermelon
peaches
Basically any fruit you'd like to add. The more the better!
pecans (to top the salad)

Make sure all fruit is washed, prepared and cut into bite size pieces. Compile the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir. Let sit for 10 minutes to let juices combine. In the meantime...

WHIPPED CREAM
1 carton of heavy whipping cream
1 t vanilla
1/4 C powdered sugar (more if you like it sweeter)

Pour cream into a mixing bowl. Add vanilla. Start beating on high with a mixer. Slowly add powdered sugar. Continue to beat until peaks begin to form in the cream. Beat until you achieve desired texture.

Serve fruit salad in a bowl. Top with whipped cream and pecans, if desired.

Date Pinwheel Cookies

Grandmother Scarlett loved baking these delectable treats for her grandchildren. My dad remembers running into her quaint house, passing her altogether, heading straight to her freezer and grabbing a cookie, then returning to give Grandmother a hug and a kiss, his mouth already full of date pinwheel goodness. Here is her authentic recipe, straight from our Alabama heritage to your kitchen!

DATE PINWHEEL COOKIE DOUGH:
1 C butter, softened
2 C brown sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
4 C flour, sifted
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda

Cream the butter with a mixer. Add the brown sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Mix the flour, salt, and soda in a bowl. Pour the dry mix into the cream mix. Stir until well blended. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator, about 2 hours.

DATE FILLING:
2 1/4 C chopped dates
1 C water
1 C sugar
1 1/2 C chopped pecans

Cook the dates, sugar, and water in a saucepan over low heat until thickened. It usually takes about 10 minutes. Add the pecans then let cool.

When filling is cool dough is chilled take the dough and divide it in half. Roll each half out, on a lightly floured surface, until about a quarter inch thick. Spread half of the filling on each dough half. Roll up the dough, like a jelly roll or cinnamon roll loaf. Wrap the two rolls in wax paper and chill in the refrigerator. After about an hour or two, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Cut the rolls, with a sharp knife, to be about a quarter inch thick. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray then place cookies on it. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes until the top is golden brown. Remove cookies from sheet and place on a wax paper lined cooling rack. Serve after the cookies are cool to the touch.

Grape Sherbet

Gramma MAS' aunt Lola invented this gorgeous grape sherbet as a foods project in college. Lola took her Aunt Rosa's grape ice cream idea and turned it into this yummy treat. The infusion of grape juice, sugar, and lemon gives it an original taste that is truly scrumptious.

GRAPE SHERBET
1 package of Knox gelatin
1/2 C cold water
1 C boiling water
2 C sugar
the juice of 4 lemons, freshly squeezed
1/8 t of salt
1 1/2 pints of Welch's grape juice
1 quart of half and half
1 can of evaporated milk

Pour the cold water into a small mixing bowl. Dissolve the gelatin in the cold water by stirring. Next, pour the boiling water over the cold water with the gelatin and stir. Pour the mix into the ice cream canister and add all of the other ingredients while constantly stirring. After the ingredients are mixed, taste it. You want the mix to be a bit sweeter and grapier than you'd prefer it to be. Add sugar and grape juice until you get to that desired taste. Put the canister into the ice cream machine and pack it with ice and rock salt. The usual ratio to do that is 2 inches of ice followed by an inch of rock salt, repeat until freezer is packed full. The freezing process usually takes around 45 minutes. Serve and then freeze left overs.

Note: this recipe is made in a large (5 quart) ice cream freezer. If you need to you can adjust the recipe to fit a smaller freezer.

Chicken Enchiladas

My cousin's wife ,Jennifer, gave us a chicken enchilada recipe years ago. After a bit of tweaking, Mom has perfected this rich and festive dish.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large can of green enchilada sauce
1 small can of diced green chiles (optional)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 small container of sour cream
corn tortillas
cheese, grated

Boil the chicken in a large stock pot until cooked. Let chicken cool, then shred. In a large bowl mix the sauce, soup, chiles and sour cream until blended. Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray. Line the bottom of the dish with the corn tortillas. (I cut mine the tortillas in half so they'll fit better). Place shredded chicken atop the tortillas, then put a layer of cheese and cover with the sauce mix. Cover that layer with a layer of tortillas and repeat until the dish is full. On the top of the casserole place a layer of tortillas and a lot of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, until warmed through. The cheese will look melted and the sauce should be bubbling.

*Hint: To make this dish healthier substitute fat free sour cream, whole wheat tortillas, low sodium soup and low fat cheese.

Sauerkraut

Gramma MAS' family starting bottling their own sauerkraut years ago. My parents still carry on this tradition every year. This year we decided to help them so we could learn how to do it for ourselves. I know you have to do it at least a few months before Thanksgiving. Yes, sauerkraut is a staple at our Thanksgiving dinner. Home bottled sauerkraut tastes quite different from the stuff bought at the grocery store. Anyway, if you want to give bottling sauerkraut a try here is the how to!

SAUERKRAUT

Ingredients:
heads of fresh, green cabbage
water
salt

Supplies:
food processor
stock pot
home canning jars, lids, & rings

Fill a stock pot with water and set on the stove to boil. Cut the heads of cabbage in half, from the stem section to the top. Cut out the hard cores. Slice down to fit in the food processor. Chop and move into a large bowl. After the cabbage has been run through the processor once, put it through a second time to achieve the correct texture and size. The water should be boiling by now. Firmly pack the cabbage into the jars. Place a heaping teaspoon of salt on the top of the cabbage inside the jar. Pour boiling water into the jar, atop the salt. Place sealing lid and screw on the ring. Wipe off the jar and let sit until the jar lid "pops". Set in a cool, dark place for a few months to ripen.

Pour a bottle of ripe sauerkraut into a pot. Fill the sauerkraut jar you just emptied with water and pour in the pot. Bring the sauerkraut and water to a boil. Turn the heat down to a medium-low heat and let the sauerkraut simmer for 30 minutes. Add butter, to taste, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve.


This is what the cabbage looks like after the first round of food processing.
This is the texture after the second food processing round.


Pack the cabbage in firmly.

A newly jarred bottle of sauerkraut next to a ripe bottle of sauerkraut.

Pfeiffer's Perfect Pie Crust

Uncle Jan's mother is an expert pie maker. Her secret is in her crust recipe. She graciously gave my dad her recipe years ago. He claims there is no better pie crust recipe in the world, and I agree! The secret to a great crust is to not over work the dough. Keep that in mind if you decide to take on this scrumptious crust.

PERFECT PIE CRUST

3 C flour
1 1/2 C of shortening
1 1/2 t of salt
1 1/2 eggs
1/3 C water
1 1/2 T cider vinegar

Combine flour and salt in large mixing bowl. Cut shortening into flour mix until it is just mixed and has a coarse texture, like cornmeal. Add the eggs, water and vinegar. Blend the wet ingredients into the mix until it is just mixed. Put your hands into the dough to finish meshing all the ingredients together. Divide the dough in half. Roll out half of the dough onto a lightly floured surface. It should be about a quarter of an inch thick. Fold the rolled out dough in half, pick it up and place it in the bottom of a pie dish. Lightly press the dough into the sides of the pie dish. Trim the dough making sure to leave about an inch of excess dough around the edges. Fill the dish with the pie filling you prepared ahead of time. If you desire a top crust, roll out the other half of the dough, fold it and place it atop the pie. Trim excess dough off the sides and seal the edges. Put little slits with a knife in the top of the pie for ventilation. Sprinkle sugar over the pie. Wrap the pie loosely with foil making a tent to prevent the crust from getting too crispy. Bake according to pie recipe instructions, making sure to remove the foil tent the last 10 minutes of the bake time. P.S. Sometimes we save the extra dough and cut it into decorative shapes to bake atop the pie.

Dad's Cherry Pie

This ain't your momma's cherry pie, it's my daddy's! Gramma MAS and Dad had an ongoing battle on who made the best cherry pie. For the record, they both made a scrumptious pastry but my Dad's is out-of-this-world good! Why is it sooooo yummy you ask? Well, it doesn't taste like the regular, super tart, thick gel stuff inside of it cherry pie. This recipe is one of a kind. I actually do not like any other cherry pie, but Dad's is what a true cherry pie tastes like. If you venture to try this recipe it is very important you buy the right brand of ingredients.... no cheating!

DAD'S CHERRY PIE
2 cans of Oregon brand pitted pie cherries
1/3 C of cherry juice, reserved from the can
1/4 t salt
1 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 C sugar
1 T butter, softened
2 1/2 T tapioca
1/4 t almond extract
1/2 t red food coloring

Open the cans of cherries and drain a third of the juice into a mixing bowl. Drain the rest of the juice into the sink. Combine all the above ingredients into the mixing bowl containing the cherry juice. Let the cherries sit while you prepare the crust. After the crust is prepared, rolled out, placed in the pie dish, trimmed and ready pour the cherries on top of the bottom crust in the dish. Place the top section of the crust over the cherries and seal the edges with a fork or your fingers. Slice a few venting areas in the top of the pie with a knife. Sprinkle a bit of sugar over the top of the pie. Wrap foil over the top of the pie and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for another 35 minutes. Open the oven and remove the foil layer. Bake for another 10 minutes until the crust has a golden brown glow. Remove from oven, when done, and let sit before serving.

Gramma MAS Snack

We called her Gramma MAS. Why did we call her that? Other than her initials being MAS, Mary Alice Smith, I really haven't the slightest idea! She was an amazing cook and homemaker, one of the best I'd say. She loved having her grandkids over and she often whipped this simple snack together for us after long hours of running around her house and yard. I make this snack for my babies now and every time I lay it out on a dish I think of my witty, talented, smiling Gramma MAS.

GRAMMA MAS SNACK

2 apples, cored and sliced
Ritz or Wheat Thin crackers
Cheddar cheese, thinly sliced into cracker sized pieces

On a large serving plate arrange apple slices, crackers, and cheese. Serve.

Milano Salad

My great grandparents migrated from Italy to America at the turn of the century. They brought a vivid love of gardening and vegetables from their homeland. This simple green salad is refreshing and lite in a way that only true Italians would know.

MILANO SALAD

Core ingredients:
1 head of leaf lettuce (red or green)
tomatoes, cut up into desired size
cucumber, peeled and sliced
bell pepper, cored and chopped
celery, cleaned and chopped
2 T light olive oil
1-2 lemons, cut in half and ready to squeeze
1 t Lawry's seasoning salt
1/4 t garlic salt
1/4 t lemon pepper

Optional ingredients:
avocado, pitted and chopped
1 can of black olives, drained
mushrooms, sliced
carrots, sliced
any other type of lettuce
cheese, cubed
anything else you'd like to add to your salad

Cut lettuce into salad sized pieces. Add all other vegetables. Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables. Sprinkle salts and pepper over salad. Squeeze the lemons juice into a small strainer that is atop the salad. Toss the salad, coating all of the vegetables. Taste. Adjust seasonings according to your taste then serve immediately.

250 Dollar Cookies

I'm sure most people have a version of this recipe. The story is that some lady asked how much it was to purchase the recipe for the cookies sold at a fancy department store's bakery. The baker quoted her a price of two fifty so she bought the recipe. When she received her credit card statement the charge for the recipe was not $2.50 but $250.00. She was outraged and tried to get her money back but the department store refused her request. In retaliation this woman made copies of the recipe and sent it out to everyone she knew. My friend Samantha gave this recipe to me while we were at Ricks College. It is still one of my favorite cookie recipes. Thanks lady who got mad and sent this recipe out, I have enjoyed it immensely.

$250 COOKIES

1 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
2 C flour
2 C regular oats
1 1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
4 oz. chocolate bar, grated
1 C chocolate chips
1 C walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour oats into a blender and blend to achieve a finer texture. Cream butter and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla to creamed mix. In a separate bowl combine oats, flour, salt, soda, powder and stir. Slowly add the flour mix to the cream mix. Stir well until blended. Add chips, grated chocolate, and nuts. Stir well. Roll dough into balls and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet that was coated with non-stick spray. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges and top are golden brown.

Chicken a la Creme

When my mom was a hair dresser she coaxed many of her clients into revealing their top secret recipes. This is Evangeline Russell's most prized dinner recipe... the dinner she fed all the General Authorities when they dined in her home. It is a rich yet rustic recipe that will leave you feeling very satisfied in a good way.

CHICKEN A LA CREME

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
2 pints of sour cream
2 jars of chipped beef
1 pound of bacon

Slightly brown the bacon in a skillet. Place bacon strips on a dish lined with paper towels and let sit. In a large bowl mix the soup and sour cream together. Spray a 13" x 9" casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the dish with the chipped beef. Take each chicken breast and wrap a slice or two of bacon around it. Place the chicken in the dish atop the beef. Pour the wet mixture over the chicken, completely covering it. Bake at 350 degrees for 3 hours. The top of the chicken will look golden brown and the sauce will be bubbling. Make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through then remove from the oven and serve.

Hummingbird Cake

Last Easter my mother found this recipe in Woman's Day magazine. The thought of this cake made her mouth water so she challenged me to try baking it. I did so and all I can state is that it was the perfect grand finale to our Easter festivities.

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

3 C flour
2 C sugar
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
3 eggs
3/4 C vegetable oil
2 t vanilla
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple in juice
2 C mashed, ripe bananas (about 4-5 bananas)
1 C pecans, finely chopped (optional)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

2 bricks of Neufchatel cream cheese
1/2 C butter
2 t vanilla
3 C powdered sugar
2 C flaked coconut (optional)

Adjust racks to divide your oven into thirds. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk flour, sugar, soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. In another large bowl whisk eggs, oil, vanilla, pineapple, bananas, and pecans until just blended. Add wet mix to the flour mix and stir until just combined. Divide batter evenly amongst three non-stick spray coated, 8 inch round cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick, inserted in the middle, comes out clean. Cool cake in pans on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Invert and remove cake from pans and let cool completely on racks. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until lite and creamy. On low speed gradually mix in powdered sugar until fluffy. Place a cake layer on a serving platter. Gently slide pieces of wax paper under the edges of the cake layer to prevent a messy looking frosting spread. Spread about 3/4 cup of frosting over the top of the layer. Put the next layer on top of the bottom layer and repeat. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle coconut flakes on top, allowing some to fall over onto the sides. Cover the cake until you serve it. You may refrigerate the covered cake just remember to take it out 45 minutes before you serve it so it can get back to room temperature.

Honey Whole Wheat Waffles

I am a lover of breakfast foods. Lately I have been experimenting with variations on the old standard baking mix waffles. I wanted waffles that were a tad bit more healthy and filling. This is what I came up with.

HONEY WHOLE WHEAT WAFFLES
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup of baking mix (or regular flour)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 eggs
2 cups of milk
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup of melted butter
1/4 cup of vegetable oil

Mix all of the above ingredients. If the batter is too runny add some more wheat flour until the consistency is right. If it is too dry add some more milk. Pour onto a heated waffle iron that's been coated with a non-stick spray and cook. Pull waffle off of the waffle iron and top with what your heart desires.

optional ingredients:
chocolate chips- sprinkle on top of the batter that you place in the waffle iron or atop the waffle after it's cooked.
pecans- chop finely then place over the batter in the waffle iron to add a nutty flair.
strawberries (or any kind of fruit or berries)- slice and place atop the waffle, before serving, to add color and taste.
whipped cream- whether you make it from scratch or it's squeezed out of a can it's yummy.
syrup- pure maple is best but any kind of syrup will add pizazz to your morning.

Warning: When topping these delicious waffles and feeding them to your children you may get cute faces looking like this-